Stefan Bitterle

Today, we take it for granted that we can fly anywhere in the world, but the modest beginnings of international air travel are not even a century old. The Junkers F 13, introduced in 1919, could seat only four passengers, but this plane was the mother of global commercial flight and was used on five continents. It was the first all-metal aircraft, which enabled it to shatter many records for both altitude and distance flown until 1932. Despite these achievements, this pioneering plane has been overshadowed by its famous successor, the JU 52; of the 347 F 13s produced, only five survive in museums, and none are airworthy. In 2009, a group of passionate aircraft designers set out to build a replica F 13 and get it in the air. With support from RIMOWA, a leading luggage manufacturer, this dream became a reality. This volume tells the tale of the first Junkers F 13 and the amazing story of its reconstruction, from the detective-like search for original documents and design drawings to preparing for the first test flights.

Relax by the ocean or head to the mountains? This vacation planning debate-starter is actually a fairly recent invention. To people of an earlier era, both options seemed unappealing and nearly impossible to visit. It wasn't until railroads came along that remote areas became accessible, making travel agency founder, Thomas Cook, the inventor of modern tourism as well. Fishing villages turned into swanky beach resorts, out-of-the-way mountain hamlets became hot destinations for hikers and skiers, and humble inns blossomed into grand hotels. Nostalgic Journeys takes you on an unforgettable trip through the last two centuries; ride the Orient Express to the Middle East, cross the Atlantic on an enormous steamship, follow Route 66 through the USA, or break through the sound barrier on the Concorde. Paging through this volume will remind you that traveling was and can be more than just sitting in traffic or enduring security checks. Travel can also be a stylish and sometimes adventurous way to experience the world and return home forever changed by exotic sights and sounds. Bon voyage!