Romain Gary’s bittersweet final masterpiece is “epic and empathetic” (BBC) and “one of his best” (The New York Times) The Kites begins with a young boy, Ludo, coming of age on a small farm in Normandy under the care of his eccentric kite-making Uncle Ambrose. Ludo’s life changes the day he meets Lila, a girl from the aristocratic Polish family that owns the estate next door. In a single glance, Ludo falls in love forever; Lila, on the other hand, disappears back into the woods. And so begins Ludo’s adventure of longing, passion, and love for the elusive Lila, who begins to reciprocate his feelings just as Europe descends into World War II. After Germany invades Poland, Lila and her family go missing, and Ludo’s devotion to saving her from the Nazis becomes a journey to save his love, his loved ones, his country, and ultimately himself. Filled with unforgettable characters who fling all they have into the fight to keep their hopes—and themselves—alive, The Kites is Romain Gary’s poetic call for resistance in whatever form it takes. A war hero himself, Gary embraced and fought for humanity in all its nuanced complexities, in the belief that a hero might be anyone who has the courage to love and hope.

Provides step-by-step instruction for designing a variety of kites, and offers tips on material selection and flying techniques.

Afghanistan, 1975: Twelve-year-old Amir is desperate to win the local kite-fighting tournament and his loyal friend Hassan promises to help him. But neither of the boys can foresee what will happen to Hassan that afternoon, an event that is to shatter their lives. After the Russians invade and the family is forced to flee to America, Amir realises that one day he must return to Afghanistan under Taliban rule to find the one thing that his new world cannot grant him: redemption.

This book gives a visual explanation of the physics of kites in flight and with many pictures and related exercises for you to try. With 125 pictures, illustrations, and 65 exercises it answers the questions: Are tails required on a kite? How can I improve the flight of my kite? What are the forces that act on my kite? What changes can I try? Do kites glide? What are some applications of kites that I can explore? Quotes: "You have done a wonderful job. I think a lot of people will find this very useful for teaching and for getting their kites to fly! I wish I had had this book when I was a kid." John Bognar, PhD. "It's fun. An excellent resource and learning tool for students and educators. An enjoyable stepping stone into the physics of flight. I highly recommend this book." Christine Traboulssi, Kite builder "It is fantastic! This is a comprehensive and readable discussion covering many unknowns of kite flying... the author brings a wealth of experience and practices to fliers of all ages." Geoff Bland, NASA

The first book ever to present a clear guide to making 15 traditional Japanese kites unique in color and shape. Also introduces the history and the artistry of Japanses kites.

Easy-to-follow illustrated instructions show how to create more than 50 awesome, airborne objects — everything from simple bag kites to Vietnamese, Snake, Dutch, Dragon, Bullet, Delta, and Flowform flyers.