A Higher Call (urspr publ 2012; utgåvan 2014)

It is almost impossible to describe the range of emotional responses reading this story invoked within me. As a patriotic American and the great-grandson of German immigrants to America, this story touched me on many levels.

This is the story of two men, pilots in their respective country’s air forces, meeting in a chance encounter in the skies over Germany. This meeting would eventually go down in history as one of the most amazing tales of World War II.

I stayed on the edge of my seat reading this story. It was very hard to put down even when I needed to. It was like I became Lieutenant Charlie Brown and the fate of ‘Ye Olde Pub” and the B-17’s crew was in my hands. I also became the pilot of the ME-109, torn between my humanity and the orders of the Nazis government that I secretly despised. We do not hear the words combat and chivalry used in the same sentence these days.

I became totally engrossed in the characters on both sides! This book made me wince. At times it made me chuckle. In addition, this story tugged at my heart and there were several times it even brought a tear to my eye. ( )

As someone who lost family in the Holocaust, I have alwYs viewed German World War II military personnel with a very jaundiced eye. It is refreshing to know that there were many anti-Nazis who did their job because they were defending their homeland, not because of political ideology. This book is a moving and refreshing view of an honorable man who committed an honorable act. ( )

Great book. Enjoyed it immensely. ( )

An extraordinary and moving story of two World War II aviators and how their paths met in scarcely believable circumstances in December 1943. Makos retails the human stories powerfully and his descriptions of aerial combat are among the best I have read. Very highly recommended. ( )

Military/War isn’t my usual interest, but this book is as much about humanity as war. Both of my grandfathers were WWII fighter pilots so I did enjoy learning a bit about the experience. The story revolves around two different pilots, one German, one American, who had a life-changing chance encounter in WWII. Their story is so interesting and improbable, it’s genuinely riveting. Their individual stories are told simultaneously but separately throughout the book except for the very short time they overlapped. Both accounts are very well researched, with intricate details and specifics. In fact my only complaint is that there might be too much detail. The first 2/3 were incredibly interesting but there were about 50 pages in the middle that didn’t keep my interest because it just got to be too many missions and battles. The brutalities of the war were emotionally taxing, especially since it’s told from both sides’ POV. The end made up for the slow middle section. Overall, a good read, well-written and improbably amazing story. 4.5/5 stars ⭐️ only because I found myself skimming some of the missions toward the end of the war. If you love military history though, this book is for you. ( )