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| Author | Ernest Kellogg Gann |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | William Sloane Associates |
Publication date | 1953 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover, Paperback) |
| Pages | 342 |
| ISBN | 0-688-01786-X |
The High and the Mighty is a 1953 novel by Ernest K. Gann about an airline flight from Honolulu to San Francisco. Just past the halfway point, or the point of no return, the flight has a catastrophic engine failure puncturing the wing and fuel tanks. As the flight crew struggles to get the damaged airliner to safety, human drama unfolds for both the crew and passengers.
The High and the Mighty spent 57 weeks on the The New York Times Best Seller list, from May 1953 to June 1954, peaking out at number three.[1][2] The success of the novel led to the creation of a 1954 film directed by William A. Wellman and starring John Wayne and Robert Stack.[3] The novel/film is considered the original "airline disaster" story, sparking a new genre of film with the likes of the Airport movie series and the spoof comedy Airplane! series.[4] The novel won the silver medal at the Commonwealth Club of California's 23rd Annual California Book Awards for 1953 fiction.[5]
- ^ "Adult New York TimesBest Seller List 1953". Hawes Publications. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "Adult New York Times Best Seller List 1954". Hawes Publications. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- ^ "The High and the Mighty". IMDb. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ Levy, Emanuel. "The High and the Mighty, Revisiting John Wayne Blockbuster". Emanuel Levy, Cinema 24/7. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "Past winners". Commonwealth Club. Retrieved 8 December 2020.