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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
I don’t know what I expected from this book, but I wasn’t expecting this! The Aviator’s Wife is only tangentially about the historical figures of Charles and Anne Lindbergh; rather, it is about a marriage of a complicated and difficult man and the subjugation of and subsequent freedom of his beleaguered wife. The fact that it is based in historical truth about a couple with a uniquely challenging life provides even more drama.
The Lindberghs were a young power couple of the 1920s; their celebrity reminded me of Princess Diana. Reporters camped out at their doors, followed them too closely in cars, shoved cameras into closed spaces for a photo of their children — even after that type of behavior led to the subsequent kidnapping and death of their oldest child. Being that harassed and famous certainly put a strain on their marriage.
And yet, as controlling as Charles became, it was a trait he already had — in fact, was what made him successful in his attempt to be the first solo transAtlantic flight. But to have had to live under that thumb would have been excruciating. It was for Anne, and it was for their children. And Anne had to do that in a world where women were expected to fall in line and do what they were told — and she had to continue to be compliant with everything Charles asked, whether it was traditional household duties, or writing a book he demanded (or worse yet, a defense of his Nazi support) — while suffering the greatest loss of all, a child. I don’t know how she did it. She had family money and could have left. I hope I would have. Her story is one of perseverance.
The book is a terrific one. As it is said, no one really knows what goes on in a marriage but the two people in it, but this comes pretty darn close. Excellent read.
The Lindberghs were a young power couple of the 1920s; their celebrity reminded me of Princess Diana. Reporters camped out at their doors, followed them too closely in cars, shoved cameras into closed spaces for a photo of their children — even after that type of behavior led to the subsequent kidnapping and death of their oldest child. Being that harassed and famous certainly put a strain on their marriage.
And yet, as controlling as Charles became, it was a trait he already had — in fact, was what made him successful in his attempt to be the first solo transAtlantic flight. But to have had to live under that thumb would have been excruciating. It was for Anne, and it was for their children. And Anne had to do that in a world where women were expected to fall in line and do what they were told — and she had to continue to be compliant with everything Charles asked, whether it was traditional household duties, or writing a book he demanded (or worse yet, a defense of his Nazi support) — while suffering the greatest loss of all, a child. I don’t know how she did it. She had family money and could have left. I hope I would have. Her story is one of perseverance.
The book is a terrific one. As it is said, no one really knows what goes on in a marriage but the two people in it, but this comes pretty darn close. Excellent read.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I had always had an interested in the Lindbergh family and enjoyed the focus on Anne instead of her more famous husband.
So glad I read this book! I have become a fan of historical fiction and biographies over the years. Melanie Benjamin does an excellent job of drawing you into the lives of Anne and Charles Lindbergh and keeps you interested for 500 pages. I had no idea how much there was to know about these two people, especially Anne. Makes me want to read more about her. Definitely a recommend.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The kidnapping of the Lindbergh's first born child was/is devastating. Anne Morrow was a strong, steadfast gal. What a woman!
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Growing up, my mother really loved Anne Morrow Lindbergh's writings, so perhaps I found this book more intriguing than many people. It also gave me some insight into my mother, a homemaker for much of her adult life.
I can't believe how much I didn't know about Anne. She was the co-pilot on many of Charles' trips? Who knew? She was the first woman to get a glider pilot's license? Who knew? Why weren't we ever taught about her? She sounds like an amazing woman. I also did not know about Lindbergh's other secret families, and it is not clear that Anne knew in real life, although she knows in the book.
The pressure of the public was too much for me to bear. I understand the family a lot better after reading about the intense interest and constant pestering of the family by the public. Reading this will certainly make me think twice before bothering any minor celebrities I might run into.
Much of this book was melancholy, but the author is a good writer, and it definitely kept my attention.
I can't believe how much I didn't know about Anne. She was the co-pilot on many of Charles' trips? Who knew? She was the first woman to get a glider pilot's license? Who knew? Why weren't we ever taught about her? She sounds like an amazing woman. I also did not know about Lindbergh's other secret families, and it is not clear that Anne knew in real life, although she knows in the book.
The pressure of the public was too much for me to bear. I understand the family a lot better after reading about the intense interest and constant pestering of the family by the public. Reading this will certainly make me think twice before bothering any minor celebrities I might run into.
Much of this book was melancholy, but the author is a good writer, and it definitely kept my attention.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Goddamn Charles Lindbergh pisses me off