Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara

By: Captain Terry Reece

Narrated by: Joshua Bennington

How can one pilot cram so much into a single lifetime? Climb into Captain Terry Reece's cockpit, fasten your seatbelt, and hold on for an exciting journey into the world of aviation.

Born to a family of transplanted North Carolinians who moved to Washington State, a young Reece explored the hills of the Pacific Northwest. Hiking in the mountains and being a fire lookout gave him a taste of adventure, but he craved more - and he got it.

Reece's first flying lesson ended in a cloud of billowing dust, ripped metal, and broken Plexiglas. But that didn't keep him grounded. Over the next few years, he navigated his Lockheed C-130 to steamy nights in Rangoon, risky undercover aircraft deliveries to Libya, icy Arctic expeditions, and desperate flights out of the desert with machine guns pointed at his gut, to landing Boeing jets on short, icy runways on Alaska's Aleutian Chain.

Reece's entertaining biography delves into the fast-paced world of aviation and is filled with compassion, danger, bits of humor, and the follies of youth. It's also the remarkable tale of how Reece and his wife, Nancy, sought to keep his dream of flying alive through the years. From the freezing, isolated North Pole to the heat and heart of Africa, Flying North South East and West takes you to every direction on the compass and leads you to the adventure of a lifetime.

©2007 Terry E Reece (P)2014 Terry E Reece

The story of flight in Alaska

Would you consider the audio edition of Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara to be better than the print version?

I preferred the audio book because it gave the author a down home felling that the printed book did not. The narrator gave the author a deeper personality than just a printed name. Also the way it was read, it seamed more down to earth

What did you like best about this story?

I liked that the author kept trying to get into aviation and finally did. When went on to make it a life's career. Very few of us know what we want and go after it!

Which character – as performed by Joshua Bennington – was your favorite?

I suppose my favorite character was the geologist and the fact that the author kept running in to him.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Boy grows up in the back country to become a world traveler and pilot.

Any additional comments?

The author had an interesting and adventurous life And even more so after becoming a pilot. He writes with humility and the narrator brought that home with a down to earth read..

MEMOIRS OF A PILOT

Would you listen to Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara again? Why?

YES, IT WAS ENJOYABLE THE FIRST TIME AND I AM SURE IT WOULD BE AGAIN IF I HEARD IT A SECOND TIME

What was one of the most memorable moments of Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara?

EVERYTIME THE AUTHOR LANDED ON THE ICE OR A RIVER BED OR ON A "ICE ISLAND"

What about Joshua Bennington’s performance did you like?

THE NARRATOR GIVE THE CHARACTERS A LITTLE MORE LIFE THAN THE WORDS ALONG COULD GIVE

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

FLYING IN ALASKA

Any additional comments?

I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN FLYING

Great stories. need a better narrator though.

Took a bit to get used to the narrator. Almost like each sentence was told in bits and pieces. Hard to explain really. Over all. great story.

AN UP CLOSE & PERSONAL STORY OF ALASKAN BUSH PILOT

Where does Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

FLYING NORTH SOUTH EAST AND WEST RANKS CLOSE TO THE TOP OF AUDIO BOOKS I HAVE HEARD, BUT I HAVE ONLY HEARD A HUNDRED OR SO!!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara?

THEN CAPTAIN REECE TALKS ABOUT HIS EARLY YEARS I FOUND TO BE THE MOST ENTERTAINING

Any additional comments?

THIS BOOK IS HIGHLY COMMANDED TO ANYONE WITH ANY INTEREST IN ALASKA AND/OR AVIATION

AN ALASKAN PILOT

Would you listen to Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara again? Why?

YES, I AM SURE I HAVE MISSED SOMETHING

What was one of the most memorable moments of Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara?

WHEN THE AUTHOR LANDED A PLANE ON AN ICE FLOAT

Have you listened to any of Joshua Bennington’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I HAVE ALSO LISTENED TO "TESTED BY FIRE" AND THIS RECORDING IS MUCH LESS DRAMATIC, MORE OF A STORY TELLER STYLE

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

WHEN THE AUTHOR FIRST LEARNED TO FLY

Any additional comments?

THE BOOK IS A BIT OF ALASKAN HISTORY THAT CAN ONLY BE TOLD BY SOMEONE WHO LIVED IT.

WHAT IS A BUSH PILOT?

Would you consider the audio edition of Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara to be better than the print version?

Joshua Bennington did a great job with this narration. I enjoyed hearing him tell the stories Capt.Reece wrote about.

Any additional comments?

I recommend this book to anyone interested in flying. The stories are entertaining and packed with adventures. It is well written with humor and realism. The narrator Joshua Bennington gives these stories even more life.

A GREAT AVIATION ADVENTURE LIFE

If you could sum up Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara in three words, what would they be?

LIFE OF A BUSH PILOT

What did you like best about this story?

How the author got into flying

What does Joshua Bennington bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Listening to the story and hearing some of the characters voices changed what I thought the characters looked like, and I liked it.in my mind.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Pioneering in Alaska as seen through the eyes of a pilot

Any additional comments?

GREAT BOOK HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!!!!

HISTORY OF AVIATION IN ALASKA

What made the experience of listening to Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara the most enjoyable?

The easy manor of the narration made the cheerful stories come off smoothly. It was like the guy around the dinner table telling you a story..

What was one of the most memorable moments of Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara?

I thought the crazyest thing and the most memorable chapter was the flight out to the ice island.

What about Joshua Bennington’s performance did you like?

I liked the story teller quality of the reading. It was like someone reading to me and for me.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The hard times and the good times of aviation in Alaska as told by a pilot who has been there almost from the beginning.

Any additional comments?

I have already recommended the book to a few of my airplane friends and will continue to do so.

Alaskan Aviation

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I have recommended this book to a friend who is a retired pilot. He also enjoyed both the comedy and the narration

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scenes were when the author was learning to fly and the problems he ran into.

Any additional comments?

Capt. Reece wrote a very entertaining book about his life as a pilot and Joshua Bennington brought that book to life with his narration.

MOUNTAIN BOY LEARNS TO FLY AROUND THE WORLD

If you could sum up Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara in three words, what would they be?

BUSH PILOT EXTRAORDINARY

Who was your favorite character and why?

Terry was of-course. The whole book was about his life. And what a life that was.

What does Joshua Bennington bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He gave the characters a little more life than just a name. Also, I was impressed that anyone out side of Alaska could pronounce some of the native American names and places. But then again I would not know if he pronounced them right or not.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When they brought rice into Chad but could not give it out, sad!!

Any additional comments?

I liked this audio book and have recommended it to everyone I know who flys or who is a want-a-by flyer. I believe they will really identify with the author.