The trans-Atlantic air race of 1927 and the flight that made Charles
Lindbergh a hero
The race to make the first nonstop flight between the New York and Paris
attracted some of the most famous and seasoned aviators of the day, yet
it was the young and lesser known Charles Lindbergh who won the $25,000
Orteig Prize in 1927 for his history-making solo flight in the Spirit of
St. Louis. Drawing on many previously overlooked sources, Bak offers a
fresh look at the personalities that made up this epic air race - a
deadly competition that culminated in one of the twentieth century's
most thrilling personal achievements and turned Charles Lindbergh into
the first international hero of the modern age.
- Examines the extraordinary life and cultural impact of Charles
Lindbergh, one of the iconic figures of the twentieth century, and his
legendary trans-Atlantic flight that captured the world's imagination
- Explores the romance of flying during aviation's Golden Age of the
1920s, the enduring mystique of the aviator, and rapid technological
advances that made for a paradigm shift in human perception of the
world
- Filled with colorful characters from early aviation history, including
Charles Nungesser, Igor Sikorsky, René Fonck, Richard Byrd, and Paul
Tarascon
History and the imagination take flight in this gripping account of
high-flying adventure, in which a group of courageous men tested the
both limits of technology and the power of nature in pursuit of one of
mankind's boldest dreams.
