BOOKS
about
FLAT RIDES
Here are books that deal generally with Fairground and Amusement
Park Flat Rides and their inventors. Also included here are books
on dark rides and funhouses. Be sure to consult the other
Books sections
because some of those books may also contain flat ride information.
Also, look under
Videos.
THE FOLLOWING MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED
WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHOR ©
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ALL THE FUN of THE FAIR (1992)
"A Pop-Up Book"
By Robert Crowther. This is a children's pop-up book centered
around a portable amusement park (carnival). Featured rides
are the slide, carousel, ferris wheel, Enterprise, bumper
cars, Zipper, Round-Up, bobsled, and a roller coaster than
ends up as a flume ride with a splash down at the end!
*(There are many moving and pull-out sections to please park
buffs of all ages.)
Published by:
Walker Books Limited Candlewick Press
London England 2067 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140
ISBN: 1-56402-001-0 U.S.A.
Price: $18.95 (Cdn Funds)
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THE AMAZING HIRAM MAXIM ( ? )
"An Intimate Biography"
By Arthur Hawkey. This tells the story of an amusement ride
pioneer. He invented Blackpool Pleasure Beach's "Flying
Machine" which opened in 1904. *(Not Reviewed)
Published By:
ISBN:
Price:
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AMUSEMENT MACHINES (1992)
By Lynn Pearson. This details arcade machines.
*(Not Reviewed)
Published By:
Shire
Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
ISBN:
Price:
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AMUSEMENT PARK MACHINES (1979)
By Christine Hahn. This is a children's book that describes
rides and other things found in a typical amusement park.
*(Not Recommended. Although picture quality is fairly good,
the book is loaded with errors and has many photos credited
to the wrong park. The index also lacks, with many items
left out. This is the same book as "Fairground Machines".)
Published By:
Raintree Children's Books
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
ISBN: 0-8172-1330-9
Price: Unknown
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AMUSEMENTS FOR PARKS (19 )
A Philadelphia Toboggan Company catalog reprint of a catalog
showing the amusement rides that the Philadelphia Toboggan
Company offered. *(Not Reviewed)
Published By:
Amusement Park Journal
Box 478
Jefferson, OH 44047-0478
U.S.A
ISBN:
Price:
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ASTM STANDARDS ON AMUSEMENT RIDES AND DEVICES (1992)
By (No Author Credited). This is put out by The American
Society for Testing and Materials. A 2000 update is available.
(*Not reviewed.)
Published By:
The American Society for Testing and Materials
West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania
U.S.A.
ISBN: 0803117655
Price: $19.00
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C.W. PARKER: CARNIVAL KING (1987)
By Bob Goldsak. This gives a biography of Parker whose
company made amusement rides. *(Not Reviewed.)
Published By:
Midway Museum
ISBN:
Price:
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EVERYBODY'S FAVOURITE! (19 )
By Roger Mills. The book is devoted to the family of Bob
Edwards who have been in the British carnival business since
the 1890s. Many of their early rides are profiled including
some that have survived to this day. Also included are
various antique rides by Orton & Spooner, and signs by
artists such as Charles Gaze & Arnold Hood, A S & Sid Howell,
Fred Fowle, and Edwin & Billy Hall. The book lists travelling
itineraries and illustrated descriptions of all amusements
and transport vehicles operated by their company.
*(Not Reviewed.)
Published By: Order From: Fairground Heritage Trust
64 The Curlews
Verwood, Dorset
ISBN: England
BH31 6NH
Price: 8.50 (U.K. Currency)
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FAIRGROUND MACHINES (1979)
By Christine Hahn. This is the same book as "Amusement park
Machines" but published by an English company as part of the
"Machines of Today and Tomorrow" series. This title is
somewhat of a misnomer as many of the rides shown are more
likely to be permanently installed in an amusement park than
carted around with a carnival. It's a young adults book and
is very simple in structure. It explains rides in the typical
amusement park including roller coasters. *(Not Recommended.
This book is loaded with errors, especially photo captions.)
Published by:
Wayland Publishers
49 Landsdowne Place, Hove
East Sussex
England BN3 1HF
ISBN: 0-85340-725-8 Price: 2.75 (UK Pounds)
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HARRY C. BAKER, INC. CATALOG (19 )
This is a reprint of a mid 1920s 36-page catalog put out by
Harry C. Baker and a four-page brochure circulated by the
company about 1930. There are pictures of Baker rides which
included coasters and old mills, plus buildings for carousels
and dancing. *(Not Reviewed.)
Published By:
ISBN:
Price: $5.95 (U.S. Funds)
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HARRY G. TRAVER: (1982)
"Legends of Terror"
By Richard Munch. This is the one! The famous coaster designer
of the 1920s - 40s is profiled here from his
turn-of-the-century flat rides to his coaster creations that
struck terror in many and excitement in others. Traver's work
is well documented through company catalogs, photos,
clippings, trade advertisements, and diagrams. *(Recommended.
Although the original photo quality is not the best, the book
reproduction work is good. Although mainly centered on roller
coasters, the book does document his flat ride creations.)
Published by:
Amusement Park Books ISBN: 0-935408-02-9
20925 Mastic Road
Fairview Park, Ohio 44126 Price: $14.95 (U.S. Funds)
U.S.A.
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JUMP ON, JUMP ON (19 )
"Traditional Fairs and Showmen"
By Brian Steptoe. This details fairground rides and their
designers/builders. Also profiled are some of the carny
families. With 73 color illustrations. *(Not Reviewed.)
Published By:
?
Order From:
Jumper Books
99 McCarthy Way
Wokingham, Berkshire
RG40 4UB
England
ISBN: 0 902830 33 3
Price: 19.95 (UK Currency)
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MILLER & BAKER CATALOG (19 )
This is a reprint of their 1923 Catalog. It contains 80 pages
of roller coasters, fun house stunts, old mills, and buildings
designed to house attractions. *(Not Reviewed.)
Published By:
ISBN:
Price: $10.95 (U.S. Funds)
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NOTES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF FAIRGROUND MACHINERY (1997)
By P.W. Bradley. This is a compilation of articles from the
last half a century on the history and design of carnival
rides such as carousels, The "Waltzer", and The "Whip".
Includes plans and photos. *(Not Reviewed)
Published By:
Doug Roseaman Engineering
Wiltshire, United Kingdom
ISBN:
Price:
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THE OUTDOOR AMUSEMENT INDUSTRY: (1952)
"From Earliest Times to the Present"
By William Mangels. This book has been reprinted (1996) in
limited numbers. Mangels was an amusement ride designer/
manufacturer who also liked to document the industry's
history. *(Not Reviewed.)
Published By:
Vantage Press
New York, New York
U.S.A.
ISBN:
Price: $39.95 (U.S. Funds)
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A PICTORIAL HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN CARNIVAL (1972)
By Joe McKennon. This large format book comes in two volumes
and concentrates mainly on rides. It starts with world's
fairs and discusses in detail The 1893 World's Columbian
Exposition, with particular attention paid to Ferris' Wheel.
From there it details various carnival operators and their
rides. *(Recommended. There are lots of pictures of antique
rides and discussions of carnival operations. A bonus is a
list of carnivals in the appendix.)
Published By:
Carnival Publishers
Sarasota, Florida
U.S.A.
ISBN:
Price:
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PTC AMUSEMENT CATALOG (19 )
This is a reprint of the 1929, 36-page catalog given out by
the company. It features photographs of many of the best PTC
built coasters but also presents their carousels, carousel
buildings, and old mills. *(Not Reviewed.)
Published By:
ISBN:
Price: $6.95 (U.S. Funds)
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ROLLER COASTERS, FLUMES, AND FLYING SAUCERS (1998)
By Robert Reynolds. This publication chronicles the
development of the modern amusement park ride via the
biography of Ed Morgan and Karl Bacon. Founders of Arrow
Development, Ed and Karl are the inventors behind many of the
world's most popular amusement rides. This is the story of
their journey, in their own words, from a poor machine shop
to a company creating attractions throughout the world. 80
photos. *(Not Reviewed.)
Published by:
Northern Lights Publishing
10214 Trailwood Circle
Jupiter, Florida
U.S.A. 33478
-N.L. Publishing
ISBN: 0-96573-535-4
Price: $19.95 (U.S. Funds)
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SCARY DARK RIDES (1999)
By Doug Higley. This self-published book is about Dark Rides;
100 years of spooks and fantasy from the Midway to Disneyland
- Past, Present and Future. Includes 100 photos and dark ride
art in a large 215 X 280 mm format. *(Not Reviewed)
Published By:
Doug Higley
ISBN:
Price: $19.95. (List) Currently: $12.50 (U.S. Funds)
Order From: Scary Dark Rides
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"STEP RIGHT UP, FOLKS!" (1974)
By Al Griffin. This mainly details the various aspects of the
amusement park as it was in 1974 and before. Of interest to
those here are the chapters on flat rides. The book ends with
reviews of many U.S. parks as they were over 30 years ago.
*(Recommended. Despite some errors and omissions, this book
is great for those interested in associating rides with their
most common names. There are many pictures of a single ride
with its name in the caption. Some very similar, but
different rides are shown, which helps the reader to
differentiate among them.)
Published by:
Henry Regency Company
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
ISBN: 0809290359
Price:
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THOSE WONDERFUL, COLORFUL & EXCITING CARNIVAL TRAINS (1991)
By Bob Goldsack and Robert Goldsack. *(Not Reviewed)
Published By:
Midway Museum Publications
Nashua, New Hampshire
U.S.A.
ISBN:
Price: $24.95 (U.S. Funds)
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THE VIENNA GIANT FERRIS WHEEL (1989)
By Helmut Jahn & Peter Petritsch. Details the Prater's
century+ old ferris wheel. Discusses the construction and
history up to the present day. *(Not Reviewed.)
Published By:
Price:
ISBN:
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WHITE KNUCKLE RIDE (1996)
By Mark Wyatt. This large format (26 X 29cm) book features
mainly pictures of some of the world's best coasters. However,
included are other rides like The "Waikiki Wave", Free Fall's,
and Flume Rides. *(Recommended to coaster buffs for its high
quality photo reproductions, but flat ride fans will only find
one chapter devoted to non-coaster rides.)
Published by: Price: $20 (Cdn. Funds)
Salamander Books
129-137 York Way
London, England ISBN: 0-517-15945-7
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