Night Over Water
Encyclopedia
Night Over Water is a politically-minded novel written by author
Ken Follett
and published by William Morrow
in 1991. It was reprinted as a paperback book in the U.S.
in 1992.
Night Over Water is a fictionalized account of the final flight of the Pan American
Clipper passenger airplane during the first few days of World War II
, early September, 1939. Follett is careful to state that, though the flight and all of the characters are fictional the plane, a Boeing 314
, was real and was nicknamed the "Pan Am Clipper." It was a seaplane, an aircraft that landed in the sea, not on an airstrip, powered by 4 propeller engines. It was capable of crossing
the Atlantic Ocean
in little more than 24 hours with intermediate stops in Shannon Estuary at Foynes, Ireland
, Bay of Exploits at Botwood, Newfoundland
and Shediac Bay, Canada
, at each of which stop Follett adds a scene or two of intrigue. This route made the Pan Am Clipper the fastest mode of transatlantic travel at the time — and very appealing to those who wanted to escape from Britain
before the start of the war.
The tale begins with several separated threads, telling the individual stories of the people who later all end up in this last flight to New York. Though Follett manages to bundle all these together, the events the characters share while travelling with the clipper are still told through the perspectives introduced before. Each of these main characters is heading for his own interests in the beginning but soon they melt together.
The theme is the importance of recognizing the threat of totalitarianism
and also a feminist message of women standing up for themselves.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
Ken Follett
Ken Follett
Ken Follett is a Welsh author of thrillers and historical novels. He has sold more than 100 million copies of his works. Four of his books have reached the number 1 ranking on the New York Times best-seller list: The Key to Rebecca, Lie Down with Lions, Triple, and World Without End.-Early...
and published by William Morrow
William Morrow and Company
William Morrow and Company is an American publishing company founded by William Morrow in 1926. The company was acquired by Scott Foresman in 1967, and sold to Hearst Corporation in 1981. It was sold along to the News Corporation in 1999...
in 1991. It was reprinted as a paperback book in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1992.
Night Over Water is a fictionalized account of the final flight of the Pan American
Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
Clipper passenger airplane during the first few days of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, early September, 1939. Follett is careful to state that, though the flight and all of the characters are fictional the plane, a Boeing 314
Boeing 314
The Boeing 314 Clipper was a long-range flying boat produced by the Boeing Airplane Company between 1938 and 1941 and is comparable to the British Short S.26. One of the largest aircraft of the time, it used the massive wing of Boeing’s earlier XB-15 bomber prototype to achieve the range necessary...
, was real and was nicknamed the "Pan Am Clipper." It was a seaplane, an aircraft that landed in the sea, not on an airstrip, powered by 4 propeller engines. It was capable of crossing
Transatlantic flight
Transatlantic flight is the flight of an aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean. A transatlantic flight may proceed east-to-west, originating in Europe or Africa and terminating in North America or South America, or it may go in the reverse direction, west-to-east...
the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
in little more than 24 hours with intermediate stops in Shannon Estuary at Foynes, Ireland
Foynes
Foynes is a village and major port in County Limerick in the midwest of Ireland, located at the edge of hilly land on the southern bank of the Shannon Estuary. The population of the town was 606 as of the 2006 census.-Foynes's role in aviation:...
, Bay of Exploits at Botwood, Newfoundland
Botwood, Newfoundland and Labrador
Northwest: Point LeamingtonNorth: Northern ArmNortheast: Bay of Exploits, Burnt Arm, LaurencetonWest: Division No. 6, Subd. CBotwoodEast: Bay of Exploits, Division No. 6, Subd. A...
and Shediac Bay, Canada
Shediac, New Brunswick
Shediac is a Canadian town in Westmorland County, New Brunswick.Situated on Shediac Bay, a sub-basin of the Northumberland Strait, the town calls itself the "Lobster Capital of the World" and hosts an annual festival every July which promotes its ties to lobster fishing; the largest lobster...
, at each of which stop Follett adds a scene or two of intrigue. This route made the Pan Am Clipper the fastest mode of transatlantic travel at the time — and very appealing to those who wanted to escape from Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
before the start of the war.
The tale begins with several separated threads, telling the individual stories of the people who later all end up in this last flight to New York. Though Follett manages to bundle all these together, the events the characters share while travelling with the clipper are still told through the perspectives introduced before. Each of these main characters is heading for his own interests in the beginning but soon they melt together.
The theme is the importance of recognizing the threat of totalitarianism
Totalitarianism
Totalitarianism is a political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible...
and also a feminist message of women standing up for themselves.
List of Characters
- Tom Luther - enigmatic passenger with a mystery mission to kidnap a fleeing passenger
- Eddie Deakin - flight engineerFlight engineerFlight engineers work in three types of aircraft: fixed-wing , rotary wing , and space flight .As airplanes became even larger requiring more engines and complex systems to operate, the workload on the two pilots became excessive during certain critical parts of the flight regime, notably takeoffs...
being blackmailed by the kidnapping of his wife into helping Tom Luther - Carl Hartmann - German Jewish physicist fleeing Nazis
- Clive Membury - Secret Scotland Yard agent, assigned to protect Carl Hartmann
- Baron Gabon - French Jewish aristocrat helping Carl Hartmann flee
- The Oxenfords (Lord, Lady, Elizabeth, Percy, Margaret) - wealthy English family. Lord Oxenford is a Nazi sympathizer who will be arrested if he remains in England another week. Margaret is his 19 year old rebellious daughter. Lady Oxenford is traveling with the priceless Delhi Suite jewels.
- Harry Marks - charming young lower class English jewel thief jumping bail to America
- Diana Lovesey - beautiful 34 year old Englishwoman running away from an unhappy marriage
- Mark Alder - 39 year old American radio scriptwriter running away with Diana Lovesey, friend of Lulu Bell
- Mervyn Lovesey - Diana's 38 year old handsome but controlling British industrialist husband who wants his wife back
- Nancy Lenehan - tough-minded 40 year old American businesswoman rushing home to save her shoe factory from being sold off by her sneaky younger brother
- Peter Black - 38 year old brother of Nancy Lenehan, racing to a board meeting to vote his sister out
- Nat Ridgeway - Nancy's mentor in business and former beau
- Captain Marvin Baker - Clipper pilot
- First Officer Johnny Dott - Clipper co-pilot
- Mickey Finn - Eddie Deakin's deputy flight engineer
- Lulu Bell - famous American actress
- Princess Lavinia - Russian princess escaping to America
- Steve Appleby - Eddie Deakin's old Navy buddy
- Vincini, Joe and Kid - thugs who kidnapped Eddie's wife
- Ollis Field - F.B.I. agent escorting the extradited Frank Gordon to America
- Frank Gordon A.K.A Frankie Gordino - handsome American mobster, wanted in the US for rape, murder and arson