In praise of Kite Lines

The best kite magazine there has ever been was undoubtedly Kite Lines. This was started as an occasional journal (around 3 issues a year) in 1977 by noted American kitefliers Mel and Valerie Govig. After Mel's death in 1999, Valerie continued it for a bit, but personal and financial problems overcame her and the magazine ceased publication in 2000. It was and still is greatly missed.

What made Kite Lines so special was its combination of fine pictures, fine articles and fine production quality. The writing was done by kitefliers, for kitefliers, peer-reviewed and scrupulously edited to produce compressed but in-depth and accurate prose, reliable for the expert but readable for the novice. The photography and illustrations were researched and selected for informational value as well as visual impact. The pages were designed to enhance and clarify the stories and the reading experience. Finally, Kite Lines was printed in full color on glossy stock. Many of the articles are not just of historic interest but are equally relevant today.

Back numbers of Kite Lines are greatly prized (I have a nearly complete set) but have also been preserved in electronic format. If you do not know the magazine, or have some missing numbers, you should certainly go to
http://www.kitelife.com/library/kitelines/