Book Description
Exciting and challenging, pinball games have been enthusiastically played since their inception in the 1930s and are treasured by countless collectors worldwide. This lavishly illustrated book chronicles pinball games from 1970 through 1981, one of the industry's most prolific eras. Hundreds of machines from Gottlieb, Williams, Bally, Chicago Coin, and other manufacturers are showcased -- including many never before published. The extensive text provides descriptions of the games, their special features, historical significance, release dates, and designers. Collectors will love the exclusive interviews with some of pinball's greatest designers and artists. Current values are listed for each machine shown in the book. Along with its companion volume (covering the 1930s to the 1960s), this is a wonderful reference and a tribute to all who were part of pinball's fascinating history. 8 1/2" x 11" 800 color & 30 b/w photos Price Guide/Index
Customer Reviews:
Just essential for any pinball enthusiast!.......2006-11-04
What can I say? A comprehensive volume (just like the other two of the series), with (mostly) high quality playfield and backglass photographs plus a LOT of insightful first-hand background stories about and from the people who brought us all these wonderful moments of our lives. You'll even like the tables you've never seen (and probably won't ever see) in your life.
Best Pinball Book Ever.......2006-07-20
I never buy books due to the fact you can read most stuff on the net. This book however, is so well researched and put together that I STRONGLY recommend buying it. There is so much informations, and a truck load of pictures of all sorts of tables.
The Bible of Pinball's 2nd Golden Age!.......2005-04-16
What an incredible book! I use the term 2nd golden age since the 1930's was the first.
This is the second of a three book set written by Michael Shalhoub, and is a must-have for any serious pinball collector or enthusiast. The book is an exhaustive study of each manufacturers (The "Big Three"-Bally, Gottlieb and Williams - also Stern + Chicago Coin and others) output of pins between 1970-1981 when pinball ruled the arcades. During this particular time period more quarters were dropped in pinball machines than was spent at the movie theater box office in the United States!
What makes this book so special (as well as Mr Shalhoub's other titles)is the fact that he interviews so many of the pioneers (artists, designers etc) of pinball, which is no easy task on the authors part since he lives in Australia and almost 90% of all pinball machines were produced in the United States (Chicago)- also some of the individuals interviewed and pictured are well past 80 years old.
The book is a simple read (if you can look away from the great pictures)and each new chapter covers a different year with many highlights (interviews) included, the subject matter/questions the author presents contains specific information related to the particular individual highlighted. The authors enthusiasm is contageous as he explains the features and strategy of each particular game.
Today sadly only 1 manufacturer remains "Stern", but they are committed to pinball and still produce several thousand machines a year. This book is like a great walk down memory lane for anyone (35 and over...) who played the games before video games dominated. I highly recomend this book.
Book Description
This fantastic book tells the detailed history of pinball games from the 1930s to the 1990s, including the evolution of all sorts of game features--from flippers and bumpers to sound, scoring, and tilt mechanisms--all immersed in the complex and magnificent artwork characteristic of pinball machines. Pinball manufacturing giants like Gottlieb, Williams, and Bally are well represented, in addition to several lesser-known and foreign manufacturers. With a listing of over 3,000 games built to date, statistics, updated pricing information, and over 900 color photographs (including close-ups, flyers, images of rare prototypes, and games never before seen in print), this is essential for the libraries of all pinball lovers. The pinball machine is here to stay--due in part to the exponential increase in the number of serious collectors and enthusiasts. What other modern amusement machine can boast a longevity of over 60 years, withstanding the test of time and ever-changing technology, while maintaining its instantly recognizable form? The rolling, bouncing silver ball, as unpredictable as the flip of a coin or even life itself, has kept up with cutting-edge advancements in electronics, mechanics, and even computers, to amuse and test the skill of players worldwide!
Customer Reviews:
Pretty good.......2007-01-12
Certainly informative about most pinball machines. My gripe is with a book this big and thick, I should not have been able to find a number of machines not included. Not just any pictures, but no mention what-so-ever. I must say though I was educated much further about pinball machine operations then I was ever aware of prior to looking at this book. Just a little disappointed that some of my favorite machines had no mention. I am a 60's 70's pinball machine lover.
Great Pinball book with high quality pictures.......2006-02-25
You can't go wrong picking this one up. A must for any pinball enthusiast or beginner.
A Must Have For A Pinhead.......2005-10-01
This is a wonderful work of Pinball Book Art. I checked out this book from my local library and it is a must have. The book is heavy and very well made. The photos are very detailed as well. The book takes a certain aspect of the game such as scoring and breaks that parts of the game down, while the next chapter may focus on pinball sound. The book has so much information in it about history, features, and rare pinball features. A book of this size is bound to have a few mistakes and this book has a few small mistakes, but those are very minor and this is a very detailed work and there is no way one man can know it all about pinball. If you enjoy the game of pinball, you need to check out this book. It will not show you how to repair or maintain the game, its focus is history about the game and its evolution over time. I hope you enjoy this book and also keep enjoying playing the wonderful game of pinball.
Casi igual que jugar una partida de pinball.......2005-09-07
Muy buen libro sobre pinball. He recordado aquellos pinballs con los que empezé a jugar a principio de los 70.
A wonderful captivating coffee table book.......2004-12-30
This book is a vibrant timepiece capturing the colorful history of a unique product of the 20th century. When you think about it, when is the last time you *saw* a pinball machine? This book has captured, in both close-up and distant pictures, the colors, lights, and complexity of how these machines work and function. Family and friends--even those who've never seen a pinball--will pull this book out and start browsing in a mesmorized fashion. My only complaint is that the book is somewhat dated as it's from 1999 and doesn't reference the closing of Williams/Bally's pinball division and the great games recently issued by the sole remaining manufactuer, Stern.
However, it very thoroughly shows the evolution of a silver ball falling through assorted pins on a wooden board to the electronic technology of today with plastic ramps, magnets, and flippers. Just facinating to read and look at. If only it had sounds!
Average customer rating:
- The Pinballs Review
- The Pinballs
- The Pinballs
- The best book
- Book Review for Pinballs
|
The Pinballs (Apple Paperbacks)
Betsy Byars
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Orphans & Foster Homes
| Family Life
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Friendship
| Social Situations
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ages 9-12
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Byars, Betsy
| ( B )
| Authors & Illustrators, A-Z
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Being a Teen
| Social Issues
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
Ages 9-12
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Byars, Betsy
| ( B )
| Authors & Illustrators, A-Z
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Orphans & Foster Homes
| Family Life
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Fiction
| Friendship
| Social Situations
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Being a Teen
| Social Issues
| Teens
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
On My Honor
-
Dear Mr. Henshaw (rpkg) (HarperClassics)
-
Where the Red Fern Grows
-
Hatchet
-
Number the Stars
ASIN: 0064401987 |
Book Description
You can't always decide where life will take you--especially when you're a kid.
Carlie knows she's got no say in what happens to her. Stuck in a foster home with two other kids, Harvey and Thomas J, she's just a pinball being bounced from bumper to bumper. As soon as you get settled, somebody puts another coin in the machine and off you go again. But against her will and her better judgment, Carlie and the boys become friends. And all three of them start to see that they can take control of their own Iives.
Carlie knows she's got no say in what happens to her. Stuck in a foster home with two other kids, Harvey and Thomas J, she's just a pinball being bounced from bumper to bumper. As soon as you get settled, somebody puts another coin in the machine and off you go again. But against her will and her beter judgement, Carlie and the boys become friends. And all three of them start to see that they can take control of their own lives.
Customer Reviews:
The Pinballs Review.......2007-05-03
The Pinballs is a modern book which takes place in the suburbs. It is about three kids who get sent to an orphanage, Carlie, Harvey, and Thomas J. Each character comes from a different background. For example, Carlie's dad was just a full out bum and couldn't take care of a teenage girl. Harvey's dad got so mad he "accidentally" ran over Harvey and broke both his legs. Thomas J was being watched by two old twins who just broke both their hips and couldn't take care of him anymore.
All three kids really want to go home, especially Carlie. Carlie is a teenage girl who is very self-centered and arrogant. She didn't like Thomas J and Harvey the moment she laid eyes on them. The book feels like a collection of very short exciting stories without one big dramatic climax. Soon, the kids start looking out for one another and even cheering each other up, until they are just like a family. Which brings us to the theme of the book which is to not judge a person by how they look.
This book is meant for sentimental people who like characters they can relate to and don't care too much about the plot itself. I thought this book was an award winner because you can relate to the characters and what they are going through. I like how the author tells the story, and the theme was very meaningful.
The Pinballs.......2007-05-02
Reveiw By Diana Gilmore
`The Pinballs is a very suspenseful and shocking book. This book is mainly a character book. The book is about three totally different children moving in together at a foster home. The problem is that all three children have different personalities and don't know how to deal with each other. All the children meet at a foster home and are taken care of by the Masons. Eventually, they teach each other meaningful lessons about friendship. Throughout the book, the three main characters, Carly, Harvey, and Thomas J, have to learn how to cope with each other.
This book takes place in modern times. Most of the book is inside a foster home in Georgia. Carly, one of the main characters in the book, starts off sort of rude to Harvey and Thomas J, but towards the end she starts to be nicer to them and is really caring when they are in need. She is also loving and helpful to Harvey when he's not feeling well.
I recommend this book to children from the ages of 10-13. This book expresses the feelings of the characters in an amazing way that makes you feel like you belong in the book. If you are a person that likes books that have great character development, The Pinballs is the book for you!!!
The Pinballs.......2007-05-02
The Pinballs is a very exciting story that includes many twists and turns. There are three children that play very important roles in The Pinballs. The eldest, Carlie, is a rebel who is reclusive and exclusive. Harvey, the middle child, enjoys making lists, like what books he has read and what presents the he wish has gotten. The youngest, Thomas J., envies Carlie and Harvey for their looks, personality and charm.
These three kids were all put in to the same foster home, all for their own reasons. Throughout the book, many problems and challenges face the threesome, but they manage to get through them together. While at the foster home, the characters erase their bad, old habits and transform into loving and caring people. The book includes many unexpected surprises, some good and some bad.
The Pinballs, a very modern story, takes place in a suburban area. Though the author does not describe the setting throughout the whole book, the few times that the author does mention it, you can easily get a clear picture in your head.
The Pinballs holds you interest for some parts, but not all the way through . I would NOT recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a strong plot because The Pinballs is made up of more short stories than a cohesive whole. Though I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys lively characters who help create the plot of the story. Overall, The Pinballs taught me about friendship and always being there for each other.
The best book.......2007-01-23
When I read The Pinball's by Betsey Byer I was amazed that the main character's dad ran over he main characters legs with his car. As the result of the accident Harvey the main- character has to go to a foster home and he has to stay with two other kids name Carlie and Thomas J. Life in the foster home was harsh for Harvey because there was a character name Carlie and she was always bothering Harvey by asking him questions or by not sharing the TV when he wanted to watch.
Harvey's problems go from bad to worse. Eventually Harvey makes a friend that gets him though it.
I would recommend this book because it `s not a hard
Book to read. You can also understand it very will and you will learn about prejudice and how Charlie mistreated Harvey and Thomas J. It also had a lot of detail.
The reason why I liked this book is because it has a lot of emotion.
When I read this book I couldn't stop reading because it was so good and I wanted to know what would happen next.
Book Review for Pinballs.......2007-01-15
Pinballs Review from American Library Association
In the book, Pinballs, by Betsy Byars, Carlie, Harvey, and Thomas J, three foster children, have been taken in by the Masons who have had many other foster children in the past. The children go through many changes during their stay with the Masons. It's Carlie who compares the children to pinballs, controlled by external forces, and at the mercy of fate. I recommend this novel because it is a believable, funny, and touching novel.
The characters' personalities bring you into the story. Carlie is tough; she has been abused by her step-fathers and is convinced that people are not to be trusted. The master of insult, she maintains her tough exterior. Harvey has two broken legs, having been run over by an alcoholic father after being abandoned by his mother. He is convinced that his father has kept his mother from communicating with him since she ran away to find herself in a commune. Thomas J was also abandoned; he was found as a toddler by elderly twin sisters whose minimal love and care for him has ended when both of them are hospitalized with broken hips. He is inarticulate and overly anxious to please. All of the characters share similar struggles.
Although the characters are an important part of the story, the setting helps to set the tone. All of the children have come from homes where they were not being cared for properly. The Masons provide a supportive environment for the children. Betsy Byars describes all of the settings so you can get an idea of where the children come from. The children learn to care for each other and begin to experience love and trust by the end of the novel.
In addition to the characters and setting, the theme of the book helps to make it interesting. The main themes are learning to trust and adapting to change. Carlie has a really difficult time trusting anyone throughout the entire novel. She forms friendships with Thomas J and Harvey and realizes that it is okay to rely on other people. All of the characters must adapt to their new environment. Thomas J has to learn to talk softly and Harvey needs to stop lying to his new friends. The themes in this novel really tie the characters together.
Overall I would recommend this book to anyone that has faced obstacles in their life and like to read about how others have solved their own problems. Many people could easily connect to the feelings and experiences of the characters. Pinballs, uses humor to convey the themes in the book as well. I learned a lot from reading this book, and I enjoyed it as well.
Customer Reviews:
A great birds eye view.......2007-07-16
I bought this book to help me understand pinball playfield design. While it has been a great resource to learn about machines, it is not as in depth as I was hoping. Each chapter has 1 full photograph of the whole machine (like on the cover) and several smaller close up shots showing important features. For my purposes, as I read about the machines features and rules I had to keep skipping back to the beginning of the chapter to see the full photo to get a better understanding.
I would have liked to see more pictures and perhaps some diagramming of ball movement on the playfield.
A definite plus is when you get a chapter with comments from the artists or designers involved and they share with you a bit of what was going on in their industry at the time. Also the snapshots of people playing pinball in various locations as well as Marco Rossignoll's snippets of personal life add charm to this book.
Pinball Perspectives: Ace High to World's Series.......2007-05-20
Pinball Perspectives: Ace High to World's Series
This is a fantastic book! Hundreds and hundreds of beautiful photos accompanied with great text describing these nostalgic machines. This book is a "must have" for all pinball collectors or anyone who has an interest in mechanical marvels!
Customer Reviews:
Best Pinball Book Ever.......2006-07-20
I never buy books due to the fact you can read most stuff on the net. This book however, is so well researched and put together that I STRONGLY recommend buying it. There is so much informations, and a truck load of pictures of all sorts of tables.
Product Description
Timeless in their appeal, pinball games have entertained and tested the skills of players worldwide for many generations. Pinballs combine the unpredictability of a rolling, bouncing silver ball with some of the most amazing commercial artwork and the most up-to-date technological advancements. Here is a book that celebrates what is known to many enthusiasts as "the lure of the silverball." Fifty diverse pinballs, both vintage and contemporary, are showcased. Each has its own chapter outlining the game's special features, historical background, game trivia, game rules, graphic images, collectibility, and current value. Over 500 amazing full color photographs give the reader a complete visual of each game. Whole machine shots, close-ups of backglasses and playfields, and ball's-eye-view images all put enthusiasts right into the action. This outstanding book will be thoroughly enjoyed by pinball collectors, historians, graphic artists, and devotees of coin operated amusement games.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding Introduction and overview of Pinball Maintenance.......2004-08-06
I acquired a 1971 Williams Klondike that had almost no maintenance performed on it in almost 25 years. Mr. Kamoroff's layman terms and step by step troubleshooting technics and hints saved me considerable money in returning a dead game into something special again. His simple approach to what may seem a difficult problem coupled with a everyman's writing style made for not only a handy manual but a very good read as well. I recommend this book to anyone who has an old pinball machine and I would not recommend anyone to even consider purchasing one without reading this book first.
Pinball repair in layman's terms........2004-05-24
I could reduce the number of service calls I perform by over 50% if the pin owners simply followed this manual. The truth is, there isn't any other book that puts pinball repair in layman's terms. How many pinball owners can actually read schematics? How many really do their own circuit board repair? The point I would stress is that all the repairs in the book can be performed by just about anyone, no kind of previous experience necessary. It is truly an outstanding manual and should be required reading for all pinheads, novice or skilled.
An All-Around Silverball Guide.......2004-05-20
I am the editor of GameRoom magazine which covers the world of pinball and all other coin-operated games. "Pinball Machine Care and Maintenance" is a hugely useful guidebook for novice and professional alike. What Kamoroff has accomplished here is the best of both worlds. By explaining the simple things, and offering helpful ideas to the seasoned folk, he's handed the hooby an all-around silverball guide.
Step by step help.......2004-05-07
This book has step-by-step help for people who have never maintained or repaired a pinball machine. The book has a full section on general repairs, another full section on fixing flippers, and chapters on what to look for when buying a machine, disassembling and setting up the machine, protecting the painted backglass and playing field, checking fuses and checking batteries for leaks.
The book has information about the balls, rubber rings, locks and missing keys, lightbulb types that should not be used, wiring problems, tips for making the machine faster and more fun to play, and where to find parts and game manuals.
This book gathers all this information in one volume, with a separate terminology section that describes the parts and operations of a pinball machine, a lengthy index, and over eighty illustrations. Highly recommended, best guide of its kind.
The book every pinball owner Must Own.......2002-02-15
If you're thinking of purchasing a pinball machine, this book will give you all the guidance you need to making a smart purchase. If you already own a machine, Bear's book will help you make repairs that you never dreamed you could do without a professional repair person. The explanations and drawings are presented for the novice. If you are a professional repair person, you will still probably pick up a tip or two from this book. I have many detailed repair books for pinball but I keep coming back to this one.
Average customer rating:
- Well rounded history with many illustrations!
|
Pinball
Roger C Sharpe
Manufacturer: E P Dutton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0525179755 |
Customer Reviews:
Well rounded history with many illustrations!.......2001-12-13
I found this book very usefull,because it not only has a lot of pretty pictures,but it also has a chronilogical listing of pinball machines from many manufacturers(Bally,Gottlieb,Williams,Chicago Coin,and a few others).It even has a few foreign machines featured as well!Designers,the tables,the back glasses,pictures of arcades,it's all there!I believe anyone reading this book will enjoy it,no matter if they're looking into the history of the game,or the artwork of the machines!
Another Amazon.com review
Follow the bouncing ball, James Burke-style: spice trading in the Middle Ages leads to the European tea-drinking craze, which helps instigate the development of the science of natural history, which in turns inspires the creation of the coal miner's safety lamp, which is somehow related to the battle between the Monitor and the Merrimack. From there we go to North Carolina cotton industry, Thomas Edison's very first electric power station, air conditioning, glass manufacturing, and laser beams. The end result? The smart bombs used during the Gulf War. Burke, who wrote Connections (the book and the television show), revels--or better, wallows--in the accidental nature of the march of discovery. Despite a penchant for playing it loose and free with scientific and historical accuracy, Burke has compiled a fascinating look at the great matrix of change and transformation that humans have created for themselves.
Book Description
Follow the bouncing ball, James Burke-style: spice trading in the Middle Ages leads to the European tea-drinking craze, which helps instigate the development of the science of natural history, which in turns inspires the creation of the coal miner's safety lamp, which is somehow related to the battle between the Monitor and the Merrimack. From there we go to North Carolina cotton industry, Thomas Edison's very first electric power station, air conditioning, glass manufacturing, and laser beams. The end result? The smart bombs used during the Gulf War. Burke, who wrote Connections (the book and the television show), revels--or better, wallows--in the accidental nature of the march of discovery. Despite a penchant for playing it loose and free with scientific and historical accuracy, Burke has compiled a fascinating look at the great matrix of change and transformation that humans have created for themselves.
Customer Reviews:
Fabulous book!.......2007-10-03
James Burke has done it again. This is a delightful read! For anyone who thinks history is boring, they need to read The Pinball Effect. James Burke has a wonderful irreverant sense of humor throughout this book, and shows how history happens because of all of us, not just great men of genius.
Connections getting tired.......2005-07-09
Burke's "Connections" is an excellent reference source. It aroused a passion within the reader to progress further with this fascinating subject, of how significant events were connected, and how technology devolped from them.
The Pinball Effect is a good example of an author, that like Clive Custler, should have stopped writing while they were ahead.
A very boring read
Very inventive style but TMI.......2003-07-05
This is an ingenious ways of writing a book but it borders more on a way of storing information. It is not the type of book that you read from cover to cover although you could that if you wanted to. It is essentially cross-referenced with itself. What is does is talk about a particular advancement or invention, providing page numbers in the margins for other advancements or inventions that that one enabled. You can bounce all through the book this way - hence the name of the book. It is very interesting but there is a certain amount of information overload. I kept wondering 'How does he know all of this stuff?'.
Pinball Effect - Fractal Tour Through Inventive History.......2003-02-17
James Burke's The Pinball Effect is a literary fractal through inventive history. The book seems not to follow any particular pattern, but after finishing the book the reader can look back and see a distinct orderliness. Creativity and openness begets creativity. I read this book as one would read a novel, but Pinball can be analyzed from several perspectives. Invention and time can be easily traced through seemingly unrelated events in Burke's writing. More than once I thought I would single out an invention connection, but the next story amazed me even more. Easy to read, the book lends itself to deeper analysis in tracing humans' journeys, origins, and light bulb moments. Two things impressed me about the people who were inventive: 1. They availed themselves to other creative people. and 2. They were able to see new things because they looking for them.
Pinball Effect - Fractal Tour Through Inventive History.......2003-02-17
James Burke's The Pinball Effect is a literary fractal through inventive history. The book seems not to follow any particular pattern, but after finishing the book the reader can look back and see a distinct orderliness. Creativity and openness begets creativity. I read this book as one would read a novel, but Pinball can be analyzed from several perspectives. Invention and time can be easily traced through seemingly unrelated events in Burke's writing. More than once I thought I would single out an invention connection, but the next story amazed me even more. Easy to read, the book lends itself to deeper analysis in tracing humans' journeys, origins, and light bulb moments. Two things impressed me about the people who were inventive: 1. They availed themselves to other creative people. and 2. They were able to see new things because they looking for them.
Average customer rating:
|
Pinball Art
Keith Temple
Manufacturer: H C Blossom
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Commercial
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1872532101 |
Books:
- The Price Guide to Antique Silver
- The Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll's House
- The Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll's House
- The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook: 200 Delicious Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes or Less
- The Ultimate Barbie Doll Book: Identification and Price Guide
- To Kill a Mockingbird (Literature Made Easy)
- Ty Beanie Babies Summer 2000 Collector's Value Guide
- Whatever Happened to "Super Joe"?: Catching Up With 45 Good Old Guys From The Bad Old Days of Cleveland Indians
- White Bicycles: Making Music in the 1960s
- Why We Want You to be Rich: Two Men - One Message
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Hoshin Kanri for the Lean Enterprise: Developing Competitive Capabilities And Managing Profit
- Time-Saver Standards for Landscape Architecture
- Star Wars: The Magic of Myth
- Prego! An Invitation to Italian
- The Chess Artist: Genius, Obsession, and the World's Oldest Game
- When I Was Young in the Mountains
- The Magic of Thinking Big
- Modern Advanced Accounting with OLC with Premium Content Card
- NASDAQ-100 Investor's Guide 2002-2003
- How Heavy is the Mountain