A flying life
Flight of the Golden Falcon Books 1 and 2
In February 2018, I had the honor of meeting and writing about flying families, and one group was so large, the photo of the flying family members spread across two of these pages. “The Flying Fristers” are 12 members of the same family, all of whom are pilots. They are led by Capt. Robert A. Frister, a former Eastern Airlines pilot who has written two books chronicling his life in flight, from setting a world speed record to receiving the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. If you enjoy true stories of pilot prowess, you’ll delight in Bob Frister’s collection of flying adventures in Flight of the Golden Falcon, of which there are two books. Many of his stories are thrilling so, as the author says, “buckle your seat belts.”
—Julie Summers Walker
Exploring the world
Let’s Fly! The Little Airplane That Could
In the second of his three-part series, author Robert DeLaurentis (along with Susan Gilbert) introduces readers to “Dash,” a little airplane that flies around the world. In this book Dash explores Sweden, Madagascar, Namibia, Antarctica, and Alaska. DeLaurentis believes that “Tomorrow’s flight will be powered by the dreams of children tonight.” Colorful and fun illustrations are by Eddie Croft. You know DeLaurentis as the pilot who flew around the world in his aircraft Spirit of San Diego and Citizen of the World.
—Julie Summers Walker
The story before the story
Speed, Safety, and Comfort: The Origins of Delta Air Lines
Written by former Delta Boeing 767 captain and aviation historian James John Hoogerwerf, Speed, Safety, and Comfort is an intricate look at Delta Air Lines’ history, starting with aviation’s first aerial applications company—Huff Daland Dusters Inc.—tackling the boll weevil infestation in the Mississippi Delta in the early 1920s. Over years of both setbacks and opportunities, the leadership and ingenuity of the company pioneers are interwoven with the narrative, from business plans, air routes, and the design of the aircraft themselves, to a surprising connection to ventures in South America. Hoogerwerf profiles key people in the company’s evolution and intertwines their paths with the big picture of the progressive shifts, name changes, and leader visions from small beginnings up to the entry of the United States into World War II, when Delta had become an established passenger carrier. The author deserves credit for the level of detail and context brought into each evolutionary stage in the U.S.’s oldest still-operating airline.
—Emma Quedzuweit
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