With careful research, Randall capably assembles the tale of the race that put the world on the path to modern aviation.
An exciting tale of traversing the world in fragile machines with crude instruments a century ago.
Flying across oceans, or even around the world, is now so commonplace that the main complaint is often about insufficient legroom. However, for two decades after the Wright brothers flew at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the idea of long-distance flight was dismissed as fanciful. The remarkable 1924 race to circumnavigate the globe has been largely forgotten, but journalist Randall, author of Dreamland and Black Death at the Golden Gate, sets out to correct the record. The author notes that by the early 1920s, the U.S. had fallen behind most other countries in aviation technology, and the military showed little interest. The exception was Billy Mitchell, an irascible officer who believed that the next war would be fought in the air. He hit upon the idea of an international race to stir public interest, even though there were few American companies capable of meeting the engineering requirements. Eventually four Douglas World Cruisers, hardy two-seat seaplanes, were designed and built. A half-dozen countries entered the contest, although it was an odd sort of competition, with no common starting point or date. Moreover, the Americans flew west, while the Europeans flew east. The persistent problems were bad weather, fuel shortages, and mechanical breakdowns. Incredibly, after 175 days and 26,345 miles, averaging 72.5 miles per hour, the American team made it home, the only team to finish. Though Congress and military officials remained unimpressed, there was a blossoming of companies that saw the potential in moving mail, freight, and passengers. All this makes for an interesting story, and Randall handles it well, providing an engaging, colorful read.
With careful research, Randall capably assembles the tale of the race that put the world on the path to modern aviation.Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2024
ISBN: 9780063371408
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Mariner Books
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A heartwarming and inspiring story for animal lovers.
The third volume in the Elephant Whisperer series.
In this follow-up to An Elephant in My Kitchen, Malby-Anthony continues her loving portrait of the Thula Thula wildlife reserve, which she co-founded in 1998 with her late husband, South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony, who published the first book in the series, The Elephant Whisperer, in 2009. Following his death in 2012, Malby-Anthony sought to honor his legacy by continuing his vision “to create a massive conservancy in Zululand, incorporating our land and other small farms and community land into one great big game park.” At the same time, the elephants gave her “a sense of purpose and direction.” In the Zulu language, thula means quiet, and though the author consistently seeks to provide that calm to her charges, peace and tranquility are not always easy to come by at Thula Thula. In this installment, Malby-Anthony discusses many of the challenges faced by her and her staff, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. These included an aggressive, 2-ton rhino named Thabo; the profound loss felt by all upon the death of their elephant matriarch, Frankie; difficulty obtaining permits and the related risk of having to relocate or cull some of their animals; the fear of looting and fire due to civil unrest in the region; and the ongoing and potentially deadly struggles with poachers. Throughout, the author also shares many warm, lighthearted moments, demonstrating the deep bond felt among the humans and animals at the reserve and the powerful effects of the kindness of strangers. “We are all working in unity for the greater good, for the betterment of Thula Thula and all our wildlife….We are humbled by the generosity and love, both from our guests and friends, and from strangers all around the world,” writes the author. “People’s open-hearted support kept us alive in the darkest times.”
A heartwarming and inspiring story for animal lovers.Pub Date: April 25, 2023
ISBN: 9781250284259
Page Count: 320
Publisher: St. Martin's
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
This is a man who has seen it all, and he sure does know how to tell a story.
Fighting back against a nearly fatal health crisis, a renowned foreign correspondent reviews his career.
New York Times journalist Nordland, a Pulitzer Prize winner, has reported from more than 150 countries. Working in Delhi on July 4, 2019, he had a seizure and lost consciousness. At that point, he began his “second life,” one defined by a glioblastoma multiforme tumor. “From 3 to 6 percent of glioblastoma patients are cured; one of them will bear my name,” writes the author, while claiming that the disease “has proved to be the best thing that ever happened to me.” From the perspective of his second life, which marked the end of his estrangement from his adult children, he reflects on his first, which began with a difficult childhood in Philadelphia. His abusive father was a “predatory pedophile.” His mother, fortunately, was “astonishingly patient and saintly,” and Nordland and his younger siblings stuck close together. After a brief phase of youthful criminality, the author began his career in journalism at the Penn State campus newspaper. Interspersing numerous landmark articles—some less interesting than others, but the best are wonderful—Nordland shows how he carried out the burden of being his father’s son: “Whether in Bosnia or Kabul, Cambodia or Nigeria, Philadelphia or Baghdad, I always seemed to gravitate toward stories about vulnerable people, especially women and children—since they will always be the most vulnerable in any society—being exploited or mistreated by powerful men or powerful social norms.” Indeed, some of the stories reveal the worst in human nature. A final section, detailing his life since his diagnosis in chapters such as “I Forget the Name of This Chapter: On Memory,” wraps up the narrative with humor, candor, and reflection.
This is a man who has seen it all, and he sure does know how to tell a story.Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9780063096226
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Mariner Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 14, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
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