The Washington Times
Friday, October 8, 2010
Sam Howe Verhovek, Jet Age: The Comet, the 707, and the Race to Shrink the World
New York: Avery. 272pp. $27.00 Illustrated.
Reviewed by Martin Rubin
We’ve all become so used to the quick march of technological innovation that it is salutary for readers to be reminded by this evocative and marvelously detailed book that the age of passenger jet air travel is only a little more than half a century old. Its author, Sam Howe Verhovek, a true globetrotter in the course of a long career as a journalist, has a way of conveying not only the dry facts about jet travel—how it boosted tourism exponentially and doomed the great ocean liners which had transported passengers overseas in such style—but also the excitement it engendered. . . .
If “Jet Age” has a hero, it is the Boeing 707, the first really successful jetliner, not only capable of flying the Atlantic non-stop but also carrying many more passengers—a hundred or so—than previous planes. The story of how, after decades of being bested by its rivals Douglas and Lockheed, Boeing sprang to the forefront with this huge success occupies much of “Jet Age” and is a fascinating mix of avionics and commerce. . . .
For Martin’s full review, click here or visit www.washingtontimes.com.