Percy Pilcher was born in Bath in 1867, in a house which is still there, although it has a plaque on it saying that 'William Wordsworth Dwelt Here' and not our hero. And hero he was. He was the first man to hang glide, and is probably the first person to take a heavier-than-air aircraft aloft in the British Isles. He was not interested in gliding as such, but was always trying to perfect a flying machine and a lightweight engine to power it. He sat at the feet of Lilienthal and Hiram Maxim, and improved on what he learnt from them. He was also a hero because he constantly went into the unknown and eventually died from injuries received in a flying accident in 1899. There are 37 b/w illustrations which I found very interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the man about whom I had previously not heard.