Higher, Steeper, Faster: The Daredevils Who Conquered the Skies

by Lawrence Goldstone

Overview

Discover the daring aviation pioneers who made the dream of powered flight a reality, forever changing the course of history.

Aviator Lincoln Beachey broke countless records: he looped-the-loop, flew upside down and in corkscrews, and was the first to pull his aircraft out of what was a typically fatal tailspin. As Beachey and other aviators took to the skies in death-defying acts in the early twentieth century, these innovative daredevils not only wowed crowds, but also redefined the frontiers of powered flight.

Higher, Steeper, Faster takes readers inside the world of the brave men and women who popularized flying through their deadly stunts and paved the way for modern aviation. With heart-stopping accounts of the action-packed race to conquer the skies, plus photographs and fascinating archival documents, this book will exhilarate readers as they fly through the pages.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316350228
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	03/28/2017
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
File size:	62 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Lawrence Goldstone is the author and co-author of more than a dozen critically-acclaimed books for adults. Goldstone has appeared on NPR, PBS, and C-SPAN, and his writing has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, and the Los Angeles Times, among others. This is his first book for young readers.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Man Who Owned the Sky 1

Part I Birds and Balloons

Chapter 1 The First Birdman 11

Chapter 2 Parachutes and Gasbags 15

Chapter 3 Into the Wind 23

Chapter 4 The Boy Aeronaut 27

Part II Wings

Chapter 5 The Bird of Prey 37

Chapter 6 Takeoff! 41

Chapter 7 Silent Success 48

Chapter 8 Triumph 51

Chapter 9 …and Tragedy 55

Chapter 10 Crossing the Channel 59

Part III Higher, Steeper, Faster

Chapter 11 The Week of Miracles 69

Chapter 12 A Week of Miracles in America 75

Chapter 13 The Stardust Twins 84

Chapter 14 American Hero 88

Chapter 15 The World Comes to New York 94

Chapter 16 A Woman's Place Is in the Air 104

Chapter 17 Flying for the Navy 110

Part IV Pushing to the Edge and Beyond

Chapter 18 Two Great Lights Extinguished 119

Chapter 19 Aircraft Carrier 126

Chapter 20 The Boy Aeronaut Grows Up 130

Chapter 21 The Fails 136

Chapter 22 350,000 Witnesses 143

Chapter 23 From Sea to Shining Sea 151

Chapter 24 Peer Pressure 158

Chapter 25 Disaster 168

Chapter 26 The Master Birdman Is Grounded 178

Chapter 27 The Last Great Trick 182

Chapter 28 The Master Birdman Returns 189

Chapter 29 Around the World 193

Chapter 30 Looping Across America 197

Chapter 31 Flying for the President 202

Chapter 32 Monoplane 207

Epilogue: Turning the Page 212

Time line 214

Glossary 219

Notes 223

Selected Bibliography 231

Index 235

Editorial Reviews

★ 02/13/2017
In prose as riveting as the developments it investigates, Goldstone (Drive!) covers the history of early aviation up to 1915 in his first book for young readers. After grabbing attention with the crowd-thrilling stunts of Lincoln Beachey, “the greatest aviator America has ever seen,” Goldstone provides background on ballooning, parachutes, and gas-powered airships before launching into the main tale: the daredevils of flight’s first decade. As he chronicles limit-testing feats that astounded audiences, he points out that airplanes were not tested before they were flown in exhibitions and how radically airplanes changed in those early years: “By 1915, not one single feature of the original Wright Flyer remained in use.” Goldstone deftly combines captivating descriptions of the personalities—male and female—with discussion of the many improvements and ever-present hazards of early flying. Though questions about who actually built and repaired these fragile machines and how pilots were licensed aren’t addressed, Goldstone’s book enthralls. Archival photos, a timeline, and other appended materials are included. Ages 8–12. Agent: Charlie Olsen and Michael Carlisle, Inkwell Management. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

*"For those who love history, aviation, or stories of great daring, this is pure pleasure."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

*"Readers will breathlessly follow the race to conquer the sky."—School Library Connection, starred review

*"Goldstone deftly combines captivating descriptions of the personalities—male and female—with discussion of the many improvements and ever-present hazards of early flying."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"This look at the early days of the industry highlights the thrill and awe of a watching public as well as the fact that the sky was no longer any sort of boundary."—Booklist

"Armchair thrillseekers will settle in and read this one straight through."
—BCCB

From the Publisher

03/01/2017
Gr 4 Up—Goldstone, author of the adult title Birdmen: The Wright Brothers, Glenn Curtiss, and the Battle To Control the Skies, ventures into books for young people for the first time. What follows is an overview of early aviation history, with a focus on the exploits of record setters including Lincoln J. Beachey, Glenn Curtiss, Emory Malick, and Harriet Quimby. By expanding the scope beyond familiar figures such as the Wright brothers, Goldstone brings the legends behind death-defying acts to life, exploring how competition can lead to innovation. For instance, most early pilots built or tweaked their own aircraft. The writing style is engaging, and students curious about flight will appreciate the read. Though the chapters are somewhat linked, each one could also work as a stand-alone resource for reports or as a classroom read-aloud. The progression of aviation technology connects well with STEM curricula and could inspire experiments or projects that continue the "research" of the daredevils whose achievements fill the volume. The use of black-and-white photos will likely deter younger readers, making this selection best suited for middle schoolers. VERDICT School libraries in need of engaging historical nonfiction should consider for purchase.—Sarah Knutson, American Canyon Middle School, CA

School Library Journal

America’s first test pilots were the aerial daredevils who strove to go higher and faster and to do rolls, dives, and other stunts, often in the name of entertainment. But they also helped early plane builders construct increasingly safer and stronger aircraft. That’s the focus of this book, written as a series of profiles that make it eminently suited to audio. Robertson Dean offers an engaging narration, altering his voice slightly to match the tone of the text. He’s excited when appropriate and even gravely serious when needed. Because the author includes inserted background notes—for example, a brief explanation of who Queen Victoria was—the production’s continuity is occasionally broken. This is a title for young listeners, but adults will find it engaging and informative. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

APRIL 2017 - AudioFile

★ 2017-01-17
The author's passion for his subject infuses this richly detailed history of the daredevil years in flying. The introduction opens in 1915 with 50,000 spectators at San Francisco's Panama-Pacific International Exposition, watching Lincoln Beachey, "the greatest, most celebrated aviator in the world," attempt his famous Dip of Death maneuver. The narrative then goes back to fill in history about gliders and balloons before moving to its focus, the years from Kitty Hawk in 1903 to the end of this era of exhibition flying in 1915. Set mainly in the United States, the graceful account highlights a steady stream of breathtaking flights, mostly by white men but also a few white women. Fliers continuously broke altitude, speed, and distance records in exhibition contests that took the place of test flights. To make performances more exciting, they eventually added dangerous stunts like spins and corkscrews. Many pilots became celebrities, attracting huge crowds, inspiring newspaper headlines, and competing for cash prizes. Hundreds died while performing, which only made exhibitions more popular. Numerous black-and-white photographs show fliers, feats, and progress in airplane design, while diagrams help explain the physics of flying. Short sidebars add pertinent facts and anecdotes. For those who love history, aviation, or stories of great daring, this is pure pleasure. (timeline, glossary, notes, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 11-15)

Kirkus Reviews