Synopses & Reviews
Walter J. Boyne, the world's foremost historian on aviation and the former director of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, presents this fascinating, historically accurate, fictional account of all the cutthroat personalities who strived to be the first to take the air. Of course Wilbur and Orville Wright etched their names in history as the inventors of the airplane, but lost are their contemporaries who shared their same passion. Some spent entire lives and fortunes chasing the dream of flight, including men like the embittered Augustus Herring, the pompous Samuel Pierpont Langley of the Smithsonian Institution, who was backed by the U.S. War Department, Glenn Curtiss, the Wright Brothers most fierce competition, and even the legendary American inventor Alexander Graham Bell---after all, what these men set out accomplish would surely catapult them into fame and fortune, and drastically alter the course of history for decades to come.
Review
"An amazing book. Not only is it riveting history, it is also a suspense story."
Thomas Fleming
Review
"An amazing book. Not only is it riveting history, it is also a suspense story.""(Thomas Fleming, Feb 1 2005 )
Review
"A compelling adventure of men, their vision, and their travails written in a manner that captures the excitement and thrill of that first flight."
Harold Coyle
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A magnificent novel, dramatically exposes the humanity, conflicts, and genius of the men who gave us wings. As captivating, and revealing, as Gore Vidal's Lincoln.
Stephen Coonts
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"Absorbing . . . rich in detail."
Booklist
Review
"In this historical novel, Boyne displays an extraordinary knowledge of early flight and the men who invented and flew the 'heavier-than-air flying machines' of the early 1900s." Library Journal
Review
"A superb novel that captures the intense drive and pioneering spirit that motivated Orville and Wilbur Wright."
Roanoke Times
Review
"The stirring story of the Wright brothers, plus a colorful supporting cast of high-flyers during the baby-step era of aviation, entertainingly presented-warts and all."-Kirkus Review on Dawn Over Kitty Hawk
"A fascinating account from a respected authority. Boyne captures the passions of the people in aviation's earliest days who risked-and sometimes lost-everything to accomplish the impossible."--W. E. B. Griffin on Dawn Over Kitty Hawk
"Dawn Over Kitty Hawk is an amazing book. Not only is it riveting history, it is also a suspense story that takes readers inside the ferocious competition to be the first in flight."-Thomas Fleming on Dawn Over Kitty Hawk
"Dawn Over Kitty Hawk goes beyond two men and science and technology. It is about America, the meaning of this country, the inspiration of freedom, the exhilaration of curiosity, being first and being unafraid."-Hugh Sidey on Dawn Over Kitty Hawk
"The Wright brothers gave flight to mankind's great dream. Walter Boyne has given their story wings. It is a compelling adventure of men, their vision, and their travails written in a manner that captures the excitement and thrill of that first flight."-Harold Coyle on Dawn Over Kitty Hawk
"A magnificent novel of the dawn of the aviation age by the world's foremost aviation historian, Dawn Over Kitty Hawk dramatically exposes the humanity, conflicts, and genius of the men who gave us wings. This terrific historical novel is as captivating, and revealing, as Gore Vidal's Lincoln. You owe yourself this ride."-Stephen Coonts on Dawn Over Kitty Hawk
"This book is for everyone whoever built a flying model, overhauled a motorscooter just for fun, or wondered what kind of people stepped into early flying machines when cold sober."-Dean Ing on Dawn Over Kitty Hawk
"Mr. Boyne has done for the Wright brothers and aviation what Shaara did for Gettysburg and the Civil War. Based on his extensive knowledge of the birth of aviation, he brings to life people that were people-not just names and dates in history books."-Larry Bond on Dawn Over Kitty lHawk
"Boyne flies solo, takes the facts from the ground and gives them wing as an engrossing story. He's taken well researched dry historical data and made it a fun and easy read."-Autoweek on Dawn Over Kitty Hawk
"The stirring story of the Wright brothers, plus a colorful supporting cast of high-flyers during the baby-step era of aviation, entertainingly presented-warts and all."-Kirkus Review on Dawn Over Kitty Hawk
"A superb novel that captures the intense drive and pioneering spirit that motivated Orville and Wilbur Wright to become the first aviators to take the skies in powered flight."-Roanoke Times on Dawn Over Kitty Hawk
"Absorbing . . . rich in detail."-Booklist on Dawn Over Kitty Hawk
"In this historical novel, Boyne displays an extraordinary knowledge of early flight and the men who invented and flew the 'heavier-than-air flying machines' of the early 1900s."-Library Journal on Dawn Over Kitty Hawk
Review
"A fascinating account from a respected authority." W.E.B. Griffin
Review
Mr. Boyne has done for the Wright brothers and aviation what Shaara did for Gettysburg and the Civil War.
Larry Bond
Synopsis
"The stirring story of the Wright brothers, plus a colorful supporting cast of high-flyers during the baby-step era of aviation, (is) entertainingly presented--warts and all."--"Kirkus Reviews."
About the Author
Walter J. Boyne is the former Chairman of the Board of Wingspan, the Air and Space Aviation Channel, and President of his own firm, Walter Boyne Associates. The author of 42 books, he is one of the few persons to have had best sellers on both the fiction and the non-fiction list of the New York Times. His books have been published in nine countries. His Beyond the Wild Blue: A History of the United States Air Force was made into a five part television series for the History Channel, and his Clash of Wings: World War II In The Air was made into a thirteen party series for PBS. Boyne hosted and narrated both series.
A career Air Force officer, Boyne retired as a Colonel with 5,000 hours flying time in everything from the T-6 to the B-1B. After his retirement in 1974, he joined the National Air & Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution. He became Acting Director in 1981 and Director in 1983. Upon his retirement in 1986, he began a third career of writing and consulting. His fourth career, in television, began seven years ago when he co-founded Wingspan the Aviation Channel, of which he was Chairman of the Board. His consulting clients include aviation, publishing and television companies.
A honor graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, with a BSBA, he graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh with an MBA. He received an honorary Doctorate of Aeronautical Science from Salem University in West Virginia. He is married to his wife of 50 years, Jeanne; they have four adult children, five paragons of virtue grandchildren, two priceless dogs and two perfect cats.