Martin Caidin (1927-1997) was a character, and was arguably America's foremost author of popular works on aviation. A pilot himself, he was entranced by all things airborne, and wrote extensively about aeronautic issues. He was also an author of fiction, both in novels and screenplays: his book "Cyborg" was adapted for American television screens as "The Six Million Dollar Man," and he had a hand in many other Hollywood projects as well.

This book is the story of the Boeing 707, predecessor to the 747 and one of the most important planes in commercial aviation history. In particular, the book recounts the first transcontinental passenger flight of the plane, by American Airlines in 1959. (The plane, operated by TWA, had made a transatlantic flight the year before.) The book is of personal interest to me because my father, Capt. Theodore Melden Jr., was the pilot on that flight, and is featured in the book (although his name is misspelled in a caption to one of the photographs). This was a big deal to me in my childhood, although I was then unaware of the flight's historical significance.

The book is highly recommended to aviation fans, although it might not hold much interest for readers raised in the age of the Boeing 777, the European Airbus, and the short-lived Concorde. It captures a moment in time when commercial aviation was still exciting, and not a commonplace. ( )