Product Description

A biography of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, a celebrated pilot of the 1920s and 30s. Ian Mackersey portrays a man of great charisma and a messy private life, which ended tragically off Burma in 1935.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #838427 in Books
• Published on: 1998-09-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 432 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
The name Charles Kingsford Smith might mean next to nothing to most people. A few might dimly remember that Sydney's international airport bears his name and conclude that he was a famous Aussie. The odd aviation fanatic might just have him down as a pre-war famous flyer. But where he went and what he did? Forget it. If ever you wanted proof of the injustice of the publishing world where time and again hype wins out over merit, then look no further than Ian Mackersey's biography of Kingsford Smith, Smithy. Smithy is one of those rare accomplishments, a biography that transcends the achievements of its subject and would be worth reading even if Charles Kingsford Smith hadn't been the first long-distance pilot to conquer the Pacific and the Tasman in both directions and to fly the Atlantic from east to west. What makes this even more impressive is that Kingsford Smith is such a legend in his native Australia that every biography that has been written up till now has been hagiography and Mackersey has had to uncover a host of sources, including Smithy's second wife, who have hitherto maintained a discreet silence. The picture that emerges is of a troubled man, scarred by his active service in the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War, whose inability to find contentment resulted in hard drinking, a failure to maintain relationships and financial recklessness as well as his pioneering flights. Mackersey is an even-handed biographer. He doesn't avoid the difficult areas nor does he pillory his subject for them and both the reader and Kingsford Smith are well served by his efforts. Even if you don't like flying, read it for the humanity. And if humanity doesn't touch you, treat it as an object lesson in biography. --JohnCrace

Review
For all his exploits as one of the great pioneers of modern aviation - the first trans-Pacific flights in both directions, the first westward crossing of the Atlantic - the man behind the Australian legend was no plaster saint. Boozer, laddish prankster, womanizer, reckless and financially feckless he might have been but what survives in this fascinating life is the skill, the desperate courage to overcome panic-attacks and a horror of the sea, the unaffected charm and simple matiness, the generous impulses and the power of the dream that killed him. (Kirkus UK)

Customer Reviews

Kingsford Smith as he REALLY was.
This is an honest look at the life of Kingsford Smith. The author strips away the hype, myth and tinsel to reveal a hugely likeable, skilled, brave man. In my eyes, Smithy emerges as more of a hero once we really see him. The research that went into this book is enormous and thorough and it shows. Having never read any books by the author, I did not know what to expect but I was extremely pleased on all counts. This is a truly wonderful read. I hated to finish the book. I wish it could have been 3 times as long! The final chapter about the probable fate of Smithy will put to rest all the wild theories. My only regrets are a wish for more photos and the unavailability (as yet) here in the States. This book deserves as wide an audience as possible.