The Little Balloonist

Linda Donn

nov. 2006 · Vendu par Penguin

À propos de cet ebook

A soaring love story set in Napoleonic France 

This irresistible literary debut novel was inspired by the life of Sophie Blanchard, one of the first women to fly.

In Paris, a young widow inherits her late husband’s considerable debts, as well as his celebrated hydrogen balloon. Drawn by the allure of flight despite its dangers, Sophie takes to the skies with a boldness that wins her fame throughout the country. Along with her new celebrity, Sophie wins the love of two very different men: one, her faithful childhood friend Andre Giroux, and the other a brash young Napoleon Bonaparte, soon to be emperor of France.

Beautifully written and enriched with seven historical etchings, The Little Balloonist distills themes of love, freedom, and loyalty into a powerful tale that brings to mind bestselling historical fiction like Silk by Allessandro Baricco and I Was Amelia Earhart by Jane Mendelsohn. BACKCOVER: “Exquisite and beautiful . . . It will break your heart and take your breath away.”
—National Book Award–winning author Lily Tuck 

“Delightful. . . . Glimpses of the history of primitive flight, tales of high romance and juicy anecdotes about Napoleon make this sweet novel soar. . . . Charming and smart—singularly high-spirited historical fiction.”
—Kirkus Reviews 

“Whimsical . . . as pretty and slight as its heroine.”
—Publishers Weekly

Quelques mots sur l'auteur

Linda Donn is the author of Freud and Jung: Years of Friendship, Years of Loss. She holds an MA in clinical psychology from the New School for Social Research. She and her husband have three children and divide their time between New York City and Vermont.