Press

What critics have said about Dear Mrs. Lindbergh

 “Kathleen Hughes…has written her first novel and it is deeply moving, emotionally truthful, and seemingly effortless…Hughes’ novel is richly detailed and filled with the dynamic interplay of family and friends, the past and the present, the lure of flight, and transcendence and the alternate pull of earth and responsibilities…[T]his is a wonderful, life-generating book, as deep in shadow as it is luminous in light.”  Sam Coale The Providence Journal

“Hughes’ elegantly constructed debut novel gracefully explores the nature of things that vanish and things that remain, of things that endure and love that transcends, of dreams that die and hopes that survive.”  Booklist

“With her debut, Hughes has given us a wonderful tale of the complexities of family and the way that we resolve inner conflict.”  Library Journal

“Kathleen Hughes’ first novel is remarkable…This wonderful novel captures, in emotion and detail, not only the early years of twentieth century aviation, but also a sense of the beauty of rural Iowa as a setting to a story of enduring love.”  The Historical Novels Review

“The Midwest is developing its own style of quietly affecting fiction.  Call it fly-over.  And to a group that includes Kent Haruf’s Plainsong and Charles Baxter’s Saul and Patsy, add Kathleen Hughes’ Dear Mrs. Lindbergh…Hughes’s low-key style proves an ideal match for her subject.  Like the heartland itself, this novel’s emotional terrain is deceptively flat.  But like a plane coming in for a landing, the author’s steady hand reveals a rich and varied landscape.”  Yale Alumni Magazine