Phil Latz

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rosco
2009-06-05

With My Angel puts a lot in perspective.

Enjoyed your book immensly and I identify with much of it. [being raised in Adelaide after WWII]. I found it hard to put the book down, but had to sleep sometime. Your conclusions on religion and the flow through to most other aspects of life I agree with. I recently came to a similar view following an ABC [another B.. cathedral] tour of the Danube, Ireland and USA. Religion and sex have a lot to answer for. But flying is fun.

Thanks to Norm S for the loan of the book.

Alan

phil
2009-01-21

Phyl wrote in to say

I enjoyed the description of your childhood in the outback, it brought back memories of my childhood. Your book gave me some uniquely honest insight into your thought processes. You have certainly lived your life on the edge and to the full.

wjk_mka@powerup.com.au
2009-01-02

Heli Services Days

Phil,

I had a dream - really ! - Must be getting old (68) had dreams about the old Heli Services Singapore days last night and your name stuck in mind this morning. So looked up the name on Google and presto up came your site. Needless to say - I just ordered the book and very much look forward to the read.

Iwjk-mka@powerup.com.au

Best regards

Mike Knight

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Sue000
2008-12-22

Flying with my angel

Dear Phil

I thoroughly enjoyed your book - I found it hard to put down, always wanting to finish one chapter and go onto the next.

I was particularly amazed at the honest account of your life experiences. I'm sure these experiences were hard for you to write about at various times.

Congratulations and well done!

Regards

Sue G

phil
2008-07-23

Recent Reviews

Reliving my past, July 11, 2008

By	Pat Clark (Yakima, Wa United States) -

Flying With My Angel has been a joy to read because I worked with Phil in PNG and SE Asia. The sights, sounds, smells and chaos that came with working in these countries are well written by Phil. The pilots mentioned in the book are people that I have spent years with enjoying the joys of bush helicopter flying and having that special bonding that happens when you share life or death situations. This is a story that will never happen again because it was all new at the time. Anyone that would like to experience what it was like to be a pioneer in helicopter aviation will enjoy this book

Coming of age over a lifetime, July 6, 2008

By	Michael Rabiger - Chicago

This is a remarkably candid self portrait that begins in a bubble of leftover 19th century Australian outback. Latz has an unerring, inexhaustible drive to remake himself and a never-ending appetite for nurturing machinery. There's lots of drinking, lots of enticing girls, and lots of aircraft problems that summon his ingenious solutions. By testing himself at extremes, he passes through many incarnations, each time jettisoning the identity that others would like him to occupy. By far the hardest abandonment is leaving the religion of his parents, and all the visceral restrictions that go with it.

Graduating from cars to planes to helicopters, then to bigger and bigger helicopters, he redefines himself as if rising up a ladder a rung at a time. It's some sort of 20th century hunting and gathering whose principle he must have acquired from the aboriginal people he grew up with. Its momentum, however, leaves no time for contemplation and family life. The reckoning for all this comes when his wife leaves him.

The writing is spare and functional, like the life it describes. My wife and I both had the same reaction: we literally couldn't put it down. The flow of the book is addictive, and its honesty remarkable. The subtext is dancing with death, and escaping over and over again--with the uncanny implication that Latz has not escaped religion at all. He's simply redefined it through living. One cannot evade a spiritual dimension no matter how rationally and scientifically one lives. Some force which he calls an angel has cared for him, and now it's time to look around. There are rules to the universe and Latz, unknown to himself, finds that he plays by them--and the universe responds in kind.

phil
2008-03-07

Unsolicited written comments held by the author

Dear Phil,

I would like to personally congratulate you for writing a very honest, and down to earth, story of your amazing life.

Heather W. Melbourne.

To Phil - Just thought I would tell you that i think you have written a great book, it has inspired me to continue my goal of getting my licence.

Regards,

Sam, Brisbane.

Phil

I started reading your book last night and couldn't put it down. I think we need another copy, its so interesting, and of course I need it signed by the author before he becomes too famous.

Congratulations.

Beth, Manager, Harvey world Travel, NSW

Iv'e read the first chapter already and it was fascinating.

Heather, Adelaide.

phil
2008-03-07

unsolicited written comments held by the author

Congratulations Phil, I sat up most of the night reading. Well written and produced, it compels the reader to read on.

John G

Adelaide.