Helicopters?

Every year we put together the BookFinder.com Report, where we list the previous year's most sought-after out-of-print books in ten categories. For the past couple of years, one of the books we've listed in our Popular Science and Technology section has been a book with an intriguing name, about helicopters of all things. John F. Straubel wrote "One Way Up" in 1964, when he was working for the Hiller Aircraft Company here in Northern California. We've been wondering why this book is so popular, so we decided to pester the author. We were happy to discover that he had heard of the BookFinder.com Report and knew that people were searching for out-of-print copies of his book, although he himself couldn't say for certain why "One Way Up" was enjoying a renaissance in popularity. We learned that the book focused mainly on Stanley Hiller, Jr. and his various helicopters, vertical rising aircraft and assorted flying contraptions. There weren't many copies made, which might explain why the book is so hard to find these days. Stan Hiller died in 2006, and perhaps his death sparked a renewed interest in his life and work. Mr. Straubel told us that he was working on an expanded second edition of the book, and is also considering reprinting the original edition. So for those of you who have been running searches for "One Way Up," whoever you might be, there may soon be a fresh supply available. [Now reading: A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush by Eric Newby] Posted by Wendy