The Flying Man, Mike Downs
The Flying Man, Mike Downs
List: $7.99 | Sale: $5.60
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The Flying Man
Otto Lilienthal, the World's First Pilot

Author: Mike Downs

Narrator: Mark Sanderlin

Unabridged: 14 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Recorded Books

Published: 05/16/2023


Synopsis

In 1862, balloons were the only way to reach the sky. But 14-year-old Otto Lilienthal didn’t want to fly in balloons. He wanted to soar like a bird.

Scientists, teachers, and news reporters everywhere said flying was impossible.

Otto and his brother Gustav desperately wanted to prove them wrong, so they made their own wings and tried to take flight. The brothers quickly crashed, but this was just the beginning for Otto, who would spend the next 30 years of his life sketching, re-sketching, and building gliders.

As Otto’s designs improved, his flights got longer. His control got better. He learned the tricks and twists of the wind. Amazed crowds began to gather to witness the feats of this incredible flying man.

Otto Lilienthal’s years of determination paid off as he became the first person in history to make repeated successful flights, earning him the title of the world’s first real pilot. The Flying Man is the story of this remarkable aviation pioneer and a testament to ambition, resilience, and creativity.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Dez the Bookworm on March 04, 2025

I really loved this book! The artwork was fun and engaging with my 4 and 6 year old. I read this story to them and they paid attention the entire time. We homeschool, so this part of history that is rarely heard, was invaluable to us. This book should be in every library and given to any child who a......more

Goodreads review by Rebecca on December 20, 2022

Before Wilbur and Orville Wright, there was The Flying Man. Otto Lilienthal lived in Germany, and from a young age, he dreamed of soaring in the air like a bird. He and his brother, Gustav experimented with making wings to fly. Unsurprising, wings did not work, as he could not flap them quickly enou......more

Goodreads review by Melanie on September 05, 2022

Thank you to NetGalley and Astra Publishing for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is a fairly straightforward biography picture book targeted at older kids. There is a lot of text on the page which is a good thing here since it means more information on the subject. The aut......more

Goodreads review by Libby on September 27, 2022

Did you know that the Wright Brothers cited Otto Lilienthal as an inspiration in their development of the first powered airplane? Lilienthal flew before them, on August 2, 1896 - using glider wings. I loved this reminder that the people we recognize as great inventors are almost always building on t......more