Although Enduring Courage starts out with an interesting biographical sketch of Eddie Rickenbacker's early life and his increasing interest in engine and racing, by page 51 I was totally bored and had to quit.
With that in mind, my review may be too biased and uninformed and
…more should be ignored, but I believe that this book would only make interesting reading to those among us who are fascinated with the minute details of engines, the excruciating descriptions of early racing conditions and difficulties. So much time is spend on them and not the man himself.
Plus, the author uses some rather bizarre descriptive phrases in the book that just had to make me laugh! I hope no one who is not a native English speaker or even someone who is, would know what "Barnumesque hucksterism", (Pg42) is. A really descriptive phrase made me nauseated and laughing. That being on page 21 "the nose-hair-curling reek of the foundries and tanneries".
The book did flow-from one boring race to the next in which you were treated to an overly detailed dry description of track conditions, cars and mud. As I said before, this book will have great appeal to those who follow the exact details of car racing and the development of aviation. (less)