The Rocket Man

September 16, 2013
Science writer and astronomer Darling (Equations of Eternity) profiles a series of eccentric personalities who have taken to the skies to push human limits, his main focus being on the eponymous wingsuit flier Yves Rossy, aka Rocketman. Besides this modern-day Icarus, Darling shines the spotlight on the likes of bombastic balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard, who delivered the first-ever airmail letter; stuntman Lincoln Beachey, who impressed Thomas Edison with his daring skills; and Canadian RAF pilot Raymond Collishaw, who shot down at least half a dozen German war planes during a WWI showdown in which the famed Red Baron was involved. Along the way, readers are also offered interesting information about such salient issues as G-LOC (G force–induced loss of consciousness), how a shock wave is formed when air moves from supersonic to subsonic speeds, and how blood boils in the body, without pressurization, at an altitude of 62,000 feet. A slim compilation of “the most extraordinary adventures in the annals of aviation,” Darling has produced an enthusiastic tribute to both aerodynamic daredevilry and the handful of colorful risk-takers who often lost their lives—though sometimes benefitted from “surprises and small miracles.” Readers interested in aviation and showmanship will welcome this volume to their shelves.

October 1, 2013

Darling (coauthor, Megacatastrophes! Nine Strange Ways the World Could End) argues that every era in the long history of flight has boasted its own peculiar characters who displayed "marginal sanity, starry-eyedness, practical savvy, and nerves of steel." His vignettes describe those who meet these criteria, including balloonist Sophie Blanchard, who ascended for the amusement of Napoleon and European royalty; Lincoln Beachey, whose mastery of the inside loop and inverted flight won him preeminence among early 20th-century U.S. exhibition flyers; Canada's Raymond Collishaw, of World War I's Royal Naval Air Service, who dogfought the Red Baron and claimed 60 adversaries in the air; one-eyed Wiley Post, famed for his 1933 solo flight around the world in eight days on less than 20 hours' sleep; the brilliant and eccentric Howard Hughes, whose reputation as flyer, aircraft constructor, and airline executive is still legend; U.S. Air Force flight surgeon John Stapp's amazing speed record and deceleration trials strapped aboard his Sonic Wind rocket sled; and, finally, today's extreme-sports aerialists. VERDICT Darling's entertaining biographical sketches are rich in both context and characterization. Recommended for aviation devotees, extreme-sports fans, and young adult readers.--John Carver Edwards, Univ. of Georgia Libs., Cleveland

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2013
Science writer Darling provides an eclectic collection of aviation biographies in this delightful salute to a series of largely overlooked flight pioneers. Reaching back to trend-setting balloonist Sophie Armant, who was an early nineteenth-century celebrity until her fiery end, Darling then highlights a multitude of unsung heroes, including the inspiration for The Great Waldo Pepper (1975); the original X-Men (as in the men who flew the sound barrierbusting X-planes); and William Weaver, the Lockheed test pilot who survived the breakup of his SR-71 at a speed of Mach 3 and an altitude of 15 miles. The chapters are straightforward in their historical presentation, but Darling cannot help but share his enthusiasm and outright admiration for the achievements of his subjects. Overall, the collection proves how very many shoulders famous names like Charles Lindbergh, Chuck Yeager, and Neil Armstrong stood upon when making it into the record books. An inspirational text full of can-do spirit, The Rocket Man will be well received by aviation aficionados and armchair adventurers everywhere. Includes many first-rate photographs and detailed aircraft information.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)