Review/Giveaway: Hearts of Courage

A WINNING READINGS GIVEAWAY!

Title: Hearts of Courage: The Gillam plane crash and the amazing true story of survival in the frozen wilderness of Alaska

Author: John M. Tippets
Genre: Nonfiction - aviation history
How to enter: Leave a comment on THIS post right here! If you're a subscriber or a follower, leave a second comment for a second entry.
Entry deadline: February 10, 2010
Restrictions: Open internationally!

That's right, enter right here for this autographed giveaway. This is my review copy, so it has been gently read.


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As a kid, I dreamed of living on a remote British Columbia island, being a doctor and using my own seaplane to get to patients.

While this true story happened a little further north, its characters probably shared some of same love of adventure.

Hearts of Courage is written by John M. Tippets, son of the main characters in the story. This full-color 144-page paperback has a list price of $19.95. You can find more information about the book at http://www.johntippets.com/.

Here's a synopsis from the book's website: "The events of January and February 1943 were central in the lives of Joe and Alta Tippets. The 'Gillam Crash' of the Morrison-Knudsen Electra, on which Joe was a passenger, was well known to aviators in Alaska. Harold Gillam was a celebrated bush pilot. The challenging winter of ’42-’43 was described as the coldest recorded in thirty years, and the inspiring accounts written by the survivors have stirred the hearts of many. It is a true Alaska adventure story—a struggle against all odds to overcome the wilderness and ultimately find rescue."

And a bit about the author: John Tippets is a proud Alaskan, born in Providence Hospital at Anchorage in 1941. His early years were spent in Alaska and the Washington, D.C. area, where his Dad worked for the government. After two years serving as a church missionary in Eastern Canada, he received his Bachelor’s and MBA degrees from the University of California at Los Angeles. Always interested in aviation, John checked bags for United Airlines, then worked summer jobs with the FAA in Alaska and the CAB in Washington, D.C., beginning his career with American Airlines as a part-timer in air freight while still in college. He retired from his position as President & CEO of the American Airlines Federal Credit Union in 2008.

Here's the storyline: Joe Tippets was one of six people aboard the Lockheed Electra 10-B flying from Seattle to Anchorage in January 1943. Weather conditions and a lost engine contributed to a crash in rugged Alaskan terrain. All onboard survived the crash, but one passenger died later due to injuries, while the pilot died in his search for a way out. Somehow the others surved a month of harsh conditions with little food. Two of the remaining passengers, including Joe, managed to make it to a remote beach where they were miraculously rescued. They then led a rescue team to the last two passengers - 33 days after the crash.

The writing of the book, while in first person format, is rather dry and factual. This actually serves to let the amazing story itself shine through. Full of photos that allow the reader to visualize the events, the book also testifies of Joe's relationship with God, and his wife's unwavering faith that he would be okay.

Interestingly, the character I connected with most was young Susan Baxter, who died a couple of days after the crash due to her injuries. The sole female on the flight, she remained uncomplaining and sweet through the duration, even though she must have been in terrible pain. It makes me wonder how I would handle being in a similar situation.

A great read, especially for anyone interested in Alaskan and aviation history.

Thanks to the author and Pump Up Your Book Promotion for the review copy of this book.