Book Review: Reach for the Skies

[youngster]

I enjoy a good book, and always seem to have a pile next to my bed waiting to be started or finished. I picked up Reach for the Skies, by Paul Brickhill at a second-hand book sale a couple of weeks ago, and found it fascinating.

 

For those not familiar with Brickhill's book, it tells the story of Douglas Bader, a British double amputee who went on to become a WWII fighter ace. Brickhill artfully details Bader's determination, flying skill, courage, and leadership.

 

For anyone with an interest in flying or WWII history, it is a must read.

 

 

[Bandit12]

That certainly is a great read - I first read it about the age of 8, and have read it a number of times since. While the man may have quite bombastic and arrogant, he was also incredibly determined and passionate about flying.

 

 

[youngster]

That certainly is a great read - I first read it about the age of 8, and have read it a number of times since. While the man may have quite bombastic and arrogant, he was also incredibly determined and passionate about flying.

I get the feeling that even if you didn't really like the guy, it would have been difficult not to respect him.

 

 

[Bandit12]

Yep, I believe his expectations of people were extreme, but were mirrored by his own dedication and drive to do what he asked of others and even more. There was a doco in the UK recently which looked at documentation and discussed the possibility that he was actually shot down by friendly fire rather than colliding with an enemy aircraft - would love to find a copy one day.

 

 

[Guernsey]

The movie was pretty good also, I've seen it three times.

 

Alan.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

I read this several years ago when i picked up a copy at Oshkosh. Great read. I also had the opportunity to meet him at a Schofields airshow long ago. The powers to be would not let him fly at the show but we got around that with a 'minimum aircraft'.

 

 

[M61A1]

If you enjoyed that, you may also like Chuck Yeager's biography, unlike the movie, it's a really good read. I must admit, I quite liked his attitude to it all as well.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Yes a good one, another good read is the bio on the actor Jimmy Stewart. If you watch his movies carefully you will see references to his WW2 experiences. He also commanded B52's in Vietnam when he was called back from the reserves.

 

 

[youngster]

Another great read is "Wild Blue" by Stephen E Ambrose, about George McGovern (Former US Presidential candidate) as a bomber pilot in WWII.

 

 

[Steve L]

Allan was the movie also called 'Reach For The Sky' I'm not big on reading so I'll try to locate the movie.

 

Steve

 

 

[poteroo]

The book and movie were both 'Reach for the Sky'

 

 

[pudestcon]

The book and movie were both 'Reach for the Sky'

I think Kenneth More played Douglas Bader if I remember correctly

Pud

 

 

[old man emu]

The first book I read about a WWll pilot was "I Flew for the Fuhrer", the diaries of Heinz Knoke, a Bf109 pilot who was involved in the German defence of the Western Front from the Battle of Britain to late 1944 when he was seriously wounded and did not fly again. Of course after that I read "Reach for the Sky".

 

In the late 1950's and early 60s, there weren't very many of these wartime memoirs in circulation. Perhaps the people were still getting over the trauma of those times. The memoir books we see now seem to have been written when these people were in their eighties and wanted to leave behind the story of their exploits as young people.

 

OME

 

 

[Steve L]

My father is one of these people OME , he wasnt in the airforce but a gunner on Mountbattens destroyer in the navy. Of which the Japs signed the peace treaty on. He was also in the landing party

 

who released the prisoners from one well known jail. Hes well in his eightys now with declining health, only now is he opening up

 

Steve

 

 

[johnm]

some one said ............... 'fighter pilot - the memoirs of legendary ace robin olds' isbn 0312569513 was good - bought that book - great bloke, read and one of the strangest but best endings I've read in an aviation book ................. cheap too - $ 15

 

ww2 and vietnam flying

 

 

[Tomo]

Reach for the sky is a good book, read it half a dozen times over the years. Bit of a character that's for sure, O'l Douglas. Movie is pretty good watching too!

 

 

[Neil_S]

I think Kenneth More played Douglas Bader if I remember correctlyPud

He sure did.

 

Neil

 

 

[Guest MattB]

My grandfather flew with Bader under 19 squadron during the battle of Britain - the first squadron to receive the spitfire. Have his original log books from the war which is an 'interesting' read!

 

 

[Bandit12]

Feel free to scan some pages and share if you feel like it!

 

 

[Guest MattB]

Will do Shane. But many pages of not much between what we would consider the 'good bits'. There are 2 unconfirmed 'kills', and 2 bailouts, so will try and locate them. He missed much of the war courtesy of the Luftwaffe. But remember him telling the story of living like a king whilst a 'guest'of the Germans.

 

 

[Neil_S]

My grandfather flew with Bader under 19 squadron during the battle of Britain - the first squadron to receive the spitfire. Have his original log books from the war which is an 'interesting' read!

Hi Matt,

 

Wow - must be fascinating reading!

 

Cheers

 

Neil

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Fantastic... I remember as a child being enthralled by the stories of an old WW1 vet friend, hiding in the forest from the German Fokkers and fighting in the dreadful Somme trenches. These folk are known in the USA as 'the greatest generation'. Not sure how many flying stories there are from that era (besides fictional Biggles stuff of course).

 

 

[Neil_S]

Fantastic... I remember as a child being enthralled by the stories of an old WW1 vet friend, hiding in the forest from the German Fokkers and fighting in the dreadful Somme trenches. These folk are known in the USA as 'the greatest generation'. Not sure how many flying stories there are from that era (besides fictional Biggles stuff of course).

Hi GG,

 

Whilst at the Darwin Air Museum last year I bought a book from their shop titled "Fighter Heroes of WW1" by Joshua Levine. ISBN 978-0-00-727494-9.

 

Superb read. Highly recommended.

 

Amazon has a copy for $15.56 - claims it only has 1 copy left! So get in quick if you like that sort of thing.

 

Cheers

 

Neil