Ballooning, like the Enlightenment, was a Europe-wide movement and a massive cultural phenomenon. Lynn argues that in order to understand the importance of science during the age of the Enlightenment and Atlantic revolutions, it is crucial to explain how and why ballooning entered and stayed in the public consciousness.
Introduction; Chapter 1 The Emergence of Aeronautics; Chapter 2 The Enlightenment and the Utility of Ballooning; Chapter 3 Balloonists and their Audience; Chapter 4 Controlling the Skies: States and Balloons; Chapter 5 Consuming Balloons; Chapter 6 Balloons Inspiring Consumption; conclusion Conclusion: Romanticizing Enlightened Balloons;
