A Man Among Mavericks - Lester Brain: Australia's Greatest Aviator by Cadigan, Neil - 2008

ABC Books, 2008. Softcover (15 x 23 cm), xi, 238 pages. ISBN: 9780733320965. Very Good condition. Covers bumped, scuffed. Rolled, creased at corners. Page edges soiled, most notably at corners. Pages tanning. "Like most of us, author Neil Cadigan had never heard of Lester Brain when he stumbled upon this little-known aviator while lunching with a mate who was friends with Lester Brain's son. Starting with nothing but a long-forgotten transcript of an interview with Brain, Cadigan set off on an astonishing journey, retracing flights across the unpredictable terrain of Australia. He discovered a man whose amazing flying adventures read like a boy's own annual. From prospecting for gold reefs in the Tanami Desert, to rescuing the hapless aviators Anderson and Hitchock, to making the first scheduled flight for Qantas in 1925, Brain was always ready to take up a challenge and combine work with his love of flying. In 1929 he was rated the best aviator in Australia. This inspiring story of adventure, passion and the thrill of following a dream illuminates the life of one of Australia's true quiet achievers."