Falling Upwards

A GUARDIAN BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
A NEW STATESMAN BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
A DAILY TELEGRAPH BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
A NEW REPUBLIC BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
A TIME MAGAZINE TOP 10 NONFICTION BOOK OF 2013

From ambitious scientists rising above the clouds to analyse the air to war generals floating across enemy lines, Richard Holmes takes to the air in this heart-lifting history of pioneer balloonists.

Falling Upwards asks why they risked their lives, and how their flights revealed the secrets of our planet. The stories range from early ballooning rivals to the long-distance voyages of American entrepreneurs; from the legendary balloon escape from the Prussian siege of Paris to dauntless James Glaisher, who in the 1860s flew seven miles above the earth - without oxygen.

Falling Upwards has inspired the Major Motion Picture The Aeronauts - in cinemas SOON.

In Falling Upwards, Holmes presents a compelling autobiography of the pioneers of aviation. Their expeditions into the unknown have led to discoveries that have shaped our understanding of science and geography. This historical account is a testament to their courage and the human spirit of exploration.

For fans of Andrea Wulf (Magnificent Rebels), Rory Stewart (Politics On the Edge), John Higgs (The Future Starts Here), and Anita Anand (The Patient Assassin).