Hour Of Gold, Hour Of Lead: Diaries And Letters Of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 1929-1932

If, in the letters and journals of Bring Me a Unicorn Anne Morrow Lindbergh was a fresh-faced college girl, she is now a daring pilot and adventurer in Hour of Gold, Hour of Lead. The year 1929 begins with Anne and Charles' engagement. At this stage in her life she is quickly learning about the down side of being a celebrity (thanks to Charles and his airplane adventures). The couple can't go anywhere without a throng of reporters following their every move. Anne has to be careful of what she writes to friends and family for fear of it getting out to the press and misconstrued. Charles and Anne even wear disguises to the opera. But, Anne still carries her enthusiasm with her. She continues to miss her siblings and mother madly (she show more never addresses her letters to her father) while she travels about the world. All this enthusiasm comes crashing to the ground at the end of 1931 when she loses her father and then again, in early 1932, when her son, Charles Jr., is kidnapped and found months later murdered. It is heartbreaking the way she refers to her son as, "the stolen child" as if she cannot bear to call him by name or even claim to be his mother. Throughout the rest of the book, Anne's grief is heartbreaking. She tried to end on a happy note with the birth of her second son, Jon and the wedding of her sister, Elisabeth. show less

As the title suggests, one must be prepared for an emotional roller-coaster ride while sharing the years of 1929-1932 with Anne Morrow Lindbergh. We have a shy, intellectual, sheltered, socially fearful girl suddenly thrust into a blaze of publicity, adventure and challenge with her marriage to a hero of global proportions. A girl who not only falls madly in love with Lindbergh, but in love with flying. A girl who learns to fly and navigate on the lengthy, uncomfortable flights as Lindbergh surveys airline routes to South America and the Orient being met by flowers, honors and excited crowds wherever they land. Then comes the hour of lead with the kidnapping of their baby. We experience through her letters and diary, the disbelief, show more sleepless nights, nightmares, hope, disappointment and finally the gnawing grief when the dead baby is found. The book ends with the birth of their second child five months later and the grief and fears still there. An interesting look into the character and personality of Charles Lindbergh who was her steady rock, and into the entire Morrow and Lindbergh families with their fierce love for each other in tandem with their self-controlled, self-contained, disciplined lives. show less

The first book ''Bring me a Unicorn" all so bright & dynamic -- life & Charles Lindbergh, & flying & marriage is all so new and dazzling. In this book, real life hits with the sharpest blow that could happen - her sleeping, 18-mo. baby is taken out through the window. A few months of clues & ransom notes are sent -- futile. Then his little body is discovered in a woods half a mile from their home. Long time before her writing resumes, and not surprisingly, we can really sense the hours of lead through her pen
Interesting that although it is1929-32 there is not one whiff of the economic situations just beyond their golden doors - not a speck.

Lindbergh writes with such detail that she inspires me to pick up my pen and write a really good letter to someone. In this volume, her letters cover her courtship and early marriage to pilot Charles Lindbergh, to the kidnapping and murder of their young son, to the months following. Lindbergh reveals a depth of emotion and sensitivity to life, making this book well worth the time spent reading it.

Much like the previous edition of memoirs but more about marriage and motherhood. Also, the shocking happenings around the kidnapping and killing of their first little boy in '32 are revealed. Very sad situation. Anne Lindbergh is someone who would be nice to have known personally, I think. She is an excellent writer and poet.

Read: February-March 28, 2009

Synopsis: This is the second of five volumes of diaries and letters by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, detailing the years 1929-1932. It covers her marriage to Charles and the kidnapping/murder of their son. From the beginning, Anne is a partner in her husband's aerial activities. She flies with him and takes surveys, as well as radio control. She even learned to fly solo on a glider plane. She traveled with him to Alaska, Russia, Japan, China, South America and many other places. She also joined him under the constant scrutiny of the media, and struggled to find the privacy they needed in the days following the tragedy.

Pros & Cons: For some reason, I got stuck and distracted reading this book, but I did enjoy it, show more especially towards the end (after the kidnapping). She is an excellent writer, evident in some poetry she included. She kept a very detailed account of her travels and activities. It must have been a very exciting, and heart-wrenching life to have led. Many photographs of her family and adventures are included in the book show less

Read: February-March 28, 2009

Synopsis: This is the second of five volumes of diaries and letters by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, detailing the years 1929-1932. It covers her marriage to Charles and the kidnapping/murder of their son. From the beginning, Anne is a partner in her husband's aerial activities. She flies with him and takes surveys, as well as radio control. She even learned to fly solo on a glider plane. She traveled with him to Alaska, Russia, Japan, China, South America and many other places. She also joined him under the constant scrutiny of the media, and struggled to find the privacy they needed in the days following the tragedy.

Pros & Cons: For some reason, I got stuck and distracted reading this book, but I did enjoy it, show more especially towards the end (after the kidnapping). She is an excellent writer, evident in some poetry she included. She kept a very detailed account of her travels and activities. It must have been a very exciting, and heart-wrenching life to have led. Many photographs of her family and adventures are included in the book show less