The Magnificent Book of Kites: Explorations in Design, Construction, Enjoyment and Flight: Amazon.co.uk: Maxwell Eden: Books

Product Description

This book includes instructions for making a collection of kites acquired from kite builders around the world. There are inexpensive, simple-to-make projects - such as origami flying-bug and McDonald's coffee-cup kites - as well as more challenging, award-winning, architecturally dazzling flying sculptures The step-by-step instructions and detailed drawings guarantee that every kite is well-constructed with advice on selecting the right flying line and knotting it properly, making-full-sized patterns and templates, piecing and appliqueing motifs, and more. Follow tips on designing by computer to ensure that the sky's the limit when it comes to your own ideas; Learn the ropes, tricks, and techniques to expert kite flying, aerodynamics, and safety; Sixteen pages of colour photographs complement over 1,500 black and white illustrations

From the Author

Kite Flying for a New Generation
I want to thank amazon.com for the opportunity to comment on my book.

I’m extremely pleased to see how well the publisher (Black Dog & Leventhal) has updated and redesigned my kite book (formerly Kiteworks) for a whole new generation and millennium of kite fliers. In between the how-to there are lots of intriguing stories, fiction too, that readers can enjoy. Did you know a kite helped win the American Revolution? It’s in the book. The major goal of the book was to find design and building tips from talented kite builders spread about the globe—you’ll find detailed plans from some of the best designers—from Australia to New Jersey. I’ve also updated the resource area to include a new section containing suppliers of kite building materials, plus information about the latest kite innovation called Kite Traction—where kite "engines" are used to pull vehicles over land and water—an old concept now made practical with high tech materials. I have an article on kite traction, an adrenalin-rush kite story (50 mph on a kite buggy is possible), that will appear in Popular Science’s February ‘99 issue. The book also has updated information on designing kites on your computer (Macintosh & Windows), and a section on kite Web sites—a vast resource of information on the World Wide Web for kite enthusiasts.

A bit of kite philosophy: If you should lose your kite in flight, keep in mind that your next one will be better.

I look forward to hearing from you at my email address.

Fly High, Land Gently,

Eden --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

Kites: the project approach. 3 July 2000

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

After relying on Kites by David Pelham for over 20 years' of kite building, I found The Magnificent Book of Kites a useful addition. The author presents numerous designs as complete projects with very practical tips, ideas and other details. Includes many enlightening drawings that show easy solutions to construction problems we encountered so often. Get the hardcover edition, it's worth it.

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

An excellent well written and informative book 12 Nov 2001

Format:Paperback

A very well put together book, with an interesting history section and other general information about kites. Many good plans of kites to be made. The only downside being the plans which are included can at times be a little complicated

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

This book is a nice reprint of Kiteworks 28 April 1998

This book has a much better layout than Kiteworks, a 1989 book by Maxwell Eden. The plans are a little more oraganized. The only new material is the section that compares kitemaking materials. I think the overall flow is good and it provides a good introduction to making kites.