Icarus

A True Story

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Middlesex and The Virgin Suicides comes an intimate memoir of his father’s spectacular rise–and tragic end.

A few days before Thanksgiving 1994, Jeffrey Eugenides’s father, Gus, was piloting a small plane when it crashed in Daytona Beach, Florida. The circumstances surrounding his death added to the mystery of a life that defied expectations, but left many questions unanswered.

Now, more than 30 years later, Eugenides tells the story of how his father, a first-generation American, rose from Detroit’s east side to find financial success as a mortgage banker and real estate developer–only to lose it all. Was he the victim of a series of bad breaks, or did his dogged pursuit of the American Dream lead him to overextend and overreach? And, ironically, what role did the U.S. government play in bringing ruin to this most patriotic of citizens?

Written in an engaging style more direct than that of his novels, Eugenides appears here unmasked to deliver a moving account of his relationship with his indomitable father, a man for whom he felt admiration, exasperation, gratitude, tenderness, pity and love. Read by the author, this deeply personal audio journey invites listeners to join Eugenides as he finally confronts the truth of his father's last flight.

Additional narration provided by Barrett Leddy, Neil Hellegers, and Vikas Adam.

©2025 Jeffrey Eugenides (P)2025 Audible Originals, LLC.

Ode to his Father

I loved the history. I could feel the authors love and respect for his father.

Beautifully written, beautifully performed

This is a moving and interesting tribute to the author’s father and an analysis of their relationship. It is a slice of their lives, very much grounded in its political era, and works beautifully as a study of human nature––greatly enhanced by the author’s performance. .

Unforgettable

With no prior knowledge of either the author or the story, I delved in.
A nan is remembered by his middle-aged son, recalling not only his breadth and depth, but his tragic demise. This story will never leave me.

Poignant and Well-Written

This story has a lot of loss at its core, but you can’t have loss without having held something of value. Very touching story.

An interesting parabola

Captivating story that highlights the rise and fall of a risky dreamer and the legacy left behind.