The Great Dirigibles

by John Toland

Book Overview

Daring flights of early pioneers, descriptions of great American airships, much more - beginning with pioneer invention by Dr. Solomon Andrews in 1865 and ending with the Hindenburg crash in 1937. ".... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486213978
• ISBN13: 9780486213972
• Release Date: June 1972
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Reads like a novel

Reads like a novel, with enough detail to inform and intrigue and enough good writing to interest. No axes to grind, no unedited overwriting. Just history the way its supposed to be. It left me enjoying everything I read and wishing for just a little bit more: perhaps the true definition of a classic. The only thing it might have wanted was a few more photographs, but that's what coffee table books like the Time-Life Giant Airships are for, and this isn't one of those.

The Great Dirigibles

Good book high in personal details, but lacking in technical insight, basicly describes, a series of airship disasters from individuals personal point of view. Good general reading but not if you want to understand the reasons behind the headlines.

Excellent introduction to the great airships of the past.

Most books on airships are written by specialists, experts, or those who had a part in the development of the great dirigibles. John Toland is a interesting exception, an extreamly accomplished author who turned his attention to the subject. This book is a re-titled (and only very slightly re-edited) version of his book 'Ships in the Sky' from the fifties. Due to the original publication date, he was able to interview many of the principle figures in the stories, most of which took place in the twenties and early thirties. Most everyone is familiar with the Hindenburg disaster of 1937, but this book will introduce them to many other facinating accounts. He covers the R101 disaster, which was the British avaiation equivalent to the Titanic. Also included is a excellent account of the Italian 'Italia' drama at the North Pole (get Wilber Cross's 'Disaster at the Pole' if who want a book entirely dedicated to that event). Also covered is the United States Shennendoah, Akron and Macon crashes. Perhaps the highlight is a minute by minute (more like second by second) account of the Hindenburg crash.

A well researched work explaining airship disasters

This is the first book I have ever come across that painstakingly details the demise of airships. Toland has recreated conversations and personal details from countless sources and testimony. Each accident and triumph is covered in detail. I loved this book. It is a must-read for any airship enthusiast.

a short overview of John Toland's "The Great Dirigibles"

Toland is one of America's great narrative historians. His book The Great Dirigibles, Their Triumphs and Disasters (formerly titled ships in the sky, The story of the Great Dirigibles)is sure to please even the most knowledgeable airship reader. Toland investigates the origins of airships and includes many of the pre-Zeppelin era narratives. The book is full of first hand accounts and includes an excellent index and an acknowledgement section (which will be of interest to serious readers). The strength of the book lies in the fact that it is not another re-telling of the Hindenburg disaster. The Norge, the Italia, the Shenandoah and other airships get equal treatment. There are also over two dozen pictures with captions. This is an easy to read book that will thrill the novice and please the serious studentsof airship history.