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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Benjamin Cushing Barrett Barrett Books, P.O. Box 514, South Egremont, MA 01258-0514 Phone: 413-441-3369 Mail to: ben@thespiritbehindthespiritofstlouis.com https://www.thespiritbehindthespiritofstlouis.com/ Newly Published Book about Charles Lindbergh Friend and Backer Harold Bixby Aviation History from Balloons to Jets Through the Eyes of Harold M. Bixby GREAT BARRINGTON, MA, August 26, 2019. The Spirit Behind the Spirit of St. Louis; Harold M. Bixby gives a rare behind the scenes glimpse into Charles Lindbergh's trans-Atlantic flight in 1927, as well as the evolution of early aviation as seen through the eyes of aviation pioneer Harold M. Bixby. Bixby (1890-1965) was a primary backer of Charles Lindbergh's solo flight across the Atlantic and is credited with naming the plane "The Spirit of St. Louis". The 466 page 9" x 12" photo rich book contains photos and ephemera from Bixby's life and work, including some rare and never before published images and correspondence. "I am thoroughly captivated by Benjamin Barrett's book about the life and work of his grandfather, Harold Bixby, one of the most important figures in the development of aviation around the world. [...] The book has been meticulously researched and beautifully presented, with careful arrangements of photographs, maps, letters and records for the reader to pore over. This is, first of all, a labor of love and hard work on the part of Ben Barrett in honor of his grandfather, but it is also a real gift to the history of aviation, and to those of us who remember the aviation pioneers." - Reeve Lindbergh The Spirit behind the Spirit of St. Louis; Harold M. Bixby is a compendium of aviation history from the balloon age through the jet age as witnessed by Bixby himself. History covered includes piloting balloons in St. Louis in the early 1900s, to the 1923 Air Races held in St. Louis, to the first air mail routes as flown by Lindbergh, to the preparation for and the execution of Lindbergh's famous trans-Atlantic flight, as well as the aftermath, to the establishment of passenger and airmail routes in China, the arrival of the China Clipper in 1935, and the expansion of the Pan American empire worldwide. "A spectacular and insightful collection about one of the most important, and perhaps least known, figures in the development of American aviation. [...] Rich in images and correspondence with other major players of the day, Ben Barrett has given us a rare look behind the scenes at the creation of the global air age." (A review from John H. Hill, Assistant Director, Curator-in-Charge of Aviation, SFO Museum) Author Ben Barrett preserves the history of his grandfather's significant role in the development of aviation, as well as illustrating the birth and history of aviation from balloons through his years at Pan American Airways, where Bixby worked until 1955. "The impetus behind this book was the preservation of these wonderful historical documents that are part of our country's aviation history, as well as that of the Bixby family. I felt the items were much too precious to have sitting on a shelf collecting dust. My hope is that future Bixbys will benefit from this archive, as well as the aviation historians of today and of the future." stated Barrett. The book is available for sale at: https://www.thespiritbehindthespiritofstlouis.com |