Dreamland

The Secret History of Area 51

Peter W. Merlin

$160

Hardback

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English

Schiffer Publishing Ltd
01 December 2023

Air forces & warfare

This is the definitive factual history of the US military flight-testing program at Area 51, authored by a recognized authority on the subject.

Area 51, a top-secret military installation hidden in the desert northwest of Las Vegas, has been shrouded in mystery since 1955. Now, aerospace historian Peter Merlin cuts through the myths and conspiracy folklore to reveal in extraordinary detail the true story of how a ramshackle temporary outpost was ultimately transformed into one of the nation's premier flight test and evaluation facilities for advanced aviation technology and high-tech weapons.

Other books focus on the early years of the Groom Lake test site (circa 1955 to 1969); Dreamland covers that period in greater detail and also continues the story well into the modern era.

This compelling narrative is based on a treasure trove of declassified documents and interviews and is richly illustrated with more than 700 images, many never published before.

Along with collecting declassified government documents, interviews, photos, and other material, the author developed extensive contacts in libraries and archives, submitted numerous Freedom of Information Act requests, conducted oral-history interviews with veterans, and discovered a surprising amount of material that was never classified in the first place.

Author Peter Merlin has appeared in more than a dozen film and television documentaries for the History Channel, Discovery, National Geographic, Smithsonian, and others. This manuscript was produced to the same rigorous academic standard as the author's works published by NASA and the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics.

AUTHOR: Peter W. Merlin is an American writer, researcher, and journalist. Before transitioning to academia and a position at Southern Illinois University Carbondale's School of Aviation, he spent more than two decades as a government contractor in the flight test and research environment. Merlin has authored numerous books on aviation and space technology and history, and two volumes on aerospace safety and human factors. As a subject matter expert on aerospace and Cold War history, he has appeared in more than a dozen film and television documentaries for the History Channel, Discovery, National Geographic, Smithsonian, and others. He has been doggedly pursuing the history of Area 51 for more than 30 years with a view toward separating fact from fantasy.

SELLING POINTS: .

Other books focus on the early years of the Groom Lake test site (circa 1955 to 1969); Dreamland covers that period in greater detail and also continues the story well into the modern era .

Along with collecting declassified government documents, interviews, photos, and other material, the author developed extensive contacts in libraries and archives, submitted numerous Freedom of Information Act requests, conducted oral-history interviews with veterans, and discovered a surprising amount of material that was never classified in the first place .

Manuscript was researched and written in accordance with the same academic principles with which the author produced research papers, books, and monographs for NASA and the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics

720 colour and b/w illustrations

By: Peter W. Merlin
Imprint: Schiffer Publishing Ltd
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 279mm, Width: 216mm,
Weight: 2.776kg
ISBN: 9780764367090
ISBN 10: 0764367099
Pages: 560
Publication Date: 01 December 2023
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Unspecified

Peter W. Merlin is an American writer, researcher, and journalist. Before transitioning to academia and a position at Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s School of Aviation, he spent more than two decades as a government contractor in the flight test and research environment. Merlin has authored numerous books on aviation and space technology and history, and two volumes on aerospace safety and human factors. As a subject matter expert on aerospace and Cold War history, he has appeared in more than a dozen film and television documentaries for the History Channel, Discovery, National Geographic, Smithsonian, and others. He has been doggedly pursuing the history of Area 51 for more than 30 years with a view toward separating fact from fantasy.

Reviews for Dreamland: The Secret History of Area 51

“But until the government declassifies more information on what has been happening way out there in the desert, Merlin’s book will stand as the definitive source on this subject for many years.” -- Dwayne A. Day, The Space Review “This book has something for history buffs, aviation enthusiast, aeronautical students and anyone interested in how America developed some the most advanced aircraft of the Cold War and into the 21st century.” -- Jerry D. Lenaburg, NY Journal of Books