H. G. Wells' prophetic The War in the Air foretold the use of airplanes in warfare and the coming of World War I. First serialized in 1907 and published in book form in 1908, the novel tells the story of the forward-thinking tinkerer Bert Smallways. Alfred Butteridge is said to be the only English aviator to know the "secret of the flying machine." When Bert Smallways accidentally falls into Butteridge's hot air balloon, he soon finds himself

Think A.A. Milne's literary legacy begins and ends with the Winnie-the-Pooh stories? Think again. Milne was a prolific writer, and actually came to prefer writing for adults over time. This collection of humorous short sketches, stories, and vignettes is a perfect introduction to Milne's output for those who have long since graduated from kindergarten.

Although P.G. Wodehouse's woebegone protagonists are usually young men, in Jill the Reckless the master of British humor turns his attention to the fairer sex. Jill Mariner's young adulthood is beset by an array of mishaps and misfortunes—but will she work her way out of the wreckage and find true love? If you're already a Wodehouse fan, you can probably guess the correct answer, but dip into Jill the Reckless to hear the tale