Anne Morrow Lindbergh

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Summary: See author's response to questions about source material
Review: The author has responded in full to readers' comments about her source material. It is the last comment in editorial review section.

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Summary: Excellent analysis of Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Review: This book is a wonderful reminder of just how remarkable a woman the long-suffering Anne Morrow Lindbergh was in her own right, and of the difficult time she had emerging from the extremely dark shadows of husband Charles Lindbergh life of accomplishment, aggravation, and pathetic self-absorption. In this literate and quite readable biography by Susan Hertog, a portrait of this singular woman comes soaring to the heights despite of life of incredible personal hardship and sorrow. It is also a sad reminder that into each life rain must fall, regardless of how affluent, famous, or privileged.

It is a common place by this point in our history that Anne Morrow Lindbergh was a victim of colossal proportions, not only in terms of the controversial and shocking kidnapping and death of her infant son in the early 1930s, but also by her domination for decades by "Lucky Lindy", and she was trapped by convention and circumstance into an incredibly difficult life with this brilliant but strangely detached human being she was married to. From the moment they met her life was destined to trail in the shadow of his, both by virtue of tradition and her own desire to have a predominantly private life. Yet, curiously, she ironically married the man most singularly unable to give her all that she wanted and needed. Their life together is a somber and complicated modern American tragedy on the scale of "Death of a Salesman".

Yet Anne Morrow Lindbergh rose above her situation and their personal life of tragedy and disappointment. Lindbergh was a peripatetic traveler, and while she often accompanied him (indeed, he insisted in order to keep her primary focus exclusively on him rather than on their children or anything else), in their later years they came to live increasingly more separate and distinct lives, even while together. To say Lindbergh was a bizarre man and a strange soul is to be kind to a man described in pitiless terms by his widow herself and his adult child. It is easy for younger readers ignorant of how difficult and scandalous divorce or separation would have been for her, it may seem difficult to understand why she stayed with him despite his cruelty, indifference, and prejudices all those years. But for older readers more familiar with the older and more common character virtues people of Mrs. Lindbergh's generation, social background, and time subscribed to, it is a tragic set of circumstances that only she can understand in all its tragic overtones.

This is a close up portrait of a woman tragically trapped by fame, marriage, and social convention into a life of limitless advantages but cruelly wasted opportunities. That she was as successful as an author, humanitarian, social activist and early feminist later in her life is a tribute to a remarkable woman, and yet a bittersweet reminder of how much more she might have been had she never met her future husband. This is a interesting, well written, and captivating study of a woman and her times, and is one I recommend to people interested in a most fascinating yet offbeat biography. Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: A Fascinating autionary Biography Of Anne Morrow Lindbergh!
Review: This book is a wonderful reminder of just how remarkable a woman the long-suffering Anne Morrow Lindbergh was in her own right, and of the difficult time she had emerging from the extremely dark shadows of husband Charles Lindbergh life of accomplishment, aggravation, and pathetic self-absorption. In this literate and quite readable biography by Susan Hertog, a portrait of this singular woman comes soaring to the heights despite of life of incredible personal hardship and sorrow. It is also a sad reminder that into each life rain must fall, regardless of how affluent, famous, or privileged.

It is a common place by this point in our history that Anne Morrow Lindbergh was a victim of colossal proportions, not only in terms of the controversial and shocking kidnapping and death of her infant son in the early 1930s, but also by her domination for decades by "Lucky Lindy", and she was trapped by convention and circumstance into an incredibly difficult life with this brilliant but strangely detached human being she was married to. From the moment they met her life was destined to trail in the shadow of his, both by virtue of tradition and her own desire to have a predominantly private life. Yet, curiously, she ironically married the man most singularly unable to give her all that she wanted and needed. Their life together is a somber and complicated modern American tragedy on the scale of "Death of a Salesman".

Yet Anne Morrow Lindbergh rose above her situation and their personal life of tragedy and disappointment. Lindbergh was a peripatetic traveler, and while she often accompanied him (indeed, he insisted in order to keep her primary focus exclusively on him rather than on their children or anything else), in their later years they came to live increasingly more separate and distinct lives, even while together. To say Lindbergh was a bizarre man and a strange soul is to be kind to a man described in pitiless terms by his widow herself and his adult child. It is easy for younger readers ignorant of how difficult and scandalous divorce or separation would have been for her, it may seem difficult to understand why she stayed with him despite his cruelty, indifference, and prejudices all those years. But for older readers more familiar with the older and more common character virtues people of Mrs. Lindbergh's generation, social background, and time subscribed to, it is a tragic set of circumstances that only she can understand in all its tragic overtones.

This is a close up portrait of a woman tragically trapped by fame, marriage, and social convention into a life of limitless advantages but cruelly wasted opportunities. That she was as successful as an author, humanitarian, social activist and early feminist later in her life is a tribute to a remarkable woman, and yet a bittersweet reminder of how much more she might have been had she never met her future husband. This is a interesting, well written, and captivating study of a woman and her times, and is one I recommend to people interested in a most fascinating yet offbeat biography. Enjoy!

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Summary: Who is Anne Morrow Lindberg and is she historically relevant
Review: This is a fascinating book,lyrically written and superbly researched. It develops a picture of a woman, a survivor, coming to grips with the complexities of the 20th century. It made me question how I would view myself as wife, mother and career woman and when tempted at times to view Anne less then sympathetically,I was jolted back to the realites of her world and ended up amazed at her accomplishments.This is a thoughtful, provocative read which I will avidly reccommend to my book club.

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Summary: Was she ever happy?
Review: Was this woman ever happy? Not according to this book. I hope it's just a misrepresentation by the author because of not, it's very very sad. The only time it seemed that Anne wasn't miserable was when she was having an affair - intelectually, emotionally, or physically! It just goes to show that money does not equal happiness. I pray that I'm wrong and that Anne has had - and DOES have - some peace in her life. She definitely deserves it.

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Summary: Hertog's bio of Anne Morrow Lindbergh: Fact or Fabrication?
Review: While reading Susan Hertog's, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Her Life, I often found myself asking the question, "Is this the real story? Was America's hero truly this flawed?" I decided to seek answers to my questions by looking for reviews of this work on amazon.com. Hertog admits she had no access to AML's unpublished papers which given the fact that the two were working closely together seems odd. On 12/28/99, "A reader from Spokane" wrote, "I feel sad this author never had access to AML's diaries and papers..." and then condemns Hertog's work. What access could "A reader" have that Ms. Hertog didn't have? I would also like to know if any of the Lindbergh children have ever given their thoughts on Ms. Hertog's understanding of their parents. Does anyone know?

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Summary: A Fan of Anne
Review: With three pilots in my family, it was hard not to know the story of Charles and Anne Lindbergh. I read Anne's incredible Gift from the Sea when I was fifteen years old, and since then-becoming a flyer, wife, mother and writer myself-I've gobbled up every book and article available. None has captured the essence of this daring, captivating woman the way Susan Hertog's biography has. The author's empathy for her subject put me in the cockpit with Lindy during their first flight together and held me in Anne's seat through the romance, tragedy, struggle and catharsis that followed. When Anne finally accomplishes Gift from the Sea, every experience up to that moment makes sense. It is utterly inspirational. But Hertog somehow holds on to scholarship, and goes on to examine a life fraught with controversy. Enough authors have skirted the issue or apologized for the Lindberghs' unconscionable endorsement of WWII appeasement and pro-Nazi sentiments. Susan Hertog seems to be the first biographer to speak freely and cogently on the most delicate issues. For that reason, this thorough, level-headed study demonstrates the highest end of what an independent, "unauthorized" biography can accomplish. Her voluminous research (including a family tree that must have dazzled even the family) is a sturdy foundation for her wonderful, lively prose. It is overwhelming to digest such a remarkable life in just a few days. Susan Hertog does not make it easy, or simple, but she does make it immensely satisfying.