Since I already have an entry regarding aviation movies, and there are only so many of those, I decided to mix it up, to make it a bit more entertaining. There is a lot of aviation-related literature –some of it with a very broad appeal– that goes largely unnoticed, partly because people see it as something only aviation buffs would want to read. But believe it or not, there is some stuff in the transportation section that is very well-written, and that appeals to anyone who wishes to have something to talk about. This first book I have chosen reflects that.
Hard Landing (1996)
When I picked this one up, I did it because I was doing a research paper about aviation, and since the book was written by a Thomas Petzinger Jr., a Wall Street Journal journalist/editor, I figured that he’d prove to be, or at the very least provide, a great source to get my research started. However, when I started reading the book, I just couldn’t stop. Hard Landing is the story of the airline industry, but focused specifically on the people behind the scenes, the ones who make it happen: the CEOs.
Being from the Wall Street Journal, Petzinger does take an angle that would be quite at home in the business section, very much like other books that have been written about airlines, and how the initiative of certain entrepreneurs translated into economic success. However, there is something different about Hard Landing; it does not just deal with the business initiative of these people, it feels sort of like being in the company gravepine, but for the entire aviation industry. It feels like hearing stories about how your boss got his job, and who was a victim of his success along the way.
This is a very well-written book, as one would expect. The narrative style is great, although the way the stories intertwine can be confusing at times. For example, you may be reading about United Airlines in the ’90s, and then go to Continental in the ’70s in the next chapter, which can affect the continuity unless you read carefully. It would flow better if the stories were going on in a more sequential manner. However, Petzinger’s method (associating related events) works pretty well, as long as you read carefully to avoid getting lost.
One aspect that I mentioned earlier, but would like to expand on, is the “gravepine factor”, so to speak. This is a book that is largely based on interviews, but it rarely quotes things, or mentions its sources. It feels almost as if Petzinger was telling you the “inside story” of how it went down, and that is what makes this book a must-read as far as I’m concerned. This is investigative reporting at its best, and it is so well-done, that it feels as if it was common knowledge.
Overall, I can wholeheartedly recommend Hard Landing. This one is definitely a must-read aviation book for aviation fans, and is worth a read even if you are not into airplanes at all. Pick it up!
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