This is an eccentric book about the history of ballooning from 1783 to present. Holmes covers balloons used in warfare such as the 1794 Battle of Liege, spotting troop movements during the American Civil War, and communicating with the outside world during the 1870 siege of Paris in the Franco Prussian War. He includes balloons used in entertainment, daredevil acts, and of the first ballooning accidents. He mentions balloons in literature, poems, and plays. He details the mechanics, improvements, and various methods used for lift. He portrays the scientific uses for mapping, weather, and studying atmospheric heights. One of the highlights is the coverage of Salomon August Andrée’s expedition by balloon that attempted to reach the North Pole in 1896-1897.

This book provides everything you ever wanted to know about balloons, and more! It documents adventures, misadventures, explorations, and inspirations. It is told in an entertaining way. I tend to enjoy quirky books that contain a mixture of science and history. I found it delightful.
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Sarah Weinman (@Cader) listed as one of his best of 2013, I loved Holmes' AGE OF WONDER

Watching the recent movie Aeronauts reminded me that this volume had been sitting on the shelf for a few years. It turned out to be an excellent review of the first 150 years of manned flight in balloons, and highlighted the source of the many highly-fictionalized events from the movie. But it’s far more than a simple history of pioneering balloon flights; it’s more a consideration on what those early flights opened up in terms of science, art, and even the way that humans started to perceive the planet from a sociological and political perspective. ( )

An interesting history prose book written by a poet. Which sometimes doesn't work in favor the book as a whole, but in other places makes what could be uninteresting facts into something more interesting.

The overall book does help capture some of the feeling and spirit of the early ballooning days, or (since I wasn't there) makes one believe that it captures that spirit.

Ultimately I would not recommend this if you aren't interested in early aviation, as it is not that phenomenal. But it is pretty good and with just a little interest, it's worth the read. ( )

A sort-of history of ballooning told in Holmes' trademark vignette style, and excellently so. Deeply enjoyable. ( )