As far as history texts let on, aviation had its pioneers in the Wright brothers, Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh and … uh, that’s about it. Journalist Michael Abrams seeks to shine some light on a footnote (if even that) with BIRDMEN, BATMEN, AND SKYFLYERS: WINGSUITS AND THE PIONEERS WHO FLEW IN THEM, FELL IN THEM, AND PERFECTED THEM, which profiles more than 30 members of an elite club of oddballs.
One wonders why anyone man would attempt flight with a home-built set of wings, given that 72 out of the 75 men who did so between the 1930s and 1960s died in action, as Abrams notes in his introduction. But rather than put people off of jumping from perilous heights, the gonna-get-ya mortality rate ironically just attracted more brave (and stupid, as some would argue) souls to give the air a whirl.
Man’s desire to fly had been percolating for centuries, and the book details – hilariously, I’m ashamed to say – early, all-unsuccessful efforts by Italians who jumped from castles, and some idiot who jumped off the Eiffel Tower believing a giant overcoat would carry him through the clouds. He left a messy spot on the ground below, of course.
Most of BIRDMEN is devoted to the stories of those who practiced their jumps primarily for air shows during the aforementioned heyday in the mid-20th century. Arguably the most notable is Clem Sohn, a fearless daredevil who used to race others to the ground, and the book leads right up to the present day. To be honest, the profiles of the men all start running together, especially when so many of them share the same unfortunate ending.
But away from the dangers of gravity, you’re going to learn several interesting facts. For instance, who knew there was a skydiving TV show called RIPCORD? (Pray for a DVD release, people.) Or that at age 4, horror scribe-to-be Clive Barker witnessed a grisly end to one of the birdmen’s ill-fated flights. (It explains a lot, actually.) These are unsung heroes – well, maybe not heroes, but definitely men more ballsy than you or I – who no doubt inspired more famous pop-culture risk-takers from Evel Knievel to the boys of JACKASS. BIRDMEN is part history discussion, part cautionary tale and part nailbiter. –Rod Lott
Buy it at Amazon.
Discuss it in our forums.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I just wanted to say that my grandpa is Roland Kumzak and he survived his jumping days.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Abrahamson