Sagittarius Rising (Penguin Classics)

Cecil Lewis is certainly one of the most eloquent authors it has been my pleasure to read. His prose is beautifully poetic; his descriptive language paints vivid pictures of still life and action. He might say that war inspires art more than peace but his post-World War One writing, while perhaps not as exciting as his wartime narratives, is equally profound and brilliant. I don’t know how many passages I highlighted. Some are set aside for the wisdom they impart; others so that those who may consider this book on Goodreads may marvel at how beautiful the English language can sound. It compares favorably, for me, with two conversations by actors Charles Laughton and Peter Ustinov in the movie SPARTACUS. I read in Leonard Wolf’s THE ANNOTATED DRACULA that a masterpiece is not without flaws. (This might be a Chinese proverb.) There is a flaw in this one, not in the writing but in the writer, one which he exposes. In the final chapter, Lewis wrote a very racist paragraph directed at the Chinese and black people. I did not highlight it; I saw no reason to perpetuate his ideas. That being said, I am not about to throw the baby out with the bath water. Five stars.

Written nearly 20 years after the events described, Sagittarius Rising is surprisingly filled with great day to day details of Cecil Lewis' experience with the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. The book is easy to read and maintains interest with very few private life tangents. For those who are pilots, the most amazing information is how little instruction was given to pilots before they soloed, and how few hours solo time a pilot would have before being sent to the front. The flying and air battle accounts are vivid. In one part, he relates how during an early patrol alone, he spotted a yellow cloud enveloping the trenches. Even though he was already safely at 3500 feet, he instinctively pulled back to climb as quickly as possible. He said that he became physically sick as he contemplated the horrible death being visited upon the soldiers below. At this point, and a few others, Lewis then goes on a slight tangent describing his political view on the war. Lewis' take on the war, 20 years after the fact, is clearly jaundiced against the justification for war. It is interesting to note the contrast between authors like McCudden and Biddle, who wrote during the war, and Lewis who wrote after popular opinion had shifted markedly toward pacifism. Between the lines you can clearly read the opposition to any `new' continental war, and the author's discounting the threat posed by Germany in 1936 (implied only). The biographical sketch on the author points out that he went back into the Royal Air Force during World War II, so perhaps his views changed again once the menace posed by Hitler was clearer, or maybe his views matured to draw a distinction between the entanglements that broadened the first world war, and the life or death struggle for national suvival in the second. Unfortunately, there is no update or 'new' introduction or afterward to let us know. The author does spend significant time on his personal life. In fairness to the reader though, he warns that the next section might not be of interest to readers primarily interested in the war and/or aviation. This is another difference between Sagittarius Rising and other World War I aviation accounts - Lewis describes his life after the war. He went to China working for Vickers to train the Chinese Air Force. The description of the political situation and corruption in China is interesting, but the state of the Chinese Air Force and how totally unqualified, but well-connected, students were taught to fly is tragic. No less tragic is how the competent pilots in China lives were squandered in poorly though out ventures. The episode in China is just a couple of chapters and definitely worth the read. All readers interested in early aviation and/or World War I will find the entire book informative, and interesting. One challenge for the reader is the many references to types of aircraft, and some paragraphs are confusing unless you have a World War I aircraft reference book. Unfortunately, many references are just to the manufacturer (e.g. Bristol or Avro) rather than the specific model. Sometimes, the author refers to another name for an aircraft than the official name. A good reference book can help you sort through it and tie it to the description. Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War I was adequate.

It's a little early for me to fully review this book as I haven't completely read it yet - but I have started and what I have read so far is very good. The book holds the atmosphere and wonderful descriptions from a lost and bygone era. The book feeds the technical fascination for the early bi-planes in a very human way which is both compelling and believable. Seen through the eyes of a young trainee pilot the book takes you through his basic training and the early flying experiences as an officer in the RFC. The book describes the military culture of the time and describes the young man's reaction to living on his nerves and the constant loss of his flying pals. The book still manages to convey the unbounded excitement the author had for flying the old bi-planes. For anyone who has a similar interest in this period of early aviation or WW1 history I would have no hesitation in recommending this book to them.

Cecil Lewis's SAGITTARIUS RISING probably does deserve its classic status. It is, after al, a memoir of the role of aviation in the First World War. Aviators at that time were true pioneers, and most of them were brave - or foolish - daredevils to boot, tempting fate every time they took to the sky in their fragile machines. I read the book mainly because this new edition from Penguin Classics (2014) features an introduction by one of my favorite authors, Samuel Hynes. Hynes's FLIGHTS OF PASSAGE is perhaps one of the best WWII memoirs about flying. And, more recently, Hynes wrote an excellent and very personal sort of history of WWI aviators, THE UNSUBSTANTIAL AIR. I loved both of those books. Unfortunately, although I loved the Introduction, the Lewis book fell a bit flat for me as a memoir. The style seemed overly ornate and the language dated - to be expected, I suppose, but Lewis's many stories and anecdotes of the flying exploits by him and his fellow pilots too quickly became redundant, to the point that I began skimming long portions of the narrative. Yes, he talks of his training, mates lost in fiery crashes, stupid mistakes made by himself and others, of his growing sense of mortality, and, sometimes, burnout and dread which got him posted temporarily back to England from France. He describes his many sorties over the long days of the Somme, near misses and mechanical failures, getting lost and forced landings - all those things are in there. He also gives a glimpse into his post-war days as a civilian pilot instructor in China - mostly a fruitless enterprise. Lewis wrote his book twenty years after the war, when he was not yet forty, but felt like his life was half over. (In fact he lived to be 99.) He makes a number of comments about war that are still true in these days of global war and terrorist strikes everywhere, and the accompanying political rants so ubiquitous in today's news. "People who cannot learn from their mistakes are damned ... What have we learned from ours? We are, collectively, the most evil and destructive of human creatures. We back up our greeds and jealousies with religion and patriotism ... No one knows where to put their faith, so they believe nothing. Moral and social standards are confused ... The fear of feeling the ground slipping from under their feet drives whole nations back into mediaeval despotism ... But emulating the ostrich, though it may bring relief for a space, does not solve the problem. It leads straight back to self-immolation on the altar of outworn patriotism, that is, to barbarism ..." Lewis made these observations in 1936. Hmm ... Not much has changed in eighty years, has it? He contemplated higher things too, remembering "the cynical wartime prayer: 'O God - if there is a God, save my soul - if I have a soul.'" But Lewis believed he had a soul - "a drop of the Life Force" - although he wasn't sure about heaven and displayed a dark sense of humor. "If, in heaven, my grosser qualities were to be purged away, leaving me all 'good,' so much the worse. The devil was the pepper in my curry; remove it, and how flat the dish would taste." And, speaking of his 'grosser qualities,' Lewis is disappointingly circumspect about his 'jolly good times' when he was on home leave, although there are intimations of a girl friend or two. Perhaps it's his 'gentlemen don't tell tales' training. Nevertheless, there is not very much of his personal life here, aside from some time spent with this philosopher father, who enlisted in the army, refusing to take a commission. Bottom line: SAGITTARIUS RISING is a worthy, if not terribly interesting book. I would recommend it to readers interested in the history of aviation and warfare. (But I still think that the Hynes books are much better.) - Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER

This is a wonderful book on the joys and tribulations of flying!! The author does a superb job of capturing the thought process of a pilot as they tackle the different realms of flight. As a pilot I have to laugh at some of the passages as they mimic some of the thoughts that I have had while flying. I'm not a huge WW1 fan, but with all of the great praise thrust upon this book I ventured forth and purchase it. I wasn't disappointed at all and I've already read through half of it while reading another outstanding aviation book. This book belongs in the library of anyone who wants to collect all the great aviation writers.

Cecil can write. Remarkably Cecil has skills that most 'authors' can only dream of having. A very pleasant change. I picked up this book because I had read elsewhere that Cecil Lewis had flown in combat the entire length and breadth of the First World War. Remarkable. When the average life of a pilot was measured in days or weeks this man flew throughout the war. Written in the language, (with the associated spelling), of the day I found it both enjoyable and educational. Well worth your time. Clean your Google's, put on your leather flying helmet, get cozy in your wingback overstuffed chair and prepare to enter, if just for a few hours, a world our father's father's knew dangerously .......

Very interesting insight into the life of a young British flier at the beginning of the 20th century and aviation.

An extraordinary memoir. Cecil Lewis was a gifted writer, an excellent raconteur, and, he survived air-to-air combat in the skies over the Western Front in the First World War. This book isn't really a memoir, it is more a collection of stories, and adventures, the life and times of a young pilot officer in the Royal Flying Corps in WWI. He couples a fascinating eye for detail with a true gift for the English language as a written form. His prose is magical, almost mystical in his ability to transport the reader back to a place and time is unparalleled. If you read no other memoir of flying in WWI, read this one.

There aren't many good accounts of what it was really like to take to the skies in a wobbly early aircraft and be shot at by all and sundry, but this is the best I have read. Cecil Lewis is a good writer and describes his experiences and the evolution of flight during the war beautifully. He was one of the lucky few that lasted the whole war, not just a few weeks! The film Aces High is based on some of the incidents in this book, if you have seen the film before reading it you will recognise them.

I am amazed that this book is not better known. It is an extremely well-written account of a young pilot at war. It should be required reading for anyone interested in the RFC in WWI.

Ótimo livro. Valeu muito a compra do mesmo. Ja tinha lido mas valeu a pena ler novamente. Um classico da primeira gierra.

Very interesting read.

I started this book because a recommendation on a flying enthusiasts forum. But the beautiful, flowery prose of yesteryear drew me in and kept me riveted until the very last sigh. This book is not just for those with an interest in flying machines, but for those with an appreciation for the language of the early 20th century, history and a well-put thought.