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The man, the mission Passarola Rising
He was a Brazilian–born priest, who after completing his studies, sailed for Portugal, where he worked on the concept of the flying ship, the Passarola, which means the Great Bird, hybrid of a balloon and a glider. There is not enough proof that it ever carried human cargo, but there is ample proof that Bartolomeu’s first demonstration of a flying model precedes the Montgolfier hot air balloon experiment by over seventy years. The author builds his story on Bartolomeu and his thought process. His younger brother, Alexandre Lourenco, witness to the struggle of his inventor brother, helped Bartolomeu in his project. The author writes on behalf of Alexandre, who had promised Bartolomeu that if anything happened to the latter, he would be a witness. The author brings out the never-say-die attitude of Bartolomeu, who had to, at times, go hungry for his work. Like all path breakers, Bartolomeu, too, got brickbats, but he persevered and realised his dream of inventing a flying machine. There were people of the Church who did not want secrets of the skies to be unfolded to mankind, but Bartolomeu persisted. Though he was ordained as a priest, he thought like a scientist. He said: "It is a harder to prove the presence of God than His absence." This led Bartolomeu to earning the ire of the Inquisition, who tried to arrest him for sorcery. The book deals with the challenges that Bartolomeu and his brother may have faced from the Inquisition, a body of the Catholic Church to persecute heresy. Abidi has captured the thrill of flying and succeeds in transporting the reader to that era. The author ably brings about the sheer thrill of flying in the 1731. He narrates with enthusiasm the reactions of the people who would "hear the bleating of a sheep or the quacking of a poor duck with no animal in sight until the shadow of a balloon with a basket dangling underneath floated past." The adventures have been narrated with the right words. Bartolomeu had to flee to Spain, where after working further on his invention, he died of fever in 1724. The book on the life of Bartolomeu reminds one of The Alchemist, international bestseller by Paulo Coelho, where he talks of the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts. The author besides bringing out the confusion of Bartolomeu, also brings out the relationship between the brothers beautifully. Alexandre is in awe of his elder brother and finds it an honour when his brother chooses him to assist him in the new venture. He is happy to play the second fiddle and trusts his brother completely. He also enjoys all the privileges that come with the office. His brother takes all the perks in his stride for his focus is the great ship and how to ward off the Inquisition. It is the younger brother who puts the lighter vein in the story.
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The history of aviation
has fascinated generations. The first attempts at flying with balloon or
crude gliders have been a matter of curiosity. Though we have succeeded
in crossing the sound barrier, yet the past continues to intrigue. How
did the idea of flying cross the mind of man? What led him to think
beyond the limits? Was there never the fear of the unknown? To look for
answers, Azhar Abidi traces the life of Bartolomeu Lourenco de Gusmao, a
pioneer in aviation history.