Gregory Crouch's Blog, page 37
March 5, 2012
China's Wings piece at Rock & Ice
Charlie Fowler on Cerro Torre in 1996
Alison Osius at Rock & Ice magazine wrote a brief article about how a lead that Charlie Fowler provided me in 2002 led to me discovering the story of William Langhorne Bond and the China National Aviation Corporation.
March 1, 2012
China's Wings and Craig and Harold Chinn
Here's Craig Chinn holding a portrait of his father, CNAC pilot Harold Chinn, and surrounded by the twelve copies of China's Wings he has bought as gifts for friends and family. Craig lives close by, and I drove to his house yesterday to sign and dedicate the books, four of which he's going to give away at a dinner party this Friday.
I spent several happy and fascinating hours interviewing Harold Chinn before he passed away. Even though Harold was having a hard time managing the present during those interviews, he had clear memories of his CNAC adventures and gave me a vivid recollection of what happened in the hallway of the Chuen Yien Bank Building during the air raid on Chungking on the night of May 25, 1939, when a Japanese bomb-shard sliced into Joe Shen's back (pp. 203 of China's Wings). Another bit of shrapel hit Harold in the ankle, but the wound was minor, and in the context of that night he described it as, "Minor. Nothing. Hardly worth mentioning," and went right back to talking about what he, Joy Thom, and several others were doing to help Joe Shen, whose wound was grave.
There weren't many pilots who stuck with CNAC through the company's entire war (1937-1945), and of those few that did, many of the Caucasian pilots moved into positions that were mostly management. Not so Harold Chinn. Like Moon Chin, he was in the cockpit the entire time.
February 24, 2012
China's Wings reviewed in the Wall Street Journal, and other reviews…
Quite a thrill to see China's Wings well reviewed in the Wall Street Journal ("exciting"; "displaying Mr. Crouch's talents as a researcher, portraitist and chronicler"; "inhabited by a host of interesting characters")
Also by the Pan Am Historical Foundation ("Diligently researched, superbly told"; "a first-rate work of history"; "especially relevant")
and The New Jersey Star Ledger ("an engaging tale"; "belongs on the same shelf as [Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken] and [Erik Larson's In The Garden of Beasts]"
A nice random find…
Just stumbled across this short, but very generous review of Enduring Patagonia written seven years ago by Charles King. I'd never seen it before.
Gotta love his lead quote/motto: "The only thing worse than reading a lousy book is wasting your time writing about it." Glad I made the cut.
More news on my March 3 event at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena
I'm excited to announce that two CNAC veterans are planning to attend my first China's Wings book event at Vroman's bookstore in Pasadena on Saturday, March 3, at 4:00 pm.
Pilot-Captain Oliver Glenn, one of the CNAC veterans attending
Both are great guys, genuine Southern California success stories who've been very successful in their lives post-CNAC, and they'll add lots of color and authenticity to the presentation.
Here's the Vroman's announcement, with the short blurbs I wrote about each man.
Quite a number of second-generation CNACers are coming, too, which should make for a lively event. If you're in Southern California on March 3, please come out to Vroman's and help me debut China's Wings.
February 21, 2012
CNAC pilot's wings
CNAC pilot's wings worn by Captain Joe Michiels, loaned to me by his son, Steve Michiels
February 20, 2012
China's Wings first reader
China's Wings first reader, Tom Lambert. Aside from being one of the world's foremost Reformation scholars, he's also the technical mastermind behind this website.(And the evil genius behind the website Yosemite Explorer, and many others.) He has patiently answered hundreds of questions, and untangled me from an equal number of technical fiascoes. In gratitude, I'd sent him and his wife, Theresa Ho, a signed advanced copy.
I hope he enjoys it!
Together, Tom and Theresa make some of America's best after-dinner conversation, and they run Alpine Escape, a vacation home rental in Yosemite National Park.
February 16, 2012
China's Wings events in March and April, 2012
China's Wings book release is fast approaching. Its official on-sale date is February 28th, and in the first two weeks of March, I've got three presentations and book signings scheduled at three of California's finest bookstores, and in April, I'm presenting and signing at a friend's wine tasting room in Healdsburg. I'll be delivering a slide show of excellent period photographs, most of which weren't able to find space in the book's photo insert, and telling stories from the writing and researching adventure. As of now, it seems likely that a few CNAC veterans will attend the Pasadena and San Francisco events.
March 3, Saturday, at 4:00 p.m. at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena. (695 East Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA)
March 13, Tuesday, at 7:00 at Bookshop West Portal in San Francisco. (80 West Portal Avenue, San Francisco, CA)
March 14th, Wednesday, at 7:00 p.m. at Chaucer's Books in Santa Barbara, a bookstore I've loved since I was a kid. (3321 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA)
April 13th, Friday, at 6:00 p.m. at Garagiste Healdsburg, a wine tasting room run by my dear friend Serena Lourie and her boyfriend Alan Baker. I'm looking forward to presenting with a glass of wine in my hand. (439 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg, CA 95448; 707.431.8023)
If you're a California person, I'd love to see you at one of these events.
China's Wings events in March, 2012
China's Wings book release is fast approaching. Its official on-sale date is February 28th, and in the first two weeks of March, I've got three presentations and book signings scheduled at three of California's finest bookstores. I'll be delivering a slide show of excellent period photographs, most of which weren't able to find space in the book's photo insert, and telling stories from the writing and researching adventure. And if things work out, I'm hoping a few CNAC veterans will attend the Pasadena and San Francisco events.
The first show is on Saturday, March 3rd, at 4:00 p.m. at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena. (695 East Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA)
The second is on Tuesday, March 13th, at 7:00 at Bookshop West Portal in San Francisco. (80 West Portal Avenue, San Francisco, CA)
The third is on Wednesday, March 14th, at 7:00 p.m. at Chaucer's Books in Santa Barbara, a bookstore I've loved since I was a kid. (3321 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA)
If you're a California person, I'd love to see you at one of these events.
