Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters

In this inspirational autobiography, Captain "Sully" Sullenberger tells his life story and talks about the essential qualities that he believes have been so vital to his success.

In January 2009, the world witnessed one of the most remarkable emergency landings in history when Captain Sullenberger brought a crippled US Airways flight onto the Hudson River, saving the lives of all of the passengers and crew aboard. The successful outcome was the result of effective teamwork, Sully's dedication to airline safety, his belief that a pilot's judgment must go hand in hand with technology, and forty years of careful training.

Sully describes the experiences that have helped make him a better leader, particularly the importance of taking responsibility for everyone in his care. And he talks about what he believes is at the heart of America's "can do" spirit: the very human drive to prepare for the unexpected and to meet it with optimism and courage. Highest Duty reminds us that cultivating seemingly ordinary virtues can prepare us to perform extraordinary acts.

Publishers Weekly

Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger became a hero after landing a distressed U.S. Air plane on the surface of the Hudson River in New York City. His fascinating and deservedly praised memoir reflects on his childhood love for planes and an outstanding 42-year career as a pilot—as well as how he and his family coped with the onslaught of sudden celebrity. McConnohie does his level best to fill Sully's shoes and delivers a solid performance, but the real highlights are the portions of the text read by Sully himself, sounding as cool, calm, and collected as he was on that day in January 2009. An enhanced CD with the voice recorder transcript of the crash completes the package. A Morrow hardcover (Reviews, Aug. 19). (Oct.)