On December 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the course of human history was forever altered when Wilbur and Orville Wright flew the first successful airplane. Since that momentous flight, one hundred years of remarkable achievements have pushed the envelope of human flight. Crossing oceans and continents, circling the world, breaking sound barriers, and even flying into outer space, aviation has truly taken us where no human has gone before.

Patrick O'Brien's impeccable research and dazzling illustrations bring to life the most fantastic flights of the twentieth century--one hundred years of flying on the edge.