King of All Balloons ― The Adventurous Life of James Sadler, the First English Aeronaut

James Sadler was an extraordinary English pioneer who overcame many obstacles to achieve his dream of flying. Born the son of an Oxford pastry cook in 1753, he defied his lowly upbringing to become the first Englishman to build an air balloon. When not flying he applied himself to engine design and the medical uses of gases, and kept busy as a chemist to the Navy; he designed cannon praised by Nelson, firearms for the British East India Company and a prototype armored car. Aged 57, he became the first person to cross the Bristol Channel by air. Against the vivid backdrop of Georgian England, Mark Davies delves into the complex life of this adventurer, exploring the ups and the downs of his amazing career, from his first ascent to his support of the first Englishwoman to fly, and his eventual death in poverty. Sadler’s biography also encompasses the stories of his fellow aeronauts, be they courageous, inspired, risible or, occasionally, fatal. 

Mark Davies is an Oxford local historian and guide. Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, holds Guinness World Records for crossing the Atlantic by hot-air balloon in 1987 and crossing the Pacific by hot-air balloon in 1999. Don Cameron MBE is a Scottish balloonist and founder of Cameron Balloons, the largest manufacturer of hot-air balloons in the world.