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03-12-2010, 06:59 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,685
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I read it but I was disappointed
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Originally Posted by Bubblehead
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"Illusions" is also good because it opens up the mind of the reader. I don't have the book or the quote handy but there is one in there that says to me that you have a blood family but you also have a spritual family that is connected to you not by blood but by other things like love of aviation, or shared experiences, or just some undefinable thing that instantly bonds two people and years and distance never diminishes. I've got several of those although the ties inmy blood family are much loser!
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I'm leaving myself open here but I read all of Richard Bach's books I believe and when I read "Illusions" many years ago it did nothing for me. It was made more disappointing because the rest of them I liked very much. Maybe I was too set in my ways by the time I read it - too darned old and closed minded to appreciate the formative message.
Bob Axsom
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03-12-2010, 12:57 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Chino, CA
Posts: 738
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fodrv7
I have just re-read 'Sigh for a Merlin' (after 20 years) and so bought Geoffery Quills "Spitfire. A test Pilot's Story."
Quill did the Development and research testing as distinct from Henshaw who did the production testing.
Quill is in absolute awe of Henshaws ability at very low level aerobatics. There is only one movie clip of him doing low level aeros. See it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCmzYccyBYM
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Thanks for the link. And just ordered both books!
__________________
Tom Prokop
Chino, CA
RV-8A,180/CS/Carb, AFS 4500 EFIS/EMS
RV-6, sold, 820 hrs of fun.
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03-14-2010, 02:23 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Keller, TX
Posts: 1,553
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Bob - I think for me connecting with "Illusions" had more to do with where I was in my life at the time than anything else. I was going through a divorce, stressed about my children, over worked at work and just struggling to get by day to day. Illusions opened my mind up to possibilities and allowed me for a few hours to leave reality behind. For some reason it let me see past the troubles in my life and dream of what laid beyond them.
18 years later things are great, and have been for most of those 18 years. I'm not saying Illusions caused that. It most certainly did not. But it did provide just a little relief at a tough time in my life.
"Johnathan Livingston Seagull" did however leave me flat!
__________________
RV-8 180 hp IO-360 N247TD with 10" SkyView!
VAF Donations Made 8/2019 and 12/2019
"Cum omni alio deficiente, ludere mortuis."
(When all else fails, play dead.)
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03-14-2010, 03:54 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,685
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If opposites attract we should be good friends
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bubblehead
Bob - I think for me connecting with "Illusions" had more to do with where I was in my life at the time than anything else. I was going through a divorce, stressed about my children, over worked at work and just struggling to get by day to day. Illusions opened my mind up to possibilities and allowed me for a few hours to leave reality behind. For some reason it let me see past the troubles in my life and dream of what laid beyond them.
18 years later things are great, and have been for most of those 18 years. I'm not saying Illusions caused that. It most certainly did not. But it did provide just a little relief at a tough time in my life.
"Johnathan Livingston Seagull" did however leave me flat!
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I know what you are saying - similar life changing experience - for me it was the movie "The Ipcress File" with Michael Caine that put some wind of possibilities in my sails.
However, I was entranced by Johnathan Livingston Seagull. Well we both put a few bucks in aviator Richard's pocket - that's a good thing.
Bob Axsom
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04-19-2010, 09:36 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,685
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The Big Show by Pierre Clostermann
I just started reading this book because of recommendations in this thread and I am already moved by honesty and style in it. As someone said it is not your usual propaganda pulp. The boy/man at the start was a student at Caltech (California Institute of Technology) in Pasadena when France fell at the start of WWII. That has special significance to any JPL worker since we were/are all employees of Caltech. Some of the most famous people in modern history have very personal connections with this autobiography.
Bob Axsom
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04-19-2010, 09:42 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Destin
Posts: 1,543
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Sled Driver
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04-19-2010, 06:17 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 775
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Bob
Pierre Closterman wrote another book - Flames In The Sky.
It is a collection of short stories about various air actions in WWII, not stuff he was involved in.
A good book but niot as good as The Big Show.
Another excellent book from WWII is "Heaven Next Stop" by Gunther Bloemertz. A german pilot flying FW190's in France.
John
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04-19-2010, 06:48 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Houston,Tx
Posts: 292
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Don't know if it's been mentioned, but "North Star Over My Shoulder" is a good one..
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04-20-2010, 09:21 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: San Diego
Posts: 70
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My new favorite is
Air Vagabonds by Anthony Vallone.
A collection of stories by ferry pilots delivering GA airplanes across the world in the 70s and 80s. That line between "courage" and "completely out of their minds" - these guys straddle that throughout the book. Recommend.
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04-21-2010, 07:18 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Royse City, TX
Posts: 143
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To Fly and Flight by Bud Anderson.
Met him a few times, truly a great guy and real live hero.
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