THE MOTORCYCLE HELMET: The 1930s-1990s Rin Tanaka; Hardcover 214 pages (2002), Used The motorcycle helmet has encountered much resistance from bikers who cherish the sense of freedom they get when riding without one. At the same time, the design revolutions it has undergone since its introduction in the 1930s have made it as much a part of the motorcycle culture as the leather jacket. Here the whole history is traced, from the ancient beginnings in warrior's helmets to the jet age molded plastic designs of the late twentieth century. All of the world's major manufacturers are covered, and their helmets are illustrated in detailed full color photographs. In addition, the author has included vintage advertising, racing photographs, and promotional materials. You will see the early football style helmets, leather pilot's caps, "pudding-style" helmets, the Air Force inspired full-coverage helmets introduced by Bell Auto Parts in 1954, and the continuing evolution up to the end of the century. Both technical and decorative aspects are considered, along with the changing culture around motorcyclists. For the motorcycle enthusiast and collector, or those interested in a significant design movement, this book will both entertain and inform.  Great detail and amazing photos. Rin Tanaka's books are always amazing. Thus far, he has written over 20 books about the history of vintage clothing.

Radio Silence: A Selected Visual History of American Hardcore Music; Hardcover 224 pages (2008), Used Hardcore music emerged just after the first wave of punk rock in the late 1970s. American punk kids who loved the speed and attitude of punk took hold of its spirit, got rid of the “live fast, die young” mind-set and made a brilliant revision: hardcore. The dividing line between punk and hardcore music was in the delivery: less pretense, less melody, and more aggression. This urgency seeped its way from the music into the look of hardcore. There wasn’t time to mold your liberty spikes or shine your Docs, it was jeans and T-shirts, Chuck Taylors and Vans. The skull and safety-pin punk costume was replaced by hi-tops and hooded sweatshirts. Jamie Reid’s ransom note record cover aesthetic gave way to black-and-white photographs of packed shows accompanied by bold and simple typography declaring things like: "The Kids Will Have Their Say", and "You’re Only Young Once."  Radio Silence documents the ignored space between the Ramones and Nirvana through the words and images of the pre-Internet era where this community built on do-it-yourself ethics thrived. Authors Nathan Nedorostek and Anthony Pappalardo have cataloged private collections of unseen images, personal letters, original artwork, and various ephemera from the hardcore scene circa 1978-1993. Unseen photos lay next to hand-made t-shirts and original artwork brought to life by the words of their creators and fans. Radio Silence includes over 500 images of unseen photographs, illustrations, rare records, t-shirts, and fanzines presented in a manner that abandons the aesthetic clichés normally employed to depict the genre and lets the subject matter speak for itself. Contributions by Jeff Nelson, Dave Smalley, Walter Schreifels, Cynthia Connolly, Pat Dubar, Gus Peña, Rusty Moore, and Gavin Ogelsby with an essay by Mark Owens.