The Aviators, Winston Groom
The Aviators, Winston Groom
258 Rating(s)
List: $22.95 | Sale: $16.07
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The Aviators
Eddie Rickenbacker, Jimmy Doolittle, Charles Lindbergh, and the Epic Age of Flight

Author: Winston Groom

Narrator: Robertson Dean

Unabridged: 17 hr 23 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/05/2013


Synopsis

Gifted storyteller Winston Groom, the bestselling author of Forrest Gump, has written the fascinating story of three extraordinary heroes who defined aviation during the great age of flight: Charles Lindbergh, Eddie Rickenbacker, and Jimmy Doolittle. 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, and Flyboys.With the world in peril during 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 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 the intertwined stories—from broken homes to Medals of Honor (all three would receive one), barnstorming to the greatest raid of World War II, front-page triumph to anguished tragedy, and near-death to ultimate survival—of these three men who took to the sky, time and again, to become exemplars of the spirit of the "greatest generation."

About Winston Groom

Winston Groom (1943–2020) was a bestselling author best known for the #1 New York Times bestsellers Forrest Gump and Gumpisms: The Wit and Wisdom of Forrest Gump. He also wrote many nonfiction works, including the prizewinning Shrouds of Glory; Conversations with the Enemy, which was a Pulitzer Prize finalist; and 1942: The Year That Tried Men's Souls; among others.

About Robertson Dean

Robertson Dean has played leading roles on and off Broadway and at dozens of regional theaters throughout the country. He has a BA from Tufts University and an MFA from Yale. His audiobook narration has garnered ten AudioFile Earphones Awards. He now lives in Los Angeles, where he works in film and television in addition to narrating.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Boudewijn on February 26, 2017

This book deals with the three aviation pioneers Charles Lindbergh, Eddie Rickenbacker and Jimmy Doolittle who are responsible for their achievements to the development of aviation history. All three men have on thing in common: all contributed to the development of the American aviation. Rickenbacke......more

Goodreads review by Bon Tom on March 14, 2022

Books like this leave me speechless. Unbelievable epic that really happened. Moreover, this is several real life hero characters, each with several of their monumental adventures. And each one of them influenced the aviation in paradigm-changing ways. Phenomenal book with huge re-reading value. Kudo......more

Goodreads review by Frank on August 03, 2016

As with the Generals, Groom portrays three pioneers of flight, Lindbergh, Rickenbacker and Doolittle. All three men certainly in their younger years living on the edge in an area of flight where many lost their lives due to faulty equipment, weather, and poor flying techniques. I was amazed by Ricke......more

Goodreads review by Barnabas on December 06, 2020

I knew Groom from his fiction, but his history is tremendous. He is David McCullough-esque in his ability to weave the narrative of history together. I learned so much from this book and was captivated for the duration.......more

Goodreads review by Jesper on December 19, 2020

The best book I have listened to this year and of the best ever. Did not know that much in depth about the three. So, it was very interesting to get to know more about them, on the backdrop of bits of relevant twentieth century history. With aviation technology history in between. Robertson Deans 'M......more


Quotes

“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)

Joint biography of three legendary pilots…The author convincingly portrays them as true American heroes, men who changed the world by their deeds and who inspired countless others to emulate their examples. A gripping document of a brilliant era in our history and a few of the men who helped make it so.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)