King of the Air: The Turbulent Life of Charles Kingsford Smith

by Ann Blainey

A revealing portrait of a brilliant and troubled figure - a daredevil of the skies Charles Kingsford Smith was the most commanding flyer of the golden age of aviation. In three short years, he broke records with his astounding and daring the first trans-Pacific flight from America to Australia, the first flight across the Tasman, the first non-stop crossing of the Australian mainland. He did it all with such courage, modesty and charm that Australia and the world fell in love with him. A tickertape parade was held in his honour on New York's Fifth Avenue. At home, he became a national hero, 'Our Smithy'. Yet his achievements belied a traumatic past. He had witnessed the horror of World War I - first as a soldier at Gallipoli, later as a combat pilot with the Royal Flying Corps - and, like so many of his generation, he bore physical and emotional scars. The public saw the derring-do; only those close to him knew the anxious, troubled individual who pushed himself to the edge of health and sanity. In November 1935, Kingford Smith's plane crashed and he was lost at sea near Burma, his body never to be recovered. This brilliant work from one of Australia's foremost biographers reveals the complicated, tumultuous life of a fascinating figure, who pursued his obsession to the greatest heights of fame and catastrophe.

Genres: Biography, Aviation

634 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 3, 2021

Reviews

[doug williamson]

I rarely award 5 stars, and even more rarely write a review. With this book I am compelled to do both.
The author is a fine researcher, and carefully distinguishes speculation from fact. However, what is particularly impressive to an ex-aviator, is her ability to communicate what it feels like to be flying: including the joy of barnstorming on a good day, and the sickening feeling when things go horribly wrong on a bad day.

[Tim Turnbull]

Excellent biography of the famous aviator. This biography not only reveals the amazing aviation accomplishments but paints a more human picture of Charles Kingsford Smith. It reveals the highs and lows of the famous man, including his flaws, medical and personal troubles and blind spots that provide a more nuanced account of this world famous man.

[Tracy]

I learnt much about the man, his time and his family and his extreme achievements. Well written and researched and well worth reading.