Yeager by Leo Janos
"Yeager" by Leo Janos is an autobiography that chronicles the life of Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier. The narrative primarily unfolds through Yeager's first-person perspective, but it is enriched by various "other voices" that provide additional context and insights into his experiences. This multi-voiced approach allows for a broader understanding of Yeager's life, encompassing not only his aviation achievements but also personal anecdotes from those who interacted with him, such as his wife, Glennis Yeager, and fellow pilots.
The book is structured into thirty-three divisions that function like chapters, starting with a dramatic recounting of a life-threatening flight shortly after Yeager's historic achievement. It covers key events in Yeager's life, from his humble beginnings in West Virginia to his military service in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, culminating in his retirement in 1975. Throughout the narrative, readers encounter themes of recklessness and responsibility, as well as a portrayal of women that may be viewed as problematic by modern standards.
"Yeager" serves as both an educational resource for young adults interested in aviation and a more complex character study for readers seeking to understand the implications of Yeager's actions and attitudes. The book's unique style, merging personal and biographical narratives, may appeal to those intrigued by historical figures and their legacies.
Subject Terms
Yeager by Leo Janos
First published: 1985; illustrated
Subjects: Aviators and military leaders
Type of work: Autobiography
Time of work: 1923-1985
Recommended Ages: 15-18
Locale: Hamlin, West Virginia; Tonopah, Nebraska; war-torn France, Spain, and England; Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio; Muroc Air Base in the Mojave Desert, California; postwar Germany and Russia; Korea; Vietnam; and Pakistan
Principal Personages:
Chuck Yeager , the test pilot who was the first to break the sound barrierGlennis Yeager , his wifeAlbert Hal Yeager , his fatherSusie Yeager , his motherClarence E. “Bud” Anderson , his friend, a World War II military pilotAlbert G. Boyd , the head of Wright Field’s flight test divisionFred J. Ascani , Colonel Boyd’s executive officerJacqueline Cochran , a colonel in the WASPs, the holder of speed records, and the president of Fédération Aeronautique Internationale“Pancho” (Florence Lowe) Barnes , a female flyer and the owner of a bar and motel frequented by test pilots
Form and Content
Chuck Yeager’s autobiography is unusual if not unique in the variety of voices employed to describe his life. While most of the basically chronological tale is told by Yeager in the first person, many sections are told in “other voices.” While these “other voices” speak of themselves in the first person, they are more biographical (about Yeager) than autobiographical (about the individual authors). While Leo Janos’ role as coauthor is obscured (and often ignored) by the designation of “autobiography” and by the various first-person writings, he is most likely responsible for the overall unit of time, tone, and theme that emerges despite the variety of voices.
While the term “chapter” is not used, the thirty-three divisions listed by their individual titles in the table of contents clearly function as chapters. The first, “Always the Unknown,” relates a life-threatening flight that occurred the day after Yeager broke the sound barrier. This short chapter is written in the present tense, printed in italics, and out of sync with the chronological order that dominates the rest of the work. It is the second chapter, “Starting from Scratch,” that tells of Yeager’s birth and upbringing in West Virginia.
The third chapter relates his enlistment in the Army Air Corps, his pilot training, and how he met the woman who would become his wife. Near the end of the chapter is the first subheading of “Other Voices: Glennis Yeager,” which offers her first-person account of the incident that he had introduced. In the next chapter, Yeager gives an account of being shot down over occupied France. In the middle of the chapter is a one-paragraph interruption in Glennis’ voice. The next chapter begins in the voice of Bud Anderson, who gives his information on the same incident. The chapter then continues as Yeager details his escape through Spain. While such shifts in tense and voice may be disconcerting to some readers, the additional voices widen the scope and increase the authority of both the factual and the emotional material, much the same as televised biographies use personal interviews to supplement other materials.
After Yeager escaped through Spain, he returned to England and obtained permission to fly additional missions. (Escapees did not usually return to the war.) Early in 1945, Yeager completed his war missions, was transferred to Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio, and married Glennis. As assistant maintenance officer, Yeager flew many different kinds of planes. While his lack of education was a drawback, he eventually was trained as a test pilot and in 1947 was chosen to fly the X-1 as it attempted to break the sound barrier. He continued testing planes and, after his achievement was made public, reluctantly combined his flying with public appearances. After test flying a Russian MiG that had been obtained through a defecting North Korean pilot, Yeager became a squadron commander in Europe during the Cold War. He then became the first commanding officer of the Air Force Aerospace Research Pilots School. He continued an active military career, serving in Korea, Pakistan, and Vietnam until he retired in 1975.
Three small sections interspersed in the text provide photographs of Yeager, his wife, his friends, his planes, and important events in his life.
Critical Context
The young adult who reads Yeager learns about a half century that might seem to be “ancient history,” but the events portrayed will continue to have been first-person experiences for many people living several decades past the year 2000. Young readers who are specifically interested in Chuck Yeager or who have a general interest in aviation would enjoy and benefit from reading the entire book. Those who have a limited interest in aviation or who are only interested in World War II, the Korean conflict, Vietnam, or Pakistan might be better served by reading specific selections.
Yeager’s reckless pursuit of “fun” in his youth almost destroyed his career more than once. Breaking his ribs the night before he broke the sound barrier was minor compared to some other personally irresponsible incidents that he relates, and although he makes some attempt to justify orders that he and other U.S. pilots were given to kill “innocent civilians” during World War II, he also labels the results as an “atrocity.” Yeager’s failure to accept responsibility for his own actions, private and public, makes him a questionable role model.
Of the three women portrayed in depth—Glennis Yeager, Jacqueline Cochran, and Pancho Barnes—and the countless prostitutes and the nameless “girls to chase,” Glennis is the only one who might be considered an acceptable role model for young women. In fact, many readers may find the attitude toward women to be offensive.
Nevertheless, Yeager is an interesting and entertaining book for adults. Whether young adults will also benefit from reading the biography will depend on their level of maturity.
Sources for Further Study
Best Sellers. XLV, September, 1985, p. 220.
Booklist. LXXXI, May 1, 1985, p. 1219.
Business Week. XV, June 30, 1985, p. 1.
Christian Science Monitor. LXXVII, August 6, 1985, p. 28.
Kirkus Reviews. LIII, May 15, 1985, p. 480.
Library Journal. CX, September 15, 1985, p. 77.
Los Angeles Times Book Review. August 4, 1985, p. 2.
National Review. XXXVII, July 26, 1985, p. 46.
The New York Times Book Review. XC, July 7, 1985, p. 3.
Publishers Weekly. CCXXVII, May 31, 1985, p. 51.
Time. CXXVI, July 29, 1985, p. 69.
The Wall Street Journal. CCVI, July 3, 1985, p. 12.
Washington Post Book World. XV, June 30, 1985, p. 1.