378 books
—
2,577 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “The Aviator's Wife” as Want to Read:
The Aviator's Wife
by
In the spirit of Loving Frank and The Paris Wife, acclaimed novelist Melanie Benjamin pulls back the curtain on the marriage of one of America’s most extraordinary couples: Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh.
When Anne Morrow, a shy college senior with hidden literary aspirations, travels to Mexico City to spend Christmas with her family, she meets Colonel Charles ...more
When Anne Morrow, a shy college senior with hidden literary aspirations, travels to Mexico City to spend Christmas with her family, she meets Colonel Charles ...more
Get A Copy
Hardcover, 416 pages
Published
January 15th 2013
by Delacorte Press
(first published January 2013)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
The Aviator's Wife,
please sign up.
Popular Answered Questions
Meredith
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of The Aviator's Wife
Fascinating story.......
Charles Lindbergh had three additional families in Germany.... after WWII ?/!!!!!
So much 'drama'.... and so many secrets were kept!
Geeee.... who knew? Not I.
I thought Charles Lindbergh was simply - haha --( ok, no small feat), the man who crossed the Atlantic with the Spirit of St. Louis..... "THE AVIATION HERO".....
I vaguely knew about the kidnapping of his infant son... and I certainly knew absolutely nothing about his wife, Anne.
Anne Morrow.....
Ambassador's daughter ...more
Charles Lindbergh had three additional families in Germany.... after WWII ?/!!!!!
So much 'drama'.... and so many secrets were kept!
Geeee.... who knew? Not I.
I thought Charles Lindbergh was simply - haha --( ok, no small feat), the man who crossed the Atlantic with the Spirit of St. Louis..... "THE AVIATION HERO".....
I vaguely knew about the kidnapping of his infant son... and I certainly knew absolutely nothing about his wife, Anne.
Anne Morrow.....
Ambassador's daughter ...more
Really strong Historical fiction. At first I didn't think I liked how anti-feminist it seemed to be, but then it really knocked me on my ass and became a really strong female empowerment story. I really didn't know much about the Lindbergh's and only had a small interest in them. But what I found most fascinating was the outlines aabout the birth of the paparazzi in their story. They were the first power couple to have their lives become so public that they couldn't have anything sacred and priv
...more
Rating = 2.5 stars
The Lindberghs had been married for almost 40 years when Tammy Wynette sang "Stand By Your Man" in 1968, but it's a song Anne Morrow Lindbergh could have written about her relationship with aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh.
Sometimes it's hard to be a woman
Givin' all your love to just one man
You'll have bad times, and he'll have good times
Doin' things that you don't understand.
But if you love him you'll forgive him
Even though he's hard to understand
And if you love him, oh be ...more
The Lindberghs had been married for almost 40 years when Tammy Wynette sang "Stand By Your Man" in 1968, but it's a song Anne Morrow Lindbergh could have written about her relationship with aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh.
Sometimes it's hard to be a woman
Givin' all your love to just one man
You'll have bad times, and he'll have good times
Doin' things that you don't understand.
But if you love him you'll forgive him
Even though he's hard to understand
And if you love him, oh be ...more
Daring, resilient and heroic aviatrix.
I knew two things about Charles Lindbergh before picking up this book: he flew the first solo, nonstop, transatlantic flight aboard The Spirit of St. Louis and his baby was kidnapped. I knew nothing about Anne Morrow Lindbergh, but was captivated by her story from the first chapter. I know all lovers of historical fiction say it and I’ll repeat it, this is why I love this genre and was inspired to spend hours down the rabbit hole of the web researching i ...more
I knew two things about Charles Lindbergh before picking up this book: he flew the first solo, nonstop, transatlantic flight aboard The Spirit of St. Louis and his baby was kidnapped. I knew nothing about Anne Morrow Lindbergh, but was captivated by her story from the first chapter. I know all lovers of historical fiction say it and I’ll repeat it, this is why I love this genre and was inspired to spend hours down the rabbit hole of the web researching i ...more
4.5 stars! This was an engrossing, fascinating and educative novel!
This book tells the story of Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Anne Morrow was the quiet daughter of the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, who shocked many when she married Colonel Charles Lindbergh (“Lucky Lindy”). Charles Lindbergh became famous after flying the first solo non-stop transatlantic flight between North America and mainland Europe in 1927.
Prior to reading this novel, I had very little knowledge of the Lindbergh’s. Their romance was ...more
This book tells the story of Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Anne Morrow was the quiet daughter of the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, who shocked many when she married Colonel Charles Lindbergh (“Lucky Lindy”). Charles Lindbergh became famous after flying the first solo non-stop transatlantic flight between North America and mainland Europe in 1927.
Prior to reading this novel, I had very little knowledge of the Lindbergh’s. Their romance was ...more
How does one rate a book in which the author does such a wonderful job with the story---but to the point that one dislikes the characters? This is the trouble I had with The Aviator's Wife. I knew very little about Charles and Anne Lindbergh, but had seen pretty decent reviews of the book. While I really enjoyed Benjamin's writing style---and look forward to her next venture into historical fiction---I almost put the book down without finishing it because Charles Lindbergh was such a misogynisti
...more
The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin is a 2013 Delacorte Press publication.
I vaguely remember hearing some buzz about this book a few years back, but, like so many books I intend to investigate, this one fell off my radar and I actually forgot all about it. Then I picked up “The Swans of Fifth Avenue” and it was so good, I went straight to my Overdrive account and checked out “Alice, I Have Been” and this book… The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin.
This book is a work of fiction based on th ...more
I vaguely remember hearing some buzz about this book a few years back, but, like so many books I intend to investigate, this one fell off my radar and I actually forgot all about it. Then I picked up “The Swans of Fifth Avenue” and it was so good, I went straight to my Overdrive account and checked out “Alice, I Have Been” and this book… The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin.
This book is a work of fiction based on th ...more
What can I say about this book?
Aggravation was the main emotion I had while listening to this.
With this being said, I am glad that I read it via audio format, because if I had read the print book I most likely would have DNFed it.
I don't think the writing was bad, the flow was okay and it was told in a consistent and steadily progressing narrative. So, there's that.
I just did not feel any sensitivity towards the protagonist at all. I know she is a real person and I'm sure the author researc ...more
Aggravation was the main emotion I had while listening to this.
With this being said, I am glad that I read it via audio format, because if I had read the print book I most likely would have DNFed it.
I don't think the writing was bad, the flow was okay and it was told in a consistent and steadily progressing narrative. So, there's that.
I just did not feel any sensitivity towards the protagonist at all. I know she is a real person and I'm sure the author researc ...more
The Aviator's Wife
by
Melanie Benjamin
My " in a nutshell" summary...
This is a novel about Anne Morrow...how she met and married Charles Lindbergh and the life they shared..the joys...their sorrows...their tragedies.
My thoughts after reading this book...
My first surprise was the gentle way this novel reached out to me. From the start I understood that Anne Morrow felt differently about life. She wasn't as pretty and popular as her sisters...she was quiet...introspective...probably a bit insecure a ...more
by
Melanie Benjamin
My " in a nutshell" summary...
This is a novel about Anne Morrow...how she met and married Charles Lindbergh and the life they shared..the joys...their sorrows...their tragedies.
My thoughts after reading this book...
My first surprise was the gentle way this novel reached out to me. From the start I understood that Anne Morrow felt differently about life. She wasn't as pretty and popular as her sisters...she was quiet...introspective...probably a bit insecure a ...more
I thought this book was incredible. This is the story of the relationship between Anne and Charles Lindberg told from her perspective. It's historical fiction and I gained so much insight from reading this book.
UPDATE: I wanted to add a more thoughtful review because I have been thinking about this book so much since I read it. This book is told from the perspective of Anne Morrow Lindberg, beginning when she is a daughter of the US Ambassador to Mexico. She meets Charles Lindberg and they marr ...more
UPDATE: I wanted to add a more thoughtful review because I have been thinking about this book so much since I read it. This book is told from the perspective of Anne Morrow Lindberg, beginning when she is a daughter of the US Ambassador to Mexico. She meets Charles Lindberg and they marr ...more
He was the first one to fly non-stop solo across the Atlantic in 1927. She was the first licensed female glider pilot in the US. This is their life story full of exciting achievements, but not so much of love and warmth.
1927. Anne Morrow, a college student, is visiting her parents and siblings in Mexico City for Christmas break. Her mother is excited to host Colonel Charles Lindbergh and to be able to push the oldest daughter, the beauty, into his arms. But it is the shy Anne that catches his a ...more
1927. Anne Morrow, a college student, is visiting her parents and siblings in Mexico City for Christmas break. Her mother is excited to host Colonel Charles Lindbergh and to be able to push the oldest daughter, the beauty, into his arms. But it is the shy Anne that catches his a ...more
This book is turning out to be both a serious drag and a disappointment. Poorly edited, with lots of bad grammar unbefitting an ambassador's daughter and a Smithie in the 1920s.
I doubt very much at this point that I'll bother with finishing it. But we'll see...
...Apparently the story was sticking with me more than I thought, and I kind of wanted to at least get to the kidnapping part of the story, and that's when the interest level kicked in for me.
Anne Lindbergh still made me want to slap her ...more
I doubt very much at this point that I'll bother with finishing it. But we'll see...
...Apparently the story was sticking with me more than I thought, and I kind of wanted to at least get to the kidnapping part of the story, and that's when the interest level kicked in for me.
Anne Lindbergh still made me want to slap her ...more
I eagerly awaited the arrival of 'The Aviator's Wife' by Melanie Benjamin, it sounded like a great book that might be perfect for my book club. We generally like books with strong female protagonists that examine women's issues. I'd never read anything about the Lindbergh's but I enjoy fiction set during the 1920s which is when this story begins. I'd read other readers' reviews and everyone gave the book high marks, though some said the beginning was a bit slow.
I don't have any aversion to books ...more
I don't have any aversion to books ...more
This was a well written book about Anne Lindbergh and her marriage to the ultimate hero, Charles. The author gives us lots of insight into Anne's personality and of course fills her novel with the true picture of what Anne's life was like being married to an American hero. Certainly, it was not an idyllic experience and surely the death of her first child made for such a tragic start to their marriage at such a young age.
From Ms Benjamin's descriptions, Anne was a woman so fashioned by the man s ...more
From Ms Benjamin's descriptions, Anne was a woman so fashioned by the man s ...more
2/21/13: I'm starting this book with great trepidation and am ready to put it down and stop reading it if necessary. Anne Morrow Lindbergh is one of my heroes. I've read many of her books of diaries and letters and Gift From the Sea. I think she was a remarkable woman for her time. She dealt with fame and heartbreak in the public eye her whole married life. At least that's how I've always seen her, so if this book starts to tilt me in a different direction I will stop reading. I would rather kno
...more
This book was completely different from what I was expecting, in that it was much better. I thought it would be a lighter book about a perfect marriage with the tragedy of the kidnapping to deal with. What I got was a great historical novel that showed me how much I didn't know about Lindbergh and his times, shown through the eyes of his wife Anne. Aside from the aviation genius and hero that he was, Charles Lindbergh was a Nazi sympathizer, an outspoken anti-semite, a cold and demanding father,
...more
The events in this book read like a novel. Wait this is a novel! The historical events are all true, but did Anne Morrow Lindbergh really think the way “The Aviator's Wife” thought?
Are Melanie Benjamin's characters' traits just speculation; a narrative to try to explain Anne’s actions? Making what seemed irrational decisions match with fictional internal dialog? According to Virnell Ann Bruce, who wrote a one-woman play on Mrs. Lindberg, Anne’s thoughts would not have turned out this way.
Sever ...more
Are Melanie Benjamin's characters' traits just speculation; a narrative to try to explain Anne’s actions? Making what seemed irrational decisions match with fictional internal dialog? According to Virnell Ann Bruce, who wrote a one-woman play on Mrs. Lindberg, Anne’s thoughts would not have turned out this way.
Sever ...more
Anne Morrow the quiet, unassuming daughter. Anne Morrow the shy sister of Elisabeth Morrow who hid in Elisabeth's shadow. Anne Morrow the woman no one thought would marry before her beautiful sister, Elisabeth married. Anne Morrow.....who did marry and who married a famous man....Charles Lindbergh, behind whom she continued to be a shadow.
Anne's life was beautifully detailed by Ms. Benjamin in terms of Anne's feelings and personality especially during the kidnapping. The era was nicely portrayed ...more
Anne's life was beautifully detailed by Ms. Benjamin in terms of Anne's feelings and personality especially during the kidnapping. The era was nicely portrayed ...more
This book covers events that are known history, some of which will be discussed in this review. In the event that you are not familiar with the Lindbergh kidnapping, this review might seem a bit spoilerish. Consider yourself warned.
Anne Morrow is the daughter of the US ambassador to Mexico, and as such she's gently raised and well-educated, but life takes a bit of a turn when she catches the eye of aviator Charles Lindbergh and her quiet, ordered life is gone forever. Crossing the Atlantic solo ...more
Anne Morrow is the daughter of the US ambassador to Mexico, and as such she's gently raised and well-educated, but life takes a bit of a turn when she catches the eye of aviator Charles Lindbergh and her quiet, ordered life is gone forever. Crossing the Atlantic solo ...more
Find the enhanced version of this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....
I was excited about getting the chance to read The Aviator's Wife before the official release. Really excited. What I wasn't expecting was how much I would outright enjoy Melanie Benjamin's interpretation of Anne Morrow Lindbergh.
From the moment her engagement was announced in the papers, the real Anne Morrow was defined by her relationship with Charles. Even today her story lives largely in the shad ...more
I was excited about getting the chance to read The Aviator's Wife before the official release. Really excited. What I wasn't expecting was how much I would outright enjoy Melanie Benjamin's interpretation of Anne Morrow Lindbergh.
From the moment her engagement was announced in the papers, the real Anne Morrow was defined by her relationship with Charles. Even today her story lives largely in the shad ...more
Jan 09, 2013
Marla (Not Maria)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audiobooks
This is a wonderful literary fiction. I knew a little about Charles Lindbergh and after this book I have a different perspective of him. He seemed to be a difficult man who had to have everything his way. Even if he wasn’t home, things had to be ran the way he wanted it. The kids had to follow very detailed schedules, they had books they were supposed to read and Ann was supposed to keep inventory of everything in the house including how many shampoo bottles there were while he flew around the w
...more
Anne Morrow, the quiet daughter of a U.S. ambassador, was thrilled to be invited for a plane ride piloted by Charles Lindbergh. He was a famous American hero after his solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927. After they were married in 1929, Charles brought adventure into Anne's life as she earned her pilot's license and flew as co-pilot on many important flights with him. But their marriage was far from ideal since Charles was very cool and regimented, always wanting to be in charge of an
...more
I was so looking forward to reading this fictional account of the life of Anne Morrow Lindbergh. I have long admired her writing, and have read much of her history, as laid down in her own words. Unfortunately, I think there was more of fiction than of history in this historical fiction by Melanie Benjamin. Of course, some creative license is expected, but I was appalled at how far askew of the facts Benjamin was willing to go. What made it more irritating was that the life of Anne Morrow and Ch
...more
READ THIS BOOK
I found this book remarkable from the beginning to the end. It's the story of a woman trying to find her own voice and her own life. She wanted more than to be the "Ambassador's Daughter", the "Aviator's wife" or the mother of her six children. She accomplished many things on this road and endured tragedy beyond comprehension. In the end, she took charge of her life and responsibility of her actions. She became a mature, grown-up woman.
Anne married a hero and that was a tough choic ...more
I found this book remarkable from the beginning to the end. It's the story of a woman trying to find her own voice and her own life. She wanted more than to be the "Ambassador's Daughter", the "Aviator's wife" or the mother of her six children. She accomplished many things on this road and endured tragedy beyond comprehension. In the end, she took charge of her life and responsibility of her actions. She became a mature, grown-up woman.
Anne married a hero and that was a tough choic ...more
I feel the author fails to capture the intelligence, spirit and courage of Anne Morrow Lindbergh - aviator, author and wife of the famed Charles Lindbergh. For this reason I cannot give more than two stars. Anne is drawn as weak, without self-reliance and totally dominated by her husband. The author acknowledges to a small extent Anne’s growth and self-reliance when she reaches her fifties. I base my belief in Anne’s strength having read articles on internet and the two books Lindbergh and Gift
...more
3.5 Charles Lindbergh and his wife Anne are the subject of this new novel by Benjamin. Have to say that she most definitely did not portray Charles in a positive light, in fact he was not a very nice man at all. Very full of himself and his fame. Anne, had always been the good and responsible daughter, when Charles asks her to marry him she thinks she is the luckiest person alive. I tried to remind myself that back then women were subject to the wants of their husbands and divorce in the upper c
...more
This is a brilliant account of what very well may have been the life of Anne Morrow Lindburgh. Since it is a novel, we know it isn't all fact. But Benjamin has certainly hit the nail on the head. I will always think of Anne as she is portrayed here.
Many novels are touted to be like THE PARIS WIFE or LOVING FRANK, in that they are as good. But this one truly is.
I can't wait to begin handselling it at the store. My review for Naples Daily News will run closer to pub date.
Cudos to you, Melanie Be ...more
Many novels are touted to be like THE PARIS WIFE or LOVING FRANK, in that they are as good. But this one truly is.
I can't wait to begin handselling it at the store. My review for Naples Daily News will run closer to pub date.
Cudos to you, Melanie Be ...more
Another really good book. I keep reading books that are so good and I can't put them down. I'm very lucky I read book reviews all the time and I know what I want to read. I love historical fiction and I really enjoy this author She does a lot of research when she writes a book and you get such good insight into the characters she's writing about. I of course knew a lot of things about the Lindberghs. I lived in Hunterdon County New Jersey which was where the child kidnapping took place and the t
...more
4.5 stars - Incredible. I really loved it.
Prior to reading this historical fiction novel, I knew very little about the Lindberghs; only that he was a record setting aviator and that they had a child whom had been kidnapped for ransom money...and I knew absolutely nothing about Charles' remarkable wife, Anne. I felt a bit better about this ignorance however, when I read in the author's note that many people today are only vaguely familiar with the Lindbergh story. If that is also the case for you ...more
Prior to reading this historical fiction novel, I knew very little about the Lindberghs; only that he was a record setting aviator and that they had a child whom had been kidnapped for ransom money...and I knew absolutely nothing about Charles' remarkable wife, Anne. I felt a bit better about this ignorance however, when I read in the author's note that many people today are only vaguely familiar with the Lindbergh story. If that is also the case for you ...more
An amazing review of recent history with fascinating players. The highs-Luck Lindy incredible sole flight across the Atlantic, Anne dancing with Spiro Agnew and her success as a writer, Lucky Lindy shaking the hand of Neil Armstrong, the first man on the Moon before his flight to the Moon and Armstrong replied" You were the first-we only followed in your footsteps."
The bad- embracing Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party , Hitler pinning the Iron Cross on Lindy , aborted attempt to run for President, ...more
The bad- embracing Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party , Hitler pinning the Iron Cross on Lindy , aborted attempt to run for President, ...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Is it OK for a Historical fiction book to change the facts or personality of a famous person? | 6 | 220 | 20. Dezember 2021, 20:41 Uhr | |
| Play Book Tag: The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin, 4.5 stars | 1 | 6 | 18. November 2021, 00:42 Uhr | |
| Optimist Book Club: August book | 2 | 4 | 04. August 2021, 18:50 Uhr | |
| Play Book Tag: The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin – 3 Stars (Rounded Down) | 4 | 8 | 21. Juni 2021, 23:44 Uhr | |
| Play Book Tag: The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin - 5 stars! | 4 | 18 | 24. November 2019, 11:24 Uhr |
Readers also enjoyed
551 users
163 users
115 users
96 users
59 users
42 users
35 users
25 users
18 users
18 users
Melanie Benjamin is the author of the New York Times bestselling novels THE SWANS OF FIFTH AVENUE and THE AVIATOR'S WIFE, as well as the national bestseller ALICE I HAVE BEEN, and THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MRS. TOM THUMB and MISTRESS OF THE RITZ. Her most recent novel is the new historical fiction, THE CHILDREN'S BLIZZARD, about the real-life devastating blizzard that swept the Great Plains in 1888, up
...more
Articles featuring this book
Anne Morrow Lindbergh emerges from her famous husband's shadow in The Aviator's Wife, a historical novel that covers her many triumphs and...
34 likes · 23 comments
12 trivia questions
More quizzes & trivia...
“Mother shook her head impatiently. 'You need to...stop looking for heroes, Anne.' Her speech was slow, slurred, but understandable. 'Only the weak need...heroes...and heroes need...those around them to remain weak. You're...not weak.' I remembered those words. I knew they were true, all of them. True about me, and true about Charles. I brought them out, every now and then, as I kept working -- on both the manuscript and myself. And, perhaps on my definition of my marriage. No, my prayer for my marriage; a marriage of two equals. With separate -- but equally valid -- views of the world; shared goggles no more, but looking at the same scenery, at the same time.”
—
16 likes
“Only the weak need … heroes … and heroes need … those around them to remain weak.”
—
11 likes
More quotes…
