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Reviews
Falling Upwards: How We Took to the Air: An Unconventional History of Ballooning by Richard Holmes
lucieferg's review against another edition
5.0
Fascinating read! It was a perfect combination of thrilling adventure stories and philosophical musings, and really gave me an understanding of how lighter than air travel changed the world. I loved how Holmes touched on all areas - ballooning in literature, the advancement of meteorology, the daring tricks of ballooning show business, the use of balloons in warfare, and more. Very comprehensive, but never dull... I learned so much!
vivamonty's review against another edition
4.0
It's the most charming history of ballooning you never knew you had to read. Holmes writes with wit and serenity, recounting stories of 19th century aeronauts with the perfect blend of informed reverence. His focus is on the wonder ballooning inspired, as well as the social movements it spurred. It's a fascinating topic of which I had very little previous knowledge, so I enjoyed this one a lot.
melanie_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Did I miss my calling as a Victorian balloonist. Clearly, the answer is yes. Oh and I learned about this, true story: after I fly a balloon to the North Pole, I'm going to whip out my circa 1897 camera & die like it ain't no thang http://tinyurl.com/pt8jaan
micrummey's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting look at historical hot air balloon flight in sections of entertainment, war, exploration and science. Not all of the sections were as interesting as others but there is no doubt Holmes goes into great detail, a bit too much at times in terms of quotes.
There are plenty of illustrations to look at but some are repeated. I did like the extra information at the bottom of the page in some cases. Instead of marking with an asterisk we get a balloon.
In these comments the text becomes more conversational and we get to see some of the personality of the author, who certainly has a liking for hot air balloons.
There are plenty of illustrations to look at but some are repeated. I did like the extra information at the bottom of the page in some cases. Instead of marking with an asterisk we get a balloon.
In these comments the text becomes more conversational and we get to see some of the personality of the author, who certainly has a liking for hot air balloons.
mamakass's review against another edition
I'm not sure if this book is as boring as I thought it was, or if it was hurt by the timing of when I tried to read it (within a couple weeks of my wedding!). I just can't tell if it's boring or if I'm too distracted by other thoughts to pay attention to it, but either way, I'm not getting anywhere, so I'm putting it to the side.
lnatal's review
4.0
From BBC Radio 4 - Book of the Week:
In this heartlifting book, the Romantic biographer Richard Holmes floats across the world following the pioneer generation of balloon aeronauts, from the first heroic experiments of the 1780s to the tragic attempt to fly a balloon to the North Pole in the 1890s.
In a compelling adventure story, dramatic sequences include an unscheduled early flight over the North Sea, the crazy firework flights of beautiful Sophie Blanchard and the heart-stopping escape of two families from East Germany.
Early balloons also played a role in warfare - with the legendary tale of sixty balloons that escaped Paris during the Prussian siege of 1870, and a memorable flight by General Custer in the American Civil War.
These are stories where scientific genius combines with extraordinary courage and the power of an imagination that dares to claim the airy kingdom for itself.
Episode 1 (of 5):
Every balloon tells a story, and more often than not it is one of courage in the face of great perils.
Two determined balloonists take to the skies to raise money for charity. Over two hundred years separate them, but both find themselves sailing out over the sea with nothing but danger ahead.
Read by Rory Kinnear
Abridged and produced by Jill Waters
A Waters Company production for BBC Radio 4.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01shw0h
In this heartlifting book, the Romantic biographer Richard Holmes floats across the world following the pioneer generation of balloon aeronauts, from the first heroic experiments of the 1780s to the tragic attempt to fly a balloon to the North Pole in the 1890s.
In a compelling adventure story, dramatic sequences include an unscheduled early flight over the North Sea, the crazy firework flights of beautiful Sophie Blanchard and the heart-stopping escape of two families from East Germany.
Early balloons also played a role in warfare - with the legendary tale of sixty balloons that escaped Paris during the Prussian siege of 1870, and a memorable flight by General Custer in the American Civil War.
These are stories where scientific genius combines with extraordinary courage and the power of an imagination that dares to claim the airy kingdom for itself.
Episode 1 (of 5):
Every balloon tells a story, and more often than not it is one of courage in the face of great perils.
Two determined balloonists take to the skies to raise money for charity. Over two hundred years separate them, but both find themselves sailing out over the sea with nothing but danger ahead.
Read by Rory Kinnear
Abridged and produced by Jill Waters
A Waters Company production for BBC Radio 4.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01shw0h
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