I did not think this was the strongest of the books in the series. While it did review very early flight attempts and people, it skipped a few and was, expectedly, mostly focused on the Wright brothers. A decent amount of space was given to Cayley, Lillienthal and Langley too. On the other hand, I loved the illustrations and found this engaging to read, so it was worth it. It did feel like a bit was missing though. ( )

Chronicles the stories of those who strove to solve the secrets of flight, covering the would-be birdmen of the Middle Ages, the glider design of Cayley, the failed attempts of Lilienthal, Chanute, and Langley, and the Wright brothers' success. Highlights many obscure scientists and inventors, with special focus on the Wright brothers, on the road to manned flight

Here are the chronicles of early would-be aviators; the stories of those who sought to unlock the secrets of flight. From the aspiring birdmen of the Middle Ages to the gliders of Cayley and Lilienthal, to Langley’s Aerodrome, these are the stories of the aviation pioneers whose visions resulted in the ultimate success of Wilber and Orville Wright.

Many visionaries dreamed of flight; fables, myths, and stories of unique efforts to fly are part of the oeuvre of early civilizations. Kites, balloons, wings . . . all were researched and tried as aviators sought to reach the skies. From these early efforts, and the research that accompanied them, two brothers tested gliders and refined their ideas of what a flying machine should be like. This led them to Kill Devil Hills and fifty-nine seconds that put men in the sky and changed the world

Illustrated with both photographs and drawings, “The Road to Kitty Hawk” examines the efforts and flying experiments of early aviators leading up to the first successful powered flight by the Wright Brothers in 1903. Part of The Epic of Flight series, here are the triumphs and the tragedies that led to man finally reaching taking to the skies.

Recommended for readers interested in the early days of flight, for those interested in how the dreams of flight led to success, and for those interested in learning about the men and women who unlocked the secrets of flight. ( )