I have been busy. For you loyal readers, trust me when I say, I am cataloging ideas for when I am free from this work in which I am now engaged–work which is keeping me from the blog.
Should I tell you about it, this work which has kept me from writing?
Well, yes, I guess I should. It is only fair.
Jamie Baldwin, an adjunct professor at school, put together a great book about Pan Am. Pan American Airways, Images of a Great Airline is a wonderful book. Jamie has been collecting memorabilia from Pan Am throughout his life and organized all of it into a large format, color book.
Jamie’s book
Then he had a follow-on to the original book, with co-author Jeff Kriendler.
The two of them found many former Pan Am people–Pan Amer’s as they refer to themselves, and collected more photos and 71 stories.
It is a big project! It’s huge!
And it is wonderful!
The title of the new book is Pan American Airways, Aviation History in the Words of its People. I am about half-way done with organizing and editing.
To some, organizing and editing might seem like a boring endeavor. Not with this book! There is only one word that can describe this book–WOW!
There are stories in this book which will touch your soul. Stories such as Yvonne Conde’s account of Operation Pedro Pan, Pan Am’s work at bringing Cuban children to America before Castro slammed the door. There are also accounts of all the babies and toddlers airlifted out of Vietnam in the days the country fell–children of Vietnamese mothers and American soldier-fathers.
Some of the writers wrote of the early days in Pan Am. One account is by Bill Nash, who joined Pan Am and started flying in the Boeing 314–the Clipper Boats. Kathleen Clair wrote about working directly for Juan Trippe. And Captain Mark Pyle, who was the last captain of a Pan Am flight, wrote eloquently about the final Clipper landing.
If you truly love airplanes and flying, you will enjoy these historical accounts of one of the most important airlines in the history of flying. Keep an eye out. When it is available, I will let you know.
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©2011 J. Clark
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Don’t you just love multi-tasking. Sounds like a great project.
Hi Joe, do please let us know when the book is published, I’d love to get hold of a copy!
Sounds like a wonderful project. I’d love to buy a copy when it is ready.