The Aviator's Wife

A Novel

By: Melanie Benjamin

Narrated by: Lorna Raver

Length: 16 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

In the spirit of Loving Frank and The Paris Wife, acclaimed novelist Melanie Benjamin pulls back the curtain on the marriage of one of America’s most extraordinary couples: Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

For much of her life, Anne Morrow, the shy daughter of the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, has stood in the shadows of those around her, including her millionaire father and vibrant older sister, who often steals the spotlight. Then Anne, a college senior with hidden literary aspirations, travels to Mexico City to spend Christmas with her family. There she meets Colonel Charles Lindbergh, fresh off his celebrated 1927 solo flight across the Atlantic. Enthralled by Charles’s assurance and fame, Anne is certain the celebrated aviator has scarcely noticed her. But she is wrong.

Charles sees in Anne a kindred spirit, a fellow adventurer, and her world will be changed forever. The two marry in a headline-making wedding. Hounded by adoring crowds and hunted by an insatiable press, Charles shields himself and his new bride from prying eyes, leaving Anne to feel her life falling back into the shadows. In the years that follow, despite her own major achievements - she becomes the first licensed female glider pilot in the United States - Anne is viewed merely as the aviator’s wife. The fairy-tale life she once longed for will bring heartbreak and hardships, ultimately pushing her to reconcile her need for love and her desire for independence, and to embrace, at last, life’s infinite possibilities for change and happiness.

Drawing on the rich history of the twentieth century - from the late twenties to the mid-sixties - and featuring cameos from such notable characters as Joseph Kennedy and Amelia Earhart, The Aviator’s Wife is a vividly imagined novel of a complicated marriage - revealing both its dizzying highs and its devastating lows. With stunning power and grace, Melanie Benjamin provides new insight into what made this remarkable relationship endure.

©2013 Melanie Benjamin (P)2013 Random House Audio

Don't give up on first few chapter

You're most likely not going to come away liking Charles. In the end, r's not about him anyway. Good story but it didn't grab me until chapter 4 or so

History truly comes to life in this story!

Would you listen to The Aviator's Wife again? Why?

This was truly a fabulous read! Author brings Ann to life in a truthful, sensitive, honest story.

Have you listened to any of Lorna Raver’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Can't wait to read Lorna Rever's other books now!

Better than I expected!

The story was captivating! The narrator was a little slow, but when I thought of her more as an elderly woman telling her story of the past, I was more forgiving of the pace.

I didn't really enjoy the interjections of 1974 so early in the story, but other than that, a really fabulous read (or listen :) )

Read - Don't Listen

Read this book for our book club. Took the book out of the library because the reader made it sound like a romance novel. The life of Anne Morrow Lindbergh is interesting and worth the read but the author adds a lot of her own spin on the Lindberg marriage and Anne's perspective.

I didn't like this book but...

I kept on listening to it for the interest in the main character. I know the author must have put a lot of time into it so I am sorry for only 2 stars. She did write well. I did not like the story itself. If I take anything away from this story is that life without a spiritual aspect to it is bleak, selfish, unforgiving and hopeless.

What a woman!

The only things I knew about Ann Morrow Lindberg were that she was the wife of the guy who first flew across the Atlantic Ocean and that their first baby was kidnapped and murdered. Even without those two events, Ann Morrow Lindberg would have been worth a book. Her story, and her observations about her own life, are timeless and give encouragement and counsel to women of all ages. The narrator is wonderful. It seemed a little slow at first, but I think that is a reflection of the times. Soon the listeners feel that they are present in the 1930s and are listening to Ann tell her own story. I recommended this for our book club, along with Ann's own book, A Gift From the Sea.

Emotional Depth

Yes, it is too wordy for the number of events covered in the life of Anne Morrow Lindberg depicted here but, as was said in the author's notes about her intent, Benjamin's main goal was to shed light on what the emotions of Anne may have been as she reacted to a remarkable life married to a hero. Some themes are repeated over and over (with different, well written words to be sure).
As one who grew up during the early hero worship phase of their lives, I was familiar with the outlines of their story. However, I did not fully appreciate what their lives must have been really like. What Benjamin does is to pull off a masterful job of providing the reader/listener a thorough appreciation of what Anne must have felt felt as she went through the years as the wife of the flawed aviator-hero.
Spoiler Alert: I heard only passing references to Lindberg's "other families" now and then. They only are touched upon slightly in this book. Sequel, please. Another book would be interesting, illuminating the lives of the other families he had, with chapters about the children of Anne and Charles with their reaction to learning about their extended family.

A lovely story and well written.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh lived her "storybook" life as the early 1900's expected. Often I wanted to scream at her to tell Charles what she really wanted. That came in her later life though. Charles kept her too far away from people which she realized later. A remarkable woman who lived with a driven and very talented man.

Learn about Anne Morrow Lindberg

Where does The Aviator's Wife rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Probably lower middle

Would you be willing to try another book from Melanie Benjamin? Why or why not?

It wasn't a gem of writing competence, but I did like learning about the story behind the folklore.

If you could rename The Aviator's Wife, what would you call it?

Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Any additional comments?

I warmed to the book as the story unfolded. It stimulated me to research the facts.

Flights of fact and fancy.

Thoroughly enjoyable! I looked for opportunities to listen so I have a really clean house. Well written and performed. Hurrah!