Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

First read the book, then see the movie!
I saw the movie by chance ("The Young Visiters" a BBC Television special featuring Jim Broadbent, Hugh Laurie and Bill Nighy), and found out it was based on this highly original book written in 1890 by a wonderfully naive 9-year-old girl. What a treat! I would have preferred reading the book first, but the original did not disappoint. Really great fun, especially since the original (mis)spellings are preserved and add very much to the printed version. This book gives you a really great insight into the mind of a child of that day and age, which is hilarious and touching!

treemendus fun
Would we enjoy this book as much if it was not written by a nine year old child? Was it written by a nine year old child? Does it appeal to Americans or to Britishers who are not familiar with the nuances of social pretensions in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries?
Frank Swinnerton, and James Barrie are suspects for being the true authors but there good evidence (although I don't know if it's been recently reevaluated) for Daisy Ashford.
The compartments in the Crystal palace in which the nobility live seem to me to be authentic products of nine year old imagination.Small children often come up with gems like that. The ability to create a coherent plot and follow narrative theme for the length of a novel, even if only a sixty page one is unusual for even a talented child. Children are lazy and, even if they write at length, their stories become fragmented, losetheir thread, and are often derivative. It takes adult skills and capacity for sustained hard work to write a coherent full-length work of fiction..Ashford's failure to write after Barrie's death is suspicious..
Whatever the answers, the fact remains that I did enjoy it - treemendusly.

Very funny!
I was surprized at how very funny this book is and how true!Try it you'll like it!

A Laugh on every Line
How many self styled "comic" novels could hope to be as funny as this one...not many in my opinion. When a novel can be read through in a couple of hours and give you laughs on every page, you'd be mad not to buy it. Plus you'll probably want to read it again. There's plenty of information surrounding the background to this unique book, so I won't repeat any of it here. But basically, anyone with an interest in humour, absurd romantic situations, social history and a love of the English language simply has to have a copy of this. The charm of this book lies chiefly in the reading, it cannot be understood by just having it explained to you. Nor does it translate well to filmed adaptation; the recent BBC dramatisation with Jim Broadbent made a real ham-fisted job of it, adding their own extra plot and even making up new dialogue and mis-spellings...unforgivable!!
I agree with another reviewer who has mentioned that the J.M. Barrie forward is almost as entertaining as the book itself, drawing attention as it does to many of the best passages. Everybody I have introduced this book to has fallen in love with it, because it's nothing less than a pleasure to read. And its cheap too. In fact, my review could really be confined to two words - "Buy It!"

A classic just waiting to be rediscovered
This is the book that started the schoolchild genre subsequently defined by '1066 and All That' and Molesworth's various manuals such as 'Down with Skool' and 'Whizz for Atoms'. As with 'The Young Visiters', the grammar, the language and the authorial viewpoint of those classics contribute much to our enjoyment. But unlike its descendants, 'The Young Visiters' wasn't written by an adult ... probably.

To my knowledge, there isn't an audiobook version of the full text. But there are a couple of gushing extracts contained on the Naxos compilation '1000 Years of Laughter' which demonstrate that it isn't just the troubled spelling which make the book so amusing. The introduction to those extracts lead us to believe that JM Barrie, who wrote the introduction, could have had much to do with the entire work. Certainly once Barrie had died, she never wrote again, but my feeling is that the nine-year-old Ashford probably was the author. The story is less than 60 pages long, and can be enjoyed in a couple of sittings, then repeatedly re-read.

This work is likely to experience a dramatic surge in popularity this year. A TV adaptation starring Jim Broadbent (of 'Moulin Rouge' fame) will be broadcast, and this recently overlooked masterpiece will return to prominence once again. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description

Spaceplanes From Airport to Spaceport presents a vision of the near future in which space vehicles can take off from an international airport, refuel in space, and fly regularly between the Earth and the Moon. The book is built on the solid engineering foundation prepared by David Ashford in his book Spaceflight Revolution, but develops the argument.

This is a coherent, lucid, and optimistic picture of the future – aimed directly at the reader as a future space passenger – which explains why the Space Tourist market could easily become the single most important factor in the mid-term future development of space transportation. In a few years it will be possible to board a spaceplane and fly into Earth orbit, and perhaps visit a space station. Later development could include refuelling in orbit to take a tour of cislunar space.

As the latest news has shown, the successful flight of SpaceShipOne and the imminent inauguration of Virgin Galactic’s sub-orbital rides from the New Mexico desert have already begun this process.

This book explains the technical details of precisely how all this can be accomplished within the next few decades.

Customer Reviews (4)

Spaceplanes for everything
The writer of this slim volume wants to convince you that a spaceplane is the way to go, not just for earth to orbit, but interplanetary space as well.

He correctly points out that current space launch technologies, whether dumb boosters or primitive space planes like teh Space Shuttle are costly, and very unsafe compared to commercial air transport.Costs are identified as being high due to poor reusability and few launches.Similarly, launching new hardware infrequently is not the way to improve reliability.From this he believes that only when launches are frequent and the vehicles reusable, will prices fall to sustainable levels.So far so good.

What will sustain high launch rates?Space tourism.This will generate a self reinforcing demand for higher volume and hence lower prices.Of course there are no operating SSTO spaceplanes today and they are very far off as well.Almost all require mixed cycle engines to improve their mass ratios.So far all very conventional thinking, even if dumb boosters are the current best way to deliver large payloads to orbit and beyond.

However the author strays off into fantasy when he then suggests that spaceplanes should become the interplanetary ships as well.We are presented with the idea that the spaceplane should be the vehicle for a trip around the moon.Now I know that I have difficulty staying on an aircraft for a few hours and a day is extremely uncomfortable.Now imagine seven days in possibly weightless conditions in a cramped cabin. And that is even before the radiation exposure.If you are dedicated enough to endure all that, what about his proposal for a multi-month mars trip in similar conditions?The author's logic is that the single vehicle is the reliable, safe way to go and that it's wings are needed to reduce propellant costs for reentry and that it's tanks could act as cargo containers for propellant to either the moon or back for refueling.
This is where his logic breaks down.It makes far more sense to have a reusable, dedicated space ship for interplanetary travel.This ship only needs fuel for changing orbits, not for launch, and can be large and protective of the passengers.

My sense is that the author sees all travel through the lens of commercial air travel, but fails to see that off world trips are more like sea voyages.If if are going to take a cruise that takes months, would you prefer to have the freedom of a big ship or be in the passenger cabin of an aircraft?

As to content, it is generally quite lightweight, and there is a lot of repetition between the chapters. The last chapter is a review of many of the private space companies paper spaceplanes.It is already outdated with claims that commercial operations will start in 2009, 2010.Virgin Galactic may not even start suborbital trips until 2014. Orbital trips are still the preserve of missile technology, with Boeing throwing its hat in the ring just this week.

Perhaps spaceplanes are really like the small airplanes of yesteryear, full of potential, but still unable to cross long distances and oceans like ships and airships.Unlike those times, we already have a good idea of the energies involved to reach orbit and the methods to achieve this.Air breathing, combined cycle spaceplanes might not be enough to achieve the goal.

Spaceplanes are a very elegant idea, and I really want to believe, but...

Shape of things to come
This book is a comprehensive review of winged rocket-planes, form the work of Robert Goddard, through present day proposals. It also offers useful equations, such as the Velocity increment. specific impulse ,the Rocket equation, et cetera. It is a very handy book for the prospective spacecraftengineer
One problem I have with this book is that some of the information is outdated. At least one of the projects, the Space-fleet SF-01 has been canceled. However, it is still very useful.

Must have for space enthusiasts
This is well written book that gives a good perspective on the historical development of spaceplanes, as well as where they are headed.It contains a lot of detailed information which is complemented by numerous photographs, and presented in a well written manner that is not difficult to understand.A great book for aero and space enthusiasts!

Fact-packed common-sense vision of our spaceplane future
This well-illustrated book (over 100 color and B/W photos and diagrams) explains clearly how spaceplanes will fly us into the future. It also details why they should replace one-time ballistic missiles as the way we enter and return from space. The appendices include a Glossary with 151 entries from "Accelerometer" to "Von Braun," a Chronology, and a section on spaceplane projects both past and present. The twelve chapters are entitled Rocketplanes at the Airport; Why Spaceplanes?; Rocket Science: Wings Added; Missiles and Modules; Crawling into Suborbit: the Baby Spaceplane; Going Ballistic; Piggyback to Orbit; Advanced Propulsion; Single Stage to Orbit: The Advanced Spaceplane; Destination Moon: The Lunar Spaceplane; Strategies for Success; and Spaceplanes at the Spaceport. There are sections on Projects Apollo and Constellation, historical background on early rocket scientists, information on both American and Russian spaceplanes, and an index. Ever wonder what CCCP really stands for? This book, on page 181, gives the accurate answer, in both Russian and English. Without getting overly technical, the author also provides an introduction to aerospace engineering, including the basics of aerodynamics and the rocket equation. ... Read more

Product Description

Spaceplanes From Airport to Spaceport presents a vision of the near future in which space vehicles can take off from an international airport, refuel in space, and fly regularly between the Earth and the Moon. The book is built on the solid engineering foundation prepared by David Ashford in his book Spaceflight Revolution, but develops the argument.

This is a coherent, lucid, and optimistic picture of the future – aimed directly at the reader as a future space passenger – which explains why the Space Tourist market could easily become the single most important factor in the mid-term future development of space transportation. In a few years it will be possible to board a spaceplane and fly into Earth orbit, and perhaps visit a space station. Later development could include refuelling in orbit to take a tour of cislunar space.

As the latest news has shown, the successful flight of SpaceShipOne and the imminent inauguration of Virgin Galactic’s sub-orbital rides from the New Mexico desert have already begun this process.

This book explains the technical details of precisely how all this can be accomplished within the next few decades.

Customer Reviews (4)

Spaceplanes for everything
The writer of this slim volume wants to convince you that a spaceplane is the way to go, not just for earth to orbit, but interplanetary space as well.

He correctly points out that current space launch technologies, whether dumb boosters or primitive space planes like teh Space Shuttle are costly, and very unsafe compared to commercial air transport.Costs are identified as being high due to poor reusability and few launches.Similarly, launching new hardware infrequently is not the way to improve reliability.From this he believes that only when launches are frequent and the vehicles reusable, will prices fall to sustainable levels.So far so good.

What will sustain high launch rates?Space tourism.This will generate a self reinforcing demand for higher volume and hence lower prices.Of course there are no operating SSTO spaceplanes today and they are very far off as well.Almost all require mixed cycle engines to improve their mass ratios.So far all very conventional thinking, even if dumb boosters are the current best way to deliver large payloads to orbit and beyond.

However the author strays off into fantasy when he then suggests that spaceplanes should become the interplanetary ships as well.We are presented with the idea that the spaceplane should be the vehicle for a trip around the moon.Now I know that I have difficulty staying on an aircraft for a few hours and a day is extremely uncomfortable.Now imagine seven days in possibly weightless conditions in a cramped cabin. And that is even before the radiation exposure.If you are dedicated enough to endure all that, what about his proposal for a multi-month mars trip in similar conditions?The author's logic is that the single vehicle is the reliable, safe way to go and that it's wings are needed to reduce propellant costs for reentry and that it's tanks could act as cargo containers for propellant to either the moon or back for refueling.
This is where his logic breaks down.It makes far more sense to have a reusable, dedicated space ship for interplanetary travel.This ship only needs fuel for changing orbits, not for launch, and can be large and protective of the passengers.

My sense is that the author sees all travel through the lens of commercial air travel, but fails to see that off world trips are more like sea voyages.If if are going to take a cruise that takes months, would you prefer to have the freedom of a big ship or be in the passenger cabin of an aircraft?

As to content, it is generally quite lightweight, and there is a lot of repetition between the chapters. The last chapter is a review of many of the private space companies paper spaceplanes.It is already outdated with claims that commercial operations will start in 2009, 2010.Virgin Galactic may not even start suborbital trips until 2014. Orbital trips are still the preserve of missile technology, with Boeing throwing its hat in the ring just this week.

Perhaps spaceplanes are really like the small airplanes of yesteryear, full of potential, but still unable to cross long distances and oceans like ships and airships.Unlike those times, we already have a good idea of the energies involved to reach orbit and the methods to achieve this.Air breathing, combined cycle spaceplanes might not be enough to achieve the goal.

Spaceplanes are a very elegant idea, and I really want to believe, but...

Shape of things to come
This book is a comprehensive review of winged rocket-planes, form the work of Robert Goddard, through present day proposals. It also offers useful equations, such as the Velocity increment. specific impulse ,the Rocket equation, et cetera. It is a very handy book for the prospective spacecraftengineer
One problem I have with this book is that some of the information is outdated. At least one of the projects, the Space-fleet SF-01 has been canceled. However, it is still very useful.

Must have for space enthusiasts
This is well written book that gives a good perspective on the historical development of spaceplanes, as well as where they are headed.It contains a lot of detailed information which is complemented by numerous photographs, and presented in a well written manner that is not difficult to understand.A great book for aero and space enthusiasts!

Fact-packed common-sense vision of our spaceplane future
This well-illustrated book (over 100 color and B/W photos and diagrams) explains clearly how spaceplanes will fly us into the future. It also details why they should replace one-time ballistic missiles as the way we enter and return from space. The appendices include a Glossary with 151 entries from "Accelerometer" to "Von Braun," a Chronology, and a section on spaceplane projects both past and present. The twelve chapters are entitled Rocketplanes at the Airport; Why Spaceplanes?; Rocket Science: Wings Added; Missiles and Modules; Crawling into Suborbit: the Baby Spaceplane; Going Ballistic; Piggyback to Orbit; Advanced Propulsion; Single Stage to Orbit: The Advanced Spaceplane; Destination Moon: The Lunar Spaceplane; Strategies for Success; and Spaceplanes at the Spaceport. There are sections on Projects Apollo and Constellation, historical background on early rocket scientists, information on both American and Russian spaceplanes, and an index. Ever wonder what CCCP really stands for? This book, on page 181, gives the accurate answer, in both Russian and English. Without getting overly technical, the author also provides an introduction to aerospace engineering, including the basics of aerodynamics and the rocket equation. ... Read more