Sonic Wind

Praise

A beautifully presented and admiring portrait of Stapp…. Mr. Ryan demonstrates a gift for making the complex science of Stapp’s experiments understandable, and he is equally skilled at capturing the spirit of his subject.—Patrick Cooke, Wall Street Journal

Compelling and compulsively readable…a curious but charming tale, the story of a man who courted danger—and death—in the ultimate pursuit of safety. Sonic Wind is an engrossing read, and Ryan brings his unlikely hero to life, deftly describing Stapp’s missionary zeal—inherited, presumably, from his parents—for safety. —Emily Anthes, Washington Post

A fine, groundbreaking biography of one of aeromedical sciences’ more legendary figures.—John Carver Edwards, Library Journal, Starred review

[The] remarkable, almost-forgotten story of an aerospace pioneer. …Ryan’s full-length biography uncovers the private man, Stapp’s offbeat sense of humor, his awkward love life, his passion for classical music, and his friendships with daring test pilots Chuck Yeager and Joe Kittinger, fellow trailblazers whose fame has persisted. A consistently fine appreciation of the medical maverick who, as much as any other, helped make the Space Age possible.—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

Remarkable…[an] intriguing book about this unusual and mostly intriguing man.—Michael Merschel, Dallas Morning News