Synopses & Reviews
Part P.T. Barnum, part Baron Munchausen, part Orville Wright,
the bizarre life and accomplishments of "Colonel" Samuel Cody were the stuff
that myths are made of. In his early years he worked the same cattle trails
as Buffalo Bill, played the same Dodge City roulette tables as Wyatt Earp,
and competed with the legendary Annie Oakley for the title of King of the
Wild West sharpshooters.
But his later life took a startling turn. After taking his Wild West act to
Europe, Cody became a passionate kite-builder and flyer, fashioning many of
the earliest man-carrying kites, breaking aeronautical records, and at the
apex of his career, inventing a vast airplane dubbed "the Flying Cathedral."
With it, Cody went on to become the first man to fly in Britain.
Garry Jenkins has assembled an astonishing story, of an eccentric and
perhaps unknowable man who has escaped the annals of our history books. With
COLONEL CODY AND THE FLYING CATHEDRAL, Jenkins has not only
resurrected a fascinating figure from our past; he has illuminated what
constitutes the very spirit of limitless achievement, of grand dreams, of
those dreams realized.
Review
"Jenkin's fine book is a very readable and entertaining account of a fascinating man and his equally fascinating era." (Library Journal)
Review
"A rollicking, consistently surprising biography....A pleasingly reader-friendly narrative." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"[An] absorbing biography....Garry Jenkins's detailed account...shows why the British were so wild about this wild man....Endearing." The Boston Globe
Review
"Immensely informative...truly entertaining to read." The Bloomsbury Review
Review
"...thoroughly entertaining reading." (Booklist)
Review
“A largely-forgotten story carefully reconstructed...meticulous reportage.” —Roberta Bernstein,
The New York Times Book Review“[An] absorbing biography...Garry Jenkins detailed account...shows why the British were so wild about this wild man...endearing.” —Boston Globe
“A rollicking, consistently surprising biography... Jenkins does a fine job of threading Codys personal saga into the histories of the Wild West and world aviation, weaving a pleasingly reader-friendly narrative.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Jenkins fine book is a very readable and entertaining account of a fascinating man and his equally fascinating era.” —Library Journal (starred review)
Synopsis
Colonel Cody and the Flying Cathedral is the fascinating and bizarre history of Samuel Franklin Cody, who in his early years worked the same cattle trails as Buffalo Bill and played the same Dodge City roulette tables as Wyatt Earp. But his later life took a startling turn. While performing in England, Cody became a passionate kite-builder and flyer, and at the apex of his career, fashioned a vast airplane dubbed “The Flying Cathedral,” and with it went on to become the first man to fly in England.
About the Author
Garry Jenkins is the author of five previous books, including
The Beautiful Team, about Brazilian soccer. He lives with his family in London.