Customer Reviews

Flying in to Love

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I must agree with the other reader who insisted you ignore the Kirkus review. I found this book to be incredibly moving and fascinating in its exploration, not of various conspiracy theories (as the Kirkus reviewer wrongly says), but of the different ways the Kennedy assasination myth affects Americans, even those of us who were not alive when it happened.

While I appreciated Thomas's writing ability and the interesting organization of this book, I felt very uncomfortable with the sexual content. I'm not a prude, but I squirmed reading "Kennedy's" puerile thoughts about the private parts of every woman he saw. And the nuns! Don't even ask. Lyndon Johnson was particularly sleazy.

It seemed like Thomas read a lot of books on the Kennedy White House and the assassination, and then just cobbled together the aspects he found interesting.

Fortunately, this book was short and fast reading. I wasn't bored, but I didn't like it.

This is by far one of the best books I have ever read, along with THE WHITE HOTEL, Kundera's THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING and IMMORTALITY, this is an astounding blend of the real, the imagine and what might have been. Only professional jealously would cause the KIRKUS to offer such a negative view. Though I have to admit that the European editions are much better thant the American editions it seems a U.S. editor took free license with edits in preparing the US edition.

This beautiful lyrical novel would make a phenomenal film. Destined to become a classic..

As far as I'm concerned, who ever wrote the Kirkus review above is even more of a hack than the worst potboiler scribblers, of which Mr. Thomas is definitely not one. Come to think of it, who else but the lowliest hack would review for Kirkus? Forget the dumb, ad hominem Kirkus attack and read the book. It's well worth your time.