The Streamlined Decade (available from under US$5
here) is a great book to browse. The decade refers to the 1930s and covers trains, planes, cars, consumer goods and so on.
'Streamline' in this context refers as much to the artistry as the technology; the book is as happy talking about 'streamlined' cream separators as it is streamlined cars!
People who follow the threads here will have seen all the cars before, but for those who don't trawl the archives, there's plenty here that will be new.
Not at all a technical book, nor a formal history, but really interesting nonetheless. And if you're fan of streamlined locomotives of the 1930s (as I am), and are interested in how 'streamlining' was applied to all manner of objects, you'll like it.
