“The Aviator’s Wife” by Melanie Benjamin

Can a novel about a woman’s life teach us something about aviation? Well, this one can. Based on Anne’s diaries and further research this novel comes close to a biography but in the nice to read novel style.
Meeting Charles at the family’s Christmas dinner, ambassador daughter Anne falls head over heels for the young adventurous hero. Does Charles fall for her as well or is he just looking for a crew partner who will provide him with sibblings? We will never know, but we know that different expectations of a marriage and life have there influence in the Lindbergh’s lives.
Discovering the world together as young married couple and being America’s first female glieder pilot, Anne can be seen as aviator pioneer herself. However, she is merely seen as the aviator’s wife, suffering like Charles from press attention, leaving her normal free life behind. Further pain comes along by the kidnapping and murder of their first child and public shaming when Charles is believed to be a Hitler supporter. Charles and Anne live a life of refugee and hiding, either with her family or in hidden country homes. However, it is Anne who suffers and keeps up daily life for her later children while Charles continues his travelling life as advisor for airlines and governments, Anne often not knowing where is is and when he would come back.
Only when the children leave their homes she gains back her own social life, circle of friends and happiness. But also if enstrangled when Charles is diagnosed with leukemia in 1972 Anne is by his side again till his death in 1974. Did she then already know about his final betrayal of fathering 7 more children with 3 other women or did she only find out after his death? For the book it does not matter: it simply paints a picture of a fascinating woman who tackles life with all its ups and downs in as a strong and awe inspiring manner. My conclusion: thumbs up for the aviator’s wife as this summer’s read!

ISBN 978-0-345-52868-1