The book, The Boeing 247: The First Modern Airliner traces the development and the journey of the 247 from a brief period of dominance through years of reliable service for regional airlines, Allied air forces, for airlines in South America, for bush pilots in Alaska and even for crop dusting.  In 1933, the Boeing Aircraft Company set a new standard for modern air transportation by introducing the Boeing 247.  The Boeing 247 was a sleek, all-metal, twin-engine aircraft that was fifty percent faster than the various tri-motor aircraft operating on long-haul flights at the time.  The Boeing 247 embodied the latest aeronautical technology, navigational devices and two-way radios.  Along with the technological improvements, the Boeing 247 also established new norms for passenger comfort and safety.   When the Boeing 247 went into transcontinental service, it firmly established  United Air Lines as a dominant carrier.  The Boeing 247s reign as queen of the skies lasted a little over one-year, however, when it was supplanted by first the Douglas DC-2 and later the DC-3 both of which could fly farther and carry more passengers.  Aside from being a interesting story about a great airliner, "The Boeing 247: The First Modern Airliner" is also a story of how William Boeing, Frederick Rentschler and Chance Vought formed the holding company United Aircraft and Transport Corporation, which included the successful Pratt and Whitney engine works, Boeing aircraft, propeller manufacturer Sikorsky Aviation and for a short time, light-weight metal aircraft fabricator Avion.  The major sections of "The Boeing 247: The First Modern Airliner" are as follows: 1) Acknowledgements; 2) Introduction; 3) Chapter 1 - Boeing And The Birth Of The U.S. Aviation Industry; 4) Chapter 2 - New Technology And New Aircraft - Origins Of the 247; 5) Chapter 3 - The 247 In Production; 6) Chapter 4 - The 247 Enters Service; 7) Chapter 5 - Improving The Breed - The Boeing 247-D; 8) Chapter 6 - The MacRobertson Race; 9) Chapter 7 - Secondary Airline Service; 10) Chapter 8 - Special 247s; 11) Chapter 9 - Survivors; 12) Appendix A - Size and Performance Specifications for 247 Models; 13) Appendix B - Service History; 14) Appendix C - 247 Models Built and Proposed; 15) Appendix D - Detailed Technical Description; 16) Appendix E - Boeing 247-D Cockpit Check List; 17) Appendix F - Illustrations; 18) Notes; 19) Bibliography and 20) Index.  In addition to an informative narrative, "The Boeing 247: The First Modern Airliner" includes the following features: 1) Approximately 100 black and white photographs and 2) About 22 black and white illustrations.  The story of the Bowing 247 is certain to fascinate those interested in aeronautical history, the history of transportation or social and economic history.  This book is 254 pages and is in excellent condition.  The author is F. Robert van der Linden with Victor J. Seely (illustrations).  Edition published in 1991.