Book description
Excerpt from Wonderful Balloon Ascents, or the Conquest of the Skies: A History of Balloons and Balloon Voyages
Maréchal Villeroi, an octogenarian and an invalid, was conducted to one of the windows of the Tuileries, almost. By force, for he did not believe in balloons. The balloon, meanwhile, detached itself…
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Why read it?
1 author picked Wonderful Balloon Ascents, or the Conquest of the Skies as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
I love the gossipy tone of Fulgence Marion’s 1870 tribute to aeronautical history and its heroes. It’s a lofty enterprise (anchored to the authorial “we”) but somehow feels intimate or even snarky at times, as if the author managed to be on hand for each ascent. You can almost imagine him peering over the shoulder of the aeronauts, explaining or challenging the flight “science” all the way. Wikipedia notes that Marion was the pen name of French astronomer and science fiction writer Camille Flammarion, a contemporary of Jules Vernes, which makes sense, but I can’t confirm it, so let’s just…
From Deborah's list on The best books about being lighter than air and above it all.
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