Sandwiched In with John Lancaster – Author of “The Great Air Race”
Friday, January 13 at 12:00 p.m.
Lapham Meeting Room and on Zoom

The Great Air Race reclaims one of the most important moments in the history of American aviation: the transcontinental air race of October 1919 that saw scores of pilots compete for the fastest roundtrip time between New York and San Francisco in frail, open-cockpit biplanes.

Riveting the nation, the aviators — most veterans of the Great War — pioneered the first coast-to-coast air route. Bringing the pilots to vivid life, journalist and amateur pilot John Lancaster captures the challenges of flying in that almost prehistoric age.

Yet, as he demonstrates, despite much drama and tragedy, the race was a milestone in commercial aviation development. The Great Air Race is a captivating story of man and machine and the debut of a major new popular historian. Among the many stellar reviews,

The Washington Post writes, “It’s hard to imagine a more ideal narrator… Lancaster makes a moving case that these early martyrs gave the rest of us a future in the sky.” Join us for this special author event with Mr. Lancaster, who will discuss his new book and provide a visual presentation about this fascinating but little-known piece of aviation history, which began right here on Long Island. He will also describe how in 2019, a century after the race, he flew the route from Long Island to San Francisco and back again in his two-seater plane, making all the same stops that the daring, reckless, and inspiring pilots made in 1919.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. This is a hybrid event. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library. To join us in person or via Zoom, register at www.pwpl.org/events