|
Author
|
Topic: Apollo 12: On the Ocean of Storms (D. Harland)
|
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
|
posted 07-21-2010 10:13 AM
   
Apollo 12 - On the Ocean of Storms
by David Harland David Harland proposes a series of books on the theme of NASA's Moon Program of the 1960s and early 1970s. The individual mission books in this series will relate to the planning, flight and results, and be written in the same style as 'The First Men on the Moon - The Story of Apollo 11'; i.e. using dialogue from the in-flight transcripts (including some conversations never broadcast) to bring their stories to life. Each of the Apollo missions that reached the Moon deserves its own book-lenth account covering planning, the flight, and the scientific results. This series will become the definitive account of the Apollo era. - Springer-Praxis Publishing, UK
- 1st Edition., 2011, 416 p. 202 illus., 32 in color., Softcover
- ISBN: 978-1-4419-7606-2
- Not yet published. Available: October 2010
|
heng44
Member Posts: 3386
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
|
posted 07-21-2010 11:57 PM
Good news. I have the Apollo 11 book and it is very good. Looking forward to the rest of the series. |
hermit
Member Posts: 186
From: Scotland
Registered: Jun 2009
|
posted 07-22-2010 05:44 AM
I am well into the writing of this book. It might be out by the end of the year, but is more likely to be early next year.I am writing one about each Apollo mission that made it to the lunar surface. The one about Apollo 14 will include planning for Apollo 13 but won't cover the details of the flight - which are well explained by Lovell in his book. I hope to get the Apollo 14 book out by late next year. I must say that the opportunity to devote an entire book to a single mission is a delight. |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
|
posted 07-24-2010 12:33 AM
Thanks David for the heads up! |
mark plas
Member Posts: 385
From: the Netherlands
Registered: Aug 2000
|
posted 07-24-2010 06:21 AM
A book by Harland? Where can I order!! |
hermit
Member Posts: 186
From: Scotland
Registered: Jun 2009
|
posted 07-24-2010 08:10 AM
Actually it is on amazon.com. I have asked them to revise the publication date from this October to early next year. |
hermit
Member Posts: 186
From: Scotland
Registered: Jun 2009
|
posted 07-26-2010 04:56 AM
Amazon.com refused to let me revise the date. |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
|
posted 07-26-2010 07:56 AM
If you don't give amazon an official URL where the revised info appears, they won't change anything. Try Springer(-Praxis) first; if they modify their page then contact amazon again with the modified Springer page. That's the only way it will work. |
hermit
Member Posts: 186
From: Scotland
Registered: Jun 2009
|
posted 08-25-2010 05:32 PM
I will send the project for layout in a few weeks. I can finally see light at the end of the tunnel, but I doubt that the book will be issued before the end of the year though. |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
|
posted 10-07-2010 09:07 AM
Springer has now a January 29, 2011 release date (Europe; US still gives October, 2010). |
spacecraft films
Member Posts: 802
From: Columbus, OH USA
Registered: Jun 2002
|
posted 10-07-2010 09:16 AM
I've been trying to get Amazon UK to revise all of my products to region 0 for over 5 years now... just can't seem to get it to move. |
hermit
Member Posts: 186
From: Scotland
Registered: Jun 2009
|
posted 10-07-2010 09:20 AM
quote:
Originally posted by cspg:
Springer has now a January 29, 2011 release date (Europe; US still gives October, 2010).
End of January 2011 is realistic if Springer print it up promptly. |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
|
posted 10-07-2010 09:24 AM
quote:
Originally posted by spacecraft films:
I've been trying to get Amazon UK to revise all of my products to region 0 for over 5 years now... just can't seem to get it to move.
Your products page need to say that the DVDs are region 0 (it doesn't seem to be the case) then submit your URL with that info. Without a URL, amazon won't accept your modifications. |
hermit
Member Posts: 186
From: Scotland
Registered: Jun 2009
|
posted 12-10-2010 04:18 AM
quote:
Originally posted by cspg:
Springer has now a January 29, 2011 release date (Europe; US still gives October, 2010).
Now Springer's website says it will be released in March 29, 2011; so a long wait! |
Philip
Member Posts: 5952
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
|
posted 12-10-2010 09:45 AM
So there's time to add the Apollo 12 dedication of Mars craters encountered by Opportunity.  |
hermit
Member Posts: 186
From: Scotland
Registered: Jun 2009
|
posted 03-18-2011 08:42 PM
People are now beginning to receive copies. I haven't seen it myself though. |
xlsteve
Member Posts: 391
From: Holbrook MA, USA
Registered: Jul 2008
|
posted 03-21-2011 07:48 AM
I got mine from Amazon on Saturday. There are a couple of photos that look like were smeared slightly during the printing process, but otherwise the book looks great! I spent quite a while yesterday leafing through, and I look forward to spending some time reading it. |
hermit
Member Posts: 186
From: Scotland
Registered: Jun 2009
|
posted 03-21-2011 09:09 AM
quote:
Originally posted by xlsteve:
There are a couple of photos that it looks like smeared slightly during the printing process...
Irritating. |
xlsteve
Member Posts: 391
From: Holbrook MA, USA
Registered: Jul 2008
|
posted 03-21-2011 10:36 AM
quote:
Originally posted by hermit:
Irritating.
I don't love it, but I've seen it happen. My job involves working with print vendors sometimes, and it looks like something dragged across the photo while the ink was wet. I doubt its an issue for everyone, but I could be wrong. I don't want that to detract from how much I enjoy, and I'm sure will enjoy, this book. Great job! |
MCroft04
Member Posts: 1634
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005
|
posted 03-25-2011 06:50 PM
Received my copy today. Holy cow! This looks like a long fun read. Then comes A13, then A14, etc, etc. Thanks David! |
hermit
Member Posts: 186
From: Scotland
Registered: Jun 2009
|
posted 03-25-2011 10:53 PM
quote:
Originally posted by MCroft04:
Received my copy today.
I *still* ain't seen a copy! |
Blackarrow
Member Posts: 3118
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002
|
posted 03-26-2011 02:22 PM
I'm sure I'm not the only one to notice this, but the U.K. Amazon site charges £40.99 plus postage for this book, but the U.S. Amazon site charges approximately £23 (depending on the exact exchange rate). Even allowing for higher postage and a longer wait, it's still a much better deal buying from the U.S. site. |
hermit
Member Posts: 186
From: Scotland
Registered: Jun 2009
|
posted 03-26-2011 03:39 PM
I have never managed to figure out how my publisher prices its books. And £40 seems rather expensive. There are some 'new' ones listed on the same page for £29.36 though.Nor can I understand the fact that people advertise copies on amazon.com priced well over $100!!! |
Blackarrow
Member Posts: 3118
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002
|
posted 03-26-2011 06:31 PM
For the record, I would have paid £40 for this book, but it's helpful that I didn't have to! My copy is currently en route from the States, and I look forward to learning things about Apollo 12 I didn't know before. (I consider Harland's "Exploring the Moon" to be one of the most thorough and readable accounts of the "J" missions. I expect nothing less from this account of the second landing mission.) |
hermit
Member Posts: 186
From: Scotland
Registered: Jun 2009
|
posted 03-26-2011 07:10 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Blackarrow:
I consider Harland's "Exploring the Moon" to be one of the most thorough and readable accounts of the "J" missions. I expect nothing less from this account of the second landing mission.
I'm glad that you liked 'Exploring the Moon' (hopefully you have the large-format edition with the full-page illustrations). It had a chapter devoted to Apollo 12's lunar surface work. 'On the Ocean of Storms' covers that mission from planning to completion and at over 500 pages is a longer book than EtM. |
pollux
Member Posts: 54
From: London, England
Registered: Dec 2005
|
posted 03-27-2011 04:53 AM
I originally ordered from Amazon UK. I also spotted the price difference with Amazon US. So I cancelled the UK order and opened a new US order. Amazon asked why I cancelled my order, so I told them it was because Amazon US charged less. As a rule I tend to compare prices on UK and US sites because, as Blackarrow points out, even with exchange rates and postage books can be cheaper from the US. This one slipped through my net (initially).Perhaps as a future policy I will ALWAYS make my initial order with the UK and then cancel, and give them the same reason again and again.  If lots of us did this they might even eventually wake up (though I somehow doubt it). Disclaimer - only try this with a pre-order, otherwise you might find it goes to dispatch before you get a chance to cancel. |
PeterO
Member Posts: 399
From: North Carolina
Registered: Mar 2002
|
posted 03-27-2011 08:45 AM
quote:
Originally posted by xlsteve:
...it looks like something dragged across the photo while the ink was wet.
You should return it for a properly printed copy. Amazon will pay the return shipping if the book is defective in any way, so there's no reason to put up with a less-than-perfect copy. |
Lasv3
Member Posts: 410
From: Bratislava, Slovakia
Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted 03-27-2011 10:57 AM
Question is whether this smeared-photos defect appears in a limited number of copies only or the whole stock is affected. My copy is on the way, I hope to get it next week. I let you know if there are any photos smeared and also which ones. |
xlsteve
Member Posts: 391
From: Holbrook MA, USA
Registered: Jul 2008
|
posted 03-27-2011 12:17 PM
I'll take a look at mine, and post which photos it is.Update: the photos on pages 382 and 388 are affected. |
MCroft04
Member Posts: 1634
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005
|
posted 03-27-2011 12:31 PM
Those photos are fine in my copy. But scanning through and looking at the pictures make me want to hurry up and finish the book I'm reading so I can start this one! |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
|
posted 03-30-2011 08:34 AM
The photos look ok to me except for some color ones which display stripe(s) of lighter black when the picture show the lunar sky. No big deal. |
xlsteve
Member Posts: 391
From: Holbrook MA, USA
Registered: Jul 2008
|
posted 03-30-2011 10:23 AM
I know Amazon will take the book back, but I'm okay with it. I didn't intend to have this take away from the discussion of the book, but I wanted to make people aware of the issue in case it wasn't limited to my copy. I've begun to read this book, and I am really enjoying it. Its very well written, and I enjoy the detailed discussion of this mission. It makes my "inner nerd" very happy. This book must have been a great deal of work, and I highly recommend it. |
hermit
Member Posts: 186
From: Scotland
Registered: Jun 2009
|
posted 03-30-2011 06:28 PM
As author, I am greatly saddened to hear of flaws in the illustrations. When I finally receive a copy of the book I will compare any iffy-looking pictures with the images that I submitted, to see whether the problem was my processing or the printing process. |
Lasv3
Member Posts: 410
From: Bratislava, Slovakia
Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted 03-31-2011 04:54 AM
Received my copy today and yes, there are some smeares on two photos (p.167 and 362) and the stripes on the "Lunar skies", but it is really only minor thing I can very well live with. Main thing is we have another I do believe great book mapping the chapters of the biggest adventure of the humankind so far thanks to David M. Harland efforts. I look forward to read it and can't wait for the next volumes. |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
|
posted 03-31-2011 06:12 AM
Hmmm, there's nothing wrong with the picture on p167 of my copy. The one on p362 is too "grainy" as if lunar dust on the suit is "exaggerated".The only picture which is "ruined" is the one on bottom half of p282: there's some sort of elongated fingerprint-type blurb over Alan Bean's head. |
Lasv3
Member Posts: 410
From: Bratislava, Slovakia
Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted 03-31-2011 08:08 AM
My p.282 photos are okay, so it seems Springer stayed behind their quality standards this time, however, still acceptable to me.
|
hermit
Member Posts: 186
From: Scotland
Registered: Jun 2009
|
posted 03-31-2011 08:09 AM
As people seem to be seeing different flaws, this suggests they are printing problems. I have a PDF of the book and will check your reports against that while awaiting (eagerly) my own copies. |
hermit
Member Posts: 186
From: Scotland
Registered: Jun 2009
|
posted 03-31-2011 09:34 AM
Okay, I have had feedback via this thread and by email on the following pages (and flaws that some people see, others don't): 167, 240, 252, 255, 256, 263, 267, 282, 294, 295, 296, 297, 362, 382 and 388. Inspecting the submitted images in Photoshop using the 'levels' tool to inspect the near-black detail shows no banding in the lunar sky on any image, and an inspection of the four-colour PDF that was submitted by the layout people to Springer for printing shows no banding either. I have a theory - I had prepared the book with a 'colour insert' like in some of my previous books, but Springer came back and suggested that I distribute the colour pictures throughout, so I did. I suspect that the 'colour insert' would have been printed separately and inserted at the binding stage. All the reports of "banding" in the lunar sky are colour pictures. By distributing the colour pictures throughout, they may have been handled differently in the printing process. I must admit responsibility for two flaws. Firstly 262 (lower image) shows Bean carrying the ALSEP, it is 46-6807 and in the original there is lens flare around his head - I edited out the flare but there is a residual textural patterning which is the reported "fingerprint". And 362 shows Conrad with an anomalously dirty thigh. This is 48-7071 and again there was lens flare which I edited out. In adjusting the contrast I created the 'dirt' on his leg. Mea culpa twice. |
hermit
Member Posts: 186
From: Scotland
Registered: Jun 2009
|
posted 04-08-2011 06:32 PM
I still haven't seen a copy of the Apollo 12 book! Meanwhile, I have started work on the Apollo 14 one... which will probably appear early next year. |
hermit
Member Posts: 186
From: Scotland
Registered: Jun 2009
|
posted 04-14-2011 09:57 AM
I just received a couple of copies of my book and see that there are indeed 'bands' in the black sky of some of the colour illustrations, the same patterns in both books. These marks are not in the pdf prepared by the folks who laid the book out. They have to be the result of the printing process in a systematic way. And, as have said, I examined each of the submitted images in which folks reported banding and I 'opened up' the near-black end of the tonal range and there is absolutely no structure in there at all, it is pure black. |
advertisement