Charles A. Lindbergh: A Human Hero [Hardcover]

James Cross Giblin (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

Pilot Charles A. Lindbergh was one of the first Americans to be lionized by the news media. When LIndbergh made his nonstop transatlantic flight in 1927, radio and sound movies were just beginning to be popular, enabling people to learn of events almost as soon as they happened. Overnight, the 25-year-old Lindbergh, a man of modest means and education, was catapulted into the public limelight. He became the American hero whom everyone adored and thought could do no wrong. Lindbergh's popularity lasted little more than a decade. His ties to Nazi Germany and his outspoken isolationist views prior to World War II cost him the respect of many close friend and relatives, and of the general public as well. The story of Lindbergh's rise to fame and abrupt descent into disgrace is told here with frankness and understanding. The meticulously researched text and generous selection of archival photographs present a lively and rounded portrait of a man who earned his place in aviation history despite his faults.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4 Up. A biography of the controversial aviator that also examines the phenomenon of our need to create heroes. Handsomely illustrated and well-documented, the text provides period commentary as well as retrospective analyses of events.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Adventurer, family man, environmentalist, Nazi apologist, Giblin gives us a sense of the complete man in this balanced portrait -- a man he calls 'an all-too-human hero.' " Booklist, ALA, Starred Review

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books (October 20, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395633893
• ISBN-13: 978-0395633892
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 7.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #323,684 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #11 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( L ) > Lindbergh, Charles

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lindbergh in all his glorious complexity, January 5, 2004

By 

E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Charles A. Lindbergh: A Human Hero (Hardcover)

The general idea behind Giblin's book is that Charles Lindbergh was a hero despite his faults and flaws. Cleverly, he has chosen to present Charles's life in full, making him a understandable character, before later revealing his Nazi sympathies. Giblin is no stranger to the controversial biography. His adept children's book, "The Life and Death of Adolph Hitler", follows much the same path as this earlier creation. Lindbergh's life was nothing if not exciting. He became the first man to cross the Atlantic from New York to Paris. Then his baby was kidnapped and killed. Then he started spouting racist and anti-semitic speeches in an effort to keep America out of World War Two. Finally, he worked tirelessly to conserve the environment and protect endangered species for the rest of his life. If you examine these facts as a whole, you find it difficult to pigeonhole this fascinating human being. Giblin has presented his subject honestly. People who see Lindbergh as a hero and people who see him as a racist traitor will both enjoy this riveting biography. To his credit, Giblin never shies away from the negative aspects of his otherwise beloved subject. Though he offers several possible explanations for Lindbergh's relentless isolationism, he lets the viewers come to their own conclusions about this tarnished man.

Giblin is to be commended for his research as well. There is no fact presented in this book that is not backed up by rigorous sourcenotes. An adept timeline, index, and bibliography appear in the back of the text. Personally, I find it difficult to forgive Lindbergh his crimes. Just the same, I cannot help but find things to admire about him, all thanks to Giblin's amazing skills as a children's biographer. This book is a full-scale biography that every student of history should read.

4.0 out of 5 stars Carolyn's Review oCharles A, Lindbergh A Human Hero, July 26, 2010

By 

C. K. Stafford "cycle4fun" (Dallastown, PA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Charles A. Lindbergh: A Human Hero (Hardcover)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It gave many details about the first solo flight across the Atlantic. it showed that while a national hero Lindbergh was still a regular human with his own ideas & opinions.

2 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Charles Lindberg, May 30, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Charles A. Lindbergh: A Human Hero (Hardcover)

This book is about Charles Lindbergh, the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean with his Spirit of St. Louis. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about Charles Lindbergh.