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24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
You Could Do Little To Belittle Doolittle, December 11, 2003
I COULD NEVER BE SO LUCKY AGAIN, written when Jimmy Doolittle was in his nineties, is a thoroughly refreshing glimpse through a glass lightly at a truly rare bird, a genuine American hero.
Written in the nonrevisionist tenor of PRIDE OF THE YANKEES, Doolittle's life story is told in a straightforward style in which the man fairly leaps off the page at you to grab you in a bear hug. Jimmy Doolittle lived to be nearly one hundred, and his zest for life explains why.
Best known for leading the "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" Raid of 1942, Doolittle did so much more. A true aviation pioneer,barnstormer, inventor, and rugged individualist, he was also the holder of an engineering doctorate, literally dozens of piloting records, and was a happily married man, to boot.
There are no skeletons unearthed, and no deep critiques of the literally thousands of people who passed through Jimmy Doolittle's life, including gold miners and Presidents. This is a memoir in the best sense, not character assassination masquerading as autobiography. Sometimes silence is golden.
On the other hand, Doolittle's self-effacing, humorous brand of Self is reflected in the amusing letters he received from friends such as Roscoe Turner and General "Georgie" Patton. His was an era of true loyalties and good old fashioned gumption.
Jimmy Doolittle was a man who loved life, and it shows.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An amazing story from a true pioneer and gentleman warrior, December 12, 2001
Jimmy Doolittle is a giant in the aviation world. Although most remember him for the Tokyo bombing raid if 1942 (see the movie Pearl Harbor for his latest incarnation), Doolittle was responsible for many of the safety measures now taken for granted by pilots in the world today in the early daus of test flying in the Army Air Corps. He left the service, did some private consulting, and when World War II loomed ahead of us, he returned to duty, rising to a position of senior leadership in the war in Europe. Doolittle achieved great success in the air, but this book will also teach the reader about his scientific abilities, and his corporate roles played in life, as well as his influence on some major policy movements in the US Government and the military after his retirement. For just the story on his involvement in the Tokyo Riad, this would be well worth the read. However, this book is much more than that, and very well told by a modest, gentleman warrior of a different era. For another account of the Tokyo Raid, I would suggest Ted Lawson's Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo.
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18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Lucky, February 3, 2007
This book is for the fans of "The Greatest Generation"-type books. Both Patton and Macarthur got cinematic limelight, but we hear less about Admiral Nimitz, and even less about Doolittle. This book completes the Temple of the World War II Titans.
As I read, two things impressed me. First was Doolittle's down-to-earth and conversational style. I felt like he was sitting next to me, chatting on the on the golf course, and just reminiscing between tees. The second was the drastic changes in flight that occurred during his fourscore and ten years. He saw aviation from the Wrights brothers to the Space Shuttle. All in one lifetime!
I was also surprised how involved he was in developing aviation technology--he had a hand in the modern cockpit instrumentation. Things such as the artificial horizon, radar, and the dashboard layout came, in part, from him.
Other surprising things were behind-the-scene info Billy Mitchell, supply problem in WWII, and also the three friendly fire incident he was involved with. It puts a perspective on the current conflagration.
In order to round out the book, you need two supplementals. The first is to see "Patton." Doolittle provided the air cover for Old Blood and Guts, and the book contains many references and quotes from Patton. Yes, he was accurately portrayed in the movie, except for his voice. Doolittle mention he had a high, almost feminine quality to his voice, which explains his potty tongue.
The second is to read "Catch-22." Yes, Heller is writing about serving under Doolittle. As I read, I wondered if Dreedle=Doolittle.
This book is even-tampered in its approach to war. It is not as idealized as John Wayne, but did not swerve into the demoralizing MASH or Platoon.
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