Francesco de Pinedo - Il mio volo attraverso l'atlantico e le due Americhe - 1928

"My Flight Across the Atlantic and the Two Americas" represents a fundamental cornerstone of pioneering 20th-century aeronautical literature. Written by Francesco De Pinedo on the eve of his extraordinary double transatlantic crossing in 1927, the book combines the spirit of adventure with the precision of technical memory.
1. The narrative and journalistic style
Although De Pinedo was a military man and a pilot, his qualities as a writer and observer stand out surprisingly well.
The text enjoys a brisk, flowing rhythm: the author reorganizes his travel notes by merging the narration of extreme atmospheric conditions and logistical challenges with vivid anecdotes about encounters with local authorities and with Italian immigrant communities in the Americas.
2.

The Proem of Gabriele D'Annunzio
The volume opens with a famous introduction signed by Gabriele D'Annunzio. The "Vate", fascinated by the myth of flight and the concept of heroic modernity, enriches the work with his unmistakable lyrical and epic style, elevating De Pinedo's scientific-military undertaking to an artistic and almost mythological level.
What makes this 1928 edition a true collectible is the visual support:
- The 40 sketches drawn by the author himself offer an intimate and personal view of the journey's planning.
- The 190 photographs, plates, document exotic landscapes, the seaplane Santa Maria, and the key moments of the expedition. The final appendix contains detailed technical sheets on the engines and the aircraft's structure, transforming the work into an indispensable historical document for aviation engineering enthusiasts.