On Wings of the Morning

By: Dan Verner

Narrated by: DW Draffin

Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Young Otto Kerchner dreams of escaping his father's Wisconsin dairy farm and becoming a flier like his hero Charles Lindbergh. When a small airport is built on an adjoining property, Otto trades odd jobs for flight lessons and becomes a pilot at 16. When World War II breaks out, he enlists in the Army Air Corps and finds himself a year later high over Germany at the controls of a B-17. Otto and his crew fly 23 missions untouched, but then his world shatters, and he must draw on reserves of faith and courage he never imagined.

On Wings of the Morning brings to life the ordinary men and women of the greatest generation who, stirred by fate and fortune, accomplished extraordinary things. Faithful in its depiction of events and evocative across a spectrum of emotions, this gentle but incisive tale will engage, inform, and move listeners of all ages.

©2013 Dan Verner (P)2015 Dan Verner

Really recommend listening to it

I really enjoyed listening and in terms of pace and how it was narrated it is definitely among my favorite audiobooks to date. It was also nice having my hometown of Schweinfurt (although during it's darkest time) mentioned and the description of this particular raid felt very vivid and matched other descriptions of it in literature. Overall a very enjoyable and beautifully written and narrated story.

The Golden age of flying

What did you love best about On Wings of the Morning?

Dan Verner has really captured the essence of the life of a B-17 pilot during the second World War. Any Pilot today can relate with Otto, from Dreaming of aviation throughout childhood to the amazing feeling of flying for the first time ever.

What did you like best about this story?

On Wings of the Morning is full of twists and turns, and will really captivate the listener. It's a well written tale of the tragedy and triumph of World War II bomber pilot Otto. Whether it is through the account of the strong role played by women in the war effort, the facets of faith in the midst of adversity, or the lessons in humanity and humility that all military men and women face, On wings of the morning is definitely an amazing book.

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

DW Draffin is a new narrator (As far as I know), and he is really good. His voice is perfect for the setting of the book.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There are certain points in the book where I got goosebumps. This is the go-to novel for WWII enthusiasts and Airline Pilots.

Any additional comments?

Otto is a determined, Wisconsin farm boy who overcomes obstacles in his quest to fulfill his passion of becoming a pilot, which he does at the age of 16. Dan Verner weaves historical facts into a fast-paced story filled with the intensity of war as well as the path to finding what's really important in life. The story is set in the Golden age of aviation. The time when Airline Pilots were looked up to. The time when Aircraft were not automated. The time when flying was considered a privilege, and people actually enjoyed the experience rather than just seeing it as a means to get from point A to point B.I fly commercial airliners, and after listening to this book, I felt proud of what I do. I don't fly anything like the majestic B-17, but being at the controls of any airliner make me the happiest man on earth. Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who's interested (Even vaguely) in aviation. Give it a go, you won't regret it!