First published 2025
In 1924, American aviation faced a crisis of confidence. Twenty years after Kitty Hawk, most citizens viewed airplanes as mail carriers or circus acts. The military burned warplanes rather than ship them home from Europe. Commercial flight remained a distant dream. Then came an unprecedented challenge: the first race to circle the globe by air. American pilots found themselves pitted against Europe's finest aviators from England, Italy, Portugal, France, and Argentina. The contest demanded navigation by primitive instruments across uncharted territories. Experimental aircraft threatened to fail at any moment. Dangerous landings awaited in remote locations where rescue seemed impossible. The question was not who would win, but how many would survive the attempt. David K. Randall reconstructs this forgotten competition that transformed American aviation. Through treacherous flights over hostile terrain, mechanical failures, disease, and international rivalry, he shows how a handful of determined pilots restored America's faith in flight and proved the nation belonged in the skies.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, aviation
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: international-rivalry, underdog-story
Setting: America, Europe
Period: 1924
304 pages · Paperback · Mariner Books