Press on! [Paperback]

Chuck Yeager (Author), Charles Leerhsen (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this informal, pleasantly rambling account written with Newsweek editor Leerhsen, the sound-barrier-busting air pioneer recalls hunting and fishing adventures, and talks interestingly about his passion for fixing machines and growing up in West Virginia. His wife Glennis, pal Bud Anderson, brother Hal and several other friends and admirers chime in now and then, filling in details the taciturn general leaves out. Anderson, for instance, thinks fun is Yeager's middle name, and offers examples of his aggressive pursuit of it in far-flung wildernesses. Hal remarks that his brother "will never be confused with Leo Buscaglia," and goes on to discuss the emotional self-control and stoicism that is a family tradition. The general himself comes across as a likable, uncomplicated guy with a wry sense of humor who has developed the ability to enjoy himself in mountainous boondocks into something of an art. As this memoir indicates, there is probably no better companion on a long-range backpacking trek into the Sierra. Yeager, uninterested in "this hero business," acknowledges that although Tom Wolfe is a nice fellow, "I've never understood a lot of what he was driving at" in The Right Stuff . The general much prefers reading Louis L'Amour.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Carrying on in the style of Yeager , the General regales readers with entertaining tales of his post-military adventures, his home life, and, most of all, his love of the outdoors. In fact, this entry belongs more in the hunting and fishing section than in aviation history, since there are pages on mountain backpacking. The philosophy (expressed in the title) and personal makeup of that younger fighter pilot are still evident, however. The remainder of the book is a description of his daily life, coping with what he wryly calls "the hero business" and what he sees as his obligation to his public. Yeager never heard of "the right stuff" before Tom Wolfe coined the term, but if personal style and confidence are part of that "stuff," Yeager certainly has it. Mel D. Lane, Sacramento, Cal.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 324 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (December 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553763296
• ISBN-13: 978-0553763294
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #969,950 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The other side of a legendary flying ace!, August 10, 1999

By 

Bill Jabin ([e-mail]) (Napa, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Press On!: Further Adventures in the Good Life (Hardcover)

Although areas of the general's military service are mentioned in this incredible story, the main focus is on Yeager's journeys into remote country regions. Most memorable are his jaunts with close friends and family members into the eastern Sierras of California. Yeager writes and recalls these stories in a captivating style that makes you feel like your right there on the trail. From catching and eating golden trout to walking miles of wilderness areas seeing sites rarely traveled by others, the reader gets the sense of what it was like to experience the true virtues of our unspoiled wilds. General Yeager is a true naturalist and this book is a great offering of the existential side of a great American hero.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Older outdoorsman, March 19, 2006

By 

Bill Wade "Bill" (Sandy Springs, Ga.) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Press on! (Paperback)

I thoroughly enjoyed Chuck's fishing and backpacking trips in the High Sierras. In fact I planned a trip using his book as a guide for my brother and nephew from Ms. and myself from Atlanta. We had a great time, caught a lot of Golden trout and saw some fantastic scenery. Even though we were 20 years younger than Chuck we couldn't handle nearly the pack weight on our back as he did. I plan on using Chuck as a role model for my later years in the outdoors with my grandson.