ISBN
978-1-929490-27-1
Hardcover
May 2007
368 pages
6 x 9 1/4"
$24.95
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The Balloonist
The Story of T. S. C. Lowe—Inventor,
Scientist,
Magician, and Father of the U.S. Air Force
by Stephen Poleskie
Thaddeus Sobieski Coulincourt Lowe (1823−1913) was called
by Carl Sandburg "the most shot-at man of the Civil War." A flamboyant showman,
dedicated scientist, and starry-eyed dreamer, Lowe, soon after the outbreak of the
Civil War, went to the federal government with
a view to convincing the authorities in the
use of balloons for observation purposes. He eventually was made chief of
the aeronautic department and rendered valuable service to the Army of the
Potomac during the war. Hovering over the
battlefield, observing the action from his hot-air balloon, Lowe is considered
by many to be the founder of the U.S. Air Force. Besides aeronautics, Lowe also
made contributions in the fields of meteorology, cartography, military science,
aerial photography, metallurgy, and railroading.
This is the story of Lowe's struggle, trials
and tribulations, and sheer perseverance in promoting the interest of science.
With a fast-paced plot, crisp dialogue, and strongly developed characters,
Stephen Poleskie has aptly captured Lowe's life and achievements in this highly
readable book.
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Stephen Poleskie
is a champion aerobatic flyer, artist, and writer. He has been a visiting lecturer at twenty-six colleges and art schools in the
United States and abroad. He now is professor emeritus at Cornell University and
resides with his wife in Ithaca, New York.
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