Good Reads

tawood

tawood

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Tim
I'm always looking for some good aviation-related books...I like non-fiction, and I also tend to favor WWII...here are a couple of my favorites:

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One of the best WWII non-fictions...

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A great bush pilot book...
 
I don't have a picture of the cover but I'm currently reading Beryl Markham's memoir West With The Night. It's not all aviation - there's a lot about her childhood in Kenya and days as a horse trainer. But what aviation there is, is good, and it's all very well written (no less than Ernest Hemingway wrote that "this girl can write rings around all of us").
 
My grandfather has written a few books, none of which I've read since I'm afraid they'll have *graphic* scenes involving my grandma.... but if the book has stories of the DC-3 like the ones he's told me, you're going to want to read it, trust me.

Here's one of them, I'd say it's probably mostly non-fiction ;):
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-3-and-me-tad-houlihan/1006892607


And if there are any females reading this, do yourself a favor and buy this one. Oooo it is good.
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Ernest Gann's Fate is the Hunter is a classic book. My first "aviation" read.
 
There are a few threads around that aren't in the "Book Club" section.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
If only there were an aviation forum with an area dedicated specifically to books... Hmm... ;)

http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/forums/the-book-club.44/
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I'm actually glad someone posted this in here instead of there... probably get more book suggestions this way. I've gone there looking for suggestions, but that board is a ghost town.

I just read one called "Patterns: Tales of Flying and of Life." Written by Bette Bach Fineman... ex-wife of Richard Bach (author of John Livingston Seagull). Apparently she was and still is a pilot as well. The book wasn't anything overly special, but still a good read. Quick and enjoyable.
 
WW2 era, I highly recommend "The First and The Last" by Adolf Galland

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MU3KEOC/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1

Also WW2, one of the most amazing books I've ever read "Beyond the Call"

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L9AXVAG/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1

Idaho Mountain Flying, spectacular collection of experiences "Notes From the Cockpit"

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YAVL58Q/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1

Surprised no one has mentioned "Flight of Passage" by Rinker Buck.
 
Before I learned to fly I was a kid following each of the Gemini and Apollo missions on Tv, and building the Revel models on my parents living room coffee table. One of the best books about that time is Michael Collin's Carrying the Fire.
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Working though this book at the moment. Very well written

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Sac Arrow said:
Ernest Gann's Fate is the Hunter is a classic book. My first "aviation" read.
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I've got it in dead tree format of course, but I'm annoyed that the publisher for some reason won't let Amazon sell the (available once) Kindle version anymore.

Always "this title format is currently not for sale".

I just like to keep stuff I really enjoyed even if I read it years ago, in the digital "library", and this one is one of those older books that I can't.

Totally annoying whatever stupid copyright problem or other bureaucratic garbage messes up tittles like this one, that were completed and formatted for digital distribution, from remaining available in all formats.

Rant off. Just made me go look again is all.
 
Two of my favorites are about fighter pilots in Vietnam going up north (bombing North Vietnam). They're by the same author, Ed Rasimus. The first one is about the F-105 he flew on his first tour, "When Thunder Rolled", and the other is about his second tour flying the F-4, "Palace Cobra". An interesting fact about the F-105 was 833 were built and about half were loss in the war. Excellent books.

"The Wright Brothers" mentioned above is excellent too, a good read and very interesting facts in it.
 
mscard88 said:
What we men can't read it????? ;)
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It's all mushy and romantic, I don't think you'd like it! It does have some heart-pounding flying scenes though that I'm sure would appeal to most audiences.
 
rachelk.tailwinds said:
It's all mushy and romantic, I don't think you'd like it! It does have some heart-pounding flying scenes though that I'm sure would appeal to most audiences.
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But Rachel that's how men figure you women out, or attempt to, usually unsuccessfully. ;):D
 
rachelk.tailwinds said:
It's all mushy and romantic, I don't think you'd like it! It does have some heart-pounding flying scenes though that I'm sure would appeal to most audiences.
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Thanks for the warning. Not all women are into mushy and romantic! :p
 
Song of The Sky by Guy Murchie (1954) is magnificent. Murchie, himself a WW2 USAAF transoceanic navigator, writes of aviation history, aerodynamics, navigation, meteorology, and amazing first- and third-person anecdotes, all with a poet's touch.
 
Everskyward said:
Thanks for the warning. Not all women are into mushy and romantic! :p
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Good point though I still recommend it if you can tolerate a few love scenes here and there because the flying parts are truly fun to read.
 
mscard88 said:
But Rachel that's how men figure you women out, or attempt to, usually unsuccessfully. ;):D
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I don't think my boyfriend has gained a better understanding of me by reading what I read or watching what I watch. All he knows is that I cry a lot when dogs die and when people get married. Good luck though. ;)
 
When I need to fall asleep, all I have to do is pick up a book. Doesn't matter how interesting it is, within 10 minutes of reading, I'm out like like a light.
 
rachelk.tailwinds said:
I don't think my boyfriend has gained a better understanding of me by reading what I read or watching what I watch. All he knows is that I cry a lot when dogs die and when people get married. Good luck though. ;)
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I did write unsuccessfully Rachel! ;):)
 
I took a ride in a 192-something Standard at Old Rhinebeck Airdrome. The pilot's hole was single and in front were two other holes that each sat 2 people, 4 passengers plus the pilot.
 
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