First published 2013
Richard Holmes chronicles the extraordinary lives of the pioneering balloonists who first lifted humanity into the air. These adventurers included Sophie Blanchard, whose spectacular firework flights captivated audiences, and James Glaisher, who ascended over seven miles without oxygen to advance meteorological science. American entrepreneur John Wise undertook remarkable long-distance journeys, while photographer Felix Nadar captured the world from above. Holmes examines their motivations for risking death to explore this new realm and how their contemporaries viewed these aerial daredevils. The book traces balloon flights over Victorian cities and industrial centers, revealing secrets of the planet in unexpected ways. It covers military applications during the American Civil War, including a notable flight by General Custer to observe battles. Holmes also explores how writers like Mary Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens, and Jules Verne drew inspiration from these aerial adventures. Through these remarkable individuals, the author presents a portrait of human courage, recklessness, and visionary thinking that established both meteorology as a science and early concepts of planetary fragility.
Genres: biography, history, 20th-century, adventure, non-fiction, adventurers, 19th-century, aviation
Vibes: emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-non-fiction, pioneers
Setting: America, Civil War, Europe, United States, Victorian Cities
Period: 19th Century, Victorian Era
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