Atlantic Fever: Lindbergh, His Competitors, and the Race to Cross the Atlantic

Atlantic Fever tells the story of the 1927 transatlantic aviation race. From April 14 to May 21, fourteen aviators competed for a $25,000 prize offered by Raymond Orteig to the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean without stopping. Joe Jackson examines this pivotal moment in American history through the experiences of both famous competitors and lesser-known pilots. The well-known contenders included polar explorer Richard Byrd, French war hero René Fonck, millionaire Charles Levine, and eventual winner Charles Lindbergh. Jackson also profiles aviators whose contributions have been largely forgotten, including Bernt Balchen, Stanton Wooster, and Clarence Chamberlin. The book explores how technology, innovation, character, and ambition converged to bring multiple competitors from around the world to the threshold of the same achievement at the same time, capturing a distinctive moment in the post-World War One era.