• A Higher Call

  • An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II
  • By: Adam Makos
  • Narrated by: Robertson Dean
  • Length: 13 hrs and 22 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (9,439 ratings)

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A Higher Call

By: Adam Makos
Narrated by: Robertson Dean
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Publisher's summary

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER: “Beautifully told.”—CNN • “A remarkable story…worth retelling and celebrating.”—USA Today • “Oh, it’s a good one!”—Fox News

A beautiful story of a brotherhood between enemies emerges from the horrors of World War II in this New York Times bestseller by the author of Devotion, now a Major Motion Picture.

Four days before Christmas in 1943, a badly damaged American bomber struggled to fly over wartime Germany. At its controls was a twenty-one-year-old pilot. Half his crew lay wounded or dead. It was their first mission. Suddenly a sleek, dark shape pulled up on the bomber’s tail—a German Messerschmitt fighter. Worse, the German pilot was an ace, a man able to destroy the American bomber with the squeeze of a trigger. What happened next would defy imagination and later be called the most incredible encounter between enemies in World War II.

This is the true story of the two pilots whose lives collided in the skies that day—the American—Second Lieutenant Charlie Brown, a former farm boy from West Virginia who came to captain a B-17—and the German—Second Lieutenant Franz Stigler, a former airline pilot from Bavaria who sought to avoid fighting in World War II.

A Higher Call follows both Charlie and Franz’s harrowing missions. Charlie would face takeoffs in English fog over the flaming wreckage of his buddies’ planes, flak bursts so close they would light his cockpit, and packs of enemy fighters that would circle his plane like sharks. Franz would face sandstorms in the desert, a crash alone at sea, and the spectacle of one thousand bombers, each with eleven guns, waiting for his attack.

Ultimately, Charlie and Franz would stare across the frozen skies at one another. What happened between them, the American Eighth Air Force would later classify as top secret. It was an act that Franz could never mention without facing a firing squad. It was the encounter that would haunt both Charlie and Franz for forty years until, as old men, they would search for one another, a last mission that could change their lives forever.

©2012 Adam Makos (P)2013 Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

Critic reviews

“This book grips you like a movie. It’s part Top Gun, part Valkyrie, and more!”(Marcus Brotherton, New York Times best-selling author
“It is often said that ‘war is hell’ - and it is - however, this story reveals how the human spirit can shine in the darkest hours. A Higher Call is an eye-opener.” (Col. Charles McGee, Tuskegee Airman, WWII)
“‘Can good men be found on both sides of a bad war?’ The author asks the question and delivers the answer. A powerful, haunting read.” (Chuck Tatum, author of Red Blood, Black Sand)

Featured Article: The 10 Best WWII Audiobooks for Every History Buff


World War II, although well-documented through various mediums, is the basis for a wide range of little-known stories from Europe and beyond that deserve to be heard. From firsthand accounts of soldiers on the front lines to stories of brave women behind the scenes, these are impactful stories of humans coming together in this time of global conflict. We’re sure you’ll find something captivating on our list of the best WWII audiobooks.

What listeners say about A Higher Call

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I read it to honor my father

Well written and researched account of an extraordinary instance of mercy during the heat of the Air War over Europe. Also a detailed history of the German Air Force politics and intrigue

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WOW! A great book!

This easily one of the best books,I've ever read! it restores the faith in humanity, and gives a new look to the men who fought in the German Air force during WWII.

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A Remarkable Story

“A Higher Call” is a MUST-LISTEN! An absolutely phenomenal story! The ending is nothing short of amazing!

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Amazing!!!

Amazing, awesome, amazing, awesome, amazing, awesome, amazing, awesome, amazing, awesome, amazing, awesome, amazing, awesome, amazing! Intense, enlightening, intelligent, intense, and lightning, intelligence!

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German fighter pilot escorts crippled B-17 to safe

My favorite WWII documentary. A German fighter pilot closed in from the rear to finish a stricken B-17 bomber that had just bombed Germany. Instead of shooting down the bomber, the German Ace escorted the bomber past German shore batteries and released it to fly home to England. Very moving story.

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Incredible Story

I could not recommend this book enough. Absolutely incredible story told brilliantly by Makos. The narrator did a wonderful job reading the material. I was left speechless.

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Great WW2 Story

Interesting story of a WW2 pilot. Better than most books that are included in Audible membership.

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Thank you!

This is a beautiful story! We are still learning important lessons in humanity, compassion and peace from our brave soldiers of the past, to this very day! God bless our service men and women! A sincere thank you to all who work so hard to keep these inspiring stories from fading away!

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A new perspective

Incredible story and very educational about the differences between the Nazi and SS with the german soldiers and pilots. Loved the narration and was great to listen to.

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Amazing must read story

This book written so well tells one of the most amazing stories of courage and compassion Ive ever read. Get it today.

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