Lindbergh

Finished this book just after the holiday. It took me nearly a month to get through as the part time reader that I am. Written by A. Scott Berg, a book of nearly 600 pages, with copious additional notes and indexes. Berg has also authored a biography of Katherine Hepburn, a book my bride enjoyed very much. The publisher, Putnam, released the book 1998.

After the introduction as Lindbergh being the man we are know as a famous pilot, the book shifts into a consistent chronological background. Beginning with the patriarchal grandfather a Swedish politician who was disgraced and left for America with his mistress. To his aloof father who after earning his fortune in real estate, became a member of the House of Representatives. The father after serving a few terms fell into a pattern of bipolar behavior that lasted decades till his death. Charles was raised as in independent young man of self reliance, the interpersonal things did not come easily. After a short stint at the University of Wisconsin Charles became engrossed in motorcycles and then airplanes. With no experience Lindbergh bough a WWI surplus Jenny airplane and with that learned to fly. From there Lindbergh moved to St Louis and became a barnstormer. From barnstorming the pilot joined the Army Air Corp and learned flying to discrete rules. From there Lindbergh was one of the pioneers in the new air mail business. All the while Lindbergh was honing is flying skills and building a group of aviation admirers.

In the late twenties the science of aircraft building was closing in on the range required to cross the Atlantic in a single leap. A Paris group offered a large price for the first successful trans Atlantic trip. Lindbergh arranged for a group of investors has a plane build and, as we know, did the thing. The thing propelled Lindbergh into the most famous person on earth. For the rest of his life Lindbergh rode this feat of bravery to feed his thirst aviation, scientific curiosity in bio mechanics and later a passion for "tree-hugging".

On his personal side, Lindbergh did not date, in his late twenties he met and married the wife of a New York banker and later diplomat to Mexico, Anne Morrow. Morrow was the second sister with the finest education and training that her father could provide. After the marriage the two travelled extensively both on business for the new airline companies and for personal enjoyment. Anne's travelling was cut back by the birth of their first son. Two years later that son was kidnapped and killed leaving scars on the parents that are not surprising. In time more children came and all became strong people.

During WWII Lindbergh flew in the South Pacific, server as a high end advisor for pilots in once place increasing the range of P57's by 200 miles. Because of prewar political opposition to Roosevelt and a mis-reported allegiance to the Germans, Lindbergh was banned from fighter pilot positions. Lindbergh managed to gain trust and flew on the sly, shooting down one Zero. After the war Lindbergh toured Germany and was permitted entrance into some of underground the V2 missile factories.

After the war Lindbergh developed a passion for the environment that carried him till his passing in Hawaii in August of 1974.

This was a very good book, if you like biographies get this, it should be in the used bookstores cheap.