One Foot on the Ground by Paul Roxin

cover of One Foot on the Ground by Paul Roxin

A gift from a fell fan of aviation in the upstate New York area, this collection of short stories has been a delight tot read. What Paul Roxin has done in collecting and recording a menagerie of aviation stories from around the upstate New York area is something I wish many more people would do for their local areas or even just their family members. This book reads like you’re sitting down with your kindly grandfather, hearing him tell you stories from the days of his youth. Now 95 years old, Roxin has been fascinated with aviation since he saw a biplane zoom over his school as a 7-year-old. The stories he’s collected and researched for this book range from hilarious to amazing to heartwarming, from the early days of the barnstormer to heroic tales of WWII and the young commercial airline industry. Roxin’s love of aviation, history, and people shines right through. There is a generous amount of old photographs to accompany the stories and bring the people and planes to life. You certainly do not need to be a resident of New York to appreciate the rich history recorded in these pages!

Roxin is donating $1 from each book sold to the Honor Flight Network, which transports veterans to visit and reflect at their memorials in Washington, D.C.

One of several books I’ve reviewed on Goodreads.