I'm researching the history and contemporary social effects of sub-sea cables and wanted some information about the history of fibre optics. It's surprisingly hard to find books on this, considering it's a pretty major part of 20th Century technological development, but I spotted this out-of-print book online and it looked interesting. In the end, I ordered a copy direct from the author, who is selling the last few of his own stock. It took a circuitous route to me across the Atlantic, following a similar path to the sub-sea cables that I am researching (and taking nearly three weeks to make the journey by airplane and customs offices!).