The Flying Tigers

The Untold Story of the American Pilots Who Waged a Secret War Against Japan

De: Sam Kleiner

Narrado por: Stephen Graybill

The thrilling story behind the American pilots who were secretly recruited to defend the nation’s desperate Chinese allies before Pearl Harbor and ended up on the front lines of the war against the Japanese in the Pacific.

Sam Kleiner’s The Flying Tigers uncovers the hidden story of the group of young American men and women who crossed the Pacific before Pearl Harbor to risk their lives defending China. Led by legendary army pilot Claire Chennault, these men left behind an America still at peace in the summer of 1941 using false identities to travel across the Pacific to a run-down airbase in the jungles of Burma. In the wake of the disaster at Pearl Harbor, this motley crew was the first group of Americans to take on the Japanese in combat, shooting down hundreds of Japanese aircraft in the skies over Burma, Thailand, and China. At a time when the Allies were being defeated across the globe, the Flying Tigers’ exploits gave hope to Americans and Chinese alike.

Kleiner takes listeners into the cockpits of their iconic shark-nosed P-40 planes - one of the most familiar images of the war - as the Tigers perform nail-biting missions against the Japanese. He profiles the outsize personalities involved in the operation, including Chennault, whose aggressive tactics went against the prevailing wisdom of military strategy; Greg “Pappy” Boyington, the man who would become the nation’s most beloved pilot until he was shot down and became a POW; Emma Foster, one of the nurses in the unit who had a passionate romance with a pilot named John Petach; and Madame Chiang Kai-shek herself, who first brought Chennault to China and who would come to visit these young Americans.

A dramatic story of a covert operation whose very existence would have scandalized an isolationist United States, The Flying Tigers is the unforgettable account of a group of Americans whose heroism changed the world, and who cemented an alliance between the United States and China as both nations fought against seemingly insurmountable odds.

©2018 Sam Kleiner (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“In the dark days after Pearl Harbor, a swashbuckling band of volunteer pilots gave America something to cheer about with their exploits against the Japanese in far-off China. Through long-lost letters and diaries, Sam Kleiner has brought these gallant warriors to life. The Flying Tigers is a rousing tale that will keep you turning the page.” (Evan Thomas, New York Times best-selling author of Sea of Thunder)

“This is a movie waiting to be made - a great adventure story that is all the more gripping because it really happened. These pilots remind us of why we’re proud to be American, ordinary young men who became heroes at a time when American victories were scarce. Some were killed, leaving their hometowns grieving. Some spent years as prisoners of the Japanese, uncertain whether they’d ever make it home again. All should be remembered. Kleiner is a gifted researcher and storyteller. He does the story of these men justice, and that is saying something.” (Michael Punke, number-one New York Times best-selling author of The Revenant)

“The Flying Tigers is a meticulously researched work of history that reads like a thriller. Packed with characters that come off the pages, it draws the reader into a world of dare-devil flying and covert operations in China in the opening days of World War II. The Flying Tigers marks the debut of an incredibly talented new historian and is a must-read not only for World War II aficionados but for anyone who likes a good story. It is full of them.” (Amy Chua, Yale Law professor and New York Times best-selling author of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother and Political Tribes)

Good History of AVG

Much of the story is still untold, but this version is one to hear, and remember.

True Patriots

Great book and a big salute to these honorable brave souls, thank you for your service & God Bless you & your families.

u reaj

thought I knew About the flying tigers but it was so sm6 only john wayne

Great book about true heroes!

Listened to this book while flying from the Philadelphia to Athens Greece. Book was so good, I forgot I was sitting in an airplane for 10 hours!

Very inspiring story

Excellent book. I had recently finished the book by Greg "Pappy" Boyington, which included many references to his days with the Flying Tigers. This book helped to fill out the story of the legendary group. I really enjoyed it and learned a lot about their daring exploits.

Great story but not written well

It’s a very interesting story about the pilots who waits the war in China against the Japanese. You come to understand the people in their lives but the story could’ve been written better. At times seems a little amateurish

Informative, interesting story.

Narration: Clear.

Story: Informative, learn a lot about this storied group, much that one does not know from seeing movies.

Loved It!

My fist exposure to this story was the movie with John Wayne. Hearing the true story was fantastic! I also was a fan of the TV series "Blacksheep Squadron. " I didn't realize "Pappy Boyington" was a part of the AVG.

Interesting take on this perspective of WWII

The intricate and intimate relationship between the US and China before and during WWII is a viewpoint from the time period of which I was unfamiliar. It is helped to round out my knowledge base on the war and enlighten me to the origins of the United States Air Force and flying in combat.

Just Great

A great story, of great men who did great deeds. A must have for any WW2 aviation buff.