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Enduring Courage: Ace Pilot Eddie Rickenbacker and the Dawn of the Age of Speed
The sensational true story of Eddie Rickenbacker, America's greatest flying ace.
At the turn of the twentieth century two new technologies—the car and airplane—took the nation’s imagination by storm as they burst, like comets, into American life. The brave souls that leaped into these dangerous contraptions and pushed them to unexplored extremes became new American heroes: the race car driver and the flying ace.
No individual did more to create and intensify these raw new roles than the tall, gangly Eddie Rickenbacker, who defied death over and over with such courage and pluck that a generation of Americans came to know his face better than the president’s. The son of poor, German-speaking Swiss immigrants in Columbus, Ohio, Rickenbacker overcame the specter of his father’s violent death, a debilitating handicap, and, later, accusations of being a German spy, to become the American military ace of aces in World War I and a Medal of Honor recipient. He and his high-spirited, all-too-short-lived pilot comrades, created a new kind of aviation warfare, as they pushed their machines to the edge of destruction—and often over it—without parachutes, radios, or radar.
Enduring Courage is the electrifying story of the beginning of America’s love affair with speed—and how one man above all the rest showed a nation the way forward. No simple daredevil, he was an innovator on the racetrack, a skilled aerial dualist and squadron commander, and founder of Eastern Air Lines. Decades after his heroics against the Red Baron’s Flying Circus, he again showed a war-weary nation what it took to survive against nearly insurmountable odds when he and seven others endured a harrowing three-week ordeal adrift without food or water in the Pacific during World War II.
For the first time, Enduring Courage peels back the layers of hero to reveal the man himself. With impeccable research and a gripping narrative, John F. Ross tells the unforgettable story of a man who pushed the limits of speed, endurance and courage and emerged as an American legend.
At the turn of the twentieth century two new technologies—the car and airplane—took the nation’s imagination by storm as they burst, like comets, into American life. The brave souls that leaped into these dangerous contraptions and pushed them to unexplored extremes became new American heroes: the race car driver and the flying ace.
No individual did more to create and intensify these raw new roles than the tall, gangly Eddie Rickenbacker, who defied death over and over with such courage and pluck that a generation of Americans came to know his face better than the president’s. The son of poor, German-speaking Swiss immigrants in Columbus, Ohio, Rickenbacker overcame the specter of his father’s violent death, a debilitating handicap, and, later, accusations of being a German spy, to become the American military ace of aces in World War I and a Medal of Honor recipient. He and his high-spirited, all-too-short-lived pilot comrades, created a new kind of aviation warfare, as they pushed their machines to the edge of destruction—and often over it—without parachutes, radios, or radar.
Enduring Courage is the electrifying story of the beginning of America’s love affair with speed—and how one man above all the rest showed a nation the way forward. No simple daredevil, he was an innovator on the racetrack, a skilled aerial dualist and squadron commander, and founder of Eastern Air Lines. Decades after his heroics against the Red Baron’s Flying Circus, he again showed a war-weary nation what it took to survive against nearly insurmountable odds when he and seven others endured a harrowing three-week ordeal adrift without food or water in the Pacific during World War II.
For the first time, Enduring Courage peels back the layers of hero to reveal the man himself. With impeccable research and a gripping narrative, John F. Ross tells the unforgettable story of a man who pushed the limits of speed, endurance and courage and emerged as an American legend.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published May 13, 2014
27 people are currently reading
1191 people want to read
About the author
John F. Ross
5 books9 followersJohn F. Ross is the former Executive Editor of American Heritage and Invention & Technology magazines and was a Senior Editor of Smithsonian magazine before that. On assignment, he has chased scorpions in Baja, dived 3,000 feet underwater in the Galapagos, dogsledded with the Polar Inuit in Greenland, lived with the Khanty reindeer herders in Siberia, and launched the most northern canoe trip in the Canadian Arctic. He has published more than 200 articles and spoken at the Explorers Club of New York, the Smithsonian Institution, NASA’s Ames Research Center, and BMW’s Herbert Quandt
Foundation.
While doing research for War on the Run, Ross walked and kayaked many parts of Roger’s tracks, giving him valuable on-the-ground experience with which to bring Roger’s experiences vividly to life. He is the author of The Polar Bear Strategy: Reflections on Risk in Modern Life (Perseus Books) and lives in Bethesda, Maryland.
Foundation.
While doing research for War on the Run, Ross walked and kayaked many parts of Roger’s tracks, giving him valuable on-the-ground experience with which to bring Roger’s experiences vividly to life. He is the author of The Polar Bear Strategy: Reflections on Risk in Modern Life (Perseus Books) and lives in Bethesda, Maryland.
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March 19, 2019
Enduring Courage by John F. Ross
Eddie took off on a lone sortie on his first full day of command. Near Billy-sous-les-Cotes, he found five Fokkers escorting a pair of reconnaissance two-seaters. Pulling out his signature elan, he climbed high between between them and the sun, then pitched headlong into an attack dive. 'Most of the pilots he killed,' said Chambers, 'never knew what hit them. Out of the sun, a quick burst and gone. That was Rickenbacker.'
This is an excellent biography about three distinct periods of Eddie Rickenbacker’s life; as a young race car driver, WW1 ace, and WW2 aviation advisor. There is little information on his early childhood, or the years between WW1 and WW2 or the twenty-five years he lived beyond WW2 so this is not technically a cradle-to-grave biography.
** The rest may be a spoiler to those who don't know the story **
Eddie Rickenbacker was born in Columbus Ohio in 1890 to Swiss immigrants. Columbus was emerging as a center for automotive innovation, only behind Detroit and Flint. As a young teen Eddie was fascinated with the mechanics of automobiles and he soon went to work for the Columbus Buggy Company which by the early 1900’s was building automobiles. A few years later at the age of eighteen Eddie helped design a race car for the company and the following year he raced in the Indianapolis 500 becoming one of the top drivers in the emerging sport. His car was sponsored by Firestone Tire and Rubber company, also based out of Columbus. The young Eddie even served as a chauffeur for the multi-millionaire Harvey Firestone on cross-country promotional trips.
The rest of the first one hundred pages follow Eddie’s story through the racing ranks. The number of drivers, mechanicians (driver assistants), and fans who died in these early races of the automobile era was astonishingly high. There is a story that follows Eddie at a racing track where the owners decided to put gravel down instead of mud and how dangerous and painful it was for the drivers since they didn’t have windshields racing along at speeds in excess of seventy miles an hour. Finding a solution at the Indy 500 the owners put down bricks for the driving surface and there were rapid advancements to the cars such as rearview mirrors that did away with the need for an-board mechanician or spotter. The race car period of Eddie’s life, as told in the book, highlighted a lot of genuine drama and was quite interesting by itself.
As often happens with adventurous souls, Eddie became fascinated with airplanes. At the Iowa State Fair in 1914, he watched awestruck as Lincoln Beachey the most famous pilot of the day conducted aerobatics past the grandstands. In 1916 while the war raged in Europe, Eddie was still a top driver traveled across the Atlantic to England to meet with his new employer, SunBeam, about race cars. He was deported back to the United States as British customs officials were concerned he was a German spy largely based on his name and the fact that he many drawings of automobile parts. This tweaked Eddie and by the time America declared war against Germany in March 1917, he developed a plan to recruit top race car drivers to become America’s pilots in the war since there was a shortage. His plan was accepted and he joined the Air Corps. He began his journey in France that summer as George Patton’s driver until the Aerodrome was completed in November and the drivers could train to be pilots.
The next one hundred pages of the book are the meat of the book and the best written. We follow Eddie’s rise to hero figure soaring above the front lines becoming America’s ace. The author does an excellent job of weaving the story beginning with Eddie’s lack of training and near death experiences, his initial insecurities, the deaths of fellow pilots, his first kill and on to becoming one of the most decorated figures of WW1. Deadly as the experience was for most of the American pilots, we learn that Eddie’s entire nascent 94th Aero Squadron were also fortunate in one respect. They were often pitted against other inexperienced German fighter pilots. In contrast during one intense period of 1917 while fighting the Red Baron, British pilots were only living, on average, two weeks. On a side note, I was puzzled by how much money was invested during WW1 in aviation. There were hundreds of thousands of troops in the various Air Corps; France, U.S., Britain, and Germany. From the best I can gather, while aviation did not play a major role in determining the outcome of the war, if one side had a major advantage the outcome would have almost certainly turned out differently.
The last few chapters of the book follow Eddie in the WW2 effort. Now in his forties and from the pictures looking much holder, he was still a well known national hero and owner of the Indy 500 racetrack and an aviation executive. In 1941 in a flight to Atlanta, he was only one of four to survive an Eastern airlines crash outside Atlanta. Eddie was just a passenger and later felt significant remorse after questioning the pilot’s judgment but ultimately allowing him to continue the flight in the fog. Eddie came away with significant damage to his legs. The following year in late 1942 he is recruited by the War department to hand deliver a personal message to Douglas MacArthur. The message was from George Marshall to tell MacArthur to cease his criticism of the Roosevelt administration. MacArthur had recently escaped from Corregidor leaving his soldiers behind to endure the Bataan death march and had a personal interest to “return” that was causing problems for Marshall and Roosevelt. Eddie was to hand deliver the message so that the Japanese could not intercept communications and find out there was trouble with the top brass. Eddie was to travel by military plane, as a passenger, from Hawaii with other military officials hopscotching their way across Pacific islands.
As fate would have it, the B-17 that they flew had a problem with the directional equipment and the pilot overshot the refueling station, a small atoll in the middle of the Pacific and in trying to find the atoll they ran out of fuel. The pilot somehow landed the plane in the ocean swells without killing the eight occupants and they quickly launched the three small life rafts with few provisions. Incredibly this was Eddie’s second plane crash in a year as a passenger, something he had avoided as a WW1 pilot. While in the rafts in order to keep the men alive, Rickenbacker took on a mean persona.
'Lord, how they learned to hate that man! There were times when they would gladly have thrown him into the sea, granted the strength.' Somehow Eddie’s stinging rebukes did not further deflate morale but instead stirred up such anger as to keep them focused on him, not on the unrelenting agony and proximity of a foul death. 'I raged at them until they found reason, in the midst of their suffering, to live.'
Unbeknownst to the crew, already two weeks lost at sea, the U.S. Air Force gave up the search and declared the eight men dead. Upon hearing the news, Eddie’s wife traveled to Washington to meet with General Hap Arnold to convince him to continue the search. After being browbeaten, Arnold agreed to continue the search for one more week. Meanwhile the men split the rafts up to increase their chance of being spotted despite Rickenbacker’s protests. In retrospect the others made the right decision, they probably would have died had they listened to Eddie. Because nearly a week later the remaining seven men, one man Kaczmarczyk had succumbed to the elements, were rescued and towed 14 miles to a remote island. They spent 24 days at sea. The story ends here despite Rickenbacker living on for another forty years.
4.5 stars. This is the best book I have read about WW1 aviation and a consistent read. ‘Lindbergh’ by A. Scott Berg and ‘The Wright Brothers’ by David McCullough are two other biographies on famous aviators. While they are probably better overall reads, ‘Enduring Courage’ is the most exciting.
Eddie took off on a lone sortie on his first full day of command. Near Billy-sous-les-Cotes, he found five Fokkers escorting a pair of reconnaissance two-seaters. Pulling out his signature elan, he climbed high between between them and the sun, then pitched headlong into an attack dive. 'Most of the pilots he killed,' said Chambers, 'never knew what hit them. Out of the sun, a quick burst and gone. That was Rickenbacker.'
This is an excellent biography about three distinct periods of Eddie Rickenbacker’s life; as a young race car driver, WW1 ace, and WW2 aviation advisor. There is little information on his early childhood, or the years between WW1 and WW2 or the twenty-five years he lived beyond WW2 so this is not technically a cradle-to-grave biography.
** The rest may be a spoiler to those who don't know the story **
Eddie Rickenbacker was born in Columbus Ohio in 1890 to Swiss immigrants. Columbus was emerging as a center for automotive innovation, only behind Detroit and Flint. As a young teen Eddie was fascinated with the mechanics of automobiles and he soon went to work for the Columbus Buggy Company which by the early 1900’s was building automobiles. A few years later at the age of eighteen Eddie helped design a race car for the company and the following year he raced in the Indianapolis 500 becoming one of the top drivers in the emerging sport. His car was sponsored by Firestone Tire and Rubber company, also based out of Columbus. The young Eddie even served as a chauffeur for the multi-millionaire Harvey Firestone on cross-country promotional trips.
The rest of the first one hundred pages follow Eddie’s story through the racing ranks. The number of drivers, mechanicians (driver assistants), and fans who died in these early races of the automobile era was astonishingly high. There is a story that follows Eddie at a racing track where the owners decided to put gravel down instead of mud and how dangerous and painful it was for the drivers since they didn’t have windshields racing along at speeds in excess of seventy miles an hour. Finding a solution at the Indy 500 the owners put down bricks for the driving surface and there were rapid advancements to the cars such as rearview mirrors that did away with the need for an-board mechanician or spotter. The race car period of Eddie’s life, as told in the book, highlighted a lot of genuine drama and was quite interesting by itself.
As often happens with adventurous souls, Eddie became fascinated with airplanes. At the Iowa State Fair in 1914, he watched awestruck as Lincoln Beachey the most famous pilot of the day conducted aerobatics past the grandstands. In 1916 while the war raged in Europe, Eddie was still a top driver traveled across the Atlantic to England to meet with his new employer, SunBeam, about race cars. He was deported back to the United States as British customs officials were concerned he was a German spy largely based on his name and the fact that he many drawings of automobile parts. This tweaked Eddie and by the time America declared war against Germany in March 1917, he developed a plan to recruit top race car drivers to become America’s pilots in the war since there was a shortage. His plan was accepted and he joined the Air Corps. He began his journey in France that summer as George Patton’s driver until the Aerodrome was completed in November and the drivers could train to be pilots.
The next one hundred pages of the book are the meat of the book and the best written. We follow Eddie’s rise to hero figure soaring above the front lines becoming America’s ace. The author does an excellent job of weaving the story beginning with Eddie’s lack of training and near death experiences, his initial insecurities, the deaths of fellow pilots, his first kill and on to becoming one of the most decorated figures of WW1. Deadly as the experience was for most of the American pilots, we learn that Eddie’s entire nascent 94th Aero Squadron were also fortunate in one respect. They were often pitted against other inexperienced German fighter pilots. In contrast during one intense period of 1917 while fighting the Red Baron, British pilots were only living, on average, two weeks. On a side note, I was puzzled by how much money was invested during WW1 in aviation. There were hundreds of thousands of troops in the various Air Corps; France, U.S., Britain, and Germany. From the best I can gather, while aviation did not play a major role in determining the outcome of the war, if one side had a major advantage the outcome would have almost certainly turned out differently.
The last few chapters of the book follow Eddie in the WW2 effort. Now in his forties and from the pictures looking much holder, he was still a well known national hero and owner of the Indy 500 racetrack and an aviation executive. In 1941 in a flight to Atlanta, he was only one of four to survive an Eastern airlines crash outside Atlanta. Eddie was just a passenger and later felt significant remorse after questioning the pilot’s judgment but ultimately allowing him to continue the flight in the fog. Eddie came away with significant damage to his legs. The following year in late 1942 he is recruited by the War department to hand deliver a personal message to Douglas MacArthur. The message was from George Marshall to tell MacArthur to cease his criticism of the Roosevelt administration. MacArthur had recently escaped from Corregidor leaving his soldiers behind to endure the Bataan death march and had a personal interest to “return” that was causing problems for Marshall and Roosevelt. Eddie was to hand deliver the message so that the Japanese could not intercept communications and find out there was trouble with the top brass. Eddie was to travel by military plane, as a passenger, from Hawaii with other military officials hopscotching their way across Pacific islands.
As fate would have it, the B-17 that they flew had a problem with the directional equipment and the pilot overshot the refueling station, a small atoll in the middle of the Pacific and in trying to find the atoll they ran out of fuel. The pilot somehow landed the plane in the ocean swells without killing the eight occupants and they quickly launched the three small life rafts with few provisions. Incredibly this was Eddie’s second plane crash in a year as a passenger, something he had avoided as a WW1 pilot. While in the rafts in order to keep the men alive, Rickenbacker took on a mean persona.
'Lord, how they learned to hate that man! There were times when they would gladly have thrown him into the sea, granted the strength.' Somehow Eddie’s stinging rebukes did not further deflate morale but instead stirred up such anger as to keep them focused on him, not on the unrelenting agony and proximity of a foul death. 'I raged at them until they found reason, in the midst of their suffering, to live.'
Unbeknownst to the crew, already two weeks lost at sea, the U.S. Air Force gave up the search and declared the eight men dead. Upon hearing the news, Eddie’s wife traveled to Washington to meet with General Hap Arnold to convince him to continue the search. After being browbeaten, Arnold agreed to continue the search for one more week. Meanwhile the men split the rafts up to increase their chance of being spotted despite Rickenbacker’s protests. In retrospect the others made the right decision, they probably would have died had they listened to Eddie. Because nearly a week later the remaining seven men, one man Kaczmarczyk had succumbed to the elements, were rescued and towed 14 miles to a remote island. They spent 24 days at sea. The story ends here despite Rickenbacker living on for another forty years.
4.5 stars. This is the best book I have read about WW1 aviation and a consistent read. ‘Lindbergh’ by A. Scott Berg and ‘The Wright Brothers’ by David McCullough are two other biographies on famous aviators. While they are probably better overall reads, ‘Enduring Courage’ is the most exciting.
June 27, 2018
In the early part of the 20th century, Eddie Rickenbacker's name was on everyone's lips.....initially he was an American sports hero in the new game of auto racing. Mechanically talented and self taught, he studied the workings of automobiles and racing tactics which paid off as he won race after race. Auto racing was extremely dangerous in those early days with no seat belts, helmets or other safety equipment and the death rate kept climbing but Rickenbacker knew no fear.
Then came a turning point in his life for which he will always be remembered.....WWI. The use of airplanes was limited, mostly only for observation duties. But Rickenbacker and several other farsighted men realized that air power was the future of warfare. He immediately signed on at the infancy of a recognized segment of the military and went to Europe to change the role of a strong air based fighting force. He became the Ace of Aces with 26 "kills" in only five months of active services.
This book gives the reader a look at Rickenbacker as a not very likeable individual....coarse, profane, and argumentative. But he also was not seeking fame or adulation; he was only doing his job and his attitude, although sometimes unpleasant, drove him and his squadron to excellence. The pilots of WWI were an elite group and were often from the upper classes of society while Eddie was an uneducated boy from Columbus, Ohio. He was basically shunned by his squadron members until they realized that he had talents that they lacked....an understanding of the machine and ideas of how to survive a "dogfight" using methods previously not employed. He might not always be liked but he was admired for his tenacity and apparent lack of fear. (He later admitted that there were times he was "scared to death" and often threw up upon landing.)
The author addressed the life of Rickenbacker in a straightforward and honest manner and the book is a page turner, even though some of the prose gets a little purple at times. Recommended.
Then came a turning point in his life for which he will always be remembered.....WWI. The use of airplanes was limited, mostly only for observation duties. But Rickenbacker and several other farsighted men realized that air power was the future of warfare. He immediately signed on at the infancy of a recognized segment of the military and went to Europe to change the role of a strong air based fighting force. He became the Ace of Aces with 26 "kills" in only five months of active services.
This book gives the reader a look at Rickenbacker as a not very likeable individual....coarse, profane, and argumentative. But he also was not seeking fame or adulation; he was only doing his job and his attitude, although sometimes unpleasant, drove him and his squadron to excellence. The pilots of WWI were an elite group and were often from the upper classes of society while Eddie was an uneducated boy from Columbus, Ohio. He was basically shunned by his squadron members until they realized that he had talents that they lacked....an understanding of the machine and ideas of how to survive a "dogfight" using methods previously not employed. He might not always be liked but he was admired for his tenacity and apparent lack of fear. (He later admitted that there were times he was "scared to death" and often threw up upon landing.)
The author addressed the life of Rickenbacker in a straightforward and honest manner and the book is a page turner, even though some of the prose gets a little purple at times. Recommended.
December 10, 2014
Enduring Courage: Ace Pilot Eddie Rickenbacker and the Dawn of the Age of Speed gets 4 Stars from me but that is really my flying background influencing my view of the book. Non-pilots might find it lacking in some details and not telling a full story. The book covers Eddie's difficult and challenging early life through the end of WWI. Then it jumps to 1941 and Eddie's survival of a commercial plane crash, then quickly jumps to his secret mission from Hap Arnold to carry a message from Roosevelt and Marshall to Gen Douglas MacArthur (not a kudo message). His plane crashes at sea after missing a small island refueling station and he leads the crew to survive 3 weeks at sea in small rafts.
Rickenbacker's life spanned the start of the age of speed. His early fame came from racing cars and this is a great part of the story. What rapid progress is made in auto technology is told through Eddie's adventures in auto racing. But the best part of the story is how Eddie becomes a pilot and what he had to do to get into the air. Eddie is the uncouth mechanic who can fix anything among a bunch of upper class Yale, Harvard, Princeton snobs who comprise the early group of WWI pilots. This is another amazing story of perseverance. How Eddie teaches himself to fly is truly incredible.
Wanted to read more about air combat in WWI but will have to look elsewhere. Plenty of fighting going on and you will learn about many of the famous pilots--Lufbery, Udet, Richthofen, Mitchell, etc. A decent look at one of the most famous aces.
Rickenbacker's life spanned the start of the age of speed. His early fame came from racing cars and this is a great part of the story. What rapid progress is made in auto technology is told through Eddie's adventures in auto racing. But the best part of the story is how Eddie becomes a pilot and what he had to do to get into the air. Eddie is the uncouth mechanic who can fix anything among a bunch of upper class Yale, Harvard, Princeton snobs who comprise the early group of WWI pilots. This is another amazing story of perseverance. How Eddie teaches himself to fly is truly incredible.
Wanted to read more about air combat in WWI but will have to look elsewhere. Plenty of fighting going on and you will learn about many of the famous pilots--Lufbery, Udet, Richthofen, Mitchell, etc. A decent look at one of the most famous aces.
August 4, 2015
Eddie Rickenbacker was born in 1891, just 5 years before my grandfather, and I’ve always regretted that I never asked my grandpa about what it was like when he first saw a “horseless carriage” or an airplane, but the descriptions from this book describe some of Eddie’s experiences which I imagine to be somewhat similar to what his must have been, and that made it all worthwhile for me.
More than that, though, Rickenbacker was a pretty incredible guy. I knew he was a heroic fighter pilot in World War I and that he raced cars, but I didn’t know he was a champion race car driver (usually driving American-built cars against what were then-superior cars from Europe). In fact, he was one of the first to race at the Indianapolis Speedway in the first of the Indy 500 races! He was also successful as a businessman after the war, first as an executive and then owner of Eastern Airlines. He had his failures, too – his Rickenbacker car company couldn’t compete with established companies, and when it closed down, he was $250,000 in debt. But he refused to declare himself insolvent and eventually repaid his debts, which I found very admirable. And, of course, he also spent several weeks lost at sea during World War II, and his survival of that ordeal later inspired Louis Zamperini (the former Olympian of “Unbroken” fame) to survive a similar fate, and his leadership (although somewhat harsh toward his raft-mates) helped the other survivors to not give up.
That’s what was most inspiring to me – his indomitable spirit. When he saw something, he went after it and figured out a way to make it happen and didn’t allow anyone to tell him something was impossible, and there are few attributes more distinctly American than that.
More than that, though, Rickenbacker was a pretty incredible guy. I knew he was a heroic fighter pilot in World War I and that he raced cars, but I didn’t know he was a champion race car driver (usually driving American-built cars against what were then-superior cars from Europe). In fact, he was one of the first to race at the Indianapolis Speedway in the first of the Indy 500 races! He was also successful as a businessman after the war, first as an executive and then owner of Eastern Airlines. He had his failures, too – his Rickenbacker car company couldn’t compete with established companies, and when it closed down, he was $250,000 in debt. But he refused to declare himself insolvent and eventually repaid his debts, which I found very admirable. And, of course, he also spent several weeks lost at sea during World War II, and his survival of that ordeal later inspired Louis Zamperini (the former Olympian of “Unbroken” fame) to survive a similar fate, and his leadership (although somewhat harsh toward his raft-mates) helped the other survivors to not give up.
That’s what was most inspiring to me – his indomitable spirit. When he saw something, he went after it and figured out a way to make it happen and didn’t allow anyone to tell him something was impossible, and there are few attributes more distinctly American than that.
January 7, 2017
I am giving this book three stars. Maybe it should be four but while the book was good and a well handled treatment of Rickenbacker I was left with the feeling that there was something missing. I do not know what it was but there was a lacking. I read this book on the recommendation of a GR friend and for that recommendation I am grateful. Maybe in the course of writing this review and reflecting on the book I will discover the answer to my query. Now what I did enjoy in this book is discovering that before Rickenbacker was a flyer he was a race car driver of significance. In fact what was most enjoyable about this book was reading about the advent of both automotive and aviation technology. Rickenbacker was there at the beginning of both of these modes of transport and reading about their evolution was fascinating. Of course I was also taken with the facts of Eddie's early life around the turn of the 20th century. Comparing childhoods like Eddie's to what kids today live like is shocking in their differences. The hardships are striking and it is easy to admire anybody that survived life as harsh as Eddie's. The author seems to attribute Eddie's survival to his unique ability to endure. That may be true but it may also be that he was just lucky. All biographies that depict the harsh childhoods of their subjects tend to glamorize the subject's ability to survive but none of them ever detail how miraculous survival was in the time being discussed. For every Eddie that survived there were how many that did not? How much was attributable to the individual and how much was just luck? Well I guess a discussion like that would diminish the character of the biography's subject and Eddie was definitely a survivor.
What I was also interested in learning was how inept military leadership was in both WWI and WWII. They were either inept or very indifferent to the safety of service people they were responsible for leading. I take this opinion after reading about how cavalier they were regarding safety. In WWI the brass refused to purchase parachutes for the pilots of these cloth and wood contraptions called aeroplanes. The brass thought the pilots might be too quick to use these escape devices and thus let an expensive airplane crash unnecessarily. Consequently, a lot of early pilots died unnecessarily. In WWII aviation technology had improved significantly but protocols and safety apparently hadn't. The near tragic comedy of errors responsible for Eddie and the crew of the B17 that he was on crashing into the Pacific and without the minimal supplies of an emergency kit is incredible. If this is an example of the leadership in the Air Force then Pearl Harbor is a bit easier to understand and makes our victory in that war more a tribute to the citizen soldiers and sailors than to the knuckleheads that lead them.
The author closes with an epilogue that discusses Eddie's courage, heroism, and tenacity, his endurance. What is interesting to me here is that Eddie was truly a hero in its true meaning. We live in an era when the title of hero is too easily used. Every kid that enlists in the military is immediately honored with the title of "hero" simply for doing what Eddie would have said was his duty and nothing more. We have diluted that honorific to the point that we have nothing to use to designate the people that really deserve it. Eddie fought in a war in a machine of unproven design, utility, or safety and without regard for his safety. He did this more successfully than any other pilot that survived and survival alone was an accomplishment of significance. He then built a career in aviation far beyond what might have been possible for somebody of his almost minimal education. If that wasn't enough he survives 3 weeks abandoned in a rubber raft in Pacific without water or food. He does all of this because he was both lucky and because he was tenacious in holding on to life and reaching his goals. Maybe I didn't miss anything in this book after all. Maybe I just needed to think about it a little more. I think I will give this book 4 stars.
What I was also interested in learning was how inept military leadership was in both WWI and WWII. They were either inept or very indifferent to the safety of service people they were responsible for leading. I take this opinion after reading about how cavalier they were regarding safety. In WWI the brass refused to purchase parachutes for the pilots of these cloth and wood contraptions called aeroplanes. The brass thought the pilots might be too quick to use these escape devices and thus let an expensive airplane crash unnecessarily. Consequently, a lot of early pilots died unnecessarily. In WWII aviation technology had improved significantly but protocols and safety apparently hadn't. The near tragic comedy of errors responsible for Eddie and the crew of the B17 that he was on crashing into the Pacific and without the minimal supplies of an emergency kit is incredible. If this is an example of the leadership in the Air Force then Pearl Harbor is a bit easier to understand and makes our victory in that war more a tribute to the citizen soldiers and sailors than to the knuckleheads that lead them.
The author closes with an epilogue that discusses Eddie's courage, heroism, and tenacity, his endurance. What is interesting to me here is that Eddie was truly a hero in its true meaning. We live in an era when the title of hero is too easily used. Every kid that enlists in the military is immediately honored with the title of "hero" simply for doing what Eddie would have said was his duty and nothing more. We have diluted that honorific to the point that we have nothing to use to designate the people that really deserve it. Eddie fought in a war in a machine of unproven design, utility, or safety and without regard for his safety. He did this more successfully than any other pilot that survived and survival alone was an accomplishment of significance. He then built a career in aviation far beyond what might have been possible for somebody of his almost minimal education. If that wasn't enough he survives 3 weeks abandoned in a rubber raft in Pacific without water or food. He does all of this because he was both lucky and because he was tenacious in holding on to life and reaching his goals. Maybe I didn't miss anything in this book after all. Maybe I just needed to think about it a little more. I think I will give this book 4 stars.
February 9, 2017
I recall hearing about Eddie Rickenbacker way back when I was a kid. I knew that he was the highest scoring American ace of The Great War and that he had been a race car driver. As a fan of the Indianapolis 500, I knew that he had once owned the speedway and sold it to Tony Hulman following World War Two. That was about the extent of my knowledge of the man and his deeds. In retrospect, I find it amazing that I never thought to read more about him considering my love of racing and of military history.
This book is not a detailed biography of Rickenbacker’s entire life, but, as the title indicates, is mostly centered on his racing and his war experiences. Ross sets up the biography in the usual way, starting with Rickenbacker’s difficult childhood. After his father’s death, he quit school and became the breadwinner for the family. His mechanical aptitude stood him in good stead and he eventually went to work in the automotive industry. At the time, racing was seen by the automobile manufacturers as a method of testing car designs and also impressing prospective customers with a (hopefully) race-winning automobile. Rickenbacker proved a natural behind the wheel and managed not only to stay alive, which was no small feat in itself, but win races against the big name drivers of the day such as Barney Oldfield and Dario Resta. Rickenbacker ran the Indianapolis 500 from 1912 through 1916. Though he never won there, he did show reasonably well. He was best on the dirt tracks, though, and it was on those tracks where the bulk of his wins came.
Both the automobiles and airplanes of the period were finicky, unreliable machines and his mechanical acumen was a great advantage for him. Not surprisingly for a man like this, he became interested in aircraft. His interest was further piqued when he raced against stunt flyer Lincoln Beachy, car against airplane. When the United States entered the war in 1917, he was unable to enlist in the Air Service, but because of his reputation as a race driver and mechanic was assigned as the chauffeur for General Pershing. Although a noncom, he had access to both Pershing and Billy Mitchell. He used these connections to gain entry to the Air Service. The rest, as they say, is history.
What struck me most was just how incredibly dangerous was the job of these pilots during The Great War. I know that I had read that before, but I don’t think I really realized just how deadly it really was. This book certainly pressed that fact home many times. Ross's descriptions of the air combat of the period were excellent and exciting.
Following the war, Rickenbacker continued to have brushes with death. Once in an airline crash and then again when the plane in which he was a passenger got lost at sea and was forced to ditch. Eddie and the plane’s crew managed to survive 3 weeks in rubber rafts at sea. In both cases he was written off as dead, but somehow managed to pull through. Rickenbacker was a survivor.
I found Ross’ style to be enjoyable and easily read. He weaves an exciting tale of the legendary, one-of-a-kind figure that was Eddie Rickenbacker. Ross definitely delivers on what the title of the book promises. This is truly a story of enduring courage. I am really glad that I read it. I think that this book would appeal to any history buff. Rickenbacker definitely deserves to be remembered. Clearly, he was a great man.
This book is not a detailed biography of Rickenbacker’s entire life, but, as the title indicates, is mostly centered on his racing and his war experiences. Ross sets up the biography in the usual way, starting with Rickenbacker’s difficult childhood. After his father’s death, he quit school and became the breadwinner for the family. His mechanical aptitude stood him in good stead and he eventually went to work in the automotive industry. At the time, racing was seen by the automobile manufacturers as a method of testing car designs and also impressing prospective customers with a (hopefully) race-winning automobile. Rickenbacker proved a natural behind the wheel and managed not only to stay alive, which was no small feat in itself, but win races against the big name drivers of the day such as Barney Oldfield and Dario Resta. Rickenbacker ran the Indianapolis 500 from 1912 through 1916. Though he never won there, he did show reasonably well. He was best on the dirt tracks, though, and it was on those tracks where the bulk of his wins came.
Both the automobiles and airplanes of the period were finicky, unreliable machines and his mechanical acumen was a great advantage for him. Not surprisingly for a man like this, he became interested in aircraft. His interest was further piqued when he raced against stunt flyer Lincoln Beachy, car against airplane. When the United States entered the war in 1917, he was unable to enlist in the Air Service, but because of his reputation as a race driver and mechanic was assigned as the chauffeur for General Pershing. Although a noncom, he had access to both Pershing and Billy Mitchell. He used these connections to gain entry to the Air Service. The rest, as they say, is history.
What struck me most was just how incredibly dangerous was the job of these pilots during The Great War. I know that I had read that before, but I don’t think I really realized just how deadly it really was. This book certainly pressed that fact home many times. Ross's descriptions of the air combat of the period were excellent and exciting.
Following the war, Rickenbacker continued to have brushes with death. Once in an airline crash and then again when the plane in which he was a passenger got lost at sea and was forced to ditch. Eddie and the plane’s crew managed to survive 3 weeks in rubber rafts at sea. In both cases he was written off as dead, but somehow managed to pull through. Rickenbacker was a survivor.
I found Ross’ style to be enjoyable and easily read. He weaves an exciting tale of the legendary, one-of-a-kind figure that was Eddie Rickenbacker. Ross definitely delivers on what the title of the book promises. This is truly a story of enduring courage. I am really glad that I read it. I think that this book would appeal to any history buff. Rickenbacker definitely deserves to be remembered. Clearly, he was a great man.
January 28, 2020
This biography of Eddie Rickenbacker spends a great deal of time in World War I, since that is where he became the United States' greatest Ace as far as number of enemy killed. However, the first section deals primarily with is childhood and his years in the auto industry and as a automobile racer, and in the last section there is a chapter about his harrowing three weeks on a life raft adrift in the Pacific with seven others during World War II.
Did I love this? No, but then I am not fond of descriptions of battle nor of descriptions of developing machines, so this is no sleight at the author who has done a good job. This book straightens things out quite a bit from the grossly exaggerated books which were published during Eddie's lifetime. If you are interested in these subjects, then this is most definitely a book for you.
Did I love this? No, but then I am not fond of descriptions of battle nor of descriptions of developing machines, so this is no sleight at the author who has done a good job. This book straightens things out quite a bit from the grossly exaggerated books which were published during Eddie's lifetime. If you are interested in these subjects, then this is most definitely a book for you.
December 31, 2014
Eddie Rickenbacker, for me, has always been one of those names from 20th century history that I had heard of and even knew a tiny bit about…but not much more. I knew he was an American flying Ace from World War I and generally well regarded but have long wished to know more about him, his life and the times he lived in.
General George S. Patton famously said, “Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory.” He was talking about leaders like Rickenbacker, America’s leading ace of WWI with 26 kills. The story of how he got there is simply incredible. From an adventurous youth demonstrating a genius for machines and mechanics to becoming a renowned race car driver (racing in the very first Indy 500), to becoming America’s ‘Ace of Aces’ pilot in WWI, his story reads like one of those thriller novels where the hero constantly encounters incredible danger but always survives. It’s so refreshing to read of a person who actually lives up to the hype of history and who learns from his plentiful mistakes throughout his life. This quote from him sums it up: “I've cheated the Grim Reaper more times than anyone I know, and I'll fight like a wildcat until they nail the lid of my pine box down on me.”
Most of the book is devoted to the two main “eras” of Rickenbacker’s life: his car racing career and his WWI successes. Less is devoted to his post war career even though that is pretty phenomenal as well: starting up “Rickenbacker Motor Company”, buying and managing the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, clashes with FDR over policy, and a lengthy stint as the leader and eventual owner of Eastern Airlines. There are a couple of nicely done chapters on his near-fatal airplane crash in 1941 as well as his most famous near-death experience, 24 days adrift at sea after a plane that he was a passenger in got lost over the Pacific and had to set down in the middle of the ocean.
I would add that this book is about more than just the life of Eddie Rickenbacker. The title is entirely appropriate in that it is about the times and events and the people that surrounded Rickenbacker during his extraordinary life. These men had what it takes or what later generations would refer to as “the right stuff”. It’s an amazing story and is definitely an example of how true life can be more incredible than fiction.
Biographies tend to fall into one of two categories. They are either lengthy and filled with every conceivable detail and really meant for a serious scholar of that individual, or they are more succinct and serve to introduce a reader to the individual. This book lies in between. There is quite a bit of detail but not so much as to bog it down. I commend the author for finding that balance between too much detail and too much surfing over the events and issues of the time.
Highly recommended!
General George S. Patton famously said, “Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory.” He was talking about leaders like Rickenbacker, America’s leading ace of WWI with 26 kills. The story of how he got there is simply incredible. From an adventurous youth demonstrating a genius for machines and mechanics to becoming a renowned race car driver (racing in the very first Indy 500), to becoming America’s ‘Ace of Aces’ pilot in WWI, his story reads like one of those thriller novels where the hero constantly encounters incredible danger but always survives. It’s so refreshing to read of a person who actually lives up to the hype of history and who learns from his plentiful mistakes throughout his life. This quote from him sums it up: “I've cheated the Grim Reaper more times than anyone I know, and I'll fight like a wildcat until they nail the lid of my pine box down on me.”
Most of the book is devoted to the two main “eras” of Rickenbacker’s life: his car racing career and his WWI successes. Less is devoted to his post war career even though that is pretty phenomenal as well: starting up “Rickenbacker Motor Company”, buying and managing the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, clashes with FDR over policy, and a lengthy stint as the leader and eventual owner of Eastern Airlines. There are a couple of nicely done chapters on his near-fatal airplane crash in 1941 as well as his most famous near-death experience, 24 days adrift at sea after a plane that he was a passenger in got lost over the Pacific and had to set down in the middle of the ocean.
I would add that this book is about more than just the life of Eddie Rickenbacker. The title is entirely appropriate in that it is about the times and events and the people that surrounded Rickenbacker during his extraordinary life. These men had what it takes or what later generations would refer to as “the right stuff”. It’s an amazing story and is definitely an example of how true life can be more incredible than fiction.
Biographies tend to fall into one of two categories. They are either lengthy and filled with every conceivable detail and really meant for a serious scholar of that individual, or they are more succinct and serve to introduce a reader to the individual. This book lies in between. There is quite a bit of detail but not so much as to bog it down. I commend the author for finding that balance between too much detail and too much surfing over the events and issues of the time.
Highly recommended!
May 14, 2019
The story of Eddie Rickenbacker who starts out as a trouble boy with an abusive father. He pulled himself to the attention of the of various engineers and became an early driver in the embryo racing circuits of the US. When the first war broke out and the US belatedly joined the fight in 1917, Eddie forces his way into the air service flying the french Neiport fighter. His time at the front was limited to about 5 months and in that time he became a fighter Ace. He joins Eastern Airline and is injured in a crash while travelling as a passenger and in the second war he was adrift for three weeks in the pacific ocean.
The writing is at times flowery trying to embellish the story and gloss the image of the man, who may well have been difficult to understand and certainly had sexist views. He did not want any air hostesses in his airline. However this book does give some insight into the courage of the early racers and pilots.
3 stars.
The writing is at times flowery trying to embellish the story and gloss the image of the man, who may well have been difficult to understand and certainly had sexist views. He did not want any air hostesses in his airline. However this book does give some insight into the courage of the early racers and pilots.
3 stars.
January 14, 2015
Who doesn't know the name Eddie Rickenbacker?! And now for the man and story behind the name. John F. Ross has put together a biography that you couldn't make up if you tried. And not only Rickenbacker, the book touches on so many of the men during the early days of the automobile and airplane whose exploits were truly living life on the edge. A journalist, in writing of the early world of race car driving, described the drivers as men who had spent so much time right up against the wall of destruction, seeking to push the limit without going over it, that all had gained a "nodding acquaintance with death." For Rickenbacker the daring and courage continued as he became America's first flying ace in World War I and went on to endure a harrowing three-week ordeal adrift without food or water in the Pacific during World War II. Rickenbacker is truly an unforgettable name in American history.
January 27, 2019
"ENDURING COURAGE" brings vividly to the reader the essence of the man who was Eddie Rickenbacker (1890-1973). Pioneer race car driver, mechanic, World War I fighter ace and squadron leader, national hero, airline executive, and controversial figure. Rickenbacker looked death in the eye many times, both in war and peace, and miraculously survived each time. No-one who knew Rickenbacker ever forgot the experience, for he endeared himself to as many people as well as those he alienated through his brusque, hard-nosed manner.
My only fault with the book was the author's tendency to sometimes resort to hyperbolic, overblown prose. Otherwise,"ENDURING COURAGE: Ace Pilot Eddie Rickenbacker and the Dawn of the Age of Speed" made for engrossing reading.
My only fault with the book was the author's tendency to sometimes resort to hyperbolic, overblown prose. Otherwise,"ENDURING COURAGE: Ace Pilot Eddie Rickenbacker and the Dawn of the Age of Speed" made for engrossing reading.
November 20, 2020
This was interesting but it was too detailed for me. I didn't want to know of each new flight and how Eddie Rickenbacker did. I wanted more of an overview. Still am so glad he did what he did and helped America and the allies win in WWI and WWII. Helped aviation become what it is today. Amazing how he worked hard and made his future happen. Glad he was the right man at the right time.
April 14, 2025
Amazing facts and very well written. The supportive history was fascinating. My favorite portions were the storylines that included the Red Baron (Manfred von Richthofen). 80 kills, 'Ace of Aces'. I think of Snoopy and the Royal Guardsmen every single time I encounter WWI facts or stories.
This was my husband's book club book that he did not have time to read. So I read it for him. 😁😁
This was my husband's book club book that he did not have time to read. So I read it for him. 😁😁
May 22, 2014
I would give this a 3.5. I was a goodreads first reads winner of "Enduring Courage;Ace Pilot Eddie Rickenbacker and the Dawn of the Age of Speed. By John F.Ross. this was the CD version.
this was pretty interesting to listen to.i learned a lot more about Eddie Rickebacker and what an amazing man he was! Eddie was born to immigrant parents he was very poor. once he went to school with shoes that did not match and was taunted by other kids. His dad was killed when Eddie was 13 and he left school to help support his family.
eventually still a teen he worked for a mechanic on the newly developed cars. Eddie turned out to be very good learning his way around a motor. He also was good a driving and racing cars. each year the cars became faster and Eddie became famous as a race car driver. At the beginning the cars could only go about 15 MPH and when he finished his racing career they were up to 100 miles.I found it of interest to read how brutal those early cars back in the early 1900s were to drive. rattling and slamming the driver's bodies inside the cars.
Soon Eddie switched interests in airplanes.Eddie being quite the risk taker learned how the fly these brand new inventions. When World War one started, Eddie was in England and Europe flying in the War. A large part of the book { my version CD} was focused on Eddie fighting and flying these airplanes. he was known as an "ACE Flyer" which is the top percentage of flyers. very rare to accomplish. the book gave many details of Eddie and his fighting in World War one.
The last couple of CDs involve Eddie's life after the first war. Eventually he married, adopted two boys.
During World War two. Eddie and other men are stranded on a raft at sea after a crash for 24 days. the book cd spend time detailing his experiences during this horrible time.
I listened to the 11 CD set over ten days. I was quite impressed with what I learned about Eddie Rickenbacker.
this was pretty interesting to listen to.i learned a lot more about Eddie Rickebacker and what an amazing man he was! Eddie was born to immigrant parents he was very poor. once he went to school with shoes that did not match and was taunted by other kids. His dad was killed when Eddie was 13 and he left school to help support his family.
eventually still a teen he worked for a mechanic on the newly developed cars. Eddie turned out to be very good learning his way around a motor. He also was good a driving and racing cars. each year the cars became faster and Eddie became famous as a race car driver. At the beginning the cars could only go about 15 MPH and when he finished his racing career they were up to 100 miles.I found it of interest to read how brutal those early cars back in the early 1900s were to drive. rattling and slamming the driver's bodies inside the cars.
Soon Eddie switched interests in airplanes.Eddie being quite the risk taker learned how the fly these brand new inventions. When World War one started, Eddie was in England and Europe flying in the War. A large part of the book { my version CD} was focused on Eddie fighting and flying these airplanes. he was known as an "ACE Flyer" which is the top percentage of flyers. very rare to accomplish. the book gave many details of Eddie and his fighting in World War one.
The last couple of CDs involve Eddie's life after the first war. Eventually he married, adopted two boys.
During World War two. Eddie and other men are stranded on a raft at sea after a crash for 24 days. the book cd spend time detailing his experiences during this horrible time.
I listened to the 11 CD set over ten days. I was quite impressed with what I learned about Eddie Rickenbacker.
April 7, 2014
Perhaps you’ve read the glowing stories of Eddie Rickenbacker’s high flying adventures in World War I or his early career in the fledgling sport of auto racing on the dirt tracks of the mid-west. This biography takes in all of that, with the thrills, danger, and exciting details that it deserves. The book also goes beyond the glitter and the glory to the solid facts that shaped a boy into a man and a man into a legend. When Eddie was about fourteen yeas old, his father was shot and killed, in no small part because of the man’s volatile temper which manifested itself both outside and inside the home. Eddie seldom talked about this, preferring to gloss over this aspect of his life, when he quit school and assumed the role of the man of the family. His pluck, determination, and ability to adjust to traumatic situations would serve him well throughout his life, from the brickyard of Indianapolis, to the skies over France and the vast emptiness of the Pacific Ocean. Not many of us would have survived through half of the events in Eddie’s life. He lost many friends while driving the race car circuit. Accidents were routine in every race and often proved fatal to drivers and fans alike. Eddie had learned to hide his emotions at an early age and although the loss of his friends deeply disturbed him, he seldom showed any outward signs preferring instead to work harder to improve the safety of his machines and himself as a driver. This attitude would serve him well throughout his life. As the losses of pilots in WWI escalated at a horrific pace, Eddie worked harder to improve the planes and the fighting and piloting ability of his men. When Eddie proved to be the U. S.’s Ace of Aces, it wasn’t about the glory for Eddie, but about doing the best at what he did. This book provided for review by St. Martin’s Press and Shelf Awareness.
August 8, 2014
In Enduring Courage: Ace Pilot Eddie Rickenbacker and the Dawn of the Age of Speed, John F. Ross skillfully tells the story of renowned World War I flying ace, Eddie Rickenbacker. Raised in a poor immigrant family in Ohio, Eddie suffered abuse that may have broken most children his age. Yet, despite these disadvantages, he was able not only to survive, but thrive. He became a brilliant mechanic, and his knowledge of cars led him to become one of the most famous race-car drivers of his time. In search of the latest automotive innovations, he discovered in Great Britain that airplanes could be used as weapons of war. With the onset of World War I, Eddie joined the Armed Forces and served as General Pershing’s driver before becoming an airplane mechanic. Not content to stay on the ground, he would join the Air Corps, rising to squadron commander, gaining notoriety back in the United States as “The Ace of Aces.”
After World War I, Eddie would head Eastern Airlines, applying his vast knowledge to the commercial flight industry before the onset of World War II. His life seemed to be marked with the incredible will to survive as he miraculously lived through two plane crashes and twenty-four days adrift at sea.
Enduring Courage is a well-written biography of a famous American hero about whom very little is known. Having little knowledge of World War I, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Eddie Rickenbacker’s story is almost too incredible to be believed. I highly recommend Enduring Courage to any one interested in American Military History and its heroes.
I was given a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
October 20, 2014
Think you're brave? Nuts! You ain't got nothing on Eddie R.
The best thing about this book is that it reminded me of the use of "Nuts!"
Beside that it is pretty cool for a biography. It does not document every part of Mr. Rickenbacker's life thankfully, only the action.
The opening scene of the book is amazing and is never topped later. It conveys the danger and lack of any type of comfort you would have flying an early airplane let alone in battle.
I found the parts about the birth of auto-racing most interesting. I had no idea how insane everything about it was. Seemingly no one was safe. No seat belts, windshields, rear-view mirrors or safety for the crowds who watched this madness. Racers and spectators would die but the race would not be stopped.
Despite the action in the skies in WW1 I never really got into it. I could never get a connection to any secondary characters because they kept dying and Rickenbaker's mostly isolated nature.
The major drawback for me is that I never had a connection Rickenbaker either. I didn't know who he was at all really. I felt I knew the Red Baron much better. Other than flashes, the book never really got me interested.
The best thing about this book is that it reminded me of the use of "Nuts!"
Beside that it is pretty cool for a biography. It does not document every part of Mr. Rickenbacker's life thankfully, only the action.
The opening scene of the book is amazing and is never topped later. It conveys the danger and lack of any type of comfort you would have flying an early airplane let alone in battle.
I found the parts about the birth of auto-racing most interesting. I had no idea how insane everything about it was. Seemingly no one was safe. No seat belts, windshields, rear-view mirrors or safety for the crowds who watched this madness. Racers and spectators would die but the race would not be stopped.
Despite the action in the skies in WW1 I never really got into it. I could never get a connection to any secondary characters because they kept dying and Rickenbaker's mostly isolated nature.
The major drawback for me is that I never had a connection Rickenbaker either. I didn't know who he was at all really. I felt I knew the Red Baron much better. Other than flashes, the book never really got me interested.
October 8, 2015
Definitely one of the better biographies I have ever read. Eddie Rickenbacker was more than just America's Great War Ace of Aces, more than one of the early successful race car drivers. He was first and foremost courageous, his strong will driving everything he did from a very early age. This determination allowed him to rise from mechanic to driver to salesman, enabled him to overcome the class differences among America's first pilots, and finally drove him to survive against all odds not one but two serious mishaps.
This book was part history, part profile, and part thriller, and was all very well written. Noted and discarded are embellishments by earlier ghost writers and even the past colored by Eddie himself; favoring his true history over the stories. Highly recommended!
This book was part history, part profile, and part thriller, and was all very well written. Noted and discarded are embellishments by earlier ghost writers and even the past colored by Eddie himself; favoring his true history over the stories. Highly recommended!
May 19, 2014
The life and times of Eddie Rickenbacker are the backdrop of this interesting biography of America's great "ace" pilot during World War 1. I actually found his early years before the War the most fascinating as he struggles to grow up in Columbus, Ohio and then attempts to become a foremost auto racer during the tremendously dangerous infancy of that sport. All during his life he struggles for acceptance among people who look on him as "commoner" lacking the social graces of others. What he didn't lack was ability and drive which will make him a great hero of the era. A must for auto racing and aviation enthusiasts.
July 31, 2015
What a life! I knew a bit about his man's racing career and his WWI exploits but this book(CD)was full of amazing adventures. Beyond exciting, the man defied death many times. It was 100 years ago that he was racing around Long Island in road races. The author did a great job of shining new light on the story of this racer, pilot, patriot, leader and captain of industry.
November 11, 2014
Good book with a different perspective on WWI's best American ace. Being a licensed pilot myself, I thought the author was off on a few things, but generally a great read.
April 23, 2019
It’s an inspiring story about a hero for the ages. But there is also an understory here that portrays an historical time worthy of remembrance. Eddie Rickenbacker lived with the natural disposition to study any hardship for what he might learn from it. He said, “You’ve got to learn how to smile and take it.” He quit seventh grade at age 13 to go to work to support his mother and siblings after his father died. From handyman jobs he graduated to automobile mechanic shops, where he was given increasing responsibilities in repair of motors as he took a correspondence course in engineering while still a teenager. Testing the brand new cars still under “invention,” he soon began racing them on oval tracks. Says author John Ross, “It’s hard to imagine a more dangerous job.” Reading the description of tire blowouts, exploding boilers, and required hand adjustments to gasoline and oil pressure, all while moving at speeds up to 60 miles per hour, one must surely agree. An unknown number of drivers died in fiery crashes. But Rickenbacker survived, began to win professional competitions, and became famous. He also worked alongside mechanics, engineers, and owners of auto companies to improve the machines that he drove.
Many of the same people were drawn also to the next miracle machine: the airplane. Rickenbacker had barely learned to fly it when he joined the brand new US Army Air Force. Jump to 1918 and he was flying from bases in France, just south of the German line, where the missions were to shoot down enemy observation balloons and as many enemy planes as possible. The air machines were combustible piles of wood, cloth, and gasoline tanks, with open cockpits from which the pilots’ only protection from wind, rain, or sun was a jumpsuit (but no parachute), gloves, and a pair of goggles to cover their eyes. With a single propeller and guns that often jammed, these air vehicles were so flimsy that they seemingly had to be not just “serviced” but often half-rebuilt after every sortie of a few hours. By sourcing the journals and diaries of the fliers in addition to official report records, the author lets us “be there” as split-second decisions are made in air dogfights or how best to land a damaged plane before it crashed. Both President Coolidge’s son and Theodore Roosevelt’s son were pilots killed in action from these US squadrons.
But as the book’s title suggests, courage was not limited to dare devil acts, either to win a war or to just win a car race. Not to give away the incredible story in the final pages of the book, but Rickenbacker’s inspiring will to overcome adversity culminates with his harsh leadership to keep a group of men alive through what appears impossible endurance.
The author largely skips over Eddie’s civilian life between the two great wars. But he provides enough to let us see that courage was certainly there also, in the business risk-taking to promote the inventions he had been a part of creating—and continued to refine. And don’t forget to notice that the two Mrs. Rickenbackers (his mother and his wife) each demonstrated her own resolute courage to face down whatever life threw at her.
In case you can’t tell by now, I loved this book. Thank you, Mr. Ross, for doing the work to bring the story to us.
Many of the same people were drawn also to the next miracle machine: the airplane. Rickenbacker had barely learned to fly it when he joined the brand new US Army Air Force. Jump to 1918 and he was flying from bases in France, just south of the German line, where the missions were to shoot down enemy observation balloons and as many enemy planes as possible. The air machines were combustible piles of wood, cloth, and gasoline tanks, with open cockpits from which the pilots’ only protection from wind, rain, or sun was a jumpsuit (but no parachute), gloves, and a pair of goggles to cover their eyes. With a single propeller and guns that often jammed, these air vehicles were so flimsy that they seemingly had to be not just “serviced” but often half-rebuilt after every sortie of a few hours. By sourcing the journals and diaries of the fliers in addition to official report records, the author lets us “be there” as split-second decisions are made in air dogfights or how best to land a damaged plane before it crashed. Both President Coolidge’s son and Theodore Roosevelt’s son were pilots killed in action from these US squadrons.
But as the book’s title suggests, courage was not limited to dare devil acts, either to win a war or to just win a car race. Not to give away the incredible story in the final pages of the book, but Rickenbacker’s inspiring will to overcome adversity culminates with his harsh leadership to keep a group of men alive through what appears impossible endurance.
The author largely skips over Eddie’s civilian life between the two great wars. But he provides enough to let us see that courage was certainly there also, in the business risk-taking to promote the inventions he had been a part of creating—and continued to refine. And don’t forget to notice that the two Mrs. Rickenbackers (his mother and his wife) each demonstrated her own resolute courage to face down whatever life threw at her.
In case you can’t tell by now, I loved this book. Thank you, Mr. Ross, for doing the work to bring the story to us.
November 20, 2018
If asked to name a famous person from World War I, Eddie Rickenbacker is likely to be near or at the top of that list! I knew he was America's top Ace (Ace means shot down a confirmed five enemy fighters) fighter pilot with the most kills (26) to his credit. This is low compared to some of the German pilots, notably The Red Baron, but they had a big headstart as they had been at war for several years before America even entered the war.
That would be the extent of most peoples' knowledge, if they even knew that much. That also included me. I learned that Eddie had a whole life before he ever became a fighter pilot as his claim to fame. As a teenager, he was interested in the new horseless carraiges that were becoming popular. He began to work on the mechanics of what made them work and became very good at that. He even contributed improvements to make the designs more durable. He got into racing and participated in the first races including the new Indianapolis 500 from the first year it started and won several times.
When America entered the war, he initially ran an army mechanics shop but quickly focused his interest into becoming a pilot. The book covers that tricky transition in some detail. Of course, with his background and understanding of engines and mechanics, he was able to fly but also make improvements to the early aircraft that seemed to constantly experience problems. After the war he got into different business ventures including the automotive industry and at one point was the owner of Easter Airlines that he brought back from failure to one of the best run airlines.
During World War II, he declined to re-enter military service but worked tirelessly to help boost the morale of the troops. While on a trip over the Pacific in a B-17 Bomber as part of his visits to troops, his plane went down and he joined the survivors of the crew in several life rafts adrift and losing hope after many days of not being found. Finally, they were rescued and brought home for medical treatment and recovery.
The book provides a lot of detail throughout and makes this a fascinating read for anyone interested in the early days of the automobile as well as flight. Eddie Rickenbacker was our best Ace pilot during WWI but he was so much more than that. I have only summarized a bit of what I learned about his life and found him to be a very genuine and admirable person!
That would be the extent of most peoples' knowledge, if they even knew that much. That also included me. I learned that Eddie had a whole life before he ever became a fighter pilot as his claim to fame. As a teenager, he was interested in the new horseless carraiges that were becoming popular. He began to work on the mechanics of what made them work and became very good at that. He even contributed improvements to make the designs more durable. He got into racing and participated in the first races including the new Indianapolis 500 from the first year it started and won several times.
When America entered the war, he initially ran an army mechanics shop but quickly focused his interest into becoming a pilot. The book covers that tricky transition in some detail. Of course, with his background and understanding of engines and mechanics, he was able to fly but also make improvements to the early aircraft that seemed to constantly experience problems. After the war he got into different business ventures including the automotive industry and at one point was the owner of Easter Airlines that he brought back from failure to one of the best run airlines.
During World War II, he declined to re-enter military service but worked tirelessly to help boost the morale of the troops. While on a trip over the Pacific in a B-17 Bomber as part of his visits to troops, his plane went down and he joined the survivors of the crew in several life rafts adrift and losing hope after many days of not being found. Finally, they were rescued and brought home for medical treatment and recovery.
The book provides a lot of detail throughout and makes this a fascinating read for anyone interested in the early days of the automobile as well as flight. Eddie Rickenbacker was our best Ace pilot during WWI but he was so much more than that. I have only summarized a bit of what I learned about his life and found him to be a very genuine and admirable person!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2022
The son of immigrant parents, Eddie Rickenbacker had a thirst for adventure, speed, and always something new. He became famous on the race tracks for his mechanical and driving skills years before he became America's famous ace pilot. With a last name like his, growing up in an America leary of German influence, Eddie Rickenbacker did occasionally face some pushback in his pursuits, but didn't let that stop him. And his attitude of never giving up definitely helped him when he and a few other men, survivors of an airplane crash over the Atlantic, determined that the ocean would not win. Eddie took charge of the frazzled men (and wasn't always so popular for doing so), and they stayed alive on the life raft for three weeks.
More than just the story of Rickenbacker, this book also tells about other men in the racing and flying circuits who were equally daring and adventurous, and worked with Rickenbackerat different times.
This might be a rather lackluster review due to having read the book almost 3 months ago, and it being a Sunday afternoon after a couple weeks of craziness....but I really, really enjoyed the book. Well-written, kept me engaged and interested through it all, and presented information about Rickenbacker that, though I've studied him before, I still didn't know. I read a biography about him a few years ago, and wasn't so impressed - this one was good. Highly recommend.
More than just the story of Rickenbacker, this book also tells about other men in the racing and flying circuits who were equally daring and adventurous, and worked with Rickenbackerat different times.
This might be a rather lackluster review due to having read the book almost 3 months ago, and it being a Sunday afternoon after a couple weeks of craziness....but I really, really enjoyed the book. Well-written, kept me engaged and interested through it all, and presented information about Rickenbacker that, though I've studied him before, I still didn't know. I read a biography about him a few years ago, and wasn't so impressed - this one was good. Highly recommend.
August 18, 2017
What an amazing life this man lived. I was especially amazed at Rickenbacker's place in the history of early automobile racing - I already knew he was a WWI ace. The section on early automobiles and early racing felt almost like bonus content in this book. Conversely, the initial sections on Eddie's early life seemed unnecessarily detailed and long (this is a book about enduring courage and the age of speed, after all.) I was also surprised that, apart from the doomed military message-sending mission, very little is revealed about Eddie during WWII, other than his transition from isolationist to supporter. It seems unlikely that a man of this caliber, hero of WWI, would not have a bigger place in the history of WWII.
Still, the 3 main sections of the book (auto racing / WWI flying / plane crash & rescue) are all fantastic reads -- as entertaining as they are informative.
Still, the 3 main sections of the book (auto racing / WWI flying / plane crash & rescue) are all fantastic reads -- as entertaining as they are informative.
May 11, 2024
A real life heroes journey, in the truest Joseph Campbell sense of the term. What's most amazing about the life of Eddie Rickenbacker was that he was granted almost no natural advantages. Raised poor, there were no economic or educational resources at his disposal. He was both shunned and discriminated against for his social standing as well as his nationality at a time great distrust. He didn't have natural charisma or style to win the crowd, as did others such as Theodore Roosevelt. He not only endured but thrived through multiple hardships, anyone of which alone could crush most. Ultimately, personal discipline and force of will were his greatest super powers. A great read from both a historical and inspirational literature perspective.
September 19, 2017
I was fortunate to win this book from Goodreads.
I don't believe I have read a biography that truly describes a man who defines the word "courage" like Eddie Rickenbacker. This book tells the story of a young school drop-out who succeeded in becoming, not only an outstanding auto race driver, but one of the finest flying aces during WWI. In addition, he proceeded to become a successful airline business man and an advisor to top military officers during WWII. The descriptions of his harrowing accidents and miraculous survival kept me on the edge of my seat. Our younger generation would probably find his story an inspiration.
I don't believe I have read a biography that truly describes a man who defines the word "courage" like Eddie Rickenbacker. This book tells the story of a young school drop-out who succeeded in becoming, not only an outstanding auto race driver, but one of the finest flying aces during WWI. In addition, he proceeded to become a successful airline business man and an advisor to top military officers during WWII. The descriptions of his harrowing accidents and miraculous survival kept me on the edge of my seat. Our younger generation would probably find his story an inspiration.
December 21, 2017
Eddie Rickenbacker loved speed. The faster he could go in cars and then in planes the better he made the US and his life. Out of a poor family upbringing, he rose to become an icon of speed, efficiency, and daring. He was always at his best when he was facing a potential disaster. Out of the abyss rose many things we take for granted today.
The facts are extremely well researched and presented in readable story fashion to entice the reader to want to know more. A great read, spanning almost 70-years of Eddie's life. Most of it spent where autos and planes served as his mistress of choice, taking time, money, and energy away from what most men spent wooing women.
Fascinating story!
The facts are extremely well researched and presented in readable story fashion to entice the reader to want to know more. A great read, spanning almost 70-years of Eddie's life. Most of it spent where autos and planes served as his mistress of choice, taking time, money, and energy away from what most men spent wooing women.
Fascinating story!
September 4, 2018
As a former private pilot and one who likes to look at history and read about the unfamiliar heroes this was an interesting story about a tenacious strong willed person who had many brushes with death before and after the war and survived. The nuances of his character are not that dynamic compared to David Mccullough's, the Wright Bros., life journey. And while not everything can be compared to that genius of a book. Enduring Courage was worth the read and kernel of knowledge about a fascinating time in history when pilots risked so much (without parachutes! even tho' they worked but Uncle Sam wouldn't allow them in planes!)
July 16, 2021
Rickenbacker had an incredible life. I was struck by how his WWI flying exploits all took place in less than a year in Europe. More impressive to me was the way he just forced his way into flying. He was damn near self-taught and nothing was going to get in his way when it came to becoming a pilot in combat. This "won't take no for an answer" attitude remains true, in my experience, with pilots even today: Nothing will stop them from getting into a cockpit. Add the race car driving to his two life-threatening aircraft accidents later in life, and you have an amazing life story.
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