There was a large turnout of 25 readers on the patio inside Piedmont Community Hall on Oct. 6 for the Piedmont Recreation Department’s monthly First Mondays Reading Group discussion.
The group gathered to talk about their October nonfiction selection, The Wright Brothers by David McCullough. Published in 2015, the book chronicles the lives and achievements of American inventors and aviation pioneers Orville and Wilbur Wright. It spent seven weeks on The New York Times Nonfiction Best Sellers list and was widely praised by critics and historians. Janet Maslin of The New York Times described it as a “concise, exciting and fact-packed book [that] sees the easy segue between bicycling and aerial locomotion, which at that point was mostly a topic for bird fanciers and dreamers.”
The biography tells of the brothers’ childhoods, their entrepreneurial spirit as bicycle shop owners, and their pursuit of manned flight. It also describes their challenges, the legal issues tied to protecting their patents, and their eventual global recognition. One reader compared the book to a Ken Burns documentary.
The readers were universally impressed by the Wright brothers’ genius, ingenuity, curiosity, and perseverance. Their risk tolerance and careful study of how birds fly were especially striking. The brothers ran a bicycle shop to earn a living, but their focus—and likely obsession—was achieving flight. Readers noted it was unsurprising that they never married or seemed to have lives outside their work.
Many were disappointed by the lack of early U.S. government support for the brothers’ efforts, noting that the French showed greater interest in flight. The discussion reflected on how the late 19th and early 20th centuries were an age of innovation, with the telephone, automobiles, and other transformative inventions emerging. Several readers commented on the pace of technological change then and drew parallels to the present day.
The group agreed that human flight was transformative for civilization. Some wondered why it had taken so long to achieve, while others noted both the positive and negative consequences of flight, particularly in warfare. The readers also compared the Wright brothers’ accomplishments to those of J. Robert Oppenheimer and expressed surprise that the brothers’ full lives have not received more historical attention.
Participants appreciated learning about the Wrights’ sister, Katharine, whose significant contributions to their success have often been overlooked. The trio’s accomplishments were contrasted with the more ordinary lives of their other siblings, which several readers found both interesting and familiar in family dynamics.
The group generally enjoyed McCullough’s writing style, though some felt the book could have used tighter editing. One participant summed it up as “liked but not loved.” A few found parts repetitive, especially in the second half, but agreed the middle section describing the first flights was the book’s high point. The later chapters, focusing on legal battles over patents, were less exciting but showed the brothers’ business acumen.
Everyone agreed it had been a lively discussion. Several noted they might not have picked up the book on their own and were glad the group had chosen it.
Members also appreciated the diversity of life experiences within the group, which adds richness to their discussions.
The readers had previously selected Euphoria by Lily King for November and Differ We Must by Steve Inskeep for December. After Bob Hall’s presentation of three fiction options, they chose Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton for January. With their business concluded, the group took a photo together in the circle outside the Community Hall.
The group will meet on the patio outside the Community Hall for their next discussion that will be on November 3rd at 1:30 PM. New readers are welcome. There is no fee to participate, but registration is required. Go to https://bit.ly/3R86PP4, or call the Recreation Department at 510 420-3070, to register.
