Interstate 70, April 1969 After being in the Air Force Academy for only a year, Sam
Roberts has resigned. His father isfurious. His mother is understanding, but
unsupportive. As for his mind, well . . . Sam doesn't really know what to think
anymore. All he knows is that he doesn't believe in the US's involvement in the
Vietnam War and can't be part of the situation any longer. So he stands on the
I-70 interstate, having just separated from his girlfriend, and starts his hitchhiking
journey from Colorado all the way to St. Louis, Missouri.
Along his way he'll meet people from all walks of life: four
Hispanic youth driving to a quincea鎑ra, retired WWII vets who have differing
opinions on Sam's views, a hippie who just got out of serving in the war
himself, and a gay couple from California. Each brings their own perspective to
the Vietnam War and American ideals. And for Sam, the shared rides turn into a
sharing of ideas, of one's past and stories, that help him go from driving along
the interstate to flying the course he has always meant to be on.
Taken from the author's personal experience, Flightless
Falcon's historical fiction novel presents the varying nuances of American
attitudes during the 1960s through one young man's interaction between people,
their pasts, and their perceptions on service, life, and love.
