Solo: My Adventures in the Air

by Clyde Edgerton

When Clyde Edgerton was four years old, his mother took him to the local airport to see the planes. For Edgerton, it was love at first sight. Eighteen years later, she would take him to the same airport to catch a flight to Texas for Air Force pilot training. In Solo , Edgerton tells the story of his lifelong love affair with flying, from his childlike wonder to his job as a fighter pilot flying reconnaissance over the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Now, nearly thirty-five years after the war in Vietnam, he looks back at his youthful passion for flying, at the joy he took in mastering it, at the exhilaration—and lingering anguish—of combat flying. It is a story told with empathy and humor—and with searing honesty that will resonate with every pilot who remembers the first takeoff, the first landing, the first solo. For the nonpilots who always choose the window seat, it’s a thrilling story to live vicariously.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, War, Aviation, Memoir

288 pages, Hardcover

First published September 9, 2005

About the author

Clyde Edgerton is widely considered one of the premier novelists working in the Southern tradition today, often compared with such masters as Eudora Welty and Flannery O'Connor.

Although most of his books deal with adult concerns--marriage, aging, birth and death--Edgerton's work is most profoundly about family. In books such as Raney, Walking Across Egypt, The Floatplane Notebooks, and Killer Diller, Edgerton explores the dimensions of family life, using an endearing (if eccentric) cast of characters. "Edgerton's characters," writes Mary Lystad in Twentieth-Century Young Adult Writers, "have more faults than most, but they also have considerable virtues, and they are so likable that you want to invite them over for a cup of coffee, a piece of homemade apple pie, and a nice long chat."

Raised in the small towns of the North Carolina Piedmont, Edgerton draws heavily on the storytelling traditions of the rural south in his novels. Without the distractions of big-city life and the communications revolution of the late twentieth century, many rural Americans stayed in close touch with their relatives, and often shared stories about family members with each other for entertainment.

Among Edgerton’s awards are: Guggenheim Fellowship; Lyndhurst Prize; Honorary Doctorates from UNC-Asheville and St. Andrews Presbyterian College; membership in the Fellowship of Southern Writers; the North Carolina Award for Literature; and five notable book awards from the New York Times.

Reviews

[NancyL Luckey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, it is about flying!

Just because I didn’t like or finish this book, doesn’t mean someone with a love of aircraft won’t. Writing was great!

[N · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

[Vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a remarkable book - and remarkable author! Very exciting to read how someone's dream became reality.

[Robert Alderink · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great read for anyone interested in flying. Nearly four decades ago, during the summer between my senior year in high school and college, I took flying lessons. The early chapters of this book took me back to that time and place. Edgerton's description of his first solo flight echoed my experience precisely. It reminded me of a day I will never forget!

[Fernando · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the training stories, but I kept waiting for the book to GO somewhere. I didn't expect it to focus so much on Vietnam or end on a somber note. I was expecting Richard Bach and I got Al Santoli (which would be fine if that's what I had signed up for). Worth the read, but not at the top of the list.

[Limopilot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolute must read for those of us who love to fly.
Filled with more than a few personal experience stories, this is a page turner for the pilot.
It has some humor, some drama, and some story-telling that sll can get involved with, but certainly the aeronautic fanatic should pick this one up.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read, this one about the author's war years, the thrill of flying and then reconciling his pre-war and post-war beliefs. Especially interesting to those of us who were of age during the Vietnam War.

[Nann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Novelist Edgerton switches to nonfiction for this memoir of his life-long love of flying, from childhood fascination to Air Force ROTC and a tour in Vietnam to owning his own plane (for far too short a time). The inspiration for scenes in his books comes from several real-life episodes.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far, this has given me new appreciation for the computer flight simulators that my father loves so much! Am excited to read the rest of this book.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting book about flying. Edgerton's experiences as a private pilot and then a military pilot provide many exciting and funny anecdotes. A charming book for anyone.

[Ralph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughtful book from one of my favorite authors. Thank you, Mr. Edgerton.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good read!