Charles A. Lindbergh astounded the world on May 21, 1927, with his successful solo flight from New York to Paris in The Spirit of St. Louis. Upon his return to the United States, he received an unprecedented welcome and was regarded as a hero to a generation of Americans who looked to the skies as a field of promise and progress. Lindbergh has been the subject of scrutiny and controversy ever since.
Reflecting America's faith in technological advancement, Lindbergh saw The Spirit of St. Louis as "a lens focused on the future, a forerunner of mechanisms that would conquer time and space." This youthful optimism was later tempered by personal tragedy-the kidnapping and murder of his first-born son-and by the threat of American involvement in a war abroad. But Lindbergh confronted these challenges, often at odds with his supporters, with the same daring and boldness of character that inspired him to undertake his fabled flight.
In Lindbergh: Flight's Enigmatic Hero, Von Hardesty, curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, takes another look at Lindbergh's life and offers new insights into the man and the myths that surrounded him. Drawing from a variety of sources, he reveals how Lindbergh, though stubborn and absolutist in many ways, evolved in his outlook and world view. With hundreds of full-color images and illustrations taken from a rich variety of private and public collections, Hardesty has produced a visually stunning and fascinating biography of one of the most important figures of the twentieth century.
Published in Conjunction with the 75th Anniversary of Lindbergh's Historic Transatlantic Flight
More than 250 photographs, illustrations, and maps
Never-before-published images and artifacts from Lindbergh archives and private collections
Eight-page gatefold illustration
Detailed map of Lindbergh's fabled flight
Illustrated timelines from Lindbergh's life
"Life is like a landscape. You live in the midst of it, but can describe it only from the vantage point of distance." -Charles A. Lindbergh
