If We Had Wings: The Enduring Dream of Flight [Hardcover]

Rinker Buck (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 19, 2001

The story of the men, women, and machines that changed the world by turning a dream of flying into a thrilling reality is enhanced by dozens of interactive elements including letters, diaries, tickets, stickers, and other delights for flying enthusiasts.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School-A pilot since he was a boy, Buck gives readers a tour through the history of aviation. His genuine appreciation for the pioneers of flight is infectious as he recounts stories of calculated daring. Building on these accounts, he shows how discoveries in civilian aviation aided the military and vice versa. Focus is primarily on American flight from the Wright brothers to the Apollo program, but French, German, and Soviet aviators get nods of recognition as well. Every section consists of two facing pages in a super layout. Surrounding the main text are pictures, diagrams, and short factoids. Facsimiles of actual documents peek out from cleverly designed pockets scattered generously throughout the book. They include such diverse items as a wheelchart used to identify World War II aircraft, mementos from a WASP (Women's Airforce Service Pilot), and a copy of Chuck Yeager's secret report on the first sound-barrier-breaking flight. Here and there, Buck also slips in references to aviation literature classics, encouraging readers to broaden their horizons. Immersed in the wealth of information and interactive elements presented, readers will find that an amazing amount of time has flown by before they flip to the next page.

Sheila Shoup, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

The story of the men, women, and machines that changed the world by turning a dream of flying into a thrilling reality is enhanced by dozens of interactive elements including letters, diaries, tickets, stickers, and other delights for flying enthusiasts.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Crown; 1 edition (June 19, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609605534
• ISBN-13: 978-0609605530
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 9.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,124,447 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another dimension for aviation history coffee-table books, July 15, 2001

By 

Dave English (Arizona, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: If We Had Wings: The Enduring Dream of Flight (Hardcover)

This is a magical mini museum of flight. Although it's one dollar a page for yet another flying history book, it's worth the money if you've got a nice coffee table. You get solid writing, beautiful pictures and production values, plus another dimension -- copies of classic documents. Tucked into clever holders there is a replica of John Gillespie Magee's letter home with the poem 'High Flight,' or a working WWII warplane identification wheel. Behind foldouts there are letters Wilbur Wright wrote to the Smithsonian asking for information on flying machines. A copy of Jeppesen's first notebook, Chuck Yeager's test-pilot report on breaking the sound barrier, and several other imitation artifacts. Things I would buy for real if I had 100 million dollars!

Although all too short, this book brings you closer to the historic events than most others. If you want details, buy a big history book. If you want beauty, buy this one.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Amazingly Cool Book, July 14, 2001

By 

Christopher Bidlack (Ann Arbor, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: If We Had Wings: The Enduring Dream of Flight (Hardcover)

This volume is one of the neatest books I've ever held, and one of the most fun to look through. Don't crack it open until you have an hour or so to explore and discover its contents. It's like walking through (and HANDELING) history! Great job, Rinker-- as cool as your other great book, Flight of Passage.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Exellent resource for older students, October 30, 2002

By 

"rl16905" (Portland, Me) - See all my reviews

This review is from: If We Had Wings: The Enduring Dream of Flight (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful book filled with aviation history. My favorite part of the book is the added "historical documents" found throught the pages. I can't wait to take this book into classrooms and read to the students!