LIFT

by Dan Ward

LIFT is a playful introduction to flying machines from the late 1800’s and the inspiring people who designed, built, launched, and crashed them. It is also a serious guide to innovation for 21st century problem solvers.

Blending light-hearted pop culture whimsy with well-grounded engineering pragmatism, LIFT introduces five inventors who tackled the seemingly impossible challenge of human flight decades before Orville and Wilbur.

These stories are sometimes funny, occasionally heartbreaking, and always instructive. All together they provide readers with practical insights on experimentation, creativity, persistence, and innovation.

188 pages, Paperback

Published December 2, 2019

Reviews

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

A intensely clever and instructive read that illuminates the history behind some of the most fascinating inventors trying to tackle the challenge of flight. Dan takes what could be a complicated, dense subject and makes it light and interesting. Highly recommended!

[Tom Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Many authors of books on innovation and entrepreneurship craft them in the dry style I remember of text books from my college days. Dan orients this book around real human beings and their trials and tribulations in making machines fly. The subject came alive and I was hooked. In the end, I still picked up a dozen useful suggestions like I would from a traditional book. I felt almost guilty because I was learning something useful for my professional life while feeling like I was reading an engaging mystery novel.

Truth in advertising, I work at the same company the author does. I don't believe this effects my review.

[J. Scott Frampton · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fun book, that takes you through a slog of failed flights…Alas, these failures were needed in order for the Wrights to do their thing. Some good lessons that have been repackaged with new words and thoughts.

[Steven Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely terrific read.