Norman Brosterman

Norman Brosterman is an award-winning author, editor, and historian. He is best known for his groundbreaking books on pre-World War II aviation, including the award-winning Out of the Blue: The Story of America’s Top Secret Independent Air Force. His vast body of work spans decades, from journalistic history to fiction.

Norman was born in Hollywood, California, in 1940. His father, Joseph Brosterman, was a magazine publisher and his mother, Gloria, was a housewife. Norman grew up in the Los Angeles area and attended Beverly Hills High School, where he was an All-League football player. He went on to study at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned his undergraduate degree in classics.

After graduating from Berkeley, Norman worked as a journalist for the San Francisco Chronicle and the Los Angeles Times, covering a wide range of topics. In 1977, he published his first full-length book, Making It Big in Aviation. The book chronicles the story of several prominent American airlines such as American Airlines, United Airlines, and Eastern Airlines.

In 1984, Norman published Out of the Blue, which examines the history of the US military before and during World War II and the covert history of the US Air Force’s Independent Air Force. The book won the Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt Prize for Aviation History.

For his next major work, Norman wrote the book Inventing Flight: Envisioning the Impossible and Designing the Unthinkable (2010). The book looks at the history of aviation, from the Wright Brothers to the advent of rocket-powered space travel. It also explores the technical and scientific challenges of flight and the history of innovation in the field.

Norman has also written two works of fiction. His first novel, Prisoners of Guadalcanal, was published in 2000 and tells the story of an American Marine’s experience on the island during the Pacific war of World War II. His second novel, The Blue Max, which was published in 2018, is set in World War I and is the story of a pilot’s quest for the prestigious award for distinguished service in combat.

In addition to his writing, Norman serves as a board member for the National Air and Space Museum, and has been an editor for the Smithsonian Institution since 1990. He has also lectured and served as an expert witness in aviation-related cases.

Norman’s writing combines his deep knowledge of aviation history with stories of personal heroism and tragedy. His work is frequently lauded as providing a richly detailed and unique look into the history of aviation, and his passion for aviation has inspired generations of readers.