The Flight of the Century: Charles Lindbergh and the Rise of American Aviation

Pivotal Moments in American History

by Thomas Kessner

In late May 1927 an inexperienced and unassuming 25-year-old Air Mail pilot from rural Minnesota stunned the world by making the first non-stop transatlantic flight. A spectacular feat of individual daring and collective technological accomplishment, Charles Lindbergh's flight from New York to Paris ushered in the modern age of commercial aviation.

In The Flight of the Century , Thomas Kessner takes a fresh look at one of America's greatest moments, explaining how what was essentially a publicity stunt became a turning point in history. Kessner vividly recreates the flight itself and the euphoric reaction to it on both sides of the Atlantic, and argues that Lindbergh's amazing feat occurred just when the world--still struggling with the disillusionment of WWI--desperately needed a hero to restore a sense of optimism and innocence. Kessner also shows how new forms of mass media made Lindbergh into the most famous international celebrity of his time, casting him in the role of a humble yet dashing American hero of rural origins and traditional values. Much has been made of Lindbergh's personal integrity and his refusal to cash in on his fame, but Kessner reveals that Lindbergh was closely allied with, and managed by, a group of powerful businessmen--Harry Guggenheim, Dwight Morrow, and Henry Breckenridge chief among them--who sought
to exploit aviation for mass transport and massive profits. Their efforts paid off as commercial air traffic soared from 6,000 passengers in 1926 to 173,000 passengers in 1929. Kessner's book is the first to fully explore Lindbergh's central role in promoting the airline industry--the rise of which has influenced everything from where we live to how we wage war and do business.

Genres: History, Aviation, Nonfiction, American History, Biography

336 pages, Hardcover

First published July 20, 2010

About the author

Thomas Kessner is Distinguished Professor at City University of New York.

Reviews

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thomas Kessner, a history professor at the City University of New York, wrote this examination of Charles Lindbergh and his significance to the aviation industry. Although I have read books about "The Lone Eagle" in the past, I think this book does a better job than any other in explaining why Lindbergh appealed to the American public. Lindbergh had no interest in being a heavy drinker, a womanizer, or taking part in any of the other excesses for which the 1920s became known, Kessner explains. Instead, he was a modest and unassuming young man from rural Minnesota who made a pure and uplifting achievement by flying across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927. He had also become the first person to courageously make a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean despite being an underdog in the competition against better known aviators. This boosted his standing with the media and the public.

By the end of the 1920s, after he toured the nation and the world to promote his vision of commercial aviation, the growth of the industry provided dramatic evidence of his influence. Earlier in the decade, the U.S. aviation industry was behind European rivals in aircraft manufacturing and experts felt it would take a long time for the public to develop the confidence to fly in significant numbers. But from 1927 to 1929, the number of air passengers rose from just a few thousand to more than 170,000. Investors poured over a billion dollars in capital into the industry during these years. The author titles a chapter "The Lindbergh Age" to describe his influence in this area.

Kessner's book is certainly not a hagiographic account, as he explores the darker aspects of Lindbergh's character as well. The author concludes that he lacked "kindness, compassion, and empathy," whether in dealing with the media, his family, or expressing admiration for Nazi Germany in his later years. Yet to the end of his life, Kessner explains, Lindbergh "insisted on the right to see the world fresh" and all who enjoy the robust aviation industry today can thank him for his evangelizing nearly one hundred years ago.

[Blake Brashear · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty good look at the life of Charles Lindbergh and how he grew up to become one of the most famous people of the day. I would have liked a little more detail about the kidnapping, how that affected him and the details of the investigation as I've read The Aviators, and it seemed to include more detail. I'd also have liked a little more information about his travels to Europe amid the rise of Naziism. it seems the book only focused on the negatives about Lindbergh and his flawed ideology. Overall, it was a good look into aviation in general in the era of Tri-Motors and up and coming airlines and how the transition from airmail to airlines really changed aviation.

[Jo Bond-ostler · Rating 3 out of 5]

The description of Lindberg's early life through his marriage and how it came about were interesting and worthy of the hero title. He had to learn how to have grace under pressure and operate in a celebrity world that he was ill fitted for. After Dwight Morrow's death he entered a scientific world that was resurrected from his early life. And then he became fascinated with Pre WWII Germany and the rise of Hitler's. Cannot get a grasp on why human experimentation was what he was fascinated with.

[Felipe Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm using the Thomas Kessner book to improve my reading and proficiency in English. I'm a student pilot and this genre enjoy me.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flight of the Century covers the life and impact of Charles Lindbergh and the Atlantic Crossing that created a modern celebrity culture around an instant hero. Although others would complete the same feat in weeks, the fact that Lindbergh did it alone and without the advanced technologies of the others led to a special place in his fame. From his humble beginnings as a famer and son of a disillusioned politician coupled with the scientific training of his grandfather Lindbergh grew up with a sharp mind although it was not often applied to his studies. He spent his early days as a mail pilot and stunt pilot and successfully was saved by parachutes multiple times in his young career. He finally found his calling in preparing for a contest that was raging in the post-world war I era. The race across the Atlantic. Lindbergh approached it from a new perspective. He would fly by himself with no radio, parachute or other advancements beyond navigational tools to save on weight and he would add as much fuel as he could to make the flight over the artic which was shorter than following the shipping lanes of the Atlantic. Against all odds except the strength of his own beliefs he was successful and became a celebrity overnight.
It was at that point that Lindbergh’s troubles truly began. He was completely unprepared for modern celebrity stardom and did not seek the limelight. He would be guided by a number of benefactors and those whose agenda was the propagation of modern air. They used Lindbergh to spread the message of airport building and airplane safety after his feat. He would play a role in both the development of TWA and Pan Am helping to raise money for these companies. After marrying a financier/ambassadors daughter he would try to leave the limelight only to be pursued by what was becoming a modern day paparazzi. It would culminate in the tragedy of his child being killed in a kidnapping attempt and shatter Charles into the occult and other obscures sciences. Finally he would fall from fame by supporting Nazi Germany and the efficiency of the Germans. For this he would be denounced as a traitor and many of his supporters would abandon him. Overall this book shows the significance of the flight for modern air travel and the celebrity culture that came out of it. Very well written and a lot of fun to read; it is a great addition to the pivotal moments series.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I came of hero-worshipping age in the 1950s, long after Lindbergh had exposed himself as a Nazi-loving racist and anti-Semite, all I knew about was his heroic flight and a little bit about his efforts to explore routes for the budding airline industry. The bad stuff wasn't discussed, at least in the schools I went to. I read Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis not long after it was first published, and that certainly didn't address his political side. Basically, I grew up believing Lindbergh was the real thing, a guileless American hero.

This book does much to put Lindbergh in perspective, though not enough in my opinion. It contains a great deal of information about Lindbergh's childhood, an awful lot of information about the crushing fame that descended upon him after his New York to Paris flight, and even more information about his subsequent ties to Wall Street and the budding American aviation industry in the period after his solo Atlantic flight, back when he was indeed a hero to almost everyone.

All this is richly detailed, though repetitive in parts. But then we come to the kidnapping, Lindbergh's voluntary exile to England, and his embrace of Fascism and Nazism, but for some reason the author, Thomas Kessner, squeezes all this into the final chapter, practically in outline form. Granted the subject of Kessner's book is the flight itself, the resulting fame, and Lindbergh's place in the development of American aviation; still I felt let down, because how can you tell just part of Lindbergh's story?

Mainly, though, I felt let down by Lindbergh, who turned out to have feet of extraordinarily clayish clay (he was a serial bigamist too!); somewhat less let down by Kessner, who didn't explore the second half of Lindbergh's life with the thoroughness he displayed in exploring the first half. By the time Kessner got to Lindbergh's aerial exploits in WWII and his later life as an environmental activist, he was down to the book's last few pages, and dealt with the final passages of Lindbergh's story in just two or three sentences.

Charles Augustus Lindbergh, I grew up worshipping you. I probably became a pilot because of you. Your very name meant goodness to me. Lindbergh. Like if there was a Lindbergh apple, for example, even better than a Red Delicious. And all along I had no idea what an odious person you actually were.

[Leah K · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Flight of the Century: Charles Lindbergh and the Rise of the American Aviation by Thomas Kessner

★★★★

While I know of Lindbergh’s achievement (who doesn’t?), I knew nothing about the man or what it took to get him into the air. My knowledge of aviation is very limited. This book was a great book to start on! It had great information about Charles Lindbergh and plenty of history of flying through the ages. It kept my attention from beginning to end, something many of the history books I’ve read lately have been unable to do. This didn’t read like a textbook and I greatly appreciated that. This is definitely the story of an underdog and a challenge that made him famous.

He would become one of our first modern day celebrities. Long before the Beatles, people from all over the world literally swarmed (and sometimes destroyed his plane in the process) just to get a glimpse of the man that changed the view of aviation forever and it didn’t help that he was handsome and considered the boy next door. But he wouldn’t always be that boy. It was interesting to see a later view of Lindbergh. He dabbled in Nazism, had affairs, and joined large monopolies that would quickly tarnish him. This book did a good job of showing both sides of Charles. If one knows a lot about Lindbergh and aviation, I am sure there is nothing is this book that is jaw-dropping. But if you are new to the subject – this is a good overview of the history of Lindbergh and flying.

My only complaint was the end. With all the detail given to Lindbergh, it seems that the author could have dedicated a bit more to his death and his family. Until I researched, I wasn’t aware of how he died or whether he outlived his wife or anything like that. It talked about his accomplishments, his views towards the end of his life and boom – the book ends with the date he died, nothing more.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good description of Lindbergh's early life and the preparation leading up to the world's first nonstop transatlantic flight. Today, we remember Lindbergh's accomplishment as a big deal, but we don't fully appreciate why. His competition were professionally funded, full complement flight crews - large, decked out planes with several people in each. Lindbergh thought small. He took a small craft and stripped away everything that was not absolutely necessary, including seat upholstery, parachutes, emergency gear, even the margins of maps. To save space and weight, he moved the fuel tank directly in front of the cockpit, and because of that, he couldn't even see ahead of him and had to navigate by instruments alone ("dead reckoning"). He flew blind, by himself, on chicken wire and chewing gum, for 30 hours on an essential suicide mission. He made it, and he got there first.

Unfortunately, although the book works as a history of early aviation, it is unsatisfying as a biography of Lindbergh because it provides little insight into the man's character. He was aloof and reclusive. Fine, that makes him a difficult subject, but not impossible. We don't really get a sense of what made the man tick, and ultimately we are left with a two dimensional character.

Recently, I read Endgame, the excellent biography of Bobby Fischer. That book is a great example of how to tell a complete, satisfying story about an aloof, reclusive, complicated subject. Granted, that author could interview Fischer's contemporaries, and Kessner doesn't have that luxury for Lindbergh. Nevertheless, I get the feeling that a more complete story of Lindbergh's life and legacy is still waiting to be told.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Historian Thomas Kessner’s book, The Flight of the Century: Charles Lindbergh and the Rise of American Aviation is a biography of Charles Lindbergh. The book is part of the Pivotal Moments in American History series. The editors of the series are David Hackett Fischer and James M. McPherson. The biography is also focused on why Lindbergh was such a widespread celebrity between 1927 and 1935 when Charles and his wife, Anne Marrow Lindbergh moved to England (Kessner 224). The book also examines the role of “celebrity culture” (Kessner xiii). Kessner’s book also examines the role that Lindbergh played in the growth of the American Aviation industry. The book also examines the role that Lindbergh played in the late 1930s when he “espoused isolationism. Lindbergh expressed admiration for the order and efficiency of Nazi Germany” in the words of the editor James M. McPherson (Kessner xiii). Kessner believes that Lindbergh's fatal flaw was a lack of empathy (Kessner 238). I read the book on my Kindle. I wondered if it would be interesting to read Kessner’s book while watching the Studio Ghibli film Porco Rocco (1992) which was directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The film is an animated film about an aviator named Porco Rocco who tries to not follow governments in fascist Italy. The book includes a section of notes, an index, and a “selected bibliography” (Kessner 289-291). The book has a picture of Lindbergh’s navigation map. Thomas Kessner’s book, The Flight of the Century is an interesting biography of Charles Lingberg.
Works Cited:
Crunchyroll Store Australia. “Porco Rocco- Official Trailer.” Crunchyroll Store Australia. September 17, 2013. Porco Rosso - Official Trailer - YouTube

[Janine Spendlove · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for anyone involved with or interested in aviation. I'd always heard about "Lucky Lindy" and the "Spirit of St Louis" but I never realized what a close thing the Atlantic crossing truly was, nor the crazy fervor afterward! Aside from a look into, what I discovered was a very layered and very imperfect man (had no idea he had Nazi leanings prior to this book, but then neither did I know how important to the birth of aviation/the airlines he was - I only knew him with regard to the Atlantic crossing), it's a fantastic look at the history of the true birth of aviation as far as a commercial and industrial enterprise.

All in all, good book. I learned a lot and was never bored.

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charles Lindberg is well known for his flight to Paris, the kidnapping and murder of his son and the unorthodox views he took on later in life. This book provides extensive documentation (end notes) about his life prior to the historic flight and the years thereafter.

Although the detail of his life with a few years after the flight doesn't seem to be as richly documented (he was a very private person to begin with) there's plenty there to offer insight.

An interesting read of a time somewhat forgotten.

[GT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. Well written, concise, very good at describing not just what Lindbergh achieved, but the times, people, and context of what America, and the world were going through and why Lindbergh resonated with so many. I came away renewed in my appreciation for his bravery, determination, and passion, but with a better perspective on his many flaws.

I rate it 4 stars.

mfgavin's rating criteria:

★ = Horrid waste of time
★★ = May be enjoyable to some, but not me
★★★ = I am glad I read it
★★★★ = Very enjoyable and something I'd recommend
★★★★★ = A rare find, simply incredible

[Erin Webber · Rating 5 out of 5]

A riveting account of the Lone Eagle's record-breaking solo flight from New York to Paris, beginning with his childhood and continuing until the end of the "Lindbergh Era". Intriguing and balanced discussion of the forces that led to Lindbergh's unique personality and to the world's truly unprecedented reception of his achievement.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flight of the Century by Thomas Kessner is an excellent account of Charles Lindbergh’s flight across the Atlantic. The book provided a good understanding of his youth and his activities which lead up to this historic flight. It is well written and enjoyable to read.

[Mike Mittlestat · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Proceeds in fits and starts. Some very interesting insights into this enigma of a man but it bogs down in places as the author waxes philosophical.

[Hans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting account of a side of Charles Lindbergh that I was completely unaware of.

[Hal · Rating 3 out of 5]

comments later.