Book Review - Days Out At The UK's Premier International Airport (Kevan James)

If like me you watched aeroplanes 'with your fingers through the fence' when you were a youngster and were fortunate enough to be able to get to Heathrow Airport in the seventies onwards, then this book is probably for you. It certainly will be for you if you have an ongoing interest in airlines, airlines and airports because within this book are some unique photos that might appeal to you.

 

Admittedly, there is not too much to read as the book is a collection of visual pictures with short words to support them. The author Kevin James takes the reader on a journey through time from the fifties to present day. Photographs embellish the journey many of which were taken by the author himself. On that basis the reader can either be swept along with the pictures of Pan Am 747's or BEA Tridents and get lost in the nostalgia of the early days of the jet set or, learn about Terminal 5 the newest addition to the Heathrow family of terminals.

I like the book because it fits my demographic but if you are an enthusiast, I cannot see that it will not appeal to a wider readership.

The copy and quality of some of the pictures is not as high as one would expect in the modern digital age but thank goodness the likes of Kevan took their film cameras with them to the airport in the past as we would not be able to look back at the heritage of the UK's premier airport. So this gives an authenticity to the content.

Finally then, the real question is why bring out this 'companion guide' to Heathrow Airport an Illustrated History? Well, apart from the obvious statement by the author to bring previously published black and white content to life in colour, it also brings another option for the the reader.....Do I buy both or just one of them? For me, I am pleased I have both but at least you have a choice now.

Pieter Johnson (Producer and Presenter on Aerospace Radio Station Xtended)