Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2065573 in Books
• Published on: 2000-08
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .41" h x 6.06" w x 9.10" l, .56 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 64 pages

From Booklist
Don't let the title fool you: this is about more than "extreme" flight-related sports. It's a history of flight, emphasizing the part played by the urge to compete. With a tip of the hat to Leonardo da Vinci's sketches, Hopkins discusses everything from balloons, early airplanes, and barnstormers to military planes and airplane racing. Famous fliers appear in a less-familiar competitive guise, and women pilots and daredevils receive ample attention. Opening and closing with an exciting description of modern-day pylon races, the book emphasizes the thrill of flight while never minimizing its dangers. The layout, with short paragraphs and plenty of white space, is uncluttered, even with the many attractive, informative photographs. Some pictures take background for granted: a picture of the Hindenburg, for instance, is not captioned. The language isn't elegant, but it's easy to read, contemporary, and not condescending, making the book a good choice for high-school "emergent readers." Neither a bibliography nor a list of Internet sites is included. Catherine Andronik
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