Higher, Steeper, Faster
The Daredevils Who Conquered the Skies
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
Discover the daring aviation pioneers who made the dream of powered flight a reality, forever changing the course of history.
Aviator Lincoln Beachey broke countless records: he looped-the-loop, flew upside down and in corkscrews, and was the first to pull his aircraft out of what was a typically fatal tailspin. As Beachey and other aviators took to the skies in death-defying acts in the early twentieth century, these innovative daredevils not only wowed crowds, but also redefined the frontiers of powered flight.
Higher, Steeper, Faster takes readers inside the world of the brave men and women who popularized flying through their deadly stunts and paved the way for modern aviation. With heart-stopping accounts of the action-packed race to conquer the skies, plus photographs and fascinating archival documents, this book will exhilarate readers as they fly through the pages.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In prose as riveting as the developments it investigates, Goldstone (Drive!) covers the history of early aviation up to 1915 in his first book for young readers. After grabbing attention with the crowd-thrilling stunts of Lincoln Beachey, "the greatest aviator America has ever seen," Goldstone provides background on ballooning, parachutes, and gas-powered airships before launching into the main tale: the daredevils of flight's first decade. As he chronicles limit-testing feats that astounded audiences, he points out that airplanes were not tested before they were flown in exhibitions and how radically airplanes changed in those early years: "By 1915, not one single feature of the original Wright Flyer remained in use." Goldstone deftly combines captivating descriptions of the personalities male and female with discussion of the many improvements and ever-present hazards of early flying. Though questions about who actually built and repaired these fragile machines and how pilots were licensed aren't addressed, Goldstone's book enthralls. Archival photos, a timeline, and other appended materials are included. Ages 8 12.
