There have been many books published about the Hindenburg (this one was published in 1994) but, for me, this large format illustrated book is one of the best because it isn’t just about the Hindenburg. In a series of chapters, all beautifully illustrated with photographs, maps and diagrams, the book traces the development of airships from Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin’s first balloon ride in 1863, through WWI and on to the big American airships, the British experience with the R100 and R101, and a chapter on the ‘globetrotting’ Graf Zeppelin. But from page 141 onwards the book is all about the Hindenburg. Starting with its development, and including some beautiful cut-away drawings and photographs, the book tells the story of the ‘Ship of Dreams’ and is full of fascinating detail, including diary entries and excerpts from reports and documents of the time. The book then comes to its tragic finale with the details of the final flight, the crash and the aftermath. There is a good discussion of the possible causes of the crash but, wisely, the author avoids drawing any firm conclusions. This probably isn’t the definitive history of the Hindenburg but it is, in my opinion, the most beautifully illustrated one.