Good Aviator Books ???

[W.J.Langholz]

My son likes to read and "his" birthday is the 21st of April so I was thinking of getting him the book "Cannibal Queen" has anybody read this? Like any other young aviator he dreams about having his own Stearman someday.
Any other good aviator books that you know of?

Thanks
Willie

[KG]

Hi Willie,

Not a complete list by any means, but here are some very good ones:

Flight of Passage, by Rinker Buck. True story of a couple of teenagers who flew a cub across the county in the 60s. I really enjoyed it. (How old is your son? It had some minor cursing.)
Last of the Bush Pilots, by Harmon Helmericks. Out of print but available on Amazon.
Fate is the Hunter, by Earnest Gann. Probably my all time favorite.

I went on a book buying spree a while back and got a lot of good suggestions from this discussion over on the Supercub website:
http://www.supercub.org/phpbb2/viewtopi ... ight=books

I haven't read Cannibal Queen. I remember seeing some less than enthusiastic reviews about it.

Happy Flying,
Keith

[weedt]

Cannibal Queen is a great book. I have read it at least twice.

[blueldr]

Personally, I did not care for "Canibal Queen". I flew Ryan PT-22s in training and have never had a "Thing" for Stearmans.

[Green Bean]

Try "The Sky Beyond", by Sir Gordon Taylor.. Or maybe any Ernest K. Gann's books, "High and the Mighty", "Fate is the Hunter", "In the Company of Eagles", "Island in the Sky", and "Hostage to Fortune", was his autobiography, is one of the best. Those would do for a start.

[GAHorn]

If you want to inspire, Fate Is the Hunter has to be the one. (Although it's amazing how many books Gann wrote. How many have read "The Antagonists"? .... subsequently made into a FOUR-episode television movie under different title, "Masada", (about the 2-year Roman seige of that Herodian mountain-fortress.)

And for the ladies (and un-biased guys), "West with the Night" by Beryl Markham. If you liked "Out of Africa" you will love "West with the Night".

[n2582d]

This topic was covered here. I especially enjoyed Antonine De Saint Exupery's, "Wind, Sand, and Stars". I've heard he was a better writer than pilot. Out of print mission aviation titles include "Jungle Pilot" and "Into the Glory".

[KG]

If you want to inspire, Fate Is the Hunter has to be the one. (Although it's amazing how many books Gann wrote. How many have read "The Antagonists"?

I read The Antagonists and it is excellent. In addition to the movie, the book was also re-published under the title Masada. (just for clarification to Willie, it is not aviation related) Glad to see I'm not the only Gann fan here.

I also read West With the Night by B. Markham and enjoyed it very much.

I would also recommend God is My Co-Pilot and The Day I Owned the Sky by General Robert L. Scott. General Scott was with the Flying Tigers fighting in China in WWII and went on to a distinguished Air Force career.

Another good book is My Life of Adventure by Norman Vaughan. While not specifically aviation related, Col. Vaughan had a hand in aviation throughout his life.

I'm out on the road but when I return home I'll look through my library for some other suggestions. (In case you are envisioning an oak paneled room with overstuffed leather chairs, don't. It's really a stack of boxes.)

[jrenwick]

...And for the ladies (and un-biased guys), "West with the Night" by Beryl Markham. If you liked "Out of Africa" you will love "West with the Night".

Some of the best writing I've ever enjoyed in a book about flying. That lady could turn a phrase!

[Blue4]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned good 'ol "Stick and Rudder" by Wolfgang Langiwiece (I'm sure I butchered that name). More of a textbook, perhaps, but a great read. Did anyone mention "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" yet?

Second the motions on Ernie Gann's work; especially "Fate is the Hunter."

St. Expury's "Wind, Sand, and Stars" is outstanding. He also wrote a childrens' book I've read to my kids: "The Little Prince." Probably beneath your son, until he has fledgling aviators of his own.

-Scott

[W.J.Langholz]

All

Thanks for all the suggestions. I wrote down a doz or so and after reading the previews I order 3 to start with. Cannibal Queen, Fate is the Hunter and West With the Night.

It will be a good start to his collection. Thanks for all the help!

W.

p.s Scott, my wife use to read to him 'Little Prince" when he was a small boy.....good book I even liked it