At the Fern Ridge messabout I mentioned that I was reading Engines Afloat (vol I and II) by Stan Grayson and John K. suggested  Internal Fire: The Internal-Combustion Engine 1673-1900 by C. Lyle Cummins.   While Internal Fire is a drier read than Engines Afloat, it filled in what was omitted from my Diesel and Steam engineering classes in college.  I was taught that internal combustion engine development started in the 1880’s; first with two stroke engines then with 4 stroke.  The whole atmospheric engine development and the fathers of modern two stroke gas engines: Dugald Clerk and Joseph Day, was omitted.  Available in from LINCC


Handloggers by W. H. Jackson and Ethel Dassow tells the story of Bill ‘Handlogger” Jackson in the first half of the 20th century.  While I don’t approve of killing wolves for bounty I did like his philosophy of only taking what you needed.  An easy enjoyable read.  Available from the Salem Community College Library.


If you work in the aerospace industry, a scary book that will keep you up at night is Space Systems Failures: Disasters and Rescues of Satellites, Rocket and Space Probes by David M. Harland and Ralph D. Lorenz.  It is amazing how mistakes, oversights or misunderstandings can cost hundreds of millions of dollars.   Available from Amazon.


My current book is Mid Size Power Boats: A Guide for Discriminating Buyers by David Pascoe.  This is an excellent book for not what to do when designing and building boats.  From Pascoe’s perspective new boat builders keep repeating mistakes learned in the past. Many bad examples provided by SeaRay.   An enjoyable read if you are interested in designing and building boats.  Available from www.yachtsurvey.com


Do you have any books you can recommend or are reading this summer.

Randy