Fireball
Carole Lombard and the Mystery of Flight 3
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
This fresh look at Hollywood's "Queen of Screwball," Carole Lombard, presents a first-ever examination of the events that led to the shocking flight mishap that took her life on the side of a Nevada mountain in 1942. It also provides a day-by-day account of the struggles of Lombard's husband, Clark Gable, and other family, friends, and fans to cope with the tragedy. In effect, having just completed the first sale of war bonds and stamps in the nation following its entry into World War II, Lombard became the first Hollywood start to sacrifice her life in the War. The War Department offered Gable a funeral service with full military honors, but he refused it, knowing that his wife would not approve of such spectacle. Based on extensive research rather than gossip, this investigation further explores the lives of the 21 others on the plane, including 15 members of the U.S. Army Air Corps, and addresses one of the most enduring mysteries of World War II. On a clear night full of stars, with TWA's most experienced pilot at the controls of a 10-month-old aircraft under the power of two fully functioning engines, why did the flight crash into that Nevada mountainside? This gripping page-turner presents the story of the people on the plane, the friends and families left behind, and the heroic first responders who struggled up a mountain hoping to perform a miracle rescue. It is a story of accomplishment, bravery, sacrifice, and loss.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Carole Lombard's successful and highly entertaining career was cut woefully short when her plane crashed in Nevada in 1942. Here, Matzen provides an intriguing mixture of biography and history as he relates not only the story of Lombard's life, but those of the other passengers on Flight 3, as well as the curious elements of the plane crash. Narrator Gilbert delivers a skillful performance that will keep listeners engaged throughout. Her pacing, tone, and emphasis are all spot on, and she infuses suitable emotion into more touching sections of the book. A Paladin Communications hardcover.
Customer Reviews
Fireball
Heartbreaking but wonderful book. So glad I read it.
Just One Thing
I enjoyed everything I learned in this book, but I don’t like how the author refers to Carole herself as a fireball. It seems insensitive, considering how she died. I’ve never heard a person called a fireball. Firecracker, yes.