Notable: Books in flight

Notable

Airborne

Three new nonfiction books look at human flight, from its early days to its future.

Beyond: Our Future in Space (W.W. Norton) by Chris Impey, a distinguished astronomer, looks at the wanderlust that has inspired space exploration and the advances, from solar sails to suspended animation, that could shape its future.

First to Fly: The Story of the Lafayette Escadrille, the American Heroes Who Flew for France in World War I (Atlantic Monthly Press) by Charles Bracelen Flood is the compelling story of the squadron of adventurous young American pilots who were among the first to engage in air combat.

The Wright Brothers (Simon & Schuster) by David McCullough is the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer's fascinating look at the brothers who birthed the age of flight, including the little-known contributions of their sister Katherine.

Colette Bancroft, Times book editor