The Wright Brothers

The Wright Brothers / David McCullough 368 pgs.

Most of us know the basic story of the Wright brothers, Wilbur and Orville made history withe the first powered flight and then went on from there to make MORE history and improve their flying machine.  McCullough gives us much more about the men themselves.  Their relationship with each other and the rest of their family, their own special genius and hard work that made all of this happen.  I really appreciate feeling like I know the PEOPLE behind great things a little more than just the facts about the great thing.

Another revelation is Katharine Wright, the little sister who was the only one in the family to graduate from college and who gave so much support to her brothers (including financial) that it is shocking that previous biographers have made little mention of her.

A great book that will be enjoyed by those interested in history, aviation, or just plain old American ingenuity.

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Up in the air/Walter Kirn

Up in the air/Walter Kirn 362 pgs.

NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE! brags the cover of this book. I haven't seen the movie yet but hear it has very little in common with the book. From just looking at the reviews of the movie, I must agree. The book was interesting. Ryan Bingham's job as a career transition counselor keeps him on the go. He thinks of his world as "air world". He has given up his apartment and really is a road warrior with no home base. The book focuses on his goal of 1 million frequent flier miles and talks a lot about his relationships with fellow travelers and his family. I really enjoyed the book and would definitely read another by Kirn. - Christa