Aviation Novels

maximus

maximus

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I just finished reading TRACON by Paul McElroy and am now franticly looking for another book. What aviation books do you recommend?

Maximus
 
The High and the Mighty
Skunk Works
Black Watch (I think that is the title...it is by Earnst Gann)

Len
 
Len Lanetti said:
The High and the Mighty
Skunk Works
Black Watch (I think that is the title...it is by Earnst Gann)

Len
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I do have a copy of "Fate is the Hunter" somewhere at home. Most of our books are boxed up while we remodel the house.
 
OK I just ordered "Fate is the Hunter" After looking at the 78 reviews only one person gave him less than a 5 star rating.
 
"Flight of the Old Dog", by Dale Brown. Adventure tale centered around a tricked-out BUFF.

-Skip
 
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Something by John Nance, Stephen Coonts, or Dale Brown. Actually, I've only read 4 or 5 of John Nance's but they were all good stories.
 
Fate is the Hunter (have not read it yet) and Flight of Passage by Rinker Buck. both bought after asking the same Q here (or maybe AOPA)
 
I just picked up another book (albeit not strictly an aviation book) which you all may enjoy: Acts of Faith by Philip Caputo. Caputo is most famous for A Rumor of War, his memoir of the Vietnam War. I’m partial to The Horn of Africa, originally published in 1980 but eerily relevant (and sadly not much read and discussed) today.

Acts of Faith follows journalists and relief pilots in the proverbially war-torn parts of Africa. I’m only a few chapters in so far, and it’s good.

The NY Times Book Review agrees: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/03/books/03kaku.html?


I have posted other recommendations on my Web site at:


http://www.bruceair.com/aviation_books.htm
 
Pale Moon Rising is a Tom Clancy type novel by Scott Perdue.
Scott flew F-15s;
If youi like that kind of stuff.

Dave
 
Steve said:
Non-fiction is more appealing to me than fiction...
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I agree with you on Non-fiction being more appealing. The funny thing is Tracon was my first fiction novel I have read cover to cover. In high school I used cliff notes to avoid reading the "classics"
 
maximus said:
I just finished reading TRACON by Paul McElroy and am now franticly looking for another book. What aviation books do you recommend?

Maximus
Click to expand...

FLYING CIRCUS by Earnest K Gann, Although it is not quite a "Fate Is Hunter" is a close second with its vivid, period paintings in color of aeronautical scenes that could not be captured on film, like a Ford Trimotor in a lightning storm.

His command of the english language remains real, real good...
 
maximus said:
OK I just ordered "Fate is the Hunter" After looking at the 78 reviews only one person gave him less than a 5 star rating.
Click to expand...
Hmmm. At the risk of committing sacrilege, I will say it was OK. Perhaps my expectations were too high when I read it. 3 stars.
 
maximus said:
OK I just ordered "Fate is the Hunter" After looking at the 78 reviews only one person gave him less than a 5 star rating.
Click to expand...


You will love it. I have read it several times. That man had nine lives and used every one of them in a cockpit.

Jim G

Sorry, Ken, gotta disagree with you on that one. But thats why them call them opinions, right?
 
maximus said:
OK I just ordered "Fate is the Hunter" After looking at the 78 reviews only one person gave him less than a 5 star rating.
Click to expand...

What was wrong with that one person?
 
Skip Miller said:
"Flight of the Old Dog", by Dale Brown. Adventure tale centered around a tricked-out BUFF.

-Skip
Click to expand...

The first in a long line of recommended books by Dale Brown.
 
Ghery said:
What was wrong with that one person?
Click to expand...


2 out of 5 stars
Reviewer:

Ralph Bufkin "rbuf" (St. Simons Island, GA United States) - See all my reviewsThis 1986 paperback does not contain all of the material included in the original edition of 1961. There are numerous experiences and anecdotes omitted. For example, the episode on which the movie, "Fate is the Hunter" is based, is not included in this new edition. Some of the best material has been left out
 
Sir Francis Chichester wrote a wonderful book, "Sea and Sky" featuring his adventures in single handed ocean crossings and his solo flight around the world. It's written in a style part Ernest Gann, part Tristan Jones.

Sir Chichester writes of crashing into wires in Japan at an altitude of...7,000 msl. He lived. For more on that you'll have to find the book, it's worth the search.
 
maximus said:
2 out of 5 stars
Reviewer:

Ralph Bufkin "rbuf" (St. Simons Island, GA United States) - See all my reviewsThis 1986 paperback does not contain all of the material included in the original edition of 1961. There are numerous experiences and anecdotes omitted. For example, the episode on which the movie, "Fate is the Hunter" is based, is not included in this new edition. Some of the best material has been left out
Click to expand...

Interesting. I enjoyed "Fate is the Hunter" so much that I purchased a first edition for my personal aviation library. I wonder what is missing out of the paperback? Time for a comparison read...
 
I have John Nance, The Last Hostage available for the asking. 737 into Telluride. Send an note with a USPS address.

Eric
 
Richard said:
Sir Francis Chichester wrote a wonderful book, "Sea and Sky" featuring his adventures in single handed ocean crossings and his solo flight around the world. It's written in a style part Ernest Gann, part Tristan Jones.

Sir Chichester writes of crashing into wires in Japan at an altitude of...7,000 msl. He lived. For more on that you'll have to find the book, it's worth the search.
Click to expand...

Is this full title; LONELY SEA AND THE SKY ?

That's all I could find as I was searching in Barnes & Noble online after ordering:

"Fly The Biggest Piece Back"

Thanks
 
Dave, I don't remember the title exactly and I don't see it on any shelf...I think you got it.


You're gonna like, "Fly the biggest piece back".
 
"Island in the Sky", an early (first?) novel by Ernest Gann. Also a good movie, if you can find it, with a great cast largely unknown at the time, ~1950 I think. John Wayne was known of course, but also a young James Arness (pre-Gunsmoke), Andy Devine, Lloyd Nolan, and a bunch of others not well known at the time.

Hunter
 
Biplane, Richard Bach

The reason I became interested in flying.
 
Re: Aviation Novels Pariot Head Thread Creep

HandsfieldAndy Devine[/QUOTE said:
Andy Devine!?

The only other time I've heard the name Andy Devine....Jimmy Buffet song...that goes something like "...I wish I had a pencil thin mustache....".

I always figured he was an old time actor based on the context of the song.

Len
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Re: Aviation Novels Pariot Head Thread Creep

Len Lanetti said:
Andy Devine!?

The only other time I've heard the name Andy Devine....Jimmy Buffet song...that goes something like "...I wish I had a pencil thin mustache....".

I always figured he was an old time actor based on the context of the song.

Len
Click to expand...

Len. Andy Devine was in most of the westerns of the 40's and 50's.
 
Moondog's Academy of the Air and Other Disasters. Peter Fusco
Funniest aviation related publication I ever read. Someone on AOPA webboard suggested it a while back.
Illusions. Richard Bach
Quirky, but very entertaining.
 
I was younger when I read it, and hadn't started flying yet, but the book Airframe by Michael Crichton was really good, I thought. I should read it again to see how I like it now!
 
NickDBrennan said:
I was younger when I read it, and hadn't started flying yet, but the book Airframe by Michael Crichton was really good, I thought. I should read it again to see how I like it now!
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i liked it the second time too (-: i was a student pilot the first time; then i bought the book for my son (he's in A&P training) and reread it.
 
maximus said:
2 out of 5 stars
Reviewer:

Ralph Bufkin "rbuf" (St. Simons Island, GA United States) - See all my reviewsThis 1986 paperback does not contain all of the material included in the original edition of 1961. There are numerous experiences and anecdotes omitted. For example, the episode on which the movie, "Fate is the Hunter" is based, is not included in this new edition. Some of the best material has been left out
Click to expand...

OK. I can buy that criticism. Applies only to the paperback version...
 
Can anyone verify the allegedly missing text in the Fate is the Hunter? My wife bought a new copy for me last Christmas, to replace the pages-falling-out old one I had read like, 20 times, and I have never noted anything missing.

I also endorse the Rinker Buck, Flight of Passage. Also, Flying South by Barbara Cushman Rowell.
 
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