Tom Swift and His Sky Train

By Victor Appleton (pseudonym for multiple authors) 

Copyright 1931

Goodwill Store finds: four vintage books and a neat bookend - less than $10 total!

Just what I needed – another inexpensive source of vintage books!  (Yes, that is a sarcastic comment.) 

A new Goodwill store just opened up in the neighborhood and right at the front of the store is a nice selection of books, mostly newer, but a few old.  During their recent grand opening event, my Mother and I stopped in – to get stuff we don’t need – and sure enough, I found four vintage hardcover books for just $1.74 each!  This Tom Swift book is one of those four.

 

In this volume, Tom is now a young, married adult, already quite well known for his previous inventions.  His latest work-in-progress is a sky train.  A large airplane with an engine pulls multiple smaller gliders attached by couplings.  At various points along a cross-country trip, individual gliders can be released, gliding gently down to the ground, and new gliders can be picked up, all without the lead plane landing.  Another competing company is also building a similar contraption, and Tom is determined to make it to the World Exposition in San Francisco first, winning the prize money. 

Speed and winning is not his only concern, though.  Tom wants to prove his invention is better.  The competitor’s sky train is not yet ready to drop off and pick up.  While the contest is just about who gets there first, Tom is determined to risk taking extra time to show the superiority of his sky train.

 

In researching the Tom Swift series of books, I found a few interesting facts.  According to this article on npr.org, both Steve Wozniak and Isaac Asimov have cited the fictional Tom Swift as an inspiration.  Also, the Taser, invented by Jack Cover, is an acronym for Thomas A. Swift’s Electric Rifle, one of Tom’s fictional inventions.

While I will most likely never invent something as useful and complicated as these inventors, I can still find inspiration in Tom Swift.  He doesn’t get discouraged when things don’t go his way.  Instead, he just puts his thoughts and energy into the next step.  

 

I’m going to start looking for another book in this series, Tom Swift and his Photo Telephone, written in 1914.  Photo telephone?  Will the science fiction stories of today become accepted reality one hundred years from now?  Maybe I’ll Skype my daughters ask them what they think.

New Ritual of the Order Eastern Star

Copyright 1929 

By the General Grand Chapter Order of the Eastern Star

and the Holy Bible

So much can be learned about a person from looking at their bookshelves, even long after they are gone.  These books belonged to my Aunt Birdie, otherwise known as Madeleine Park.  Until I saw them recently, I had no idea she was, at one time in her life, a member of the Order of the Eastern Star.  Inside the cover, in her own handwriting, are a few notes about the Order and a listing of names and addresses of officers of the local chapter.  Under her name, she also wrote in her telephone number, 3073-J.  

Mystery has always surrounded the Order of the Eastern Star.  Their rituals and beliefs are seen as secretive and controversial to some faiths.

The Order describes itself as a social fraternity of people with deep spiritual convictions, open to all faiths except no faith.  They describe their rituals as character-building and beautiful.  

Handwritten on a small piece of graph paper found inside one of the books, I found this Closing Ode.

 

If I have wounded any soul today

If I have caused one foot to go astray

If I have walked in my own willful way

Dear Lord, forgive.  

Regardless of feelings about the Order, these are words of wisdom that I would like to live by.

Charlotte’s Web

By E.B. White 

Copyright 1952

 The power of words.  

The power of just one carefully chosen word.  

I’ve read Charlotte’s Web multiple times over my life, gaining some different piece of knowledge from it each reading.  But this last time, what I gathered from it is that sometimes, all it takes is one kind, affirming word to change – and maybe even save – a life.  

  
“Charlotte had written the word RADIANT, and Wilbur really looked radiant as he stood in the golden sunlight.  Ever since the spider had befriended him, he had done his best to live up to his reputation.  When Charlotte’s web said SOME PIG, Wilbur had tried hard to look like some pig.  When Charlotte’s web said TERRIFIC, Wilber had tried to look terrific.  And now that the web said RADIANT, he did everything possible to make himself glow.”

If a person hears a kind word about themselves, they just might start to believe it and gain the confidence they need to step outside their comfort zone and try something new.  They just might push themselves a little harder to live up to that word.

SOME PERSON – TERRIFIC – RADIANT – and last but not least – HUMBLE

Those are the words that Charlotte used to describe her friend Wilbur.  Carefully chosen, considerate words can indeed save a life.

Adrian Ann Claus

By Marilyn Claus

1970

 



What more could a little girl who loves books want than a book about herself?  This book was written and illustrated for me by my Mother when I was just four years old.  It consists of photos, original paintings, and simple text all about my little world.  At the time, we were unaware of the long term effects of tape on paper, but the brown stains do not take away from the beauty of this book.

I specifically remember the little painting of the gumball machine.  Just after she finished painting it, my Mother walked out of the room telling me not to touch it because it was wet.  Now, I’m sure that if she hadn’t told me that, I never would have thought of touching it.  Instead, the slight smudge of the gumballs will always be there.  I just couldn’t resist!

I particularly like the book's closing lines.

 “Adrian is a busy little girl.  In the summer she goes swimming and plays outside.  In the winter she goes sledding and plays in the snow.  Sometimes she watches television with her brothers and sisters.  And all year she likes to read books.  Now Wee has a book all about herself.”