The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

I just finished reading, "The Wright Brothers" by David McCullough, published 2015. Living near Dayton, Ohio I think this is a necessary story that should be known by the Dayton population. In an era where so many things were being discovered and manufactured in Dayton, OH, there was much speculation and disbelief in the ability for man to fly in 1900. But, the Wright brothers were unique in that their parents supported their experiments and encouraged their research. Brought up in a home with many books, both Wilbur and Orville Wright were curious by nature. Without the support of their parents I don't think they would have accomplished all that they did. Everything they touched as children was carefully picked up by their mother and put on a shelf until they could get to it later. This in a house of five children. Even when Wilbur failed to go to college after such promise, they patiently let him think his own thoughts and try his own hand at business. The companionship between the two brothers was another great asset to their quest for knowledge. They talked over everything, with little competition between them. Being so able to work together side by side for so many years helped them accomplish their amazing work. This was a fascinating look at the lives of the whole Wright family. I even learned that the Wright Library in Oakwood, OH is named for their sister, the teacher and college graduate, Katherine Wright who was also a huge asset to their work, as the three of them lived in the family home while the Bishop, their father, traveled all over the country in his work. Their mother had died earlier. I learned that they spent many years perfecting their "Flyer" as they called it, taking it to many countries to demonstrate their invention. There were many Flyers as improvements were made.