This is a well-researched and welcome addition to the history of the US airline industry. In looking at the period from 19181938, it explores the important developments during both the Hoover and Roosevelt administrations as well as examining the role of the federal government generally throughout these crucial early decades. This single volume weaves together many important threads to provide a comprehensive introduction to the subject."" - Janet Bednarek, author of Dreams of Flight: A History of General Aviation
""Taking Flight is a well-crafted, original history of the formative years of commercial aviation in the United States. By tracking continuity and change across the administrations of Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt, Houston Johnson offers a rich, nuanced account of American politics during the 1920s and 1930s. This book deserves attention from anyone interested in the history of technology, public policy, and the government's role in the economy."" - Mark Wilson, author of Destructive Creation: American Business and the Winning of World War II
""US commercial aviation took flight in the 1920s and 1930s through the violent storms of Depression-era politics. Reinterpreting headline-grabbing controversies, M. Houston Johnson V shows that aviation's ascent was steadier than often supposed. From the young Herbert Hoover to the seasoned Franklin Roosevelt, federal aviation policy was pragmatic, broadly consistent, and remarkably successful in paving the way for America's mid-century aerospace dominance. Taking Flight offers crisp insights for political and aviation historians and a fresh demonstration of a deep truth: The New Deal's anti-business bark was far worse than its bite."" - David T. Courtwright, author of Sky as Frontier
