Hitting the Books: A look at the 1920s airship that nearly made it to the North Pole

During the Roaring '20s just about everybody was convinced that dirigibles were not just the future of luxury travel but that these lumbering airships could also serve as platforms for scientific exploration and adventure. Why slog through malaria-infested jungles, parched deserts and frozen tundra when you could simply float an expedition to its destination? Among the technology's most fervent adherents were famed Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and Italian airship designer General Umberto Nobile. In 1928, Nobile attempted to lead the first expedition to land people at the North Pole aboard Airship Italia. However, a brutal storm forced the vessel to crash land, stranding its survivors with precious few provisions and setting off the largest arctic rescue effort in history. N-4 Down, by journalist and author Mark Piesing chronicles that rescue effort, led by Amundsen himself. In the excerpt below, we get a quick look at just what level of technological prowess the crew of the ill-fated expedition were actually dealing with.Harper Collins PublishersFrom N-4 Down by Mark Piesing. Copyright © 2021 by Mark Piesing. Reprinted by permission of Custom House, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.Amundsen may have dreamed of multiple air bases in the Arctic Circle, but in 1925 his was one of the only ones. It consisted of two flying boats, no hangars, and a rough runway made from ice.For the flight he had a team of six men who would be split between the two planes. Lincoln... Continue reading at 'Engadget'

[ Engadget | 2021-09-18 15:30:21 UTC ]
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Book world expresses disappointment, outrage over Pulitzer snub

Pulitzer juror Susan Larson said she and the rest of the fiction jury are 'shocked … angry … and very disappointed' that the Pulitzer board elected not to choose a 2012 fiction winner. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Fifty Shades of Grey' by E.L. James is selling books (and more)

'Fifty Shades of Grey' by E.L. James and sequels are an ebook and paperback phenomenon that is also causing a sales spike in sex shops. How did it all happen?The staff of the Pleasure Chest, a high-end West Hollywood sex shop, were first tipped to the "Fifty Shades of Grey" phenomenon by their... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pulitzer Prize for Malcolm X book

The late Manning Marable has won the Pulitzer Prize for history, honoured for a Malcolm X book he worked on for decades, but did not live to see published. For the first time in 35 years, no fiction prize was given. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2012-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Coming Book Wars: Apple vs. Amazon vs. Google vs. the U.S.

Unresolved conflicts among publishers, sellers, libraries, and the U.S. Justice Department cloud the future of the publishing industry. Continue reading at The Atlantic

[ The Atlantic | 2012-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon’s E-Book Pricing a Constant Thorn for Publishers

In February, the Educational Development Corporation said it would remove all its titles from Amazon, more evidence of the tumult over who gets to decide how much a book costs. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2012-04-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Smith-Bosanquet made m.d. at Conville & Walsh

Jake Smith-Bosanquet has been appointed to the new role of managing director of literary agency... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book review: 'Wild' by Cheryl Strayed

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[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-04-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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E-book sales growth is slowing

Publishers hoping that digital sales would make up for the decline in physical books are worried. Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2012-04-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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An E-Book Argument: Are Fixed Prices Needed to Preserve Publishing?

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[ AllThingsD | 2012-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How to Give Away 500,000 Books

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Real Bad Guy in the E-Book Price Fixing Case

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[ Slate | 2012-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple: E-book price-fixing accusation 'simply not true'

Apple Inc.  is denying antitrust charges filed against it and five major book publishers this week that accuse the companies of a price-fixing scheme to inflate the prices paid for electronic books. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Might Slash e-Book Prices to $9.99

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[ ABC News | 2012-04-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Some Publishers Quickly Settle E-book Price-Fixing Lawsuit

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[ PC World | 2012-04-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book review: Olen Steinhauer's 'An American Spy'

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[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-04-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kids' book parody gets a squeaky-clean version

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[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-04-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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DOJ Files E-book Price Fixing Lawsuit Against Apple

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[ PC World | 2012-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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E-book landscape shifts as DoJ rocks agency model

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Reports: Apple Could Face Federal E-Book Suit Today

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[ AllThingsD | 2012-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple, Major Publishers Sued Over E-Book Pricing

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[ PC World | 2012-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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