Customer Reviews

Past Perfect (Silhouette Intimate Moments)

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

 

 

The author's flight around the world is not only inspiring - her story is entertaining! I found myself looking forward to each port of call, and wondering what adventure she would brave next. I could never do what Sandi Smith did, but it was certainly inspiring to read. It made me examine my own life, and approach my challenges with the same vigor that Ms. Smith did her 'round-the-world trip. This book earns my highest recommendation!

Amelia Earhart's trip around the world finished in tragedy, but Sandi Smith (with pilot Jay Merten) became one of the few women in history to go around the world copiloting a single engine airplane with less horsepower than a Mustang GT.

When flying a small plane, three strikes and you're out becomes three strikes and you're dead, and I'm amazed how often Smith and Merten made it safely through two strikes. And who knew the biggest danger for world trotting pilots were the bureacrats demanding paper and visas and forms and fees every step of the way?

This is a fun read with details from places around the world I'll never go, and in fact some of which I've never even heard of. But the hard work and perseverance shown by Smith should inspire every young person who despairs of getting stuck in a boring life in a boring town. If you want excitement and adventure, like Smith did, you can have plenty. All it takes is determination, hard work, some luck, and more work and determination. This book is now on my teenage daughter's nightstand, and she won't give it back.

I assume that all the folks that rated this book as 5 stars are either friends of the author (they are all from Texas like the author) or woefully uneducated about anything having to do with airplanes. I was keeping track of errors and overall reading quality in order to do a review for the Malibu and Mirage Owners and Pilots Association (MMOPA) but I stopped keeping track after the third chapter. Still a fun read though if you can overlook the many errors.
(I would have given it 3 stars but felt someone needed to balance out all those Texas Five Star Reviews)

I had no idea how many obstacles could pop up on a round the world flight. I had no idea that so few women had mastered this. I applaud Sandi and her courage to circumnavigate the globe in a very small airplane with lots of problems no one could have foreseen. She makes me want to stretch my goals and see what happens when I get out of my comfort zone. A great read.

Many people dream of traveling around the world, but very, very few actually do it. Sandi and her traveling companion, Jay, not only travel around the world, but they do it in their own plane. Jay is an eye surgeon who volunteers his services in the most exotic of locations. Sandi is his co-pilot who teaches computer skills to people who have never even heard of data processing. These are two people who truly make the world a better place. And through it all, Sandi was able to take meticulous notes of their trip so that she could share their journey with the rest of us in this wonderful book.

This book is much more than just another travel log - it's real, true life, adventure. Sandi and Jay battle everything from bureaucratic swindlers to mechanical failures to bad weather, and the reader can't wait to turn the page to see what happens next.

So get out your world atlas (you'll need it), settle down in your favorite chair, and prepare to read a story that you'll never forget.