Colonel Cody and the Flying Cathedral: The Adventures of the Cowboy Who Conquered the Sky [Paperback]

Garry Jenkins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2001

Colonel Cody and the Flying Cathedral is the fascinating and bizarre history of Samuel Franklin Cody, who in his early years worked the same cattle trails as Buffalo Bill and played the same Dodge City roulette tables as Wyatt Earp. But his later life took a startling turn. While performing in England, Cody became a passionate kite-builder and flyer, and at the apex of his career, fashioned a vast airplane dubbed “The Flying Cathedral,” and with it went on to become the first man to fly in England.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Early on in his career as a daring and colorful Wild West showman, Samuel Cody (1867-1913) claimed to have been born in Texas and to be a relative of William Frederick Cody, aka Buffalo Bill. Actually, his name was Franklin Cowdery, and he came from Davenport, Iowa. In 1889 Cody married Maud Lee, and together they set off for England to perform as Buffalo Bill's "son and daughter," but legal entanglements with Bill Cody ended their stint and, effectively, their marriage. With his new love, Lela Davis, Cody toured throughout Great Britain and Europe with his hit Wild West drama, The Klondyke Nugget. But when he grew bored with acting, he turned to other interestsAnamely kite-flyingAand so began an all-consuming passion for flight. Cody became determined to build and fly the first British airplane and, after many failures, on October 16, 1908, he managed to get his plane into the air for 27 seconds. He continued to build and fly planes, including his biplane, "the flying Cathedral," with which he won the 1,010-mile circuit of Great Britain in 1911. Cody was killed in 1913, when his seaplane broke in half at 500 feet. Jenkins, a London-based journalist, does a credible job of evoking the early days of aviation and describing his subject's role in its evolution. However, Cody's contradictory characterApart hustler, part inventive geniusAnever really springs to life. B&w maps and photos. (Aug.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Early in the 20th century, people like my great uncle Harry--who flew his home-built plane in Sikeston, MO, in 1910--without formal degrees and working out of their barns, advanced the potential of airplanes. Another colorful and forgotten character of this pioneer era was Samuel Cody, who as a young man talked his way into one of the "Wild West" shows then popular and eventually traveled with it to England. There, around the turn of the century, he was bitten by the flying bug, experimenting at first with large kites. The Wright brothers made their historic flight in 1903 and within a year or two had perfected their craft. In 1908, Cody became the first man to fly in England, creating a huge sensation. He was an immensely vital part of aeronautics in England until his death in a crash in 1913. Jenkins's fine book is a very readable and entertaining account of a fascinating man and his equally fascinating era. Highly recommended for larger public and most academic libraries.
-Charlie Cowling, SUNY at Brockport Lib.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Picador; 1st edition (July 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312276931
• ISBN-13: 978-0312276935
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,531,034 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating from beginning to end, September 30, 2001

By 

Charles Hall (Raleigh, NC USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Colonel Cody and the Flying Cathedral: The Adventures of the Cowboy Who Conquered the Sky (Paperback)

This book is really a GREAT read! It tells the story of Samuel Cody from his days as a cowboy out West through his life in England as a "wild west" showman and his improbable role in the history of aviation. The book is fascinating reading both because Jenkins writes so well and also because he has done enough research to fill in the story with lots of detail. By the end of the book you'll be on the edge of your seat following Cody's incredible exploits. You'll also come away with a real feel for the dangerous and exhilirating world of aviation in those first few years of it's existence. It's a shame Cody and the other very early kite-to-airplane pioneers have been so overshadowed by the aviators who survived into the 20's.