An American Hero: The True Story of Charles A. Lindbergh

by Barry Denenberg

A portrait of Charles A. Lindbergh profiles him as an admired and courageous aviation pioneer, describing such events as his rise to fame, the kidnapping of his baby son, and his shocking political actions. Reprint.

Genres: Historical Fiction

255 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1996

About the author

Barry Denenberg is the critically acclaimed author of non-fiction and historical fiction. His historical fiction includes titles in the Dear America, My Name is America, and Royal Diaries series, many of which have been named NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People. His nonfiction books have covered a wide array of topics, from Anne Frank to Elvis Presley. After the publication of An American Hero: The True Story of Charles Lindburgh, Denenberg was interviewed for various documentaries including ABC’s “The Century.”

Denenberg was born in Brooklyn, New York and lived in Long Island, Binghamton, New York, and Palisades Park, New Jersey. “I was a serious reader from an early age and when I attended Boston University in 1968, majoring in history, I worked in a bookstore at night,” he says. “After college I was a book buyer for some fine, independent bookstores, some of the nation’s largest retail book chains and a marketing executive in publishing.

“At the age of forty I came to the startling realization that the glamorous world of power lunches, power politics, and power trips was not for me. I immediately went to work on the Great American Novel (since destroyed) and was rescued when my future wife, Jean Feiwel (then and now publisher of Scholastic Inc.) made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. Scholastic had received a biography of John F. Kennedy that they deemed unacceptable: would I like to try and write one?

“The rest is history in more ways than one. I went on to write biographies of Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, J. Edgar Hoover, Nelson Mandela, Elvis Presley and Voices From Vietnam, an oral history of the war.

“Writing some of the first books in the Dear America series was a turning point in my career. Its popularity and the resulting readers’ letters made a great impression on me. This in turn inspired my writing and fueled my research. With my bookstore background and the help of numerous knowledgeable booksellers I am able to assemble an extensive bibliography on each topic I write.

“I think there’s an art to both writing and research. I’m a good writer but a better researcher.”

Something that has added greatly to Denenberg’s perspective on writing for young readers is his volunteer work as Director of Creative Writing and Library Services at the Waterside School in Stamford, Connecticut. Waterside, established in 2001, is an independent school dedicated to educating gifted children of the communities’ low-income families.

Aside from writing and teaching Denenberg’s interests include listening to music, reading (books not related to his research), swimming, practicing yoga and spending time with his family.

Barry Denenberg lives in Bedford, New York with his wife and daughter.

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book. I have a greater understanding of Charles Lindberg the American Hero than ever before. I've seen the Spirit of St. Louis at the Smithsonian before. However, now that I've read the book, I'd be interested in seeing it again.

[Werner · Rating 3 out of 5]

picked it up from a table in the office. interesting look into turn of the century ww1 to ww2 culture. I probably learned about the transatlantic flight in school but its something that you dont really care about because the teacher doesnt really care about it either. Charles Lindbergh had a strong will and an All-American attitude, and helped pioneer commercial aviation as the ubiquitous means of travel and mail that we know it as today. Best part was his singular focus for and during his 34 hour solo flight in the custom fit plane "The Spirit of St. Louis". The actual diagram of the plan included was neat. Finally, the fact that he was a figurehead for for American Isolationism and German sympathizers in the states before and during ww2 was also pretty interesting.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a YA biography of Charles Lindbergh, published in 1996. The strongest chapters are the one concerning the flight to Paris and the chapter on the Lindbergh kidnapping. Lots of photos are in the book and add to the book's information. Source notes, bibliography, and end notes are included.

Because the books was published in 1996, there is no information about Lindbergh's second family in Germany. Students will have to look elsewhere for that information. However, the author does a good job of showing how Lindbergh favored the US staying out of WW2 and how he much admired the German people and the Nazi's policies. I thought it was interesting that, even though he fought for and supported the US after the attack on Pearl Harbor, he never apologized for his German sympathies and for receiving the Nazi's Order of the German Eagle. He never apologized for his anti-semitic feelings and comments even after the world learned of the death camps.

This book whetted my appetite for reading Scott Berg's biography and for reading later books. Perhaps it will do the same for our students.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm still not sure if Lindberg is an American hero even after reading this. He comes off a little selfish and spoiled and there is of course a hint of racism- his brief admiration for the Nazis prior to WWII, This the author tries to counter with Lindberg's friendships with a Jewish industrialist(?) I read it a few years ago so my memory is fuzzy. There is a tedium of detail as in most epic type biographies but the historical era and tie-ins are educational.

[Beth/Chuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

His exploits flying as a 'civilian'during WWII were most interesting.