High Flight
eBook - ePub

High Flight

The Life and Poetry of Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee

  1. 228 pages
  2. English
  3. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

High Flight

The Life and Poetry of Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee

About this book

When Second World War Spitfire pilot John Gillespie Magee penned his poem ‘High Flight’, little did he know that his words would inspire legions of aspiring aviators who had a similar wish to fly their ‘eager craft through footless halls of air’. Founded on years of detailed research, Roger Cole’s book High Flight tells John Magee’s extraordinary story, describing hitherto-unknown details of his short life, and providing insight into the inspiration for the poems that have found a unique place in history. Born of an English mother and American father in Nanking in China, Magee grew up and was educated in different parts of the world, proving to be a highly accomplished student. Through his experiences, he developed principles that made him determined to defend the rights of those he loved and respected. Exhilarated by flight and finding unique language in poetry, John was able to use words to express the emotions and sentiments of all who fly in a manner that is acknowledged and applauded throughout the world. The outbreak of war in Europe violated his beliefs, and, determined to fight for freedom, John left America and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, qualifying as a pilot and traveling to England to fight Nazism. Tragically, John would lose his life, aged 19 years, in an accident, so never know how his words would serve posterity. Roger Cole’s High Flight traces the path of John Magee’s achievement, revealing an incredible story of human endeavor, vision, determination and self-sacrifice.

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Yes, you can access High Flight by Roger Cole in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & World War II. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Information

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. Foreword
  6. Preface, Acknowledgements and Note on the Text
  7. 1. The Fertile Fields of Lincolnshire
  8. 2. Faith Backhouse
  9. 3. Education: St Clare and Rugby Schools
  10. 4. Crossing the Atlantic to America
  11. 5. Learning to Fly
  12. 6. Leaving Home
  13. 7. Elinor and Rugby
  14. 8. Wellingore: Administrative HQ
  15. 9. Leave with Elinor
  16. 10. Close to the Edge
  17. 11. Royal Visit
  18. 12. December Dawns
  19. 13. Week Commencing 7 December 1941
  20. 14. Disaster in the Air
  21. 15. Preparation for the Funeral
  22. 16. Funeral
  23. 17. Back at The Grange
  24. 18. Hugh and Elinor at Rugby
  25. 19. Wellingore, the Woodshed (1990)
  26. 20. Cape Canaveral
  27. Poems published by John Magee in 1939
  28. Other Poems, Published and Previously Unpublished
  29. Bibliography
  30. Unpublished Sources
  31. Notes
  32. Plate section