Biographical Book Review: Charles Lindbergh: American Hero of Flight

 The People to Know Series, Charles Lindbergh: American Hero of Flight by Virginia Meachum, Enslow Publisher's Inc., Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, 2002.

This is a very good biography and tells many things about Charles Lindbergh that I did not know.  Of course it starts with his early days, and how he got into flying.  He was working as a mail pilot when decided he could fly across the Atlantic, which we all know he did becomeing the first person to do so.  

I did not know he was such a prlific author.  He won a Pulitzer for his book Spirit of St. Louis.  His wife Anne was also an author and pubished many books.  Before WWII he took an isolationist position and struggled to keep America out of the war.  A speech he gave in this regard was considered by some to be racist.  Lindbergh did serve in whatever way he could during the war.  He was not in active combat but was allowed to fly a few missions when he was a consultant.  His knowledge of aviation was very valuable.  He taught how to get better fuel mileage from the planes.

  He worked for TWA and Pan Am in establishing plane transportation work.  For TWA it was mostly across the U.S. and for Pan Am it was international flights.  

When he was older he worked to protect the environment and was on the board of the World Wildlife Fund.  

He was also a scientist and worked on an artificial heart.

The part that makes this book difficult to read is the kidnapping and murder of his son.  Charles jr was a year and a half when he was kidnapped for ransom.  The criminal who kidnapped young Charles apparently dropped him off the ladder and he fell on his head which killed him.  He still collected the ransom.  It was good to know that the man did not have the intent of killing the baby.  Lindbergh partially blamed this on the terrible amount of publicity and lack of privacy from his life of fame.  They lived in England for a time as a result.