The Penguin book of kites - David Pelham

The kite is now enjoying a world revival that has to do partly with its functional beauty, partly with its paradoxical quality of providing exercise and relaxation to both mind and body. Offsetting the neurotic intensity of modern living, it serves as a fragile reminder of a slower, gentler and altogether more pleasurable way of life.

To build and fly new configurations, embodying the grace and efficiency of absolute simplicity, allows the individual to experience for himself something of the fulfilment of man’s ancient dream of flight.

This book is a comprehensive and thoroughly illustrated introduction to kites and kiting, covering in detail their history, their making and their flying. It contrasts the highly decorative models of the east with the more functional and aerodynamically efficient western types. Over one hundred detailed and tested kite patterns are included, giving all the information required to build kites, ranging from folded paper versions that can be made in moments to highly efficient and complicated giants capable of lifting a man.