The possibilities of flight have long fascinated us. Each innovation captivated a broad public, from those who gathered to witness winged medieval visionaries jumping from towers, to those who tuned in to watch the moon landings. Throughout history, the visibility of airborne objects from the ground has made for a spectacle of flight, with sizeable crowds gathering for eighteenth-century balloon launches and early twentieth-century air shows. Taking to the Air tells the history of flight through the eye of the spectator, and later, the passenger. Focusing on moments of great cultural impact, this book is a visual celebration of the wonder of flight, based on the large and diverse collection of print imagery held by the British Library. It is a study of how flight has been thought and pictured.

About the Author
Lily Ford is a cultural historian and filmmaker. She teaches and produces films at the Derek Jarman Lab, Birkbeck, University of London. She reviews books on aviation and related subjects for the Times Literary Supplement.


Book Information
ISBN 9780712352611
Author Lily Ford
Format Hardback
Page Count 224
Imprint British Library Publishing
Publisher British Library Publishing