Airline: a Novel

He was flying a plane, his plane. And though he would manage to land it safely that evening, his soul would remain aloft for the rest of his life. And so begins the tale of young Marty Willman, who turns a fledgling crop dusting operation into a commercial airline empire. His entrepreneurial spirit and paternal leadership through the early part of the 20th century give rise to a loyal family of employees, and the eventual ascendance of Wesley Arnold, the authoritarian CEO who guides the corporation through the growth and acquisitions of the 1990's. Among Wesley's legions are Caroline and Danny, whose youthful love for each other evolves into a loyal friendship. Their shared devotion to their company combines with tumultuous real-life events to form a vivid backdrop for the turbulent ride of a once humble enterprise. From the cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta to the transformations of 9/11, from the graceful arc of a single biplane to the roar of a jumbo jet, AIRLINE is the story of a corporation?of the battle between loyalty and the headwinds of powerful self-interest. And of the endurance of relationships in the face of events we can never control.