Flight Path: A Search for Roots beneath the World's Busiest Airport

by Hannah S. Palmer

In the months leading up to the birth of her first child, Hannah Palmer discovers that all three of her childhood houses have been wiped out by the expansion of Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Having uprooted herself from a promising career in publishing in her adopted Brooklyn), Palmer embarks on a quest to determine the fate of her lost homesand of a community that has been erased by unchecked Southern progress. Lyrically chronicling the overlooked devastation and beauty along the airport's fringe communities in the tradition of John Jeremiah Sullivan and Leslie Jamison, Palmer unearths the startling narratives about race, power, and place that continue to shape American cities. Part memoir, part urban history, Flight Path: A Search for Roots beneath the World's Busiest Airport is a riveting account of one young mother's attempt at making a home where there's little home left.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, History, Biography Memoir, Southern, Urban Planning

232 pages, Paperback

First published April 4, 2017

Reviews

[Randolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find this book touches me on so many levels... I lived under the flight path of the Atlanta airport from my earliest memories until I married. Both Forest Park and Mountain View suffered the conversation-stopping noise the planes produced. I would wave at the passengers as they flew overhead both in my backyard in Forest Park and in the front yard of my aunt's house, my mom's birthplace, in Mountain View.
I went to school with Hannah's father and was privileged to have taught both Hannah and her sister, Myra, for a short period in the late 80's. Hannah brought back a lot of memories from my childhood and heartaches from the changes now as an adult. The airport was an important part of my history. It was a place to go Sunday after church to watch the planes, a place to go at night with boyfriends, a place of employment for my brother and cousins and a place to travel from and come home to. Thank you Hannah for your work and insight. I love your book.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part autobiography, part eulogy for a disappearing South, part urban design and planning, Palmer's work takes us on a tour of her past now buried under the world's busiest airport in Atlanta, GA. She does a fine job weaving these related yet disparate threads into a coherent story.

This is also a tale of how one Southern couple from just this side of the wrong side of the tracks got out of town and headed for the bright lights and other attractions of the New York City area. Eventually, living there accentuated that sense of displacement and loss we have all felt when living away from home and spurred their return to what they knew.

From my perspective, by the end of the tale it is the eulogy for a disappearing South and the destruction of poor and working class neighborhoods created in the wake of the migration from the countryside into the cities following World War 2. Part of that, and a major incentive for the creation of this work, is the sense of rootlessness and temporariness that replaced a sense of place and permanence for the generations before 1940.

After all, how can one write an autobiography if one has no sense of place?

[Jean Becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wonder how much appeal a book about the Atlanta airport has outside of the area but I found this to be a compelling read. Gracefully intertwined personal story, memories and interviews with the tale of the voracious growth of an ugly, sprawling, noisy airport. How unlikely to be captivating? I was hung on every word.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I use to work in the area that the author talks about, so I’m familiar with the area. She even mentioned the company that my father retired from years ago, and a Mexican market that was wonderful.
Sad to see how the area has changed, probably not for the better, just so that convenience can happen.
I know that we just adapt, and time change, but is it all really worth it?

[Megan Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part memoir, part urban history, Hannah Palmer's Flight Path is entirely fascinating, witty, and tender. Years after leaving the South for Brooklyn, Palmer returns to Atlanta ready to start a family and searching for her roots. While her husband doubles down on home improvements, a pregnant Palmer hits the pavement, intent on finding out what happened to her childhood homes, which have disappeared along with entire neighborhoods and cities beneath the sprawling complex of the busiest airport in the world. In gorgeous prose at turns poetic and wry, Palmer investigates not only how Hartsfield-Jackson has shaped the city that gave birth to it, but how a city shapes a person, the human relationship to place, and how much anyone can really know "home." Palmer's journey is enthralling, and I found myself questioning, mourning, and hoping along with her. I'll never look at Atlanta the same way again, or any city for that matter.

[Brit Blankenship · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I've read all year. It has taught me so much about the stories of the southside of Atlanta. About the displacement and erasing that has occurred because of our airport. About the state farmer's market, and history of entire cities no longer. It's brought to life the neighborhoods where my Grandma solo-raised my dad. It's answered my questions about Hapeville and why there was a gap on my commute to Grant Park from McDonough.

[Liz Clappin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really beautiful memoir, with an honest and heartbreaking look at the cost of progress. The story meanders and foes off on tangents, but in a way that is part of the appeal of Palmer's writing style. The book tells the tale of her somewhat aimless search for a past that is disappearing more rapidly than she can track it down. If her story seems lost at times, that's because it is and she is desperately trying to piece together threads which are unravelling. As someone who lives in Atlanta and regularly travels through Hartsfield -Jackson International Airport, the story needs to be told. Atlanta is touted as the capital of the New South, but how did it get there, and how much of it was lost in the process. A real gem of a book.

[Kailee Eidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being from Georgia, the Atlanta Airport has been a staple for my entire life. I really enjoyed the author's perspective she brought into this book. Her own search for her past coupled with the facts about the Atlanta airport was really unique in that I learned so much that I've never known about the airport while also not being bogged down with too many facts. I have never even considered all the consequences and lives changed by the massive machine that is Hartsfield Jackson and really appreciated the author opening my eyes to the community directly affected by the airport. The community directly in the flight path of ATL that ironically has received no benefits from this establishment.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having grown up on Atlanta's south side and having worked for Delta for about 10 years, reading this book made me feel like I was going back home. I was 30 years ahead of Hannah, but I recognized so much of what she thought and felt.

I'd love to read it with some other southsiders and talk about it. So many feelings both positive and negative.

Definitely recommend this book to anyone who cares about how cities change and grow. Loved it!

[Karen Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written personal narrative about her search to find out what happened to her childhood homes, leading us through detailed urban history about the disappearance of the city of Mountain View, the expansion of Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, and a look at the negative effects to surrounding communities.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I work and land at ATL (our pet name) monthly. I will be glued to my window seat from now on to look out and see what I can. This is a wonderful document as to the cost of progress, the politics involved and deliberate planning. I can imagine this scenario has been repeated often around many other metropolitan airports in the country, like MSP.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

An important read, especially if you live in Georgia.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting perspective on local Atlanta history in our lifetime.

[Russ · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I didn't think I'd like it, but this book snuck up on me in a good way. I'm not usually a fan of memoir-style analysis where personal history gets blended with the subject that the author is an expert on. (A lot of anthropology books back in college were like that.) However, in this case, it really worked because of how connected Palmer's family history was to the neighborhoods around the airport, and Palmer's sense of humor.

It was fascinating to learn about entire towns on Atlanta's southside that vanished as the airport expanded in the 1960s-present, with white communities leaving now non-existent places like Mountain View for Jonesboro, Stockbridge, etc and further south. (Palmer looks at the effects on black communities as well, though in less detail and without personal and family experience to weave in.)

In economic development circles and the chamber of commerce crowd around town, the airport is touted as the engine of Atlanta, and Atlanta is the economic engine of Georgia, which itself is the economic engine of the deep south. Palmer presents a counter argument, acknowledging the efficiency of the airport but criticizing how it has displaced communities, how it lacks any dramatic, attractive features, and how disconnected we are from the airport that's down the street, exemplified by something as simple as the lack of any easily accessible observation deck.

Palmer challenges assumptions without being rude about it, and reminds us that we should be thinking about our airport as more than just a location to fly in, out, or connect from. It's a central part of our urban landscape, and if we don't take a second look at how it's affecting our region, we won't be able to make improvements.

I recommend this for anybody involved with urban planning or public policy at the local, regional, or state level.

[Jeanne Julian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hannah Palmer weaves the personal and the sociological into this memoir: a search for her roots becomes also a search for a new approach to creating meaningful, connected communities. That latter point sounds pompous, but this isn't a pompous book at all. It's honest and down to earth. The author's childhood neighborhoods in Atlanta--the houses where she formed her first memories--have been obliterated by the ravenous spread of tarmac, institutional-looking buildings, and noise that is the"world's busiest airport." As Hannah returns from a sojourn in New York City and tries to reestablish herself--and her own family--in the South, she sets out on a quest, almost like an archaeologist, to discover her origins. In the process, she explores how landscape becomes real estate, and how real estate can become soulless, especially in light of American materialism. She manages to integrate her experiences as a child of divorce, a researcher, a writer, an urban planner, and a mother-to-be--no easy task. Although it's a little repetitive at times, this book is highly readable and can make you question the unpleasant "givens" we accept as the "price of progress."

[Mari Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an incredibly interesting book that I was introduced to about a year or two ago when visiting my favorite store, Read it Again. The author was doing a discussion at the store, and I bought the book with full intent to read the book and participate in the discussion. Of course, life got in the way somehow, and the book was shelved until the other day when it struck me as what I wanted to read.

As a native Atlantan, I think I enjoyed this MUCH more than someone who is not familiar with the areas/cities in Atlanta might. The history portion is different than what I usually enjoy, but the storyline was made personable through Hannah and I enjoyed her journey to try to find out what happened to so many houses that were destroyed in some way, shape or form during the expansion of the Atlanta Airport.

It was slow at times, but because it wasn't super lengthy, I just took it a chapter or two at a time and enjoying the uncovering of information from various sources, including the "locals" in different towns.

Probably more of a 3.5 in all honesty, but definitely worth the round up rather than a round down.

[Karen Hazzah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the author, I'm an Atlanta native. I grew up in the northern suburbs, and so I'm not very familiar with the south side and the airport. Even so, I certainly recognized the names of the towns and remembered the big companies located on the south side (Eastern Airlines, Ford).

I really enjoyed this memoir. Now that I've reached middle age, I find myself reading more memoirs like this one about childhood, family, and the power of place. I was also drawn to this book because the organizing principle of this book is the effect of the airport on the author's childhood communities. That fit in with other books I read about the economics of cities, transportation, sprawl, etc. Another goodreads reviewer said this book was an "eulogy for a disappearing South,"
and that description definitely captures some of the flavor.

[Jill Bowman · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars aren't enough for this book. Now, admittedly, I've lived in East Point for 10 years, flown in and out of the airport innumerable times, travel weekly past the old town of Mountain View on my way to the Forest Park Farmers Market and the Library - so I have a tender spot for this book. But that said I thought this was a heart warming and heart wrenching look into the life of one woman, many people, several towns and what was once the old south.
Beautifully written... I enjoyed every minute.

I too read Gone With the Wind in the 6th month of my first pregnancy - with the thought that 'I may never again have the time to read a book of this size'.

[Brock Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone has flown through the ATL airport at some point, right? Most of us, however, have never thought about the communities that surround it--or that were displaced by its inexorable growth. Hannah Palmer seamlessly blends thorough research, cultural commentary, and memoir in this deep dive into the history of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Though it slows a bit in its final third, Flight Path is ultimately a bittersweet look into the life cycles of cities and the people who are bound to them, and it forces us to question the constant drive to be the biggest and best. ATL is the busiest airport in the world, but at what cost?

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you live in Atlanta, this is a really fascinating and impactful read that hits close to home--literally. The demolition of these neighborhoods seems like a relatively small part of Atlanta's history, but it is a story worth telling, and Palmer does it beautifully. Simultaneously a historical mapping of Atlanta and a reflection on the concept of home, this book really did shift my perspective of the city, and of my place in it. I pay more attention to the changes I've seen since my childhood, to the parts of town I frequent now, to the places that I can foresee being altered in the not-so-distant future. I think this is an important read, one I recommend whole heartedly; even if you don't love it like I did, I think you'll get something meaningful out of it.

The downside is that if you don't live/have never lived in Atlanta, this probably won't be of much interest to you.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an Atlanta native of DeKalb County, I was especially drawn to the author's stories of how she researched her childhood homes. The book focuses on the neighborhoods around Forest Park and Mountain View, GA, in the early days of the Atlanta airport expansions. Even though this book is short and easy read, I took some time with it. Each time a new street, school, church, or community was mentioned, I went to my maps app to look around the area. Fascinating! Worth your time, even if you're not from Atlanta. Anyone interested in family histories, old homes, urban development, and researching to find your identity would enjoy this book. This is the second time I've read this book.

[Paula Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up in East Point, and my father worked for Delta during this time, but I didn’t realize how other parts of the area were impacted by the expansion or the true importance of ATL to the city. Part informative, part trip down memory lane, I found myself on Google Earth looking for vestiges of my childhood. Southern literature (think O’Connor and Welty) is steeped in “sense of place,” and this book is a modern example of just that. Beyond being a book about South Atlanta, Palmer speaks to our desire to know our history and our place in a world that is increasingly larger and busier.

[Ann Fleming · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was much better than I anticipated.

It is the reading selection for the book club at Read It Again. When I saw it, I groaned. I do not particularly like to read non-fiction. After the first few pages, I was telling myself that I really did not want to read this book.

BUT

I persisted and enjoyed it tremendously. It was a walk through Atlanta history interspersed with anecdotes from the author's life.

There were time when I could not put it down.
Hannah Palmer - you won me over!!!!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A memoir woven into the history of how Hartsfield Jackson Airport decimated the surrounding communities as it grew to be the busiest airport in the world. The author was spurred on by her need to find out what happened to the three homes where she once lived. Particularly interesting because I live in atlanta and have watched as the airport swallowed territory. I just never thought if the people who were uprooted

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a beautiful exploration of an intertwined personal and public history. I appreciated the research and clarity that she brought to this book and the relatively even-handedness that she spoke about great social change over a relatively short period of time. I think it was well written and very enjoyable to read.

[MaryBeth Long · Rating 3 out of 5]

Southern gothic. Kudzu. To books what R.E.M.'s "Murmur" was to albums. Old but modern. Archeology yet human psychology. A compelling read for anyone interested in The South, Atlanta or where our culture is now.

[Ellen Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought copies for my brother and my cousin,, since the places she lived, especially Forest Park and McDonough, were central in our lives too. made me wonder if I would ever feel compelled to visit all the places I've lived likke she did. interesting airport history for an Atlanta native.

[Matt · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are 100+ interesting, relevant, poignant books that could be written about Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and/or communities of color displaced and discarded in the name of corporate, capitalistic "progress." This is not one of those books.

[Mike Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the surface, a story of an airport's expansion devouring neighborhoods, but more deeply, a look into what home means to us, how it feels when it vanishes. A beautiful, imaginative memoir told with compassion and often sly wit. Palmer can quickly sketch the places and characters of the urban south in a few deft strokes. Highly recommended.

[Tripp · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are from Atlanta, and not old enough to remember a time before Hartsfield Jackson Airport, this book tells the amazing story of the black and poor residential displacement for "progress" that you won't be able to shake.