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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
I am editing my review after finishing the book. While I still do not like how the writer chose to depict Anne's frustrations (the tone was repetitive and often came off as whiny and childish),I was interested to learn about the history of the Lindbergh couple. I have no doubt that Anne Lindbergh was a strong woman with all she faced. I just wished the author hadn't used a self pitying tone to convey Anne's grief (which thereby prevented me from fully seeing her strength). The writing style could have been tighter and used less flowery language, thereby being more emotionally engaging.
I picked this book for one of my book groups (and also because I am going to Booktopia Petoskey!), and it provided us with a great discussion. Few of us knew much about the Lindberghs' lives. The solo flight across the Atlantic, the kidnapping and murder of their son and Charles Lindbergh's Nazi leanings were all most of us knew. Though this is a novel, Melanie Benjamin ably places the known within the unknown and wrote a compelling story about this family who were really the first public celebrities in the world. Through a confluence of advances in technology and Charles Lindbergh becoming the world's hero, Anne Morrow Lindbergh's private life was really not her own. By the end of the story, Charles emerges as a brave, but deeply flawed hero, with Anne emerging as the stronger person, though she too was flawed. Benjamin's book was unflinching in places, but in the vein of Paula McClain's The Paris Wife, it provides a window into the life of a hero and the time leading up to and through World War II.
This story was captivating - so much so that I could hardly put it down. It lifts the curtain of one of the most public marriages in the 1930's. Anne Morrow is a woman that we can identify with being eclipsed by a famous spouse, not following her heart but towing the line and swallowing feelings to appease others. She suffered through what we know today as emotional neglect but came out of the marriage a strong, determined, successful woman with a clear voice that she turned into a amazing career. Great read, very enlightening as it helped to clear the fact from much of the fiction. Highly recommended.
I thoroughly enjoyed this slice of Anne Morrow's life and loves. Heartfelt and intriguing.
Read it in a day... Haven't done that in forever! An interesting and compelling read.
This was the very best, self rated, 2 star rated book, I have ever read. If this was completely fictional, I would have given this book 4 stars. I am not a fan of a fictional novels based on non fictional people. I would have rather read an biography. I like historical fiction when the main characters are fictional characters or there is not enough information to write a biography. That said, I did appreciate the development of the main character, Anne. The book was a pleasure to read and would make for an interesting discussion.
Great book. It's really amazing to read about the experiences the Lindbergh's went through, especially with the kidnapping of their son and then his emotional detachment from his family.
So I have to admit that I didn't really know anything about Charles Lindbergh going into this book. I don't know if we skipped that part in history, or I wasn't paying attention. Luckily my husband is like an encyclopedia and he told me all about Charles's flight across the Atlantic and the Spirit of St. Louis to catch me up a bit.
But even if I didn't have any background knowledge, thanks to my husband, the author does a great job to fill you in on parts you didn't know.
So this book is from the perspective of Anne Lindbergh, and it's mostly about their marriage and what she went through. It's beautifully written - it sucks you in and riles up your emotions, that's for sure! It starts with how they met, goes into their wedding, their flights, their children and the kidnapping, World War 2 and Charles's opinions with the Germans, and ends with his death.
This book made me very grateful for my husband, because honestly, Charles was a poop head. Anne went through a lot, and this book celebrates her endurance and strength.
**Also, in the author's note, she said her goal was for people to research more about the Lindbergh's after reading it, and for me that was so accurate! I found myself looking up pictures and googling them while I was reading. I was fascinated by them! Now I want to read both of their books!**
Second read 2021: So after reading this book the first time I went and read Gift of the Sea and The Spirit of St. Louis. While reading The Spirit of St. Louis, it made me want to read this book again, so I listened to it for the second time. I learned more even then! More things stuck after reading their other two books. This whole thing has fascinated me.
But even if I didn't have any background knowledge, thanks to my husband, the author does a great job to fill you in on parts you didn't know.
So this book is from the perspective of Anne Lindbergh, and it's mostly about their marriage and what she went through. It's beautifully written - it sucks you in and riles up your emotions, that's for sure! It starts with how they met, goes into their wedding, their flights, their children and the kidnapping, World War 2 and Charles's opinions with the Germans, and ends with his death.
This book made me very grateful for my husband, because honestly, Charles was a poop head. Anne went through a lot, and this book celebrates her endurance and strength.
**Also, in the author's note, she said her goal was for people to research more about the Lindbergh's after reading it, and for me that was so accurate! I found myself looking up pictures and googling them while I was reading. I was fascinated by them! Now I want to read both of their books!**
Second read 2021: So after reading this book the first time I went and read Gift of the Sea and The Spirit of St. Louis. While reading The Spirit of St. Louis, it made me want to read this book again, so I listened to it for the second time. I learned more even then! More things stuck after reading their other two books. This whole thing has fascinated me.
i know this book is well liked... but man! Charles Lindbergh. what a guy. and i don't mean that in a nice way. poor anne! while i know this is fictionalized, he is not portrayed well here. i had no idea... this book was also slow at times. it was very interesting realizing how the paparazzi grew and how this was part of the origins of celebrity culture, but the characters just didn't do it for me. i have a hard time saying that since it's based on real people, but that's just how it is, folks! :)
An imagined autobiography of Anne Lindbergh, wife of famous aviator Charles. Anne was the plain second daughter of an ambassador, who surprisingly becomes engaged to Charles Lindbergh in the time after his famous flight across the Atlantic. Anne is serious and capable, but ultimately a people-pleaser. She learns to fly planes with Charles and accompanies him on record-breaking flights, although she remains for many people a home maker and trophy wife. The heart breaking loss of their son Charlie forever changes both she and Charles, and as he becomes hardened and spends more time away from home, she finds a way to build a life for herself and her children. Got better as it went on, and by the end I was enchanted by this character, after earlier being a bit annoyed by her insipid character. Lovely.