The Flight of Dragons

by Peter Dickinson, Wayne Anderson, Peter Dickinson; Illustrator-Wayne Anderson

Book Overview

Combining fact with fantasy and science with romance, the authors set out to prove that dragons really did exist. First published in 1979, The Flight of the Dragon presents a riveting thesis on how so... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060110740
• ISBN13: 9780060110741
• Release Date: September 1981
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 137 Pages
• Weight: 2.55 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Awesome!

I am nine years old and i think this book is COMPLETELY cool. Even though I suspect it was meant for older kids (or even adults) I would definitely reccomend getting it, even though it's expensive. This books has lots of interesting theories and puts a lot of imaginative ideas in your head. In addition, it has amazing pictures! My favorite part is when they use a diagram of dinner plates and bricks to discuss a theory of how dragons flew. I have more to say, but must restrain myself to only two words: "must buy". Ben Z.

The Problem of the Flying Brick

Peter Dickinson's classic book on such imponderables as how (and why) dragons fly is one of my favorite books on the care and feeding of our scaled neighbors. He goes into great detail about what it takes to get a 20,000-pound appetite up into the air and speeding to its next meal. Sometimes slightly tongue-in-cheek, Dickinson draws on legend and story to create a delightful theory that takes the imaginary and makes it real.Not satisfied with explaining away the impossible, Dickinson goes on to explore the dragon life cycle, habitat and sociology. I took particular delight in the section that explains that most horrific of monsters, the george, otherwise known as 'the mean man in the tin can.' He is quite outspoken about the monstrous atrocities committed in the name of 'dragon-slaying.' And for doubters, there is even a section citing the evidences for the existence of dragons. Of course, those of us who drive from peak to peak dragon-watching in our ancient Volkswagen busses need no further evidence.The other delight in this book is the rich illustration by Wayne Anderson. We find dragons cute and fearsome, old and new. The work is both beautiful and whimsical, and you will find yourself returning to the images countless times, whenever the dream starts to fade. The book is both beautiful and fun - a worthwhile addition to the mythophile's library.

Bravo to Dickinson for giving dragons a fighting chance!

This is a book for all of you out there who know that dragons are more than just fairytale creations to frighten small children. And for those of you who ARE convinced that dragons belong purely to fantasy, I invite you to come, read, and have your mind changed by this beautiful, engagingly written book. (It's science-friendly, too!) Peter Dickinson does a wonderful job of building up a theory by which dragons could once have truly roamed the skies and terrorized innocent villagers. His ideas are sound, his message clear, and through it all he maintains a tone which keeps the reader asking for more.

Totally Convincing and well written with ....

What can i say..i saw the movie when i was 4 years old and read the book as soon as i was able..recently i was looking for a first edition and learned the price...i am glad that this book is getting the recognition it deserves but none of my friends have heard of it and knowledge about his book is at a minimum.so the publishers would do well to advertise it

Answering the key question

The book answers the right question - Not "How could something as big as a dragon fly?", but "Why did dragons need to be that big in order to fly?". The approach is a straight faced, imaginative explanation of dragon phsyiology, psychology, life cycle, and more. The author manages to engage in a ciritcal scientific examination of all the evidece without losing the sense of awful wonder for the dragons he is studying.