Since this book was written, nearly fifteen years ago, there has been a rapid growth of interest in kites. Not only have kite-flying clubs flourished in many countries, but professional aerodynamicists have become more seriously concerned than ever before in practical applications of the kite principle. Many new books have been published dealing with virtually every branch of the subject and several kiting journals have been founded.
The first edition of Kites: an Historical Survey has been out of print for a number of years. When contemplating the preparation of a revised edition, I necessarily gave serious thought to the new place which it would hold in the literature. Rather than attempt to duplicate the excellent work which has recently appeared on eastern kites, modern kites, and new technological developments, I thought it best to continue to concentrate on the area with which the book mas always most con-cerned, namely the very early history of the subject. Accordingly I have made only a few changes in the chapters on exotic and modern kites. Elsewhere the changes range from the correction of occasional typos and small factual errors to the com-plete rewriting of Chapter 4 (Early European Kites). Many new plates and figures have been introduced, and I have appended to the original bibliography a check-list of additional material mainly relevant to the prehistory of kites.
University of Essex, Colchester
May 1980
