About the book
Writer Rinker Buck looks back to a summer when he and his brother, at ages fifteen and seventeen, respectively, became the youngest duo to fly across America, from New Jersey to California.
\"Terrific.\" —The Chicago Sun-Times
In the summer of 1966, Rinker and Kernahan Buck, two teenaged boys from New Jersey, bought a dilapidated Piper Cub for $300, rebuilt it, and piloted it on a record-breaking flight across America, navigating all the way to California without a radio, because they couldn't afford one. Their trip retraced a mythical route flown by their father, Tom Buck, a brash, colorful ex-barstormer who had lost a leg in a tragic air crash before his sons were born, but who so loved the adventure of flight that he taught his boys to fly before they could drive.
The journey west, and the preparations for it, become a figurative and literal process of discovery, as the young men battle thunderstorms and wracking turbulence and encounter Arkansas rednecks, Texas cowboys, and the languid, romantic culture of small town cafes, cheap motels, and dusty landing strips of pre-Vietnam America. The brothers have a lot of resolve among themselves as Kern, the meticulous, dedicated visionary, and Rinker, the rebellious second son, must finally come to understand and depend on each other in the complex way that only brothers can.
Flight of Passage is a timeless story of fathers and sons. These two young men must separate from their difficult, quirky father—literally by putting a country's distance between them—but they do it on their father's terms: in an airplane. As he looks back from the perspective of now being a father himself, Rinker Buck's tale of two young men in search of themselves and their country becomes a book about the eternal enigma of family—of the distance and closeness of generations, of peace lost so that understanding can be gained—and it is explored with a storytelling power that is both brave and rare.
Editions of Flight of Passage
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780786861002
- EBook
- ISBN 9781401305772
Read an Excerpt
Writer Rinker Buck looks back to a summer when he and his brother, at ages fifteen and seventeen, respectively, became the youngest duo to fly across America, from New Jersey to California.
\"Terrific.\" —The Chicago Sun-Times
In the summer of 1966, Rinker and Kernahan Buck, two teenaged boys from New Jersey, bought a dilapidated Piper Cub for $300, rebuilt it, and piloted it on a record-breaking flight across America, navigating all the way to California without a radio, because they couldn't afford one. Their trip retraced a mythical route flown by their father, Tom Buck, a brash, colorful ex-barstormer who had lost a leg in a tragic air crash before his sons were born, but who so loved the adventure of flight that he taught his boys to fly before they could drive.
The journey west, and the preparations for it, become a figurative and literal process of discovery, as the young men battle thunderstorms and wracking turbulence and encounter Arkansas rednecks, Texas cowboys, and the languid, romantic culture of small town cafes, cheap motels, and dusty landing strips of pre-Vietnam America. The brothers have a lot of resolve among themselves as Kern, the meticulous, dedicated visionary, and Rinker, the rebellious second son, must finally come to understand and depend on each other in the complex way that only brothers can.
Flight of Passage is a timeless story of fathers and sons. These two young men must separate from their difficult, quirky father—literally by putting a country's distance between them—but they do it on their father's terms: in an airplane. As he looks back from the perspective of now being a father himself, Rinker Buck's tale of two young men in search of themselves and their country becomes a book about the eternal enigma of family—of the distance and closeness of generations, of peace lost so that understanding can be gained—and it is explored with a storytelling power that is both brave and rare.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Flight of Passage about?
Writer Rinker Buck looks back to a summer when he and his brother, at ages fifteen and seventeen, respectively, became the youngest duo to fly across America, from New Jersey to California.
\"Terrific.\" —The Chicago Sun-Times
In the summer of 1966, Rinker and Kernahan Buck, two teenaged boys from New Jersey, bought a dilapidated Piper Cub for $300, rebuilt it, and piloted it on a record-breaking flight across America, navigating all the way to California without a radio, because they couldn't afford one. Their trip retraced a mythical route flown by their father, Tom Buck, a brash, colorful ex-barstormer who had lost a leg in a tragic air crash before his sons were born, but who so loved the adventure of flight that he taught his boys to fly before they could drive.
The journey west, and the preparations for it, become a figurative and literal process of discovery, as the young men battle thunderstorms and wracking turbulence and encounter Arkansas rednecks, Texas cowboys, and the languid, romantic culture of small town cafes, cheap motels, and dusty landing strips of pre-Vietnam America. The brothers have a lot of resolve among themselves as Kern, the meticulous, dedicated visionary, and Rinker, the rebellious second son, must finally come to understand and depend on each other in the complex way that only brothers can.
Flight of Passage is a timeless story of fathers and sons. These two young men must separate from their difficult, quirky father—literally by putting a country's distance between them—but they do it on their father's terms: in an airplane. As he looks back from the perspective of now being a father himself, Rinker Buck's tale of two young men in search of themselves and their country becomes a book about the eternal enigma of family—of the distance and closeness of generations, of peace lost so that understanding can be gained—and it is explored with a storytelling power that is both brave and rare.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Flight of Passage?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Biography and non-fiction prose > Memoirs
Where can I read a sample of Flight of Passage?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780786861002
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Flight of Passage?
Rinker Buck
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Flight of Passage is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780786861002) and ebook(ISBN 9781401305772)
Where can I buy Flight of Passage online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Flight of Passage from below
Where can I buy Flight of Passage?