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Alex Hopp
HST 110
Professor Vandermeer
18 March 2015
Book Review of Charles A. Lindbergh: Lone Eagle
Humanity has long been fascinated with the idea of flight. From the early machinations
of Leonardo Da Vinci to the resounding success of commercial airliners, the storied history of
aviation would not be complete without mentioning the courageous men and women that
pioneered this exciting field. Even among other famous aviators, such as the Wright Brothers and
Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh stands out as a true icon, leaving behind a legacy more
complex and more resounding than simply his impact on aviation. Walter L. Hixson tells the
story of this man in biographical form, through his book entitled Charles A. Lindbergh: Lone
Eagle. Hixson uses ideas, both in the ideas Lindbergh personified and in the ideas Lindbergh
espoused, to tell the story of this great man.
The story begins with the tale of Lindberghs parents and childhood, focusing on the
ideas of individuality and involvement in politics. Hixson begins by discussing the career of
Lindberghs father, a congressman heavily involved with the Progressive branch of the
Republican Party. Hixon elaborates on how Lindbergh would often tinker with cars and airplanes
during his fathers campaign speeches, setting the stage for Lindberghs later juxtaposition
between the political and the technological. He also mentions the anti-war theme present in the
elder Lindberghs political platform, something that will be extremely important to Charles life
at the advent of World War II. Clearly, Hixson is showing that he believes Lindberghs

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upbringing was directly responsible for the actions he would take later in life, a conclusion
supported by the additional evidence the author finds for the individualistic nature that
Lindberghs early life nurtured.
The other idea Hixon begins with is Lindberghs need individuality. It is telling that he
chose to name the biography Lone Eagle, as this spirit of individualism permeated Lindberghs
entire life, starting with his youth. Charles parents allowed him free range of the outdoors at his
home in Minnesota, developing his independence at a very young age. This independence further
manifested itself in Lindberghs failure to excel in organized education. Charles failed out of
college, devoting himself instead to an independent life, a life of flight. Hixsons inclusion of
Lindberghs fathers political philosophy, as well as the stories of Charles wilderness adventures
act as a sort of foreshadowing, alluding to Hixons belief that Lindbergh was uniquely bred to
have his life fall into place as it did.
With this background firmly in place, Hixson moves on to focus on two intertwined
ideas: risk taking and heroism. A large amount of space in the book is devoted to the act that
made Lindbergh famous in the first place, his solo flight from New York to Paris. Hixson focuses
not on a glorified version of this flight, but on a gritty, accurate portrayal of exactly how risky
this expedition was. Lindberghs lack of sleep, his near crash on take-off, and the fact that his
windshield was obscured by a fuel tank: all of these details point to the emphasis Hixson puts on
the risk involved with this incredibly undertaking. Despite these details, Hixson is painting a
picture of a man comfortable with risk, not obsessed with it. He makes it clear that Lindbergh
was supremely confident in his flying ability, and prepared to the best of his abilities for the
flight across the Atlantic. This distinction is important, because it shifts the view of Lindbergh

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from a foolhardy daredevil to that of a heroic adventurer. This conclusion adds to the overall way
Hixson tries to portray Lindbergh, as an admirable, intelligent hero.
After detailing Lindberghs risky flight across the Atlantic, Hixson shifts his focus to the
idea of heroism, and the reception that greeted Lindbergh in the months after his flight. Hixson
discusses Lindberghs victory tour, going into detail about the various awards and multitude of
adoring throngs Charles encountered after landing in Paris. Despite this coverage of the
adoration Lindbergh received, Hixson is sure to mention the humility of the man, detailing how
Lindbergh never fully embraced the fame the way some celebrities do. Additionally, Hixson
shows the positive ways that Lindbergh used his status as a hero, mainly in advancing the
aeronautics industry and in meeting his future wife, Anne Morrow, the daughter of a wealthy
businessman. Clearly, Hixson believes that these things never would have happened if not for the
fateful flight across the ocean, and the resulting heroic status that came with it. There is a focus
on the more positive effects of being regarded as an international hero, adding to the way that
Hixson is showing that he believes this was one of the happiest, most successful times in all of
Lindberghs life.
Hixson moves from detailing one of the happiest times in Lindberghs life to going in
depth on the most tragic event to result from Lindberghs fame, focusing on the idea that fame
can have deep-seated negative effects. Specifically, Hixson focuses on the kidnapping and
murder of his son and the resulting publicity the now-married Lindbergh and his family had to
endure. Hixson details how Charles Jr. was snatched from his room through a window and
spirited away, with a ransom note left behind scrawled in semi-legible script. Eventually, after
numerous false leads and increasing speculation, the baby was found dead, with the eventual
culprit, Bruno Hauptmann, sentenced to death and executed in the electric chair. Hixson used an

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entire chapter on the Crime of the Century to illustrate the Lindberghs increasingly complex
relationship with the media and the public. While still adored by the public, Lindbergh started to
hate the media and the constant invasion of privacy he and his family was subjected to. This
shows the dichotomy Hixson feels is present in Charles life: clearly, heroism, and the resulting
fame, helped him accomplish things he never could have otherwise. The flip side of this is the
invasion of privacy and the frustration that comes with fame, illustrated perfectly through the
ordeal the Lindberghs had to go through, with the tragedy of the kidnapping and murder of
Charles Junior only exacerbated by the media.
Moving on from the kidnapping, Hixson focuses on Lindberghs pursuits outside of the
realm of flight, specifically on his political involvement. Trouble began when the Roosevelt
administration felt that the airline Lindbergh helped to run was gouging the public for the price
of delivering mail, and took it to a hearing, the result of which was the United States Military
taking over all air-mail deliveries. This led to a rash of crashes and fatalities, due to the
inadequate experience and training of the new postmen. In search of privacy, and perhaps even
escape from what he felt was an unjust administration, Lindbergh moved to Europe. He bought
an estate in England, where he enjoyed the serenity of the countryside with much more privacy
than he had in the States. During this time in Europe, Lindbergh took tours of various European
countries, most notably Nazi-controlled Germany. He expressed admiration for the German and
Italian fascist-run states, a fact that when combined with his criticism of America, would
ultimately signal the start of Lindberghs fall from grace. This part of the book helps to illustrate
the way Hixson views Lindbergh as man with only the most noble of intentions. He paints a
picture of a man harassed on all sides by an uneducated administration and a veritable media

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circus, who, despite all of this, still strove for advancement of the human race, something he saw
in the orderly industry of Germany and Italy.
At this point, war in Europe was in full swing. Lindbergh was rabidly anti-war, a
sentiment not shared by the Roosevelt administration. Despite giving the Allied forces a better
idea of the strength of the German air force with the observations he made while being given a
tour of the country by Nazi officials, Lindberghs patriotism was often called into question.
Roosevelt, while initially trying to avoid conflict with Charles, eventually started what can only
be called a full-out war against the man that was once the golden boy of the entire country. Using
an award Lindbergh had received from the Nazis as fuel, the Roosevelt administration tore
Lindberghs reputation to shreds, something made easier by the passionately anti-war speeches
given by Charles on multiple occasions. Despite these speeches, America went to war, and
Lindbergh found himself in an awkward position, blacklisted from the military but still wanting
to help with the war effort. Luckily, one of the most powerful men in American, Henry Ford,
employed him as a consultant, where he helped test and develop new aviation technologies.
Finally, in 1943, as the war raged on, Lindberghs pre-war political views were forgotten, and he
was allowed to serve in the army, flying hundreds of combat missions and even getting into
dogfights. He continued to train his fellow airmen in better ways to fly to maximize fuel
efficiency even after being taken off of the front lines, contributing to the countries war efforts in
any way he could. Here, Hixson concludes that Lindbergh was a man of uncompromising values,
one who refused to compromise for any reason, even if it lead to a fall from grace. Hixson also
puts a great amount of emphasis on the role Lindbergh plays in World War II, especially on what
he does in the military, showing how he believes Lindbergh was nothing but a true patriot.

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After the war, Lindbergh continued to be active politically, lobbying for an increase in
Americas air power and fighting against any attempts to go to war, specifically the war in
Vietnam. He wrote several books post-World War II, which helped to restore his reputation to at
least some of its former glory. He also continued to fly, adventuring up until the age of 70.
Finally, at the age of 72, Lindbergh died, an active, involved man until the very end. The final
measure of this man, Hixson declares, is one of a complicated but ultimately great figure. The
independent, courageous nature that made Lindbergh a hero in the first place led to problems in
his later life. Despite opposition on all sides, Lindbergh refused to compromise his values,
adventuring to the very end. In the final tally, Hixson shows, one is forced to conclude that
Lindbergh truly was a lone eagle, soaring above the bitter waters of politics and the Atlantic alike
to reach his eventual legacy, that of a complicated, innovative, irreplaceable hero.