Hot air balloons were the first real creations which allowed people to stay up in the sky for long periods. The romance of travel by the hot air balloon was popularized by the enormously successful novel, "Around the World in Eighty Days", where the protagonist of the story used a hot air balloon to cover an exciting leg of his trip. With some modifications here and there, the concept of the hot air balloon was used to create blimps - huge air balloons filled with hydrogen or helium and carrying passengers in their "bellies". ...

• Word Count: 633
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Burnt By The Sun Critique Burnt By The Sun takes place in Stalin-era Russia, beginning with a very peculiar scene where a young man, apparently an employee of the state, visits with this father before he goes on an assignment. The scene is then suddenly changed to the Russian countryside, where...

• Word Count: 469
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School