“This book has been written as a tribute to one of the greatest inventions of the modern world, a product of engineering excellence and entrepreneurial foresight: the ubiquitous ballpoint pen. To many the ballpoint has only utilititarian value as a writing stick, but to some it has an aesthetic component as wall as a functional one. It is an object of beauty that has mirrored contemporary styling as well as clandestinely embraced current technology to offer a writing instrument that runs close to the ideal.

Despite a very shaky start in the writing instrument market, the ballpoint pen has evolved into a competent player. Its great versatility has determined its longevity and earned it a place in writing instrument history that should not be doubted.

The Parker Pen Company was one of the largest writing instrument manufactures in the world during the inception of the ballpoint pen, and has remained so despite the devastating and disorientating effect this newcomer has had on the market. In order to appreciate the way in which the company has embraced and embellished this simple idea, creating a user-friendly product that has subsequently become one of the most popular quality writing instruments we have today. We need to study the company’s ballpoint pen history during this period. "

As reviewed by James Goodwin:
"Gents: I just received a copy of the above mentioned book and
immediately started to devour it for its knowledge. There is a
preponderance of books on the fountain pen and they are greater in
number than those about ball point pens. No disrespect intended to
those who own and use fountain pens, but there are many of us who love
using ball point pens and even collect them. So, to those interested
in ball point pens, this book is a wonderful addition to your library.

The author is a dental surgeon and magistrate in the City of
Liverpool, England. In his spare time, he is an avid ball point
collector and researcher. He is a member of the Writing Equipment
society. He welcomes all comments about this book as well as
ballpoint pens and can be reached at parker@ballpointpen.co.uk

I have another book "The Incredible Ball Point Pen" by Gostony &
Schneider (1998). This book was the first book in print exclusively
focusing on ball point pens and it focuses on all makers of ball
points. Graham Hoggs book focuses only on Parker ball point pens and
does add background history on how the ball point pen evolved from the
earliest American patent issued on a ball point design in 1888 to a
Massachusetts banker named John J. Loud to the one patented by Laszlo
Jozsef Biro in 1938 to the efforts of Milton Reynolds who started to
develop a ball point pen in 1945. Hoggs then focuses on the Parker
Pen company's efforts to develop a ball point pen, culminating in its
Jotter in 1954.

Very entralling is the engineering digression in Hoggs book on the
formation of the Textured Tungsten Carbide Writing Point and on how a
ballpoint pen works. Hoggs spares no expense in adding engineering
drawings of what he is trying to point out. He has drawing sof the
refill unit, and comparision drawings of clip-screw styles, cap-clip
screw as it pertains to certain models.

The most interesting part of the book is the photographic color
displays of various Parker pens and the descriptive wording of each
plate number picture. Hoggs was able to obtain or borrow Parker
prototype ball point pens for inclusion in his book. They make
interesting readings. For the Parker Jotter ball point lover, you
have pictures of different kinds of ball point pens and you have a
smile on your face if your pen is featured in the book.

Hoggs warns the reader that there is a preponderance of Parker ball
point pens of different colors, materials and models and that it was
not possible to include every possible Parker ball point model in the
book. Since Hoggs lives in England, there is a large mention of
Parker ball point pens made in England. Some models were not included.
one that brings to mind is the 1958 T-ball Jotter flighter laboratory
model made in the US. Perhaps Hoggs did not have that particular
model in his collection and could not include it in his book.

Nevertheless, Graham Hogg has made an outstanding effort to chronicle
the history of the Parker ball point pen. His book is a worthly
additon to your library and you will not be disappointed in the
contents. There is very little in research and books done on the ball
point pen and this book will add to your knowledge. Strongly suggest
you contact him at his website and he will reserve you a copy and tell
you his preferred method of payment. The shipping from England is
very fast, about a week from his home to yours in the United States.
For your convenience, his email is parker@ballpointpen.co.uk and the
book is available from www.ballpointpen.co.uk"