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.
"I've been a fan of Melanie Benjamin since I met her shortly before her first book, Alice I Have Been, was published. And I've read and loved quite a bit by Anne Morrow Lindbergh (Gift From the Sea) and her daughter, Reeve (No More Words as well as many, many children's books). Imagine how profound my delight was to read a book by Melanie about Anne and her family. Not a single page disappointed, and I truly believe that this is Benjamin's best book yet. Her meticulous historical research sets a vibrant scene for the drama and trauma of being Charles Lindbergh's wife. Anne lived in the shadow of her husband until the day he died--and kept his secrets even longer. Yet she became a pilot herself (co-piloting with her husband and solo), as well as a one of the first licensed radio operators, a navigator and the first American woman to earn a glider pilot's license. Plus she edited her husband's Pulitzer Prize winning book (The Spirit of St. Louis) and wrote a best seller of her own. She survived the kidnapping and death of her first son to go on to raise a brood of five other children, mostly on her own as Charles was often away for wars, work, or adventure. The remarkable life she led, and all that she helped pioneer, makes for a book that will not let you put it down. This is a truly amazing read. Trust me, you don't want to miss it."
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