In the tradition of the great narrative storytellers, Andrei Cherny recounts the exhilarating saga of the unlikely men who made the Berlin Airlift one of the great military and humanitarian successes of American history.
The Candy Bombers is a remarkable story with profound implications for our own time. Cherny tells the tale of the ill-assorted group of castoffs and second-stringers who not only saved millions of desperate people from a dire threat, but also won the hearts of America's defeated enemies, inspired people around the world to believe in America's fundamental goodness, avoided World War III, and won the greatest battle of the Cold War without firing a shot.
With newly unclassified documents, unpublished letters and diaries, and fresh primary interviews, The Candy Bombers takes readers along as American pilots, with only a few small rickety planes, manage to feed and supply West Berlin completely by air for nearly a year; as Harry Truman exploits the very real threat of war to win an upset reelection campaign; as America's first secretary of defense descends into madness in the midst of a dangerous military crisis; and as a lovesick American pilot shows that acts of basic human kindness can send powerful ripples through the course of history.
"What an exciting, inspiring, and wonderfully-written book this is. ... Each page has lessons for today, and it is also a thrilling narrative to read."--Walter Isaacson, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Steve Jobs
About the Author :
Andrei Cherny is coeditor of the idea journal, Democracy. A former White House speechwriter and senior fellow at Harvard's Kennedy School Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, he is the author of The Next Deal and has written on history, politics, and culture for the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times. He is an officer in the Navy Reserve. He, his wife, and son live in Phoenix.
Jonathan Davis has received widespread critical acclaim for his narration in a variety of genres. He has won the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration in 2009, 2011, and 2012, as well as being a finalist for an Audie in 2007, 2013, and three times in 2014. He has also garnered accolades from Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and AudioFile magazine.
Review :
"A fine eye for character and detail."
-- "Bloomberg News "
"A gripping, suspenseful narrative history...Reminds me of Stephen Ambrose at his best."
-- "Douglas Brinkley"
"A successful work of popular history...An enjoyable, timely narrative."
-- "Dallas Morning News "
"An exciting, inspiring, and wonderfully written book."
-- "Walter Isaacson, New York Times bestselling author "
"Andrei Cherny tells this story vividly, placing it on the broader canvas of the incipient Cold War."
-- "US News and World Report "
"Emphasizing figures prominent in the crisis--military governor Lucius Clay, Truman critic Henry Wallace, and pilot Gail Halvorsen--Cherny readably synthesizes this milestone Cold War confrontation."
-- "Booklist"
"Written with the flair of a novelist."
-- "Kirkus Reviews "
