57 Books from the University Book Sale: Book 6

Title: The Official AAF Guide Book (Pocket Books, 1944)
Author: Uncredited (Forward by H.H. Arnold, Commanding General, Army Air Forces)
Cover artist: Uncredited (tiniest signature ever, but I can't make it out — back cover, right where the clouds meet the clear sky on the left...)

This was published in the summer of '44, when the War was still in full swing, so everything about the war is written in present tense. Tons of photos of war footage, of plane types, of insignias, of shoulder patches, etc. If you are into military history — of if you are the "Ralph" or "Theresa" whose names are written in cursive on the cover— let me know and I'll send this to you. It's kind of fantastic.

Publisher info page indicates that it is a "War Time Book" (strict restrictions on paper usage during the war)

Cover:



Back cover:



Endpapers!:



Title page! (I wonder if "Mother" and "Dad" have anything to do with the "Ralph" and "Theresa" of the cover)



Page 123~

In the AAF, we enter into a partnership with our machines and instruments.

~RP

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Paperback 291: The Maltese Falcon / Dashiell Hammett (Pocket Books 268)

Paperback 291: Pocket Books 268 (1st ptg, 1944)

Title: The Maltese Falcon
Author: Dashiell Hammett
Cover artist: Leo Manso / Stanley Meltzoff

Yours for: Hell no

The following is so self-evidently awesome that I refuse to sully it with my usual commentary:

Here's the original 1944 cover:



And now here's the cover of the DUST JACKET (you heard me) they issued several years later (this image went on to grace the cover of a later Permabooks edition)



Page 123:

"Morning, Sam. Set down and bite an egg." The hotel-detective stared at Spade's temple. "By God, somebody maced you plenty!"

~RP

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