Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse: 09/27/15

Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse by Torben Kuhlmann is a picture book / graphic novel hybrid about the early history of aviation. Except, it's from a mouse's point of view. Lindbergh the mouse wants to escape the dangerous street life in Germany and move to America (where all the streets are paved with cheese — oops, wrong mouse).

I read Kuhlmann's book right on the heels of having finished Birdmen by Lawrence Goldstone. Both books cover early aviation history but I ended up liking the picture book version more. When there's a history of a new technology there's a temptation to focus on the people behind the invention. Often they're treated as heroes and in something as complex as aviation (it wasn't just the Wright Brothers, no matter what your elementary school text book said), it ends up reading like the overheard conversations at a frat party. All those strong personalities competing for attention!

In the case of Lindbergh, obviously the credit can't really be given to a mouse. So rather than focus on his genius, the emphasis is put on the technological advancements needed to make heavier than air travel possible.

Five stars

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