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Here we have all the fun of the fair
in lovely coloured photographs showing some of the exciting rides
and amusements that can be found in fairgrounds all over the world.
There are the giant Big Wheels, the Merry-go-Round, Big Dipper,
swings, water chutes, cable rides and all sorts of other thrilling
fairground machines for you to read about.
Review
Initially released in the USA as 'Amusement Park Machines' this book
was released in the UK in 1979 by Wayland Publishers and renamed
'Fairground Machines'. Of course, the US name was actually more
accurate as this is a book about amusement park rides: roller
coasters and log flumes, and all are clearly set in American
amusement parks.
The book is full of wonderful
colour photographs. The text is clearly aimed at younger readers,
but actually says little or nothing about the rides. And what it
does say is often highly inaccurate. For example, a picture of a Sky
Wheels ride has the caption: "This machine is called a Big Wheel.
It has seats which hang from the rim of the wheel. The wheel carries
you right up over the fairground." A meteorite/round-up ride has
a caption that inaccurately states: "This machine spins around at
great speed. Your back is pushed against the outside screen.
Then the floor drops away. But you don't fall down, because you are
spinning so fast". Of course, the floor does not drop away;
instead the ride rises into the air on an arm. It also suggests
later on that the Corkscrew roller coaster train stays on the track
only because of the forces pressing it down into the track; the
author presumably was not aware of under track wheels! Log flume
rides are described as 'water chutes' and cable cars move along the
rope, rather than being pulled by it! The fun of this book is really
spotting all the mistakes - there are more! Just don't use it as an
educational book.
Condition: Very Good. (Click
on image above for close-up of front cover).
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