Customer Reviews

War Bird: The Life and Times of Elliott White Springs

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Colonel Springs is a figure of history here in Charlotte, NC. I didn't know a whole lot about him except that he was an early pilot and used to land his airplane on the local polo field, which long ago was converted to a residential neighborhood. I located this book and was surprised to read one of the most interesting, well written biographies in a long time. The Colonel was a rich kid who became a WWI "ace". He partied like hell all his life, loved airplanes, fast cars, railroads and built one of the biggest companies in the nation, Springs Industries. He had a tense relationship with his father that was so stressful that it caused him health problems that lasted throughout his life. He built Springs Industries in a dictatorial fashion but was so good to his employees that the unions never had a chance with Springs. He shot down at least 7 German aircraft in WWI. Back home he flew under bridges. In business, he wrote his own advertisements that we so risque they shocked Madison Ave. This book was interesting on so many levels. Almost anyone would find something in it to interest them. He was a man of an earlier era. He wouldn't know what to do in today's politically correct world. This is a superb book, and so very well written. When the author was describing Springs last days in 1959, you just had the feeling it was the end of an era.

Read this book if you are interested in any of the following: aviation, business, father-son dynamics, husband-wife dynamics, powerful people, mavericks, the Carolinas, strippers, or cars.