The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh by Candace Fleming - ESSENTIAL

The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh by Candace Fleming, 372 pages.  NON-FICTION Schwartz and Wade (Random House), 2020.  $19.  

Content: Language: G (1 swear); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG-13 (gruesome arm amputation).  

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS – ESSENTIAL  

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE  

Charles Lindbergh was a shy, yet determined young man who fell in love with flying.  When he heard of a contest to fly from New York to Paris, Charles took the challenge and completed the solo flight.  Lindbergh’s notoriety after the completion of his flight changed his life forever and he became a sensation wherever he went.  Lindbergh also showed an interest in science, especially eugenics and eternal life.  Lindbergh had multiple families, his first son was kidnapped and he flew all over the world.  

I have always been fascinated by Charles Lindbergh, but this biography would enchant any reader.  Lindbergh had strange ideologies and lived an unconventional life for his time period making this a compelling read.  I enjoyed the flow of the book and the kidnapping had details I didn’t know before.   Lindbergh was famous for his flying, but he was a controversial figure in history.  

Reviewer, C. Peterson