protomattr reviewed Yeager, an autobiography by Chuck Yeager
Review of 'Yeager, an autobiography' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Some heroes we look up to, aspire to model our lives on, emulate in some way. The trajectory of our lives is not too deviant from theirs, and applying some course correction seems doable. But these are mere mortals next to Chuck Yeager.
In his fantastic autobiography, Yeager tells his life story, covering more ground in each chapter than the best of us cover in a lifetime. Some of it is universally-known. He begins his flying career dogfighting over Europe in WWII, getting shot down over German-occupied territory, evading capture, and returning to fight again and become an ace in a day. That would be enough for mere mortals. But three years later, he's lighting the rocket motors that would shoot him into the history books. Again, that would be enough, but he's only 24 and would serve in the Air Force another three decades, commanding squadrons and higher echelons …
Some heroes we look up to, aspire to model our lives on, emulate in some way. The trajectory of our lives is not too deviant from theirs, and applying some course correction seems doable. But these are mere mortals next to Chuck Yeager.
In his fantastic autobiography, Yeager tells his life story, covering more ground in each chapter than the best of us cover in a lifetime. Some of it is universally-known. He begins his flying career dogfighting over Europe in WWII, getting shot down over German-occupied territory, evading capture, and returning to fight again and become an ace in a day. That would be enough for mere mortals. But three years later, he's lighting the rocket motors that would shoot him into the history books. Again, that would be enough, but he's only 24 and would serve in the Air Force another three decades, commanding squadrons and higher echelons in Germany, Vietnam, and Pakistan. All the while he manages to rub elbows with big names in aviation and interesting characters around the world, appreciate world cultures, bend all sorts of regulations, and fly countless types of aircraft, including captured Russian jets. And get some hunting and fishing in. A couple favorite episodes of mine include Yeager acting as a jäger, or guide, for a hunting expedition on a German estate, and Yeager accompanying aviatrix Jackie Cochran to Moscow, ostensibly to negotiate aviation records rules, but sneaking a camera and loads of film for espionage. And of course the episode with Neil Armstrong, where Yeager could only say "I told you so" after the future moonwalker ignored his advice and got his jet stuck in the Edwards lakebed trying a touch and go.
About once per chapter, Yeager's narration is interrupted by another voice, that of his wife (Glamorous Glennis), friends, colleagues, or superiors. These offer fascinating glimpses of the man from other viewpoints, and particularly with Glennis, flesh out the narrative.
Yeager himself admits that his unique life is partly due to being born at the right time, gifted with exceptional eyesight and mechanical intuition, and a generous amount of luck. He also gives credit to the Air Force, that gave him a fair shot at many amazing things despite his lack of education and sometimes judgement, and his West Virginia hillbilly roots.
But, he also says that he was always pursuing fun, and that when flying ceased to be fun, he'd quit. There's a fully being in the moment thing with Chuck. Balls to the wall, and enjoying the hell out of it. And when you can't anymore, do the next best thing. That there is enough of a takeaway from any hero.
