Watch the movie Night Crossing about a family who escape East Berlin in a homemade hot air balloon.
Books for Mature Teens and Adults
Theme: Things That Float in the Air
Enduring Love - (ISBN: 978-0385494144)
by Ian McEwen
The spectators at a hot air balloon accident where a man loses his life seem to bond afterwards. A child had been floating away alone in the balloon, and a man grabbed on only to lose his hold and crash to his death. When the people who saw the accident get together afterwards, they are of course thrown together only because they happened to be on the scene. One of the spectators cannot quite get past the experience, and he begins to stalk another with frequent phone calls, emails, and attempted visits. Is this the “love” McEwen mentions in his title?
Parachute Infantry: An American Paratrooper’s Memoir of D-Day and the Fall of the Third Reich - (ISBN: 978-0385336499)
by David Kenyon Webster
Based on personal letters and memories, this book details Webster’s war experiences as a paratrooper, dropping into battle hot spots including German territory during WWII. The accuracy of his account reveals the glories and perils of armed combat and the frailties of the human spirit behind it.
Parachuting: The Sky Diver’s Handbook - (ISBN: 978-1568601410)
by Dan Poynter
This non-fiction book covers every aspect of sky diving for beginners, from canopy flying to skysurfing and everything in between. For more experienced skydivers, the book offers detailed information about canopy progression and free falling. If having the kind of freedom hurtling through the air offers is something you crave, this is the definitive guide for you!
The Kite Runner - (ISBN: 978-1594480003)
by Khaled Hosseini
After an Afghani man brings his family to the U.S. to escape the unlivable conditions in his country, his past as a contributor to a servant’s dismissal comes back to haunt him; he had deliberately hidden his watch on his childhood playmate’s bed to incriminate him as a thief. Although he and the playmate were never social equals, they had always enjoyed kite flying and kite running together, and his betrayal was an act of moral failure. In the U.S., he learns of a son the servant had fathered who is now in need of a father and a home. His dilemma about how he should respond to the need brings back his failure of the past.
What Color is Your Parachute? 2012 - (ISBN: 978-1607740100)
by Richard Bolles
This edition is the 40th anniversary version of one of the most helpful job search books ever written. The information and suggestions are totally updated and fresh. During time when the job search is a big issue for many Americans, this edition is a welcome handbook.