The Wright Brothers by Russell Freedman
"The Wright Brothers" by Russell Freedman offers an insightful exploration of the lives and achievements of Orville and Wilbur Wright, the pioneers of modern aviation. The narrative begins with a captivating eyewitness account of their historic flight in Dayton, Ohio, in 1904, where they successfully executed the first complete circle in a powered flight. Freedman delves into the brothers' early lives, including their careers as printers and bicycle mechanics, before illustrating their remarkable journey toward inventing the airplane.
The partnership between the Wright brothers is emphasized, highlighting their collaborative spirit and shared responsibilities in the invention process. Through extensive research and personal accounts, the book details their challenges, including mechanical failures and adverse weather, which they overcame to improve their designs and achieve longer flight times. The story culminates with their public demonstrations of flight in both Europe and the United States by 1908.
Accompanied by 94 black-and-white photographs and illustrations taken by the brothers themselves, this biography presents a rich visual narrative alongside the text. Freedman’s balanced portrayal showcases the Wrights not as mythical heroes, but as dedicated men whose hard work and perseverance led to a groundbreaking invention that transformed the world.
Subject Terms
The Wright Brothers by Russell Freedman
First published: 1991; illustrated
Subjects: Aviators and inventors
Type of work: Biography
Time of work: 1871-1948
Recommended Ages: 13-18
Locale: Primarily Dayton, Ohio, and Kitty Hawk, North Carolina
Principal Personages:
Wilbur Wright , (1867-1912), the older brother of the inventing team, a visionary who is thorough and methodical but prone to absent-mindednessOrville Wright , (1871-1948), the younger brother, a dapper and outgoing man full of practical knowledge
Form and Content
Russell Freedman traces the journey taken by the Wright brothers as they ushered in modern aviation. The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane examines the brothers’ early lives and their careers as printers, newspaper publishers, bicycle mechanics, and pioneer aviators. The book begins with an eyewitness account of the historic flight in Dayton, Ohio, 1904, marking the first time that a plane made a complete circle during flight. The story then shifts back to a third-person account of the Wrights’ childhood, growing up years, and adulthood.
Most of the chapters deal with the Wright brothers as adults and their contributions to aviation. Orville and Wilbur’s partnership is explored. As Wilbur is quoted, “From the time we were little children, my brother Orville and myself lived together, played together, worked together and, in fact, thought together.” The brothers shared the inventing, mechanical, designing, and piloting responsibilities equally. Spurred by reading newspaper accounts of gliding and flying experiments, Wilbur Wright wrote to the Smithsonian Institution and asked for information about flight experiments. Using this information and their mechanical knowledge, the brothers started to draw plans for a flying machine. They flew successful gliders, then graduated to powered flight.
The historic 1903 flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, is detailed, as well as the brothers’ vast contributions to aviation. Their invention process is explored. The brothers experienced many setbacks and frustrations. Unfavorable weather conditions, mechanical failures, and design problems sent them back to the drawing board in order to perfect the airplane. When they did succeed, they continued to improve their plane and to record longer flight times and distances. By 1908, Wilbur and Orville Wright were publicly demonstrating the airplane in Europe and the United States. Both men remained active in the field until their deaths.
Freedman provides an index, information on places to visit, and a list of further reading. The book is illustrated with ninety-four black-and-white photographs taken by the Wright brothers, plus their drawings and plans and family photographs. The airplane has been called the first major invention documented by photography. Wilbur and Orville Wright were very aware of the historical significance of the airplane, and they wished to leave a detailed record of their work. Always partners, the brothers took turns flying and taking photographs, which vividly illustrate the Wright brothers’ lifework.
Critical Context
Critics, young adults, middle school readers, and adults praised Russell Freedman’s well-researched text illustrated with photographs taken by the subjects themselves. Nominated for the Texas Bluebonnet Award in 1993 and named a Newbery Honor Book for 1992, The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane continued in the tradition of Freedman’s Newbery Medal-winning, Lincoln: A Photobiography (1987). The concept of text and illustration working together has long been reserved for picture books, but Freedman presents biographies for young adults in which the illustrations are an integral part of the work. The impact of his books is greater because of this marriage of illustration and text.
In The Wright Brothers, Freedman presents a real picture of these men. When the brothers built their first experimental kite in 1899, humans in flight seemed no more real than a fairy tale. Ten years later, flight was a reality. The Wright brothers introduced modern flight to the world, yet they were ordinary bicycle mechanics from the Midwest who showed hard work, dedication, and spirit. No attempt is made in the book to make them more heroic; their lives are not fictionalized or reduced to one accomplishment. Freedman takes a balanced approach to his subject, portraying the Wright brothers as two men who had a dream that became an invention that changed the world.