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

In Her Defense...In Her Own Words....

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

Remarkable story, based on truth and the lives of two people who accomplished much, lived through such awful heartache and trauma, who demonstrated how foolish and false we can be in our younger years, and yet survived to go on and raise a family and live out their lives. This book gave perspective to their lives, and established a possible rational for their behaviors...their choices made, good and bad. It did what all good books do, it made me research further those in the story...determine what became of her family, her children, and his children in Europe. It is well worth the read...or time to listen.

What did you like best about this story?

It helped me to understand these two lives, and how they survived through greatness, and loss, and trauma, and stupidity, and the simple living out of their lives. It confirmed what we already suspected, that greatness can be achieved, and yet often one is not prepared for the fall--out that follows.... That even with unbelieveable loss and horror, the human spirit strives to survive, and find love in this life we are given.

Which character – as performed by Lorna Raver – was your favorite?

Anne Morrow Lindbergh was well performed, yet I can not say her character was a favorite. As a senior, and a retired college professor, I understand my mother's generation and their limitations as women; but I still wanted to shake this woman until her brain engaged.... I also understand loving a man whole heartedly, but still know to be true to yourself. She was a Smith graduate, and her mother became an example to women of her time, yet she still bought into Nazi German concepts...and she tried to tell us it was her husband, even her family was shocked....
Lorna Raver was just excellent in her performance of this book, well read.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

A Woman's story...Endured!

Any additional comments?

At times I felt this book was a defense of her behavior, yet with the tragic loss of her son who could blame her for not thinking clearly. And, at times this book made me bored with her "door mat" behavior--this from an intelligent woman, an educated woman, a well positioned woman. I have seen the Spirit of St. Louis, and it is amazing what Charles A. Lindbergh accomplished, and how it colored his life from that moment on, and her's too, was what made this a well written book.

There's Historical Fiction in Your Carry On

Would you try another book from Melanie Benjamin and/or Lorna Raver?

Sure.

Was The Aviator's Wife worth the listening time?

Yes. These are people and a time I did not know much about. Although most of it IS fiction, it does cover many historical points and eras; and I find it easy to absorb the information this way.

Any additional comments?

These books make me want to research the people and events that are the subjects. And I read Anne Morrow Lindbergh's Gift from the Sea in recent years, and it is a great piece of writing. And I thought not a bad book for married couples.

Good not great!

I really enjoyed the plot. I thought it was really interesting to learn about the family, about their intricate life and get insight on what it must have been to be a wife and mother at this time.
I thought that it dragged the reader along a bit, there were parts that moved incredibly slowly. And the performance was good! But didn’t match her age when she was young. It made it hard to understand her age. Good but not great!

Good fiction, questionable history

This book is listed as "historical fiction," and it is a well told (and narrated, for those who listen to it) story. What is unclear is where the history ends and the fiction begins. I wonder how much of this story readers will weave into the legend of the Lindbergh tale and will, ultimately, change the historical record because the fictionalized version becomes so well known. This book could be good for Lindbergh biographers as readers seek out factual information on the Lindberghs, rather than this fictionalized and romanticized version.

Did not finish

Any additional comments?

I listened to half of this before deciding to call it quits. I was getting really annoyed with the narrator - Anne Morrow Lindbergh - and I didn't want to spend another 8 hours with her. Part of it was the reader's voice, which I found somewhat grating. Most of it was the character's personality. Passive, spoiled, and in thrall to her thoroughly unpleasant husband Charles Lindbergh. Melanie Benjamin's may have done a good job of portraying these two as they really were, but the result is a book that holds no interest for me.

Slow start but it keeps getting better

I didn't always care for Anne's personality or her choices. I thought that it was a very slow start. The beginning seemed almost absurd... as in why am I even listening about this woman? I did not choose this book. I read it for a book club assignment. Even though this is fiction based on real life, the author stays very close to real life. It was in making notes for the book club meeting that I realized how much the book got me to thinking about love, marriage, loyalty, choosing a partner, living life fully and wanting more. I also recently visited the Smithsonian and I saw the Lindbergh exhibit there as well as Charles Lindbergh's plane. After seeing that plane it is fairly astounding that he undertook a 33 hour flight in it. Visiting the Air & Space museum when I did really reinforced the degree of courage and adventure that this husband and wife shared. Personally I was not well aware of the Lindbergh's story but I will say that I was touched by the bipolarity of the highs and lows in their lives...If you get this definitely listen to the author's discussion at the end. I think that Melanie Benjamin is a good storyteller and I would not hesitate to try another one of her books, this being my first.

I want to know more!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Although the book is fiction, the author does a great job of tying truth and story together. I found myself utterly thrilled at times and utterly frustrated at others. The narrator also did a great job, her performance allowed each character to shine.

If you could take any character from The Aviator's Wife out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Anne of course!

Very enjoyable read

Enjoyed the historical approach to this study of relationships. Made me want to learn more about Anne Lindbergh.

Great Book - Keeps your attention

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

It was very entertaining. Lorna acts out the different characters very well. I never had a doubt who she was acting.

What other book might you compare The Aviator's Wife to and why?

Similar to Paradise Lost - Story of Flagar building a railroad that started at the panhandle and went down to the Florida Keys. Both are historical novels.

If you could take any character from The Aviator's Wife out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Only because I don't want to choose any of the 2 obvious characters, I choose Elizabeth. Her life sounds equally exciting & I'd like to know her view of "the events of 1932".

Any additional comments?

At the end of the audible book, the author explains how she wrote the book & what was historically accurate. I think she did a good job creating semi-factual stories and historically accurate ones. She really made Ann the main character and successfully put Charles in the background.

i could listen over and over again

I quickly fell in love with Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Listening to this narration felt like I was sitting with a friend as she read the most intimate pages of her diary. Recommending this book to every woman I know. Hoping that they realize how extraordinary they are before the end of their life. beautifully written.