Posted on 01/04/2012 7:04:04 PM PST by Hojczyk
Great Book...A review from Amazon says it all...Obama should read it... a story of a real American...Aviation from WW II to the space age done by one man..
5.0 out of 5 stars Balls Out!!!, August 3, 2000 By Richard Ross-Adams (Johannesburg, South Africa) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Yeager: An Autobiography (Paperback)
Legendary flying ace Chuck Yeager has put on paper not only his life, but his amazing character as well. Since I was a child I was told the stories of Chuck Yeager by my brothers.One of whom was an aviator himself, and was in awe of this man.
When I read his autobiography, which is definitely one of the best books I've ever read, I felt a new kind of respect for the man. A man who was never given a college education, yet managed to be one of the greatest aviators and men in history. He overcame the odds more than a few times.
What touched me most about this book was it's honesty.He never embellishes the truth, and tells it like it is, always. The book may not be the best articulated book in history, but that is because that is not Chuck's way.
He recounts all the major events in aviation history with a style that reveals his passion, and his determination that if you are going to do something, do it right.Eloquently put by Chuck, do it balls out.
I most enjoyed his manner in the book, fun loving without losing sight of himself, his demeanour is that of a mischievous brother who'll stand up for what he believes in, no matter what.
This man is a role model and one of the world's finest heroes. Read the book and meet the man.
That’s it. Thanks
All right !!!
Oh, I know, I just remember reading that his kids were all spun out over his remarriage and screwing with his finances. Worried his wife was a gold digger, their inheritance or likely both. I think the courts were involved.
Obama is the Anti-Yeager
It’s hard to add to what’s already been said. It’s a great book. Everybody should read it. Guys will probably enjoy more than gals.
I was born in the late 50’s so lived through the early space program years. I may have been a girl but kept up with all of it. Yeager was definitely one of my all time heroes too. As for the astronauts- Alan Shepherd was probably my favorite astronaut for some reason.
Thanks for the heads up on this book- I didn’t even know it existed. I am the lone female in a house full of guys - a husband & 4 sons - I’ve ordered the book and hope they want to read it as much as I do.
The guy lead a fascinating life.
"We have a fire, and it's obscuring that view of Mt Baldy that we all love so well"
I’ve read it many times over the years. He has always been a hero of mine. I got to see him at the SHOT Show one year, standing there talking to a famous gun writer. I never felt the need for autographs or pictures, so just seeing him laughing with a friend was good enough. On the way to my pickup that afternoon, I found myself walking next to Joe Foss. He saw me looking and I simply told him thanks. He smiled and nodded.
A friend said Yeager used to come to a big ranch where he hunted, and would spend days flying ultralight aircraft, in mock dogfights with the hawks and eagles there.
Yeager, even when he was on the edge of the platform collapsing, was never rattled.
He took notes, and cracked jokes if he had a comm link.
Actually, that was Neil Armstrong...they were arguing over whether a lake bed near Edwards would be dry enough for an emergency landing. Armstrong said that, based on recent weather and his engineering expertise, the bed would be dry enough. Yeager, based on his common sense and years of flying in the area, said it was too wet. Yeager was right and Armstrong was wrong; the plane bogged down in the soft sand and it took quite a while to recover it.
Yeager is one of my all time great heroes; I think it was the Medal of Freedom occasion that I did a BI on him during the Reagan administration; his real life made James Bond look like a woosie. He had extraordinary eyesight—off the charts, was absolutely fearless on so many occasion as a pilot. I’ll have to get the book! (I seem to remember him being accused by someone of divulging pictures of a classified prototype; till it came out that it was actually an aviation magazine that did the “divulging”.)
I remember that as well. Can't imagine anything more important to a pilot.
Exactly right. Thanks for the perfect recall. What a great book. I loved his story about the flight engineers coming up to his plane after I think some sketchy engine trouble and wanting to do something and Yeager yelling at them to stop. He goes on to explain that if they proceed with their idea, they would have blown themselves and plane to kingdom come. A remarkable man.
One of my sons has 20/10 vision and when he was young our pediatrician (a pilot) told him he should be a pilot when he grew up.
He didn’t become one,but did great in sniper training.
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