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Overview
Stephen Coonts, New York Times bestselling author of Flight of the Intruder, Under Siege, and Cuba, has been hailed as the best contemporary author writing about flying. In The Cannibal Queen, he turns his storytelling genius to nonfiction with an exultant account of the summer of '91 — of three glorious months spent exploring America from the cockpit of a 1942 Stearman vintage biplane. Joining the ranks of John Steinbeck and Charles Kuralt, Coonts takes us on an extraordinary adventure, touching down in all forty-eight of the continental United States, from sea to shining sea.
The bestselling author of Flight of the Intruder and Under Siege combines his narrative talent with his love of flying to take readers on an amazing, three-month, 48-state journey into the heart of the American landscape--and into the soul of its people.
Synopsis
Stephen Coonts, New York Times bestselling author of Flight of the Intruder, Under Siege, and Cuba, has been hailed as the best contemporary author writing about flying. In The Cannibal Queen, he turns his storytelling genius to nonfiction with an exultant account of the summer of '91 -- of three glorious months spent exploring America from the cockpit of a 1942 Stearman vintage biplane. Joining the ranks of John Steinbeck and Charles Kuralt, Coonts takes us on an extraordinary adventure, touching down in all forty-eight of the continental United States, from sea to shining sea.
Publishers Weekly
Coonts ( Flight of the Intruder ), in this departure from fiction, describes how he spent the summer of 1991 flying a 50-year-old wood-and-canvas open-cockpit biplane over the contiguous United States. This experience was the fulfillment of a dream for the author, who communicates his love of aviation and adventure in a warm, chatty style that will delight both his fans and aviation aficionados. Although he spent the first two weeks flying with his 14-year-old son, for the rest of the trip Coonts flew solo, feeling joy and facing ? `experience' used above; also, `experienced' is especially clumsy as verb, i think danger in Cannibal Queen as the plane hit bad weather, forcing him to tap every one of his considerable piloting skills. He landed frequently to see the country, meet people and visit friends. Lively anecdotes about his experiences add flavor, but readers may wish to skim his rambling political lectures. Photos not seen by PW. (June)
Editorials
From the Publisher
San Diego Union-Tribune A marvelous, once-in-a-lifetime adventure.Denver Post Coonts shares the thrill of his dream with his readers...and he weaves a delightful tapestry that shows us what our country really looks like...Like a balladeer of old, Coonts sings us a song of the awesome power of nature and the beauty of the country. We meet the friendly folk who run small-town airports and that peculiar breed of aviators who fly lovingly restored aeroplanes...Coonts' odyssey...thrills.
New York Daily News Down to earth, above it all....The Cannibal Queen is a bird's eye view of small-town America, a detailed, upbeat journal with lots of airport shop-talk, and meditations on the joy of flight and solitude, and a lament for the despoiling of the environment.
San Diego Union-Tribune What a pleasure to encounter a writer as eloquent about a consuming passion as Stephen Coonts is about aviation....None of his old fans will be disappointed, and he is sure to make a host of new friends with this account.
Associated Press A paean to aviation and small-town life....Coonts' delight is palpable.
Rocky Mountain News Coonts shares his passion....His account is that of a fellow in love with aircraft and at home in the sky. His writing style is friendly, frank and engaging....His views are outspoken and interesting....Coonts offers a good-humored account of an adventure very few pilots would even attempt.
Chattanooga News-Free Press The Cannibal Queen is a pleasure, a delight to read....I thought many times that Coonts is a little like William F. Buckley, but he flies instead of sails....The book is a keeper.
Sacramento Bee The Cannibal Queen opens a whole new world....This is a much different book from Flight of the Intruder or Under Siege, but it's likely Coonts fans will enjoy this real-life adventure as much as his novels.
Chicago Tribune Enjoyable...breezily written...fun to read....A travelog of small-town America, a walk through American aviation history, a look at contemporary family life and a lot of stream-of-consciousness musings about everything from sailing to weather reports....The Cannibal Queen should have broad appeal....Coonts will leave his readers wanting more.
Kirkus Reviews The culture of the private plane comes delightfully to life as Coonts marvels at a country where every little town has its strip, its laconic air controller, its cheap, clean motel just down the road....The descriptions of flight and the portrait of an America seemingly trapped in a time-warp are arresting.