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Bezig met laden... The Last Pilot: A Noveldoor Benjamin Johncock
  
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 Meld je aan bij LibraryThing om erachter te komen of je dit boek goed zult vinden. Op dit moment geen Discussie gesprekken over dit boek.   ) ChetBowers | Mar 10, 2021 |  The last pilot is set in 1960 and 1961, during the early days of the American space program when US Armed Forces pilots were ‘testing-driving’ jets over the Mojave Desert and dying at an alarming rate in crashes. Johncock has peopled his novel with the real players in the game – the real astronauts, the real bar owner, and so on, except for the main characters of Jim Harrison and his wife Grace. This fictional couple desperately want a child and think constantly about new life even as the news in the bar almost weekly seems to be the death of another colleague. There are problems inherent in using actual historical figures that limit the possibilities for the fictional ones. The story never seemed to really take-off (no pun intended). In addition, I was irritated that the author moved between calling the protagonist ‘Jim’ and ‘Harrison’ for no apparent rhyme not reason. There was also a mention of placing clothes in large black trash bags which were not available for home use until the late ’60s – early ‘70s. On the balance, I found the book to be somewhat interesting (the actual history) but ‘meh’ as far as the story. 3½ stars (  ) ParadisePorch | Sep 17, 2018 | Jim Harrison, an Air Force pilot, leaves in Nevada, pushing the boundaries of air-craft technology in the Mojave Desert. Jim’s wife, Grace are happy to have their first daughter after years of trying to have children but as the country turns its attention to the space program, the Harrisons experience a family tragedy. The Last Pilot by Benjamin Johncock is an interesting story which focuses on the relationships and expectations of the pilots working in the early days space program. The characters, both men and women, are complex and multi-dimensional. The author does an excellent job weaving in fictional characters with historical figures and events. The backdrop of the early X-plane test flights and early space program provides an interesting, timely, twists in the stories and relationships. The author captured the spirit of the time and the feeling of having a complex personal life along with a complex professional life. If you are a fan of the early space program, or just that of the human condition, this book is for you. For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com ( ) ZoharLaor | Nov 18, 2017 |  ) booklove2 | Jul 18, 2016 | Depicting events from the perspective of both the men and their wives gives the story an added complexity and highlights the intricacies of relationships in the day-to-day lives of families. Snappy dialogue and realistic dynamics between characters adds another dimension of believability. The seamless interplay of the fictional Jim Harrison with the courageous test pilots who flew over the dry lake beds in the Mojave and with the first groups of astronauts gives the story strong credibility. And the inclusion of accounts of true events such as Yeager’s use of the broom handle to fit into the door handle to close the cockpit door provides even greater authenticity as it pulls the reader into the narrative. Well-crafted and beautifully drawn, this is a story readers will be hard-pressed to set aside before turning the final page. Highly recommended. ( ) jfe16 | Feb 26, 2016 | geen besprekingen | voeg een bespreking toe
PrijzenOnderscheidingen
Fiction.
Literature.
Historical Fiction.
HTML: Jim Harrison is a test pilot in the United States Air Force, one of the exalted few. He spends his days cheating death in the skies above the Mojave Desert and his nights at his friend Pancho's bar, often with his wife, Grace. She and Harrison are secretly desperate for a childâ??and when, against all odds, Grace learns that she is pregnant, the two are overcome with joy. While America becomes swept up in the fervor of the space race, Harrison turns his attention home, passing up the chance to become an astronaut to welcome his daughter, Florence, into the world. Together, he and Grace confront the thrills and challenges of raising a child head-on. Fatherhood is different than flying planesâ??less controlled, more anxiousâ??however the pleasures of watching Florence grow are incomparable. But when his family is faced with a sudden and inexplicable tragedy, Harrison's instincts as a father and a pilot are put to the test. As a pilot, he feels compelled to lead them through itâ??and as a father, he fears that he has fallen short. The aftermath will haunt the Harrisons and strain their marriage as Jim struggles under the weight of his decisions. Beginning when the dust of the Second World War has only just begun to settle and rushing onward into the 1960s, Benjamin Johncock traces the path of this young couple as they are uprooted by events much larger than themselves. The turns the Harrisons take together are at once astonishing and recognizable, their journey both frightening and full of hope. Set against the backdrop of one of the most emotionally charged periods in American history, The Last Pilot is a mesmerizing story of loss and finding courage in the face of it from an extraordinary new Geen bibliotheekbeschrijvingen gevonden. |
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 Google Books — Bezig met laden...GenresDewey Decimale Classificatie (DDC)823.92Literature English English fiction Modern Period 2000-LC-classificatieWaarderingGemiddelde: (3.79)
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