The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh

Starred review from December 23, 2019
Fleming (Strongheart) skillfully crafts a layered portrait of a controversial figure: Charles Lindbergh. Well-paced sections covering Lindbergh’s soaring popularity and plunging fall are divided into engaging segments. Passages about his early childhood establish his close relationship with his mother and the roots of his loner personality. In riveting detail and frequently quoting from Lindbergh’s diaries and his wife’s, Fleming relates his planning and execution of the solo transatlantic flight that made him the most famous man in the world, his marriage and the tragic kidnapping of his firstborn child, his obsession with engineering humankind’s immortality, and the existence of his multiple secret families. Fleming finely hones the stark contrast between Lindbergh’s rise and his fall from grace after he became fascinated with eugenics, sympathized with Hitler and the Nazis, and involved himself in America-first isolationist politics. A compelling biography of a flawed, larger-than-life man. Ages 12–up.

From its opening, which features a chilling description of famed aviator Charles Lindbergh's speech at an America First rally, Kirsten Potter expertly narrates this nonfiction audiobook for youth. Following Lindbergh's life from his birth in Detroit and his childhood in Minnesota and Washington, DC, through his travels and the controversies surrounding him in adulthood, Potter delivers a strong, lively performance. Imbuing the narrative with emotion, her presentation maintains one's interest throughout. In particular, she uses slight changes in tone to differentiate direct quotations from various people in Lindbergh's life. An engaging story, both in content and in production, this work will keep both young and adult listeners thoroughly engaged. A.L.S.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine