CLRC-92 Irving Adler Collection Christina Cowan and Sharlene Murphy University of Minnesota Libraries 09/28/2004
University of Minnesota Libraries Minneapolis, MN 55455
EAD 2002 Validated Finding Aid generated with the aid of a custom FileMaker Pro database developed by the staff of the Children's Literature Research Collections, University of Minnesota Libraries. Many thanks to all the staff and volunteers. 09/28/2004 Description is in English Summary Information University of Minnesota Libraries Children's Literature Research Collections Adler, Irving Irving Adler Collection 1955-1980 CLRC-92 Irving Adler's papers focus on his work as an author of children's non-fiction books, many written in collaboration with his first wife, Ruth Adler. The collection contains production material for seventy titles published between 1955 and 1980. It includes holographs and typescripts, front matter, galley and page proofs, dummies, notes, research material, and correspondence. There is also some miscellaneous material consisting of clippings and photographs . Additional material related to Irving Adler's work may be found in the Ruth Adler Collection. 8.9 linear ft. See Detailed Descriptions for Each Title Item for Box Locations English Important Information for Users of the Collections Access and Use:

Collection is open for researchers with no restrictions. Registration with the collection is required.

Copyright:

This collection is protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code). It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and to obtain all necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials.

Biographical Sketch

Irving Adler was born in 1913 in New York City. He received his B.S. from City College of New York in 1931, and later and M.A., and Ph.D in Mathematics from Columbia University. Irving Adler taught high school math in New York for twenty years and later taught math at Columbia and Bennington College in Vermont. He married Ruth Adler, his frequent collaborator on many books, in 1935; Ruth Adler aslo did the illustrations for many of Irving Adler's books and others were done by their daughter Peggy Adler. Irving Adler began writing science books for children in 1952 with the aim of presenting "scientific ideas simply" so they can be "readily understood" by young readers. The Adler's "Reason Why" series covered many topics in science and math and were written with a "simplicity of style" that provided accurate, up-to-date information that not only told of whwat is known about a given topic but how the facts were reasoned and established. After Ruth Adler's death in 1968, Irving Adler continued to write; he collaborated on one book Language and Man, with his second wife, Joyce Adler. Irving Adler believed that learning about science could be fun and that one should never "write down" to children. Throughout his long and prolific career, Irving Adler has writte dozens of books on science and math for children and several for adults. His works have been praised by critics for "presenting complex ideas in [an] accurate, comprehensible, and interesting fashion," and "for introducing young readers to math and science" with a unique "clarity and lack of condescension."

 Scope and Content

The collection contains production material for seventy titles published between 1955 and 1980; many of these titles were written in collaborationw ith Ruth Alder, and one Language and Man with Joyce Adler. The collection includes holographs and typescripts, front matter, galley and page proofs, dummies, notes, research material, and correspondence. There is also some miscellaneous material consisting of lcippings and photographs. Additional material related to Irving Adler's work may be found in the Ruth Adler Collection.

 Indexing Terms

The collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Adler, Irving Accession Information:

Part of this collection was orginally given to Dr. Irvin Kerlan, who in turn donated his collection to the University of Minnesota. Additional material was placed on permanent loan by Irving and Ruth Adler during the 1960s, with further material added by Irving Adler in 1969, and the 1980s.

Gift of: Adler, Irving

Arrangement

Atomic Energy, 1971

Atoms and Molecules, 1966

Calendar, The, 1967

Changing Tools of Science: From Yardstick to Synchostrom, The, 1973

Coal, 1965

Color in Your Life, 1962

Communication, 1967

Directions and Angles, 1969

Dust, 1958

Earth's Crust, The, 1963

Electricity in Your Life, 1965

Electromagnetic Waves, 1960

Electronics, 1961

Elementary Mathematics of the Atom, The, 1965

Energy, 1970

Energy and Power, 1958

Environment, 1976

Evolution, 1965

Fibers, 1964

Fire in Your Life, 1955

Giant Golden Book of Mathematics, The: Exploring the World of Numbers and Space, 1960

Heat, 1964

Hot and Cold, 1959

Houses, 1964

How Life Began, 1957

Hurricanes and Twisters, 1955

Insects and Plants, 1962

Inside the Nucleus, 1963

Irrigation: Changing Deserts into Gardens, 1964

Language and Man, 1970

Logic for Beginners Through Games, Jokes, and Puzzles, 1964

Machines, 1964

Magic House of Numbers, 1957

Magnets, 1966

Man-Made Moons, 1957

Mathematics: The Story of Numbers, Symbols and Space, 1958

Monkey Business: Hoaxes in the Name of Science, 1957

New Look at Arithmetic, A, 1964

New Mathematics, The, 1958

New Mathematics [revised and enlarged editional], The, 1972

Numbers New and Old, 1960

Numerals, New Dresses for Old Numbers, 1964

Oceans, 1962

Petroleum: Gas, Oil, and Asphalt, 1975

Probability and Statistics for Everyman: How to Understand and Use the Laws of Chance, 1963

Rivers, 1961

Rocks and Minerals and the Stories They Tell, 1956

Secret of Light, The [revised edition], 1965

Seeing the Earth from Space: What the Man Made Moons Tell Us, 1959

Sets, 1967

Shadows, 1961

Sound and Ultrasonics, 1959

Stars, The: Decoding Their Messages [reviced edition], 1980

Storms, 1963

Story of a Nail, The, 1961

Sun and Its Family, The, 1958

Taste, Touch and Smell, 1966

Things That Spin: From Tops to Atoms, 1960

Thinking Machines: A Layman's Introduction to Logic, Boolean Algebra and Computers, 1961

Time in Your Life, 1955

Tools in Your Life, 1956

Tools of Science, The: From Yardstick to Cyclotron, 1958

Tree Products, 1966

Volcanoes and Earthquakes, 1962

Weather in Your Life, 1959

Why? A Book of Reasons, 1961

Why and How? A Second Book of Reasons, 1963

Wonders of Physics, The: An Introduction to the Physical World, 1966

Your Ears, 1963

Your Eyes, 1962

Collection Contents Atomic Energy 1971

: , 1971

 MF 1022 typescript, corrected 33 p. MF 1022 front matter 2 p. MF 1022 galley proof, corrected 14 p. MF 1022 notes 36 p. MF 1022 correspondence 17 p. MF 1022 research materials 74 p. MF 1022 clippings 5 p. MF 1022 comments by commission members 2 p. Atoms and Molecules 1966

: , 1966

 MF 3 typescript, corrected 38 p. MF 3 typescript, corrected 37 p. MF 3 front matter 2 p. MF 3 galley proof, corrected 16 p. MF 3 galley proof, corrected 12 p. MF 3 galley proof, corrected 4 p. MF 3 page proof 25 p. MF 3 page proof, corrected 28 p. MF 3 page proof, corrected 27 p. MF 3 page proof, corrected 5 p. MF 3 page proof, corrected with ink and pencil sketches 23 p. MF 3 notes 13 p. Calendar, The 1967

: , 1967

 MF 3 typescript, corrected 39 p. MF 3 typescript, corrected 37 p. MF 3 front matter 2 p. MF 3 galley proof, corrected 16 p. MF 3 galley proof, corrected 7 p. MF 3 dummy 48 p. MF 3 notes 1 p. MF 3 carbon 34 p. MF 3 with front matter 3 p. MF 3 correspondence with publisher 3 p. MF 3 correspondence 9 p. MF 3 notes 41 p. MF 3 research material 11 p. Changing Tools of Science: From Yardstick to Synchostrom, The 1973

: , 1973

 MF 13a typescript, corrected 23 p. MF 13a typescript, corrected carbon 23 p. MF 13a typescript, corrected 23 p. MF 13a typescript, corrected part photocopy 49 p. MF 13a typescript, revisions with front matter 12 p. MF 13a typescript, revisions and holograph 50 p. MF 13a typescript, revisions 19 p. MF 13a research and notes 50 p. MF 13a research and notes 13 p. Coal 1965

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 MF 3 typescript, corrected 46 p. MF 3 typescript, corrected 34 p. MF 3 galley proof, corrected 13 p. MF 3 dummy 60 p. MF 3 correspondence 1 p. Color in Your Life 1962

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 MF 4 typescript, corrected 93 p. MF 4 typescript, corrected part carbon 10 p. MF 4 front matter 2 p. Communication 1967

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 MF 4 typescript, corrected 40 p. MF 4 typescript, corrected part carbon 42 p. MF 4 front matter 1 p. MF 4 galley proof, corrected 15 p. MF 4 galley proof, corrected 12 p. MF 4 page proof 25 p. MF 4 page proof, corrected 38 p. MF 4 page proof, corrected 24 p. MF 4 page proof, corrected with ink and pencil sketchest 38 p. MF 4 black and white photograph 1 p. Directions and Angles 1969

: , 1969

 MF 4 typescript, corrected 38 p. MF 4 typescript, corrected carbon 37 p. MF 4 front matter, corrected carbon 3 p. MF 4 typescript, corrected carbon 37 p. MF 4 front matter, corrected carbon 3 p. MF 4 typescript, corrected 37 p. MF 4 front matter, corrected 5 p. MF 4 notes 5 p. MF 4 correspondence 1 p. MF 4 galley proof 34 p. MF 4 typescript, corrected photocopy 35 p. MF 4 notes 1 p. Dust 1958

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 MF 4 typescript, corrected 3 p. MF 4 typescript, corrected carbon 82 p. Earth's Crust, The 1963

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 MF 5 typescript, corrected 48 p. Electricity in Your Life 1965

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 MF 5 typescript, corrected 63 p. MF 5 typescript, corrected part carbon 55 p. MF 5 typescript, corrected part carbon 21 p. MF 5 front matter 2 p. MF 5 galley proof, corrected 17 p. MF 5 galley proof, corrected 8 p. MF 5 galley proof, corrected 4 p. MF 5 page proof, corrected 131 p. MF 5 page proof, corrected 82 p. MF 5 page proof, corrected 32 p. MF 5 page proof, corrected 17 p. MF 5 dummy 128 p. MF 5 correspondence 1 p. Electromagnetic Waves 1960

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 MF 5 holograph 1 p. MF 5 typescript, corrected 72 p. MF 5 typescript, carbon 2 p. Electronics 1961

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 MF 5 holograph and typescript, corrected carbon 8 p. MF 5 typescript, corrected part carbon 97 p. MF 5 galley proof 13 p. Elementary Mathematics of the Atom, The 1965

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 MF 5 holograph and typescript, corrected 125 p. MF 5 typescript, corrected part carbon 132 p. MF 5 galley proof, corrected 43 p. MF 5 galley proof, corrected 48 p. MF 5 gallye proof, corrected 41 p. MF 5 page proof 138 p. Energy 1970

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 MF 1023 typescript, corrected 30 p. MF 1023 front matter 2 p. MF 1023 typescript, corrected 40 p. MF 1023 front matter 3 p. MF 1023 galley proof, corrected 12 p. MF 1023 notes 19 p. Energy and Power 1958

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 MF 6 typescript, corrected 82 p. Environment 1976

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 MF 6 typescript, corrected 37 p. Evolution 1965

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 MF 6 typescript, corrected 44 p. MF 6 typescript, corrected part carbon 39 p. Fibers 1964

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 MF 7 typescript, corrected 41 p. MF 7 typescript, corrected carbon 3 p. MF 7 galley proof, corrected 14 p. Fire in Your Life 1955

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 MF 7 holograph and typescript, corrected 106 p. MF 7 notes 1 p. Giant Golden Book of Mathematics, The: Exploring the World of Numbers and Space 1960

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 MF 7 typescript and holograph, corrected part carbon 113 p. MF 7 typescript, corrected 59 p. MF 7 typescript, corrected 3 p. MF 7 front matter 3 p. MF 7 notes 28 p. MF 7 layout notes 21 p. Heat 1964

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 MF 7 typescript, corrected 44 p. MF 7 typescript, corrected 28 p. MF 7 galley proof, corrected 34 p. MF 7 galley proof, corrected 14 p. MF 7 galley proof, corrected 13 p. Hot and Cold 1959

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 MF 8 typescript, corrected 98 p. MF 8 typescript, corrected part photocopy 144 p. MF 8 front matter 7 p. MF 8 charts, illustrated 4 p. MF 8 notes 5 p. Houses 1964

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 MF 8 holograph 5 p. MF 8 typescript, corrected 36 p. MF 8 typescript, corrected 47 p. MF 8 galley proof 1 p. MF 8 galley proof, corrected 28 p. MF 8 galley proof, corrected 12 p. How Life Began 1957

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 MF 8 holograph, corrected 50 p. MF 8 holograph, corrected 17 p. MF 8 holograph 50 p. MF 8 holograph 36 p. MF 8 typescript [index] 12 p. MF 8 notes and research 10 p. MF 8 correspondence 3 p. MF 8 typescript, corrected 133 p. MF 8 front matter 5 p. MF 8 notes 25 p. Hurricanes and Twisters 1955

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 MF 8 typescript, corrected 24 p. MF 8 typescript, corrected part cabon 50 p. Insects and Plants 1962

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 MF 9 typescript, corrected carbon 48 p. Inside the Nucleus 1963

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 MF 9 typescript, corrected 160 p. MF 9 galley proof, corrected 64 p. MF 9 galley proof, corrected 62 p. MF 9 galley proof, corrected 55 p. MF 9 galley proof, corrected 53 p. MF 9 page proof, corrected 188 p. MF 9 black and white photographs 2 p. MF 9 notes 2 p. MF 9 correspondence 6 p. Irrigation: Changing Deserts into Gardens 1964

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 MF 9 typescript, corrected part carbon 41 p. MF 9 galley proof, corrected 10 p. MF 9 galley proof 4 p. MF 9 page proof, corrected 46 p. Language and Man 1970

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 MF 1022 typescript, corrected 32 p. MF 1022 front matter 2 p. MF 1022 typescript, corrected 32 p. MF 1022 front matter 2 p. MF 1022 typescript, corrected 30 p. MF 1022 front matter 2 p. MF 1022 typescript, corrected photocopy 26 p. MF 1022 front matter 1 p. MF 1022 galley proof, corrected 12 p. MF 1022 notes [holograph corrected] 8 p. MF 1022 notes [photocopy] 3 p. MF 1022 notes 6 p. MF 1022 sheets of sketches in black pen or marker 6 p. MF 1022 clipping 1 p. MF 1022 pamphlet 1 p. Logic for Beginners Through Games, Jokes, and Puzzles 1964

: , 1964

 MF 10 typescript, corrected 127 p. MF 10 typescript, corrected part carbon 133 p. MF 10 galley proof, corrected 39 p. MF 10 galley proof, corrected 38 p. MF 10 page proof, corrected 77 p. MF 10 notes 7 p. Machines 1964

: , 1964

 MF 10 typescript, corrected 34 p. MF 10 typescript, corrected 31 p. MF 10 front matter 2 p. MF 10 galley proof, corrected 12 p. MF 10 galley proof, corrected 12 p. MF 10 galley proof, corrected 4 p. MF 10 correspondence 5 p. MF 10 notes 21 p. Magic House of Numbers 1957

: , 1957

 MF 11 holograph 15 p. MF 11 typescript, corrected part photocopy 77 p. MF 11 front matter 5 p. MF 11 typescript, corrected 110 p. MF 11 typescript, carbon 2 p. MF 11 front matter 5 p. MF 11 typescript, corrected photocopy 38 p. MF 11 typescript, corrected 16 p. MF 11 typescript, corrected carbon 16 p. MF 11 typescript, photocopy 131 p. MF 11 dummy 128 p. MF 11 research and notes 13 p. MF 11 correspondence [through 1974] 18 p. Magnets 1966

: , 1966

 MF 11 typescript, corrected 37 p. MF 11 typescript, corrected 37 p. MF 11 front matter 2 p. MF 11 galley proof, corrected 14 p. MF 11 page proof corrected with ink and pencil sketches 37 p. MF 11 page proof corrected with ink and pencil sketches 26 p. MF 11 correspondence 2 p. Man-Made Moons 1957

: , 1957

 MF 11 typescript, corrected part carbon 87 p. MF 11 front matter 3 p. MF 11 dummy 128 p. Mathematics: The Story of Numbers, Symbols and Space 1958

: , 1958

 MF 11 typescript, corrected part carbon 11 p. MF 11 suggestions for illustrations [in manuscript form] 22 p. MF 11 correspondence [letter from the editor] 1 p. Monkey Business: Hoaxes in the Name of Science 1957

: , 1957

 MF 12 typescript, corrected part carbon 96 p. MF 12 layout notes 3 p. MF 12 dummy 128 p. New Look at Arithmetic, A 1964

: , 1964

 MF 12 typescript and holograph, corrected 191 p. MF 12 typescript, corrected 196 p. MF 12 galley proof, corrected 99 p. MF 12 notebooks in pencil with notes and diagrams 17 p. MF 12 notes 3 p. New Mathematics, The 1958

: , 1958

 MF 13 typescript, corrected 217 p. MF 13 typescript, corrected 13 p. MF 13 front matter 6 p. New Mathematics [revised and enlarged editional], The 1972

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 MF 13 typescript, corrected photocopy with 1 note 53 p. MF 13 typescript and page proof, corrected photocopy 30 p. MF 13 front matter 3 p. MF 13 correspondence 1 p. MF 13 dummy 221 p. Numbers New and Old 1960

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 MF 13 typescript, carbon 34 p. MF 13 typescript and holograph, corrected 15 p. Numerals, New Dresses for Old Numbers 1964

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 MF 13 typescript, corrected 55 p. MF 13 typescript, corrected 45 p. MF 13 front matter 1 p. MF 13 galley proof, corrected 24 p. MF 13 galley proof, corrected 23 p. MF 13 galley proof, corrected 23 p. MF 13 galley proof, corrected 16 p. MF 13 notes 12 p. Oceans 1962

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 MF 13 typescript, carbon 48 p. Petroleum: Gas, Oil, and Asphalt 1975

: , 1975

 MF 1023 typescript, corrected photocopy 33 p. MF 1023 front matter 2 p. MF 1023 typescript, corrected part photocopy 33 p. MF 1023 front matter 2 p. MF 1023 galley proof, corrected 11 p. MF 1023 galley proof [with printer's errors] 11 p. MF 1023 notes 8 p. Probability and Statistics for Everyman: How to Understand and Use the Laws of Chance 1963

: , 1963

 MF 14 typescript, corrected 261 p. MF 14 typescript, corrected 241 p. MF 14 typescript, carbon 7 p. MF 14 front matter 7 p. MF 14 galley proof, corrected 83 p. MF 14 notebooks in pencil with diagrams 11 p. Rivers 1961

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 MF 15 typescript, carbon 26 p. Rocks and Minerals and the Stories They Tell 1956

: , 1956

 MF 15 typescript, corrected 90 p. MF 15 front matter 3 p. MF 15 galley proof, corrected 2 p. Secret of Light, The [revised edition] 1965

: , 1965

 MF 15 holograph, listing of corrections 2 p. MF 15 typescript, carbon listing of corrections 1 p. Seeing the Earth from Space: What the Man Made Moons Tell Us 1959

: , 1959

 MF 15 typescript and holograph, corrected with page proof, corrected 108 p. MF 15 front matter 1 p. Sets 1967

: , 1967

 MF 15 typescript, corrected 51 p. MF 15 typescript, corrected 47 p. MF 15 front matter 1 p. MF 15 galley proof, corrected 14 p. MF 15 galley proof, corrected 12 p. MF 15 galley proof, corrected 12 p. MF 15 page proof 30 p. MF 15 page proof, corrected with ink and pencil sketches 86 p. MF 15 page proof, corrected with ink and pencil sketches 49 p. MF 15 notes 9 p. MF 15 correspondence 3 p. Shadows 1961

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 MF 16 typescript, corrected 37 p. MF 16 typescript, corrected carbon 2 p. MF 16 notes 1 p. Sound and Ultrasonics 1959

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 MF 16 typescript, corrected 77 p. MF 16 typescript, carbon 6 p. MF 16 galley proof 3 p. MF 16 notes 2 p. Stars, The: Decoding Their Messages [reviced edition] 1980

: , 1980

 MF 1022 typescript, corrected part photocopy 50 p. MF 1022 typescript, corrected part photocopy 50 p. MF 1022 typescript, corrected part photocopy 15 p. MF 1022 front matter 7 p. MF 1022 dummy 128 p. Storms 1963

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 MF 16 typescript, corrected 42 p. MF 16 front matter 1 p. Story of a Nail, The 1961

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 MF 16 typescript and holograph 39 p. MF 16 galley proof 1 p. Sun and Its Family, The 1958

: , 1958

 MF 16 typescript and holograph, corrected 97 p. MF 16 front matter 5 p. MF 16 correspondence 1 p. MF 16 dummy 138 p. MF 16 notes, holograph 47 p. MF 16 notes, typescript 11 p. MF 16 notes 5 p. MF 16 correspondence 1 p. Taste, Touch and Smell 1966

: , 1966

 MF 17 typescript, corrected 37 p. MF 17 typescript, corrected 34 p. MF 17 front matter 1 p. MF 17 galley proof, corrected 27 p. MF 17 galley proof, corrected 26 p. MF 17 galley proof, corrected 25 p. MF 17 galley proof, corrected 12 p. MF 17 galley proof, corrected 12 p. MF 17 galley proof, corrected 6 p. MF 17 correspondence 1 p. MF 17 proof 1 p. MF 17 page proof, corrected with ink and pencil studies 25 p. Things That Spin: From Tops to Atoms 1960

: , 1960

 MF 17 typescript, corrected 32 p. MF 17 notes 6 p. Thinking Machines: A Layman's Introduction to Logic, Boolean Algebra and Computers 1961

: , 1961

 MF 17 typescript, corrected 167 p. Time in Your Life 1955

: , 1955

 MF 18 typescript, corrected part carbon 109 p. MF 18 notes 2 p. MF 18 layout notes 9 p. Tools in Your Life 1956

: , 1956

 MF 18 dummy 128 p. Tools of Science, The: From Yardstick to Cyclotron 1958

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 MF 18 typescript 68 p. MF 18 typescript, corrected carbon 9 p. MF 18 typescript, corrected 111 p. MF 18 front matter 1 p. MF 18 dummy 128 p. MF 18 layout notes 1 p. MF 18 notes and research 2 p. MF 18 correspondence 21 p. Tree Products 1966

: , 1966

 MF 19 typescript, corrected 42 p. MF 19 typescript, corrected 41 p. MF 19 front matter 2 p. MF 19 galley proof, corrected 29 p. MF 19 galley proof, corrected 13 p. MF 19 galley proof, corrected 13 p. MF 19 galley proof, corrected 2 p. MF 19 page proof, corrected 24 p. MF 19 page proof, corrected w/ ink and pencil sketches 37 p. MF 19 notes 3 p. Volcanoes and Earthquakes 1962

: , 1962

 MF 19 typescript, corrected part carbon 71 p. MF 19 galley proof 4 p. MF 19 galley proof, corrected 46 p. MF 19 galley proof, corrected 33 p. MF 19 page proof 4 p. MF 19 notes 7 p. MF 19 black and white photograph 1 p. Weather in Your Life 1959

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 MF 19 typescript and holograph, corrected part carbon 85 p. Why? A Book of Reasons 1961

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 MF 19 typescript, corrected part carbon 28 p. Why and How? A Second Book of Reasons 1963

: , 1963

 MF 19 typescript, corrected 42 p. Wonders of Physics, The: An Introduction to the Physical World 1966

: , 1966

 MF 19 typescript, corrected 180 p. MF 19 typescript and holograph "suggested illustrations" 41 p. Your Ears 1963

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 MF 20 typescript, corrected 44 p. MF 20 front matter 3 p. MF 20 galley proof, corrected 13 p. MF 20 galley proof, corrected 13 p. MF 20 page proof 27 p. Your Eyes 1962

: , 1962

 MF 20 typescript, corrected carbon 43 p.