Since Wilbur and Orville Wright's first machine-powered flight, adventurers have pondered the prospect of flying around the world. Though in the early 20th century the idea seemed as plausible as traveling to Mars, aviators made their first attempts in the wake of World War I and have never looked back. This history of around-the-world flights explores the endeavor, starting with the first tentative journeys that allowed changing aircraft en route due to expected breakdowns. Once flying machines demonstrated reliable performance over global distances, a period of one-upmanship emerged, with...