Historical Titles

Edited by Keith R. Jennings

The construction of Thompson’s mass spectrograph in Cambridge almost exactly a century ago followed by Aston’s improved instruments and his pioneering work on non-radioactive isotopes is widely known. In the sixty years or so since then, European scientists and engineers have made many major contributions to the development of new instruments and techniques. Accounts of these contributions in the scientific literature necessarily give little idea of the contributors themselves or of the difficulties that had to be overcome before success was achieved.

Most newcomers to mass spectrometry in the last ten years will have little concept of the difficulties faced in obtaining the mass spectra of four solid samples during a working day before the invention of the vacuum lock probe. This was followed by several hours of counting spectra and trying to interpret them. Many will never have seen a magnetic deflection instrument and will be familiar only with mass spectrometers having both the operation of the instrument and the interpretation of the data under computer control.

This book aims to give an insight into how some of the more important developments came about, from the advent of the first commercial instruments to the present day. The various accounts, several of which contain personal reminiscences, both provide a human background to these developments and convey the excitement of being part of the European mass spectrometry community during this period.

The Story of Gilbert Briggs and his Loudspeakers

In A Pair of Wharfedales, David Briggs interweaves a biography of this remarkable man with a history of the Wharfedale Company and its products from 1932 to 1978. Along the way we encounter many of Gilbert Briggs' fellow audio pioneers, such as Peter Walker, Harold Leak, Cecil Watts, Arnold Sugden, Edgar Villchur and Raymond Cooke, and relive the most exciting period in the history of high fidelity sound reproduction. Lavishly illustrated with archive photographs, brochure material and advertisements this book will delight Wharfedale fans, audiophiles and those who simply want to know more about the personality behind the brand. 

Goodwood Anecdotes is the second book by Peter Redman recalling events at the Goodwood motor circuit in the early years, and includes personal stories from 47 of his friends and acquaintances. Their unique and often amusing anecdotes, together with more than 200 of their photographs, bring to life those wonderful days spent watching the famous, and not so famous, driving fantastic machines of various shapes and sizes.

Contributors include several racing drivers, an engine tuner, a team mechanic, a marshal and an officer of the law. Most of their tales, like the photographs accompanying them, have never previously been published.

…the young man who built himself a kit-car so that he could go motor racing and went on to become a works driver for two of the top sports car teams of the day.

…memories of Mike Hawthorn by a friend who knew him before he was famous, who shared his love of Riley sports cars and who owns Mike’s car to this day.

…of cycle racing, which started at Goodwood before motor racing and continues to this day.

…and much more.

Goodwood Remembered is a fascinating book which includes a unique collection of previously unpublished photographs, sketches and recollections of Peter Redman, an enthusiastic spectator. As well as over 150 of his photographs from the late 1940s and 1950s, Peter Redman has included more than 50 sketches of cars and drivers of the period and 13 of his cartoons that help bring motor racing at Goodwood between 1948 and 1960 to life.

The book is full of interesting snippets. Bernie Ecclestone’s second place in a 500cc race, and World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio nursing an “off-song” Cooper-Bristol into sixth place in a Formula Libre race, are just two examples. It is a fascinating insight into the range of racing cars and drivers at Goodwood in that period: from World Champions such as Fangio, Farina and Hawthorn to handicap races for lady drivers.

Goodwood Remembered will be of great interest to anyone who remembers those times and for the huge number who follow historic motor racing or want to know more of the roots of modern motor sport.

If you are one of the tens of thousands who attend the Goodwood Revival meetings or the Goodwood Festival of Speed, this book is an ideal companion.

Goodwood Revival Offer

Buy both Goodwood Remembered and Goodwood Anecdotes at a saving of one-third of the usual price.

Goodwood Remembered is a fascinating book which includes a unique collection of previously unpublished photographs, sketches and recollections of Peter Redman, an enthusiastic spectator. As well as over 150 of his photographs from the late 1940s and 1950s, Peter Redman has included more than 50 sketches of cars and drivers of the period and 13 of his cartoons that help bring motor racing at Goodwood between 1948 and 1960 to life.

Goodwood Anecdotes is the second book by Peter Redman recalling events at the Goodwood motor circuit in the early years, and includes personal stories from 47 of his friends and acquaintances. Their unique and often amusing anecdotes, together with more than 200 of their photographs, bring to life those wonderful days spent watching the famous, and not so famous, driving fantastic machines of various shapes and sizes.

English Abridgement: Maurice Michael

This is an abridged edition in English of the great medieval chronicle "Annales seu cronicae incliti regni Poloniae". This is a contemporary history of the half-forgotten lands between the rivers Oder and Dnieper: Byelorus, Bohemia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland and the Ukraine from A.D. 965 to A.D. 1480. Jan Dlugosz wrote his great chronicle in Latin in the later years of his life. Copies were made, but it was not until A.D. 1511 that the text was printed. "Annales seu cronicae incliti regni Poloniae" was translated into German in 1594 and into Polish in 1868 and a new edition was started in 1960 (though the crucial final Book 12 has yet to appear). Thus this English abridgement makes Dlugosz' great work available for the first time to others than specialist scholars. Because of the enormous length of the Annales even those able to read the original will find "The Annals" a useful introduction and guide for further study. Dlugosz' great work is now considered as important as the famous chronicles of "Froissart and de Commines". It is certainly an essential, if not the most important, source book for medieval East European studies today, which hitherto have been hampered by the lack of translations of this basic material and thus lacking the different perspectives provided by "The Annals".