(Reviewed by Christopher J. Lynch)
#CommissionsEarned
We often take things for granted in this world. Younger folks assume that smart phones and the internet were always in existence. I too, thought that the specialized world of aviation art had always existed. What the Virginia Bader book taught me was that it was only through her grit and determination did she bring this fascinating segment of the art world to acceptance and honor.
The book follows her as she works tirelessly to promote these captured moments of history to the world by dragging off to various air shows and museums.
That part of the book alone is interesting, but what’s most incredible to me was how she was able to pull off bringing air aces from both sides of WWII together for the first time to attend conferences and relive some of their air battles. Here were men who had last seen each other through the sights of their machine guns and yet they were all laughing, bantering, and sharing a beer together. It’s so encouraging to see that axes can be buried after all and that we can live in peace together.
A great book that chronicles an unseen part of history.
