Flight of Dreams

By Jessica Asbell

The tragedy of the Hindenburg is one of the most enduring mysteries of the twentieth century. In Flight of Dreams, Ariel Lawsons fictional account of that fateful flight, she posits an interesting theory as to why the worlds largest airship went down.

With its cast of characters, Flight of Dreams uses a kaleidoscope effect in order to achieve a fully realized story of what it was like to ride in this airship. As it tilts between the American, the Stewardess, the Navigator, the Journalist and the Cabin Boy, we begin to see that all is not what it seems. The American is out for revenge. The Stewardess has plans to defect to America before the dangerous secret in her past is known. The Navigator is desperately in love with the Stewardess. The Journalist sees a story everywhere, and the Cabin Boy is pressed into service to help each of them.

As they move ever closer to New Jersey and their destination, some of the characters grow more desperate. This adds fuel to the fire of emotion that will eventually explode and bring down the Hindenburg.

This book has it all: intrigue, suspense, adventure and a dash of romance. Each intricate detail of the Hindenburg is there, from the acrobat who was on the plane to the dogs in the cargo hold, to the way the smoking room is pressurized so that it is safe to smoke on a hydrogen-filled airship, to the undercurrent of fear some have of the Nazi party. The people on the Hindenburg unknowingly move closer to their fate and the explosion of the Hindenburg. But the question is, who will survive?