American Amusement Park (Hardcover)

by Dale Samuelson (Author), Wendy Yegoiants (Author) "The quest for amusement is undoubtedly as old as humankind itself, and almost every form of entertainment that has been tried appears in some form,..." (more)
Key Phrases: centerpiece ride, racing coaster, amusement park history, Coney Island, New York, Cedar Point (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This photographic retrospective distills more than 100 years of the sights, sounds, smells and thrills associated with the American amusement park. Nostalgic archival photography from private collections, period print advertisements and exclusive colour photos illustrate the stories behind rides, arcades, architecture, fun houses, tunnels of love and much more. Special focus is given to the roller coaster, while sidebars highlight specific parks and rides whose influence on the development of amusement parks in general is undeniable.

About the Author
Samuelson's photographs and articles have been featured in At The Park, a glossy trade magazine and RollerCoaster! the official magazine of the American Coaster Enthusiasts.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 156 pages
• Publisher: MBI (October 26, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0760309817
• ISBN-13: 978-0760309810
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 10.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #750,507 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Book!, May 11, 2002

By	K. Martinez (Santa Cruz, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is packed full of beautiful photographs and nostaligic postcards. Various chapters showcase the origin of amusement parks, and the different styles and hybrids from the "traditional" and "theme" to the Storybook Lands and Santa Villages. There's even a chapter on flat rides. The graphics and layout are great. The author also knows his material. This is a great companion to that other great BMI book, "The American Roller Coaster".

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stunning photos and engaging text, September 19, 2002

By	Kenneth J. Williams (San Diego, Ca United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In the thrill seekers genre of books and videos, this fits right in. Although most of it is indeed a rehash, the layout is fabulous. No one can have enough photos of carousel horses or stories about old parks. The nostalgia factor in this book raises the bar. Unlike a few of the other books, this one is more rounded in that it covers the whole park instead of just the coasters. Be advised that these kinds of books are historical in nature and don't necessarily point to what's coming next at the World's of thrills.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of nostalgia and excitement!, January 18, 2003

By	William Overby "overby20" (Dawson Springs, KY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Loved this book! Great info on amusement park history and behind the scenes secrets. I'm ready to go ride!