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Old 12-03-2009, 04:31 AM   #31
diver pat
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Re: Book-compleat goggler--guy gilpatric

I recently purchased "The Blue Continent" - $2!!! It is a great read. Cousteau, through his underwater film, got me into the water, but Hans Hass is so much better, despite his change of heart on spearfishing. His first book is still my favourite. I still enjoy "Hunting Big Fish" by Marcel Issy-Schwart.
For the voyeur, a great book is "Hekura: The diving girls island", about the women Ama divers of Japan. Actually a great book, written by Fosco Maraini, but he was definitely a voyeur!
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Old 12-04-2009, 12:40 PM   #32
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Re: Book-compleat goggler--guy gilpatric

Pat,

New Zealand must be a treasure trove of diving books! That copy of the 1954 "Blue Continent" was a find and an absolute steal at $2.00. Those early books are such great readers; they some how transport you back to another time . Books of this era, like rare old antiques are becoming increasingly difficult to find and when found are generally expensive, at least in California Keep on searching and keep on posting.

I have a number of extras--aka "Traders" If you also have any for trade please advise via a PM and we may be able to do some old fashioned trading.

Yes I am familiar with the book "Hekura-Diving girls island" It has become very popular therefore very expensive. There is another book along the same vein titled simply "Samantha." About a model who posed nude UW in the Red Sea for David Pilosof (copyright 1977) Samantha was 29 at that time, but that was 32 years ago and she would now be 61! Copies of "Samantha" are also becoming increasingly expensive as time passes. I met both David and Samantha at the 1977 or 8 DEMA and was going to purchase a book and have them endorse it but they only had soft covers available and I am not a fan of soft covers, so purchased a hard cover later at about 2&1/2times what I could have purchased a soft cover at DEMA. Now? hovering around $100.00 for a decent copy.

I was first exposed to the Ama divers (or they exposed them selves to me) in the mid 1950s at the "LA Sportsmans show" where they were giving demonstrations of their diving skills. I became interested in them and their counterparts, the Korean "Hae no" divers and wrote several research papers on them while in grad school . At that time they were still using goggles (ala Gilpatric) and wore only a white cloth wrapped around like a diaper for thermal protection. Now the modern world has entered into their profession and they wear wet suits and face masks consequently destroyed their photogenic appeal..

The mute point is apparently invest in diving books; they are a commodity that is decreasing at a very rapid rate as new divers are increasing exponentially about every hour. The classic economics 101 theory of supply and demand.

Have a great week end, sdm
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Old 12-04-2009, 12:57 PM   #33
Don Paul
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Re: Book-compleat goggler--guy gilpatric

Baha, How can I keep old books and magazines from smelling too old?
Thanks in advance.
Don
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Old 12-05-2009, 10:31 AM   #34
baja haha
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Re: Book-compleat goggler--guy gilpatric

Very good question and a mute point...

I have never personally experienced a particular odor emitting from my books & magazines except that of "increasing in value," day after day..

My first wife has published a number of books including one "Preserving family keepsakes." It was very well received book and very popular in the professional circles, even adapted by several universities as a required text. It was a very well done book describing how to preserve all sorts of paper documents and heirlooms using common household items. Due to the current ban on just about every thing it is altogether possible that the items listed are no longer available. I am reasonably certain that it is out of print

At one time I owned a copy but along the line I seemed to have misplaced it. My son probably has a copy but we are off one direction and he another this week end--so perhaps some time after Monday?

There is that real problem of "Foxing;" those little specs that appear on the edges of the paper. At this junction in time there is no known remedy for foxing--just a demonstration of aging.

Of course there is the question of paper type--Acid or Acid Free? Most publications prior to 1950s were printed on acid based paper after that time acid free paper is generally used. The Compleat Goggler was first printed in 1938 and reprinted in 1957. The 1938 edition will survive for a long long time..the 1957 reprint will possibly last for 100 years or more.

Storage is always a factor. My library is in a dedicated room. The drapes are never opened except for dusting, the door is always closed including now and it the wet season I have a dehumidifier that I operate on a daily basis.

Hope that his in some way answers your question--which is very appropriate
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Old 12-05-2009, 12:30 PM   #35
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Re: Book-compleat goggler--guy gilpatric

Thanks baha, I look into geting a dehumidifier.
All the best, Don
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Old 12-08-2009, 09:19 AM   #36
baja haha
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Re: Book-compleat goggler--guy gilpatric

Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Paul View Post
Thanks baha, I look into geting a dehumidifier.
All the best, Don
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don Paul

Reviewed son's copy of book. The prime suspect is mold (page 59 & 60) there is a RX but $$$ using a chemical called "Thymol"

FYI
The book is titled;
Preserving Family keepsakes; Dos and Don'ts
Ilene Chandler Miller
ISBN 0-938717-55-3

Publisher; Shumway Family History Services
paper back, 7 chapters,169 pages

$18.50 + $3.50 S&H

If you need address PM me,

Good luck
sdm 111
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Old 12-08-2009, 01:50 PM   #37
Don Paul
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Re: Book-compleat goggler--guy gilpatric

Quote:
Originally Posted by baja haha View Post
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don Paul

Reviewed son's copy of book. The prime suspect is mold (page 59 & 60) there is a RX but $$$ using a chemical called "Thymol"

FYI
The book is titled;
Preserving Family keepsakes; Dos and Don'ts
Ilene Chandler Miller
ISBN 0-938717-55-3

Publisher; Shumway Family History Services
paper back, 7 chapters,169 pages

$18.50 + $3.50 S&H

If you need address PM me,

Good luck
sdm 111
Thanks Sam. PM sent.
Cheers, Don
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Old 12-09-2009, 11:02 AM   #38
baja haha
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Re: Book-compleat goggler--guy gilpatric

Quote:
Originally Posted by sacha58 View Post
In Italian " the Blue continent " is named 6th continent . it narrates about a spearfishing expedition in the red sea in 1953 .........The movie, as the book, by Folco Quilici, was also amazing. Another wonderful Italian book on spearfishing in the sixties was " Uomini e pesci " men and fishes, by Gianni Roghi.....
There are some others I have in my bibliotheque, like the 'Manuale di caccia subacquea " manual of spearfishing, by Alessandro Olschki and otehers, including a very rare one by Raimondo Bucher , the first freediver to set a record ( 30 meters....) after world war II.
Some more recent ones are " Il tempo di un'apnea" the duration of a breathhold, by Massimo Scarpati ( the world champion in 1968 in Sicily when Terry Lentz and don Del Monico participated ) and two very nice ones on the experiences and techniques of Blue water hunting around the World, by Riccardo Andreoli: " I giganti del grande BLU" and " Pesca nel Blu" giants of the big blue and Bluewater spearfishing. I have tried to collect any book I could find about spearfishing in Italian, English and French. had all the issues of Mondo Sommerso since n.1 ( lost them in a moving ) and have collected all the issues of "Pescasub" an italian magazine and many other magazines from around the world.Most of those copies where lost during some recent movings :-((
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alessandro, (who was once Rome, Italy--now West Palm--FANTASTIC!)

"In Italian " the Blue continent " is named 6th continent . it narrates about a spearfishing expedition in the red sea in 1953 .........The movie, as the book, by Folco Quilici, was also amazing...."

>>> As I previously stated I have a copy complete with a dust jacket that could be rated as "mint"


" A very rare one by Raimondo Bucher , the first freediver to set a record ( 30 meters....) after world war II...."

>>> I am very familiar with Raimondo Bucher, but was unaware of him publishing a book. can you provide the title?

Raimondo was a remarkable gentleman; he was not Italian but was from one of the neighboring Balkan countries, however fought as a fighter pilot for Italy in WW11. After WW11 he was recruited by the US Office of Naval Research (ONR) to evaluate and develop UW swimming techniques for USN aka UDT and SEALS. I recall that the Italian divers recently --about 5 years ago gave him long over due recognition and honored him with an award. He was definitely one of a kind!


I am interested in also acquiring some or all of the Italian books. Since your last post I have searched the Italian E bay for the following books.

" Uomini e pesci " men and fishes, by Gianni Roghi.....

'Manuale di caccia subacquea " Manual of spearfishing, by Alessandro Olschki.

" Il tempo di un'apnea" the duration of a breathhold, by Massimo Scarpati

" I giganti del grande BLU" Giants of the big blue and " Pesca nel Blu" and Bluewater spearfishing by Riccardo Andreoli.

So far nothing. However, a neighbor's daughter is spending a year in Padua & Florence doing grad work and perfecting her Italian. She will be returning in June so I have already enlisted her assistance in my search. Concurrently, my wife and I will possibly be in Italy some time in the spring, possibly will be in Rome. Is there a particular book store that you would recommend for a visit?

I also have a presentable collection of books English, Australian & American, and I did have some in French but a Frenchman who was visiting absconded with the French ones --along with spear guns and every thing else that was not nailed down.

I was fortunate to have entered the sport not by design but by pure accident - an eye infection required me to wear goggles and after WW11 a Sea Net mask on to fins and snorkel ..the rest is history. When SDM began in December 1951 I began collecting and never stopped..I have all the SDMs etc, but after the episode with the French "researcher" my collection is not available to the general public, no matter what they are researching. ( the entire collection will be inherited by my son who is a ER/Hyperbaric Doctor and former member of the LB Neptunes)

I would entertain a trading relationship any or all for extra Italian books you may have acquired for some of my surplus English language books.

By the way I recently checked on the "Sea Devils" by Valero Borghese...that book is hovering around $100.00 per copy! (sure glad I began collecting years ago!) more reasonable books on the WW11 Italian "Frogmen" are " The black Prince and the Sea Devils" by Jack Greene and Alessandro Massignani or the "Frogmens First Battles" by William Schofield and P. J. Carisella..all are great reads and are tributes to your former countries ingenuity and contributions to the UW world three generations ago.

Cheers from Sunny but cold Kalifornia...
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Old 02-17-2012, 03:26 AM   #39
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Re: Book-compleat goggler--guy gilpatric

I am resurrecting this thread for one simple reason and that is I believe that the "Compleat Googler" should be reprinted in an inexpensive paperback edition, complete with all photos and all diagrams, so that everyone interested in spearfishing can read it. As a trophy book it holds no interest for those who only seek the information contained within it rather than any status in owning an original 1938 copy, or the 1957 Skin Diver reprint. Some years ago I was one of those people until I was given a complete copy on CD (not the CD version that at one time was being sold on eBay) and found the book all that I had expected it to be and a vital link to many disparate threads in the saga of spearfishing developments that radiated outwards from that formative period.

Might I suggest that a reprint be done in conjunction with the "Breast Cancer Foundation", or its equivalent in the USA, as a fund-raiser, so many cents/dollars per copy being remitted to the Foundation and the rest being used to balance publishing costs and any distribution costs. This would provide a fitting response to the tragedy that claimed Guy and his wife Louise and in a sense restore purpose to what some may see as senseless deaths. If you have had anyone close to you claimed by cancer (as I have) then you will know that it is a time of anguish and despair if there is no professional support trained to deal with both the physical and psychological issues.

A public notice to existing copyright holders should be issued calling for any submissions as to why a reprint should not be produced and with a final date for responses nominated. If no such contact is made and in the highly likely event that copyrights holders are either deceased, defunct or otherwise non-existent the preparation for the reprint should proceed. There will be no typesetting involved as the edition will be a facsimile in terms of page layout and original fonts as the digitized scans of the book will be used for the production of the reprint. The soft cover will advertise the charitable nature of the edition and the nomination of the fund or funds that will benefit. A characteristic color for the cover such as the familiar pink used for such charities and foundations may be appropriate.

Attached is a typical page showing the layout and this should be replicated as it lends a historic charm to the book and is typical of the period for books of this type.

Alexander the Great cut the "Gordonian Knot" and now it is high time to free up the "Compleat Goggler" from the limbo into which it as a book, desired to be read by many, has fallen for more than fifty years.
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Old 10-18-2018, 04:56 PM   #40
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Re: Book-compleat goggler--guy gilpatric

Well this is many years later but my efforts to have a charitable cause, namely the Breast Cancer Foundation, sponsor in name if not in any financial sense a third edition facsimile reprint of the "Compleat Goggler" came to nothing. One problem was a book about killing fish, which actually does not account for the bulk of the book, was not seen as a good fit for the organization and there is nothing that can be done about that. I still think a third edition, even in electronic form, is a must if this very important book is to be read rather than simply sit on trophy book shelves.
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Old 10-19-2018, 01:11 PM   #41
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Re: Book-compleat goggler--guy gilpatric

Very interesting reading...although those of us who value the early books are probably the keepers of the flame by preserving them on our book shelves...as we die off, the sad fact is, they will probably end up in the discount bins at thrift stores or at the dump...
.My collection includes the first printed issue of Skin Diver magazine, a first edition of "Sea of Cortez" by Ray Cannon, showing early pics and fishing stories of Baja when it was pristine and virtually untouched and a 1953 copy of "The Silent World" by one, "Captain J.Y. Cousteau" and Frederic Dumas...hmmm, I am now older than the books....

Last edited by Bob Ballew; 10-19-2018 at 01:29 PM.
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Old 10-20-2018, 12:18 AM   #42
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Re: Book-compleat goggler--guy gilpatric

Well I have just found out that the "Compleat Goggler" is now out of copyright in Australia, so the gates are open for anyone to republish the book there. Also in the USA two more years and in 2020 the copyright is finished as well, being 70 years after the death of the author (July 7, 1950)

Hopefully something like “Project Gutenberg” will eventually pick it up for on-line reading for free.

https://www.gutenberg.org/
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Old 12-11-2020, 07:09 AM   #43
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Re: Book-compleat goggler--guy gilpatric

Guy’s book had a major influence on me and my approach to recreational free diving in the 1970s. My school librarian sold me a copy, The skin Diver magazine reprint, for a dollar. I would routinely free dive for hours with low-volume mask and no fins before I saw the book but it definitely added some intrigue and new techniques after. Has anybody seen my garden hose and steak knife? The book is it important part of free diving history. I wrote about it on my site some years back. http://www.fksa.org/showthread.php?p=51965#post51965
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Old 12-11-2020, 03:38 PM   #44
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Re: Book-compleat goggler--guy gilpatric

The Skin Diver reprint of the book is scarcer than it should be because a lot of the print run was trashed before anyone thought that keeping the stockpile of then unsold books might be a good idea. Copies are always available if you want to pay hundreds of dollars for a book in average condition that has had a few knocks and bumps and the odd tear if it still has its dust cover. Any other book from that era in such condition would probably be around twenty bucks!

Now the book is well and truly out of copyright, so there is no reason that it cannot be published anywhere and hopefully it will be accessible on-line as a download.
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Old 12-11-2020, 11:22 PM   #45
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Re: Book-compleat goggler--guy gilpatric

A quick search has found that the "Compleat Goggler" has not appeared on any of the on-line book libraries, although it is certainly mentioned on their search lists and is marked as not being in their collections. I guess if it is to ever appear in those formats then people have to express some interest in reading it.
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