Books by Michael Lee Lanning

During World War II, some 10,000 American bombers and fighters were shot down over Europe. Of the crews aboard, 26,000 men were killed, while 30,000 survived being shot down only to be captured and made prisoners of war. Against the longest of odds, nearly 3,000 airmen made it to the ground alive, evaded capture, and escaped to safety. These men proudly called themselves the Blister Club.Drawing on tens of thousands of pages of mostly untapped documents in the National Archives, Michael Lee Lanning tells the story of these courageous airmen. They had received escape-and-evasion (E & E) training, and some were lucky enough to land with their E-&-E kitsbut all bets were off once they hit the ground. They landed after an air catastrophe. The geography was usually unfamiliar. Civilians might or might not be trustworthy. German soldiers and Gestapo agents hunted down airmen as well as civilians who dared help them. If an airman abandoned his uniform for civilian garb, he forfeited Geneva Convention protections. Most faced the daunting task of escaping on foot across hundreds of miles. The fortunate connected with one of the established escape routes to Spain or Switzerland or across the English Channel, or they hooked up with the underground resistance or friendly civilians. Upon return to friendly lines, these men were often able to provide valuable intelligence about enemy troop dispositions and civilian morale. Many volunteered to fly again even though regulations prohibited it.The Blister Club is history with a punch. With a historian's eye, Lanning covers the hows and whys of escape-and-evasion and aerial combat in the European theater, but the book also vividly captures the stories of the airmen who did the escaping and evading, including that of a young pilot named Chuck Yeager, who, during his own escape, aided the French Resistance and helped another downed airman to safetyand then begged to fly again, eventually securing Eisenhower's approval to return to the air, where he achieved ace status. Stories of escape are popular, especially those set during World War II, as are stories of the war in the air. Combining both of these, The Blister Club should find an enthusiastic audience.

This final advice, thoughts, remembrances, and guidelines to life by a dying grandfather to his granddaughter offers "things that I have not yet taught her and experiences that I want her to know about and consider." Its poignant information and guidance, delivered with honesty, humor, and affection that is thought-provoking for all ages. It a book that every grandparent should write and every grandchild should read.More than 130 widely varying subjects-from abortion to Zen, and from military service to writing-are included. "Some of these things I know for sure, others not so much. Some lessons have come easily, others with much angst, disappointments, and sadness. I have placed them in alphabetical order for no other reason than an orderly life is a good life-and that life itself is so complex and constantly changing, there is no other logical or illogical way to list them. Many of these "things I know for sure" and the "others not so much" are accompanied by quotes from the famous and infamous, lines from movies, song lyrics, and from my earlier writings and from my personal journals of the past fifty years."As I wrote this letter, I thought about all the things that I would like to ask my father and grandfathers if they were still alive. There are so many things about them and their experiences that I wonder about because I did not inquire when I could have. I do not want my grandchildren to find themselves in the same situation. My primary purpose in writing this letter is to leave something behind for Allyanna. My secondary mission is hopefully to inspire others likewise to leave a written legacy for their families."Doubtless many readers of this letter will not agree with the myriad of observations, advice, and opinions that I include. That bothers me not at all. I hope readers will feel free to mark out, scratch through, or otherwise eliminate those things with which they don't agree. Margins are good places to record opposing thoughts or expand on what I've written."If nothing else, my deepest wish is for you to have a good, safe, interesting life and to always remember that your grandfather loved you with all his heart. I will always be on your side and at your side as long as I live. After my death, my spirit will always be with you."When my time comes I will fight for every last breath, and for every additional second of life. But I will die in peace knowing I have done all that I could and fought for as long as possible. My last thoughts will be of you and the wonderful life you have before you. there are so many important areas of life for which I have not provided you advice. There are so many things that I want you to know. That is the purpose of this letter."