Written by gifted storyteller Winston Groom (author of Forrest Gump), The Aviators tells the saga of three extraordinary aviators--Charles Lindbergh, Eddie Rickenbacker, and Jimmy Doolittle--and how they redefine heroism through their genius, daring, and uncommon courage.
This is the fascinating story of three extraordinary heroes who defined aviation during the great age of flight. These cleverly interwoven tales of their heart-stopping adventures take us from the feats of World War I through the heroism of World War II and beyond, including daring military raids and survival-at-sea, and will appeal to fans of Unbroken, The Greatest Generation, andFlyboys. With the world in peril in World War II, each man set aside great success and comfort to return to the skies for his most daring mission yet. Doolittle, a brilliant aviation innovator, would lead the daring Tokyo Raid to retaliate for Pearl Harbor; Lindbergh, hero of the first solo flight across the Atlantic, would fly combat missions in the South Pacific; and Rickenbacker, World War I flying ace, would bravely hold his crew together while facing near-starvation and circling sharks after his plane went down in a remote part of the Pacific. Groom's rich narrative tells their intertwined stories--from broken homes to Medals of Honor (all three would receive it); barnstorming to the greatest raid of World War II; front-page triumph to anguished tragedy; and near-death to ultimate survival--as all took to the sky, time and again, to become exemplars of the spirit of the "greatest generation."
Review
''This is a winner, combining an engaging narrative and appropriate documentation into one solid study of three iconic aviators and their times.'' --Library Journal, starred review
''Groom is at his best sharing history through the personal stories of the people involved. Not only is this history a learning experience, it is a joy to experience the suspenseful adventures of these extraordinary aviators as they spent their lives developing and promoting aviation in this country. An important narrative not to be missed!'' --Stephanie Crowe, Page and Palette Bookstore
''This is a winner, combining an engaging narrative and appropriate documentation into one solid study of three iconic aviators and their times. Recommended for students of military history and biography, as well as aviation historians and enthusiasts.'' --Library Journal (starred review)
About the Author
WINSTON GROOM, a bestselling author, wrote the acclaimed Vietnam War novel Better Times Than These, the prizewinning As Summers Die, Gone the Sun, and Only. He coauthored Conversations with the Enemy, which was nominated for a 1984 Pulitzer Prize. His best known works are the #1 New York Times bestsellers Forrest Gump and Gumpisms: The Wit and Wisdom of Forrest Gump. The phenomenal hit film Forrest Gump garnered six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor. Groom is also the author of Shrouds of Glory, an account of Confederate General John Bell Hood's decisive actions in the lost great campaign of the Civil War. He lives in Point Clear, Alabama.
Description:
Written by gifted storyteller Winston Groom (author of Forrest Gump), The Aviators tells the saga of three extraordinary aviators--Charles Lindbergh, Eddie Rickenbacker, and Jimmy Doolittle--and how they redefine heroism through their genius, daring, and uncommon courage.
This is the fascinating story of three extraordinary heroes who defined aviation during the great age of flight. These cleverly interwoven tales of their heart-stopping adventures take us from the feats of World War I through the heroism of World War II and beyond, including daring military raids and survival-at-sea, and will appeal to fans of Unbroken, The Greatest Generation, andFlyboys. With the world in peril in World War II, each man set aside great success and comfort to return to the skies for his most daring mission yet. Doolittle, a brilliant aviation innovator, would lead the daring Tokyo Raid to retaliate for Pearl Harbor; Lindbergh, hero of the first solo flight across the Atlantic, would fly combat missions in the South Pacific; and Rickenbacker, World War I flying ace, would bravely hold his crew together while facing near-starvation and circling sharks after his plane went down in a remote part of the Pacific. Groom's rich narrative tells their intertwined stories--from broken homes to Medals of Honor (all three would receive it); barnstorming to the greatest raid of World War II; front-page triumph to anguished tragedy; and near-death to ultimate survival--as all took to the sky, time and again, to become exemplars of the spirit of the "greatest generation."
Review
''This is a winner, combining an engaging narrative and appropriate documentation into one solid study of three iconic aviators and their times.'' --Library Journal, starred review
''Groom is at his best sharing history through the personal stories of the people involved. Not only is this history a learning experience, it is a joy to experience the suspenseful adventures of these extraordinary aviators as they spent their lives developing and promoting aviation in this country. An important narrative not to be missed!'' --Stephanie Crowe, Page and Palette Bookstore
''This is a winner, combining an engaging narrative and appropriate documentation into one solid study of three iconic aviators and their times. Recommended for students of military history and biography, as well as aviation historians and enthusiasts.'' --Library Journal (starred review)
About the Author
WINSTON GROOM, a bestselling author, wrote the acclaimed Vietnam War novel Better Times Than These, the prizewinning As Summers Die, Gone the Sun, and Only. He coauthored Conversations with the Enemy, which was nominated for a 1984 Pulitzer Prize. His best known works are the #1 New York Times bestsellers Forrest Gump and Gumpisms: The Wit and Wisdom of Forrest Gump. The phenomenal hit film Forrest Gump garnered six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor. Groom is also the author of Shrouds of Glory, an account of Confederate General John Bell Hood's decisive actions in the lost great campaign of the Civil War. He lives in Point Clear, Alabama.