Flying With Dad: A Daughter. A Father. And the Hidden Gifts in His Stories from World War II.

by Yvonne Caputo

At 10, she thought Dad's bite was worse than his bark.
At 20, they fought about race.
At 60, she struggled to talk with him about what mattered.

In 2008, when it was almost too late, one phone call changed everything.
Flying With Dad is the true story of a daughter, a father, and how his stories of World War II bridged their worlds.
As a father, Michael Caputo could be distant and brusque.
Growing up, Yvonne and her siblings had a roof over their heads and food on the table. But what Yvonne wanted was a deeper connection with her Dad.
In Flying With Dad, Yvonne Caputo charts her journey to her father through the re-telling of why he went from repairing to flying planes, how heavy German flak led to post-war nightmares, and why he suffered guilt over one particular bombing run.
As she learned to meet him where he was, instead of where she wanted him to be, the result was an intimacy, a deep abiding respect, and a no-regrets final goodbye.
Even after his death, Yvonne’s relationship with this ordinary and extraordinary man continues to blossom: in the milky vapor trails in the sky, the blooms of the Christmas Cactus, and the Blue Jay that appears just as she thinks of another question she’d like to ask her dad.

A DAUGHTER.
A FATHER.
AND THE HIDDEN GIFTS IN HIS STORIES FROM WORLD WAR II.

492 pages, Paperback

Published June 3, 2020

About the author

Yvonne Caputo has been a teacher, the head of human resources in a retirement community, a corporate trainer and consultant, and a psychotherapist. She has a masters degree in education and in clinical psychology.

In her book, Flying with Dad, is a story about her relationship with her father through is telling of World War II stories.

She has always been a storyteller. She has used stories to widen the eyes of students, and to soften the pain of clients. It’s her stories that result in rave reviews as a presenter and speaker.

Yvonne lives in Pennsylvania with her best friend (who is also her husband). Together they have three children, three grandchildren, and a labradoodle.

Reviews

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved “Flying With Dad”. It was very fast-paced and deeply engrossed in. It pulled me into the story from almost the first paragraph. The intense connection between father and daughter is every father/daughter’s dream.

Exceptional writing with powerful storytelling of sharing this family saga, rought me to many insights in my own life. As a career Air Force officer and being in love deeply with my own daughter & ( wife). This book was truly a gift to my soul.

I highly recommend.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a WW2 enthusiast, and especially love historical fiction and non-fiction on the subject, and this book certainly does not disappoint! I loved the 3 unique sections, and how they were tied together. I loved the real, sometimes heart-breaking honesty with which Yvonne writes. At times I was in tears and at times I was soaring in the air on a B-24 with her dad. I will always be grateful that she shared her life with all of us through the story of her dad.

[Cynthia Marcolina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sounds like it could be a great movie!

Nice story about a father and daughter with planes, wars and immigration as a backdrop. I can see the vivid details and smell the lovely scents as I read along the carefully researched material.

[Amy Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnificent connection with family

Caputo pens a wonderful title in Flying with Dad. This is the first book of this author's that I've read. It's set as a memoir, but it's so much more than that. There is this grand connection between family, set through stories. As the stories bring the reader on a journey, it also brings the author and her father on a journey that brings them together, and gives an magnificent gift together. Caputo's father was a bomber navigator in WWII, and his love of planes was shown in everything that he did. Mike's experiences changed him and affected him, with both good and traumatic experiences. It's one of those stories that is unforgettable, particularly because of its truthful experiences. Stories, especially family stories, can have a great impact on all of those who are not only involved, but those who learn about their family's past. I look forward to reading more by this author. This book is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews.

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting read I really enjoyed it.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Granted this book is from a very particular point of view; it never claims to be otherwise. It can’t be generalized to other father-daughter relationships. That being said, Flying With Dad is one of the best books I’ve read in a year. It is skillfully woven together in the form of essays about the author followed by essays about the father in an effort to portray his viewpoint. The last section is essays about them together and about how they handled his decline with aging.
The voice is sensitive and respectful, while not shying away from tough subjects and truths about a relationship and confounding barriers to their understanding of each other. The author has clearly done meticulous research into WWII flight crews, aircraft, and military life. The reader learns interesting background facts that give context to the story. By the end the reader knows this pair and respects them. I wholeheartedly recommend reading this book!

[Kathleen Riggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Beautiful and Powerfully Written Book
Flying with Dad is a beautifully written book and a very powerful story of Mike Caputo, who was the navigator on a B-24 bomber flying out of England during World War II. The author Yvonne Caputo tells the intense connection between father and daughter, and Yvonne Tells the full context of her father’s life before, during, and after the war. The book is full of so many personalities from humorous to tragic. I found the book to be very fast paced, as it pulled me into the story from the very first pages and is filled with compassion, understanding and reconciliation.
I highly recommend this book to everyone as it is so powerfully written! I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fascinating and well worth the time to read it. Although it looks like I took a month to complete it, I only took a few days. In between the start and end, we took an 18-day journey around Italy. Yvonne was a guest speaker at an event I attended last year. In person, she is inspirational and delightful. I purchased the book as soon as I could. Although similar to other WWII Air Corps stories Yvonne has captured the challenge her father faced after the war and how it impacted her relationship with him. This is a love story between a girl and her Dad.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful narrative that weaves between a father-daughter relationship and his WWII stories and memories. It has a little bit of everything, with something for everyone. It is uplifting and bittersweet, intense and soft, with everything in between. As someone who is not normally drawn to wartime books, I found myself eagerly turning every page, and I now have a deeper appreciation for this piece of history. It is a true work of art, and I cannot recommend it enough!

[David Kunz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Tribute To A Life

My friend Yvonne's tribute to her father is a wonderful expression of her love and respect for her dad. But it is also a tribute to the men and women who brought us through terrible conflicts and who made us who we are today. It is a recognition of the power of storytelling to make us understand our past, and to appreciate our present. Thanks for that, Yvonne!

[Edith Cultu]

This is a warm and genuine story of a woman's relationship with her father as she learns to understand and appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of her father's character. The story creates a real description of the trials and struggles of those who served in WWII. It arouses the reader's own memories and experiences with family members. The book is a story well worth reading and experiencing.

[John Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just a wonderful well written book about a father who served his country in WWII and his daughter! Both her father & my Great Uncle Thaddeus Jez were stationed in the 467th bombardier group located in Rackheath, England. Although my Great Uncle was lost in a bombing mission in Germany '44 at least her father survived & inspired Yvonne to write this beautiful story!

[Lynn Bingaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was beautifully written. I especially enjoyed the first section when the author reminisced about growing up in the 50's and 60's and the last heart-rending section where she told about dealing with a dying parent. The middle section was interesting, but a little too filled with minute detail about the planes and the war to suit my taste.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flying with Dad is a vivid and honest family portrait. It is told through a series of short stories that introduce the characters and their circumstances all in bright detail. The stories give the feeling of a fireside chat and you will likely be finding many parallels in your own family story lines. Above all, the book is uplifting and refreshing.

[Marybeth Ingram · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so appreciate this book also being a daughter of a Rackheath bombardier in World War II. So many times I felt a connection with what the author wrote, because my father, too, had such a difficult time telling any stories about his service in the war. I am grateful for the tears that came as I read. They are cleansing.

[Sabrina D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was much enjoyed!! The details of her dad's war and plane experiences were so vivid I could see it happening as I was reading!! It was also really amazing to see her and her Dad bonding throughout the book!! There were moments I was slightly chuckling, then other moments I could feel my eyes filling with tears.

[Edie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A non fiction book I highly recommend. I enjoyed the last part of the book more than the beginning and middle as it wasn't technical about his planes but more about her dad's life and death. I am giving it 4 stars.

[Deb Ferretti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I completely loved "Flying with Dad!" Yvonne's stories linked me even closer to my Dad who served in the Navy. I would love love love to have this book made into an audiobook. Thank you Yvonne for warming my heart so successfully!

Deb

[Patricia Falon · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much love and respect went into the writing of this delightful memoir.
Coming from a service family, I really looked forward to reading this book and I wasn't disappointed..

[Paul Vogelzang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent writing, wonderful stories and so meaningful to all. thank you, Yvonne!

[Joanne Pascoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part memoir, part reconstruction of her parents' life based on letters etc. The author learned much about her father's life, especially his WWII experiences, and how they shaped him. Daughter and father learned much about each other in his later years. Well worth reading. The chapters are short - anecdotal in style. Take time between them to reflect.