UN INVIERNO EN FILADELFIA

"Un invierno en Filadelfia" transports us to December 1931. At that time, Juan de la Cierva, the celebrated inventor of the autogiro, made his second trip to the United States. He met with his partner Harold Pitcairn at his mansion in Bryn Athyn, near Philadelphia. During his stay, an invitation to a party in Michigan led him to meet Henry Ford. This crucial encounter convinced Cierva of the importance of writing his memoirs, giving rise to this fascinating Juan de la Cierva Biografía.

Dictated to a journalist and with Pitcairn as a witness, these memoirs narrate the life of Juan de la Cierva. They describe how his passion for aviation awoke as a child. Then, they evolve through his work to the invention and subsequent refinement of the autogiro. After that winter in America and back in London, where he resided at the time, the book recounts the successive improvements that Juan de la Cierva, already a world-renowned figure, achieved in his invention, even leading to vertical takeoff. His studies on rotating wings, after his premature death, were key to the development of the helicopter.

The work not only focuses on Cierva's genius. It also recounts the turbulent era he lived through. It addresses his relationships with famous figures of the time. These include King Alfonso XIII, Alberto Santos Dumont, Leonardo Torres Quevedo, and Guglielmo Marconi. Furthermore, it includes the opinions of great inventors like Thomas Alva Edison and Heinrich Focke (inventor of the first helicopter with airworthiness certification) about the autogiro. This offers a unique perspective on the impact of his work and the context of the Juan de la Cierva Biografía.

Published by Ediciones Alfar S.A. and released on October 28, 2020, in its 1st edition, this book is available in Spanish. It has 154 pages, weighs 127 g (approximately 0.28 lbs), and measures 15 x 1.9 x 21 cm (approximately 5.9 x 0.75 x 8.3 inches). Its format makes it manageable and accessible for any reader interested in aviation history and the great minds who shaped it.

Key Features of the Book:

• Title: "Un invierno en Filadelfia".
• Theme: Juan de la Cierva Biografía, invention, and development of the autogiro.
• Content: Inventor's memoirs, evolution of his work, autogiro refinement, and its impact on the helicopter.
• Relevant Figures: Henry Ford, Harold Pitcairn, Alfonso XIII, Santos Dumont, Thomas Alva Edison, Heinrich Focke, among others.
• Publisher: Ediciones Alfar S.A.
• Publication Date: October 28, 2020 (1st edition).
• Pages: 154 pages.
• Language: Spanish.
• Format: Lightweight and manageable (127 g, 15 x 1.9 x 21 cm).

Frequently Asked Questions:

What makes this book unique compared to other biographies of Juan de la Cierva? This book stands out by being based on Juan de la Cierva's own dictated memoirs, offering a direct and personal perspective on his life, his calling, and the creative process behind the autogiro. Furthermore, it highlights his encounters with historical figures and the opinions of other great inventors about his work, enriching the Juan de la Cierva Biografía with a unique context.

Does the book focus only on the autogiro or also cover helicopter development? Although the autogiro is the central axis of the narrative, the book explores how Juan de la Cierva's studies and achievements with rotating wings laid the fundamental groundwork for the subsequent successful development of the helicopter, even after his passing. Thus, it provides a complete vision of his legacy in rotary-wing aviation.

Explore more fascinating stories of aviation pioneers in our History Books section.