144th Review; A Soul in the Wires- Walter Leigh

This e-book tells the story of the flying life of Jonathan Pryce during the final battles of WW1 and the following years. The book starts on the front line where Jonathan is stationed as a fighter pilot, is shot down, and survives his injuries. The last days of air battle are grueling and traumatic and keep tormenting him in his dreams. He returns to his motherland, works on his father’s ranch and marries the woman of his dreams.

The life of a flyer keeps attracting him and when he happens to stumble upon a Jenny bi-plane he and his wife Peggy start a new life in aviation as barnstormers. He leaves the ranch and flies around the Mid-West living off sightseeing flights. With his beautiful wife he has many adventures, fun, exciting and dramatic. He meets his old war-buddy Bob, who joins them. Initially they only did sight seeing flights but the show elements of wing walking, aerobatics and mock fights enter the arena and gain extra income.

The story plays in the years after the Great War when the air laws are non-existent and the prohibition forbids all use of alcohol. When they run out of money they get involved in dangerous illegal moonshine transports. They narrowly escape death a few times. After many adventures the trio end up in Los Angeles where they start a new adventure in Hollywood.

This is an easy read with a large aviation component. One can see that the writer is an aviator because technically everything is perfect. For readers who are not used to reading in English this is a great book with a clear storyline and without difficult words or complex structures.

The book has no pictures except on the cover and doesn’t require any. The geography of the Mid-West, the flights and also the relationship of the characters are sufficiently described and leave enough room for ones fantasy. I have enjoyed reading this book and look forward to part 2.