Rare Books

The twenty-one balloons

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Description: This tale of the adventures of Professor William Waterman Sherman, a disillusioned schoolteacher who sails across the Pacific Ocean in a giant balloon, and witnesses the explosion of the island of Krakatoa, is so full of curious escapades. It's a hilarious read. The story begins where we find Professor Sherman adrift in the Atlantic ocean, clinging to the debris of some twenty deflated balloons. He is shortly picked up by S.S. Cunningham, and the interest of the world is immediately sparked. You see, Professor Sherman started a journey in a hot air balloon... in the Pacific ocean. Could he have completely orbited the earth, to crash on the other side of the United States?
Type: Rare Books(Opens in new tab)
Publication date: Mcmxlviii [1948]
Call number: 660736
Creator: Pène du Bois, William (1916-1993)

Preparing monkeys and balloons for International Coconut Balloon Derby Contest, Venice

Visual Materials

Image of people preparing helium balloons and monkeys for participation in the International Coconut Balloon Derby Contest on Venice beach, Los Angeles, in 1930. The Ocean Park Pier is seen in the distance.

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Balloon Route Excursion Party, Soldiers' Home, Sawtelle, California

Visual Materials

Group portrait of passengers for the Balloon Route Excursion of Los Angeles, a trolley trip run on the lines of the Los Angeles & Pacific Railway Company, and later taken over by the Pacific Electric Railway. The route was roughly in the shape of a balloon, as seen on a map. The adults and children here are standing at one of the stops at the Soldiers' Home, Sawtelle. The driver is the man in the cap at bottom of photograph.

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Los Angeles from a balloon, Los Angeles. 1902

Visual Materials

A panoramic view of Los Angeles taken from a hot air balloon. The area pictured is largely residential, with few vacant lots. The area above the horizon has been blotted out, but the ropes of the balloon are visible across the top of the image. A note written in white in the bottom left corner reads "Pierce 8003".

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Item No. 31. Blanchard's Balloon

Visual Materials

[print; vignette of Blanchard in a balloon]

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View of a hot air balloon on Santa Monica Pier

Visual Materials

Image of a crowd standing next to a basket and hot air balloon lying on the Santa Monica Pier as part of a promotion for the Columbia Pictures 1975 movie "Breakout" in Santa Monica, California. A sign that reads "Breakout" is attached to the side of the hot air balloon basket and "Sinbad's cocktails and dinners," "Cocky Moon Snack Bar," and "Holiday Inn" signs are visible. The roof of the Hippodrome is seen in the distance.

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The Barnum & Bailey latest and greatest thriller the balloon horse Jupiter

Visual Materials

Image of two hot-air balloon ascension acts each with the same female equestrian on horseback rising on a platform attached to a balloon; fireworks in background.

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The twenty-one balloons

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Preparing monkeys and balloons for International Coconut Balloon Derby Contest, Venice

Balloon Route Excursion Party, Soldiers' Home, Sawtelle, California

Los Angeles from a balloon, Los Angeles. 1902

Item No. 31. Blanchard's Balloon

View of a hot air balloon on Santa Monica Pier

The Barnum & Bailey latest and greatest thriller the balloon horse Jupiter