3 comments about Saab 99 and 900: The Complete Story (Crowood Autoclassic).

1. The author has several automotive books to his credit and it shows. In his history of this classic car, told from a British perspective, the text is easy to read, and the author displays a thorough understanding of how cars work. There are plenty of excellent photos, some in color but mostly not. I learned *why* the ignition key is on the floor (safety feature), and got further insights into this small company's heritage as an innovator, e.g. how, with the 96, they had an extremely aerodynamic car rivalled only by the Citroen DS, or how they insisted, for safety reasons, on using heavier sheet metal than other makers, explaining its enduring status among automotive brands.



2. First of all, I love this book! Despite the title, this book tells of
   the entire history of Saab. The short length of the book is merely
   reflective of the small number of Saab models that have been produced
   over the years.
   
   I can only reflect on what Saab could have been. Saab could have built
   on the success of the turbo model to equal or better BMW. That would
   have been a tall order but it was possible. Instead Saab is now on
   life support and soon production will be moved to Opel factories in
   Germany. But we'll always have the 92, 93, 95, 96, 99, C900 and
   the "brilliant" 9-5.



3. I really enjoyed reading this history on Saab cars. There are plenty of pictures and the chapters are well organized.

No comments about Saab: The Innovator.

3 comments about Saab Gripen-Sweden's 21st Century Multirole Aircraft -Aerofax.

1. Ok, this is written from a modelers standpoint.
   The big problem is 90% of the pics are flight pics. very few on the ground so as far as getting detail walk around shots for modeling? FORGET it! no useful pics of the landing gear, no line drawings of the cockpit beyong the front panel, no shots of the wheels, no close ups of panel and rivit detail, no usable closeups of engine nozzles. 6 pics I had immediately recognized and had downloaded from the internet, there 2 poorly done pics of pilot/with suit. and the helmets were only lightly addressed. If you want page after page after page of pretty plane in flight shots, then you will like this book. it does do a good textural historical overview of development of the type though.
   I bought the book brand new and subsequently saw it available used for 6 dollars. BUMMER! in fact, i have other aerofax titles, and they are VERY useful, dont know what happened with this particular book.



2. In the world of aviation books, Midland Publishing can be considered a leading authority on a diverse range of civil and military aircraft. The majority of titles published under the Aerofax and Red Star banners deal with Russian/Soviet or British/US aircraft. Some of the best work in the field are the volumes by Russian/Soviet aviation expert Yefim Gordon, such as the recent titles on Soviet Secret Bomber Projects and the Su-24 FENCER. Midland also does an excellent job examining aircraft from other countries, such as this solid volume on Sweden's JAS-39 Gripen multi-role aircraft by Dutch author Gerard Keijsper.
   
   The JAS-39 Gripen was the first of the world's 4th generation combat aircraft to take flight and enter into front-line service. It followed in the famed footsteps of its predecessors, the J-29 Tunnan, J-32 Lansen, J-35 Draken, and AJ-37 Viggen, whose unique and elegant designs made them favorites of aviation enthusiasts worldwide. Designed in response to a 1980 Swedish Air Force (Svenska Flygvabnet) RFP for a multi-role combat aircraft to replace both the fighter/attack and recon models of the Viggen, the Gripen was the winning design of IG-JAS, a joint consortium of Swedish companies led by SAAB that included Volvo and Ericssen. The Gripen's basic design of single engine, side air intakes, and delta wing with canards mounted just under the cockpit was mandated by the unique Swedish requirements that have guided previous designs like the Draken and Viggen: the aircraft should be single-engined to keep maintenance and cost down, must be able to operate from short roadways, and should have a quick-surge capability.
   
   On 14 September 1982, Gripen took off on its first test flight. Over several years numerous prototypes were tested and dozens of modifications to the digital fly-by-wire systems were made, resulting in a highly capable, dependable, and reliable airplane that has suffered only 3 airframe losses in its entire history. Gripen carries a 27-mm internal cannon and can carry a diverse range of weaponry such as AMRAAM, Meteor, Sidewinder, and Maverick on its eight weapon points. Coupled with air-to-air refueling capability, LANTIRN targeting pods, and AESA radar, Gripen has a bark equal to its bite. The aircraft's single F-404J engine produces 18,000lbs of thrust with afterburner, enabling it to reach speeds of up to Mach-2. Twenty-four years and 60,000 flight hours later, over 200 Gripens are in front-line service with the Swedish Air Force and export Gripens are equipping the Air Forces of Hungary, South Africa, and the Czech Republic. Gripen's low cost and high performance has made it a leading contendor for foreign military sales.
   
   Keijsper's book conforms with the fairly standard Aerofax format. The book begins with an overview, discusses design histories and test regimens, explains weapons and avionics systems, then moves into the aircraft in-service and its export versions and sales. The text is accompanied by a wealth of photographs, with over 250 color and black and white photographs in 176 pages. Three-way design views that effectively illustrate the design process are also included, which helps the reader in understanding the nature of aircraft design immensely. A nice tough are squadron patches from many of the squadrons currently operating Gripen as well as detail on the Swedish Order of the Gripen Knights, which is a professional group of Gripen pilots who are awarded badges based on experience and proficiency. The level of detail offered in this book is incredible, essentially providing everything you could hope to know. It is dated, being written in 2003 and published in 2004, and could stand an update on the major differences in the C/D models over the original A/B, but that is information that can be found elsewhere.
   
   There are some flaws in this book that bring it down a few notches. First, no biography of the author is provided. The only detail offered by the publisher is that Keijsper is Dutch and lives in the Czech Republic. He clearly received large amounts of information from the Gripen Consortium and the Svenska Flygvabnet (in fact the book often reads like a press release) but the author's credentials are brought into question. The structuring of the chapters is a bit awkward. Chapter 3, Improving the Breed would have been better suited as a discussion after Chapter 8, Into Service. There is a 2-page chapter on Extreme High Alpha Test Flying that serves no real purpose, and should have been removed. There are minor errors in the text, such as the comment that the Gripen has supercruise capability, which with a thrust-to-weight ratio of 0.9 seems hard to believe, but overall nothing too alarming. There is a disconnect between the photos captions and the text which make them feel like two separate narratives and there are numerous grammatical errors, likely the result of translation from Swedish to Dutch to English. Minor stuff to be sure, but something a keener eye should have caught in the editing process. Overall though, this volume on Gripen has a necessary place on the bookshelf of both aviation enthusiast and military analyst for years to come. The photography and design diagrams alone are worth the purchase price, and this book lives up to the standard set by the Aerofax banner.
   
   The next few years will be crucial for Gripen, as it nears the end of its production run and fulfillment of its current foreign order book. Without follow-on orders from the Swedes or a substantial export order, the production line may close and this graceful aircraft will slowly age its way into obsolescence. Conversely, should the US Joint Strike Fighter be delayed, countries like Denmark, Norway, and Australia may look to Gripen as a ready-made affordable solution, ensuring its continued production for many more years. For now though, Gripen patrols the skies over 4 nations, vigilantly watching and protecting against external threats and ensuring a continued place for Swedish combat aircraft in enthusiast's hearts and the world's skies.
   
   A.G. Corwin
   St.Louis MO



3. The book is okay. It should have been run by the editing department another time or two though as there are a lot of gramatical errors and typos and such.
   The story of the Gripen is told fairly well however, with lots of development details and obscure but interesting facts. The text can be somewhat disjointed though and could have been better organized. Even with that there is lots of great info in this book.
   For modelers: you're out of luck. Almost 0 detail shots. There is a good section on cockpit development but only a few photos and you can find better ones on the net. Most of the pictures in the book are very nice but are just generic, here's-the-Gripen shots. A few photos are terribly pixilated as well.
   Anyway if you want info on the Gripen, go for it. If you want a modeling reference, well, there isn't really one yet.

3 comments about Saab: Half a Century of Achievement, 1947-1977.

1. A well balanced "must have" book for the Saab enthuasiast. It's well illustrated with an easy to read layout and contains lots of hard to find photos. Dymock explores some of Saabs innovative contributions to the automotive world - well worth the money. It's not overly technical, but it serves as a nostalgic look at Saab history from a respected automotive journalist.



2. Every Saab fanatic should add this book to their collection. While not as complete as "The First 40 Years of Saab Cars" by Lindh, it does have some insight into the elements that make Saab a unique driving experience.



3. This book is so hard to find! I had to get it for my brother who is a Saab fanatic and he LOVES it. It's the thing to have if you love Saabs. Even if you don't, the photos are amazing so it's great to flip through. If you know someone with a 9-3 this one's the best: Saab 9-3 or a 9-5: Saab 9-5: a Personal Story

No comments about Better Baby Food: Your Essential Guide to Nutrition, Feeding and Cooking for All Babies and Toddlers.

1 comments about Saab 9-3.

1. This book is a comprehensive review of the life of the 9-3. If you love your 9-3, you have to check it out. It's a great gift too for the Saab owner in your life. High quality hard cover makes it a great coffee table book. I have the 9-5 one too Saab 9-5: a Personal Story, and the rare Saab's Half Century Saab: Half a Century of Achievement, 1947-1977

1 comments about Saab 9-5: a Personal Story.

1. I have a 9-3 but my husband drives a 9-5 so I bought this for him for Christmas. He read it all in one day! Just a lot of fun if you're dedicated to 9-5's - see the history and and the classic models. I also have the 9-3 book Saab 9-3 and we have the Saab's Half Century of Achievement which is a collector's item Saab: Half a Century of Achievement, 1947-1977.

No comments about Saab 9-5 4-cyl Petrol: 97-04 (Haynes Service and Repair Manuals).

3 comments about Better Food For Kids: Your Essential Guide to Nutrition for all Children from age 2 to 6.

1. This book was not too bad at the start. The first chapter covers feeding your 2 to 4 year old, and the second chapter talks about feeding your 4 to 6 year old. They give tips on how to increase your child's fibre, and suggest trying to reduce juice consumption. Futher on, there's a discussion about essential vitamins and minerals. Some time is devoted to food contamination and food allergies, choking, bowel function, obesity, daycare, and dental care.
   
   Where this book really falls apart is in the recipe section. I would NOT call these foods BETTER foods. Almost all of the recipes include either butter, cheese, or sugar. I don't think it's a good idea to feed my children Quiche Lorraine, Fettucine Alfredo, and biscuits dipped in cheese and mayonnaise. Really. The recipes in this book were less healthy than most of the recipes I see in regular children's cookbooks. I expected much better from a team of dieticians.



2. Having a mother who is an RN, and yet not wanting to be a health-crazed maniac, I struggled with the idea of Gerber/prepacked baby foods versus doing it myself in our own kitchen. My mother recommended "Better Baby Food", as it was used by her hospital's cookstaff for pediatric menus. What an indispensible guide it proved to be and this continuation book "Better Food for Kids" is every bit as wonderful! The foods are really good in variety of taste, color and texture and our whole family enjoys the meals actually! Great tips on feeding picky eaters and special dietary concerns for both the healthy and the ill/child with mallady. As for the other review's notation about questioning recipies with butter, sugar, etc...a little, in moderation is what all doctor's or anyone of authority in the medical or nutrional world recommend, unless allergic or there's a known health consideration. My advice, if you are truly concerned about things like sugar, substitute apple juice or apple sauce, which if that is a health/diet concern you would probably already known anyway! Great book---I pair this with the Better Baby Food book and another little item for all baby showers I attend and so far no complaints, lots of thanks later on actually!!!



3. I enjoyed this book immensely. It has the perfect ratio of health and nutritional information to recipes. I did not feel overburdened or confused by the explanation of what is good for my child and why. Often, when doctors write books like this, it's more akin to sitting in a lecture hall trying to understand a complex graph, complete with the latest scientific data. Refreshingly, these authors were to the point, realistic and plain in their explanations.
   I was even more excited about the recipes. I would find one I liked, intending to copy it down, but by the time I reached the end, I wanted to write them all down! Not only were the recipes simple and easy to follow, but they included things that I already eat and more importantly, presented new things in ways I wanted to try and make. I appreciated the fact that the authors were not restrictive in fats or sugars. I believe that if you ingest these things as part of the recipes and as part of a balanced diet, avoiding superfluous extra snacking of empty calories, these ingredients as integrated with the many other excellent vegetable and protein combinations will not only be enjoyable, but will encourage your children to try new and interesting foods far into the future.

No comments about Saab Viggen - Aerofax.