Flight of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon | Flashback Fave
If I could have more of anything in my reading life, it would be more histfic that reads like women’s fiction. Historical fiction that is, that contains all the gravitas, relational nuance, and bittersweet endings of the best of contemporary genres (think Liane Moriarty, Marybeth Mayhew Whalen, and Nicole Baart).
Which is why I love the work of Ariel Lawhon. She manages all these things against real historical settings, and I cannot resist. Flight of Dreams, in particular, kept me up late turning the pages, and it remains one of my most frequently recommended reads. I first reviewed it March 4, 2016, and you can find the full text here.
About this book:
(from the publisher) On the evening of May 3rd, 1937, ninety-seven people board the Hindenburg for its final, doomed flight to Lakehurst, New Jersey. Among them are a frightened stewardess who is not what she seems; the steadfast navigator determined to win her heart; a naive cabin boy eager to earn a permanent spot on the world’s largest airship; an impetuous journalist who has been blacklisted in her native Germany; and an enigmatic American businessman with a score to settle. Over the course of three hazy, champagne-soaked days their lies, fears, agendas, and hopes for the future are revealed.
Flight of Dreams is a fiercely intimate portrait of the real people on board the last flight of the Hindenburg. Behind them is the gathering storm in Europe and before them is looming disaster. But for the moment they float over the Atlantic, unaware of the inexorable, tragic fate that awaits them.
Brilliantly exploring one of the most enduring mysteries of the twentieth century, Flight of Dreams is that rare novel with spellbinding plotting that keeps you guessing till the last page and breathtaking emotional intensity that stays with you long after.
Buy it here.
About the author:
Ariel Lawhon is a critically acclaimed author of historical fiction. Her books have been translated into numerous languages and have been Library Reads, One Book One County, and Book of the Month Club selections. She is the co-founder of SheReads.org and lives in the rolling hills outside Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband, four sons, black Lab, and a deranged cat. She splits her time between the grocery store and the baseball field.
After words:
What do you wish for more of in your reading life?