jjares reviewed Early Balloons and Airships: The History and Legacy of Dirigibles Before the Invention of Airplanes on + 3275 more book reviews
Sometimes, I just randomly decide to pick one of my Charles Rivers books to read. Today's was a great selection: Early Balloons and Airships. Having recently read the story of the Wright brothers and their work creating and flying airplanes, I was in a good mindset for balloons and airships. The opening pages provide a quick explanation of the basics of how airships work.
It was amazing to learn that early balloons were available as early as 1794; the French used them for observation of battle conflicts. By the time of the American Civil War, Thaddeus Lowe convinced Abraham Lincoln to use balloons to observe troop movements and communicate orders via telegraph wire.
When the dirigibles were perfected, their creators thought they would be masters of the air. When airplanes started their flights, the dirigible owners thought they would be a curiosity that would soon fade away. The generous number of photographs and drawings added much to my understanding and enjoyment of the subject.
It was amazing to learn that early balloons were available as early as 1794; the French used them for observation of battle conflicts. By the time of the American Civil War, Thaddeus Lowe convinced Abraham Lincoln to use balloons to observe troop movements and communicate orders via telegraph wire.
When the dirigibles were perfected, their creators thought they would be masters of the air. When airplanes started their flights, the dirigible owners thought they would be a curiosity that would soon fade away. The generous number of photographs and drawings added much to my understanding and enjoyment of the subject.
