Sonic Wind, Craig Ryan
Sonic Wind, Craig Ryan
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Sonic Wind
The Story of John Paul Stapp and How a Renegade Doctor Became the Fastest Man onEarth

Author: Craig Ryan

Narrator: Christopher Grove

Unabridged: 15 hr 37 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/24/2017

Synopsis

Sixty years ago, cars and airplanes were still deathtraps waiting to happen. Today, both are safer than ever, thanks in part to one pioneering air force doctor’s research on seatbelts and ejection seats. The exploits of John Paul Stapp (1910–1999) come to thrilling life in this biography of a Renaissance man who was once blasted—faster than a .45 caliber bullet—across the desert in his Sonic Wind rocket sled, only to be slammed to a stop in barely a second. The experiment put him on the cover of Time magazine and allowed his swashbuckling team to gather the data needed to revolutionize automobile and aircraft design. But Stapp didn’t stop there. From the legendary high-altitude balloon tests that ensued to the ferocious battles for car safety legislation, Craig Ryan’s book is as much a history of America’s transition into the Jet Age as it is a biography of the man who got us there safely.

About The Author

Craig Ryan is the author of acclaimed books on extreme adventure and scientific discovery in the stratosphere as well as the coproducer of the documentary film The Angry Sky. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Garrett

I put this book down for a few years because parts can be dry, but I’m glad to have picked it back up. John Paul Stapp may be the least known person to have saved so many lives. Sacrificing his own body through grueling experiments, he developed safety harnesses that would be used for pilots, astron......more

Goodreads review by Hlsmlane

My delusions of adequacy were completely obliterated in reading this book. People like Stapp are often called overachievers, but that's not quite adequate. Stapp's life story shows him to be brilliant and driven, having many talents and interests, but above all, focussed. It seems contradictory that......more

Goodreads review by Eileen

This is a well-written and compelling story about a little-known part of history. I've been stationed at both Edwards AFB and Holloman AFB and can attest to the accuracy of the research that went into the book. I've read all of Craig Ryan's books and have enjoyed all of them!......more

Goodreads review by Harshad

A very readable book. This book hold specially interest for me because of my background in vehicle accidents but the author's language makers it easy for the layman to follow the engineering aspects of Stapp's work. The language is also easy and the story moves at a good pace.......more

Goodreads review by Alphonse

This is an amazing book about an amazing person. It is baffling to me that John Paul Stapp it not a household name. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone......more

Quotes

A beautifully presented and admiring portrait of Stapp…. Mr. Ryan demonstrates a gift for making the complex science of Stapp’s experiments understandable, and he is equally skilled at capturing the spirit of his subject.—Patrick Cooke, Wall Street Journal

Compelling and compulsively readable…a curious but charming tale, the story of a man who courted danger—and death—in the ultimate pursuit of safety. Sonic Wind is an engrossing read, and Ryan brings his unlikely hero to life, deftly describing Stapp’s missionary zeal—inherited, presumably, from his parents—for safety. —Emily Anthes, Washington Post

A fine, groundbreaking biography of one of aeromedical sciences’ more legendary figures.—John Carver Edwards, Library Journal, Starred review

[The] remarkable, almost-forgotten story of an aerospace pioneer. …Ryan's full-length biography uncovers the private man, Stapp's offbeat sense of humor, his awkward love life, his passion for classical music, and his friendships with daring test pilots Chuck Yeager and Joe Kittinger, fellow trailblazers whose fame has persisted. A consistently fine appreciation of the medical maverick who, as much as any other, helped make the Space Age possible.—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

Remarkable…[an] intriguing book about this unusual and mostly intriguing man.—Michael Merschel, Dallas Morning News

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