#FridayReads

I’m reading a wonderful book by Ivan Rendall titled, Spitfire: Icon of a Nation. In my novel Paper Boats, Otto, the main character, comes across a few of these British beauties while on his journey.

The writer offers a ton of history and information, mixed with drama and stories about the people who designed, serviced and flew the airplane, which fought so gallantly during WWII. Pilots loved its speed, responsiveness and growl of its engine. It’s no surprise it was soon adopted by the public as a part of British culture that still is very dear to them even today.

I was excited to see one up close when I visited the Imperial War Museum in London (that's me on the right with the goggles in the photo above!). The variant they have suspended in mid air is positioned just as majestic as I imagined it to be, chasing and buzzing enemy planes over Britain.

I am often asked how I can describe such deadly weaponry as beautiful. I think you have to remove the intended use of the weapon and look at it with fresh eyes as an object of art. If you do that the beauty tends to shine above all else.

#world #wwii #historicalfiction #spitfire #paperboats #action #adventure #history