"I found Flying Through Life to be an incredibly detailed and thoroughly enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone." —online reviewer
In December 2025, World BEYOND War will be holding a weekly discussion each of four weeks of the book Flying Through Life: From Fighter Pilot to Peace Activist with its author Richard Moody.
When you register for the club, we will mail you a signed copy of the book.
We'll let you know which parts of the book will be discussed each week along with the Zoom details to access the discussions.
When:
For one hour on Monday December 8, 15, 22, 29, and 2025, beginning at UTC 19:00, which is 9 a.m. in Honolulu, 11 a.m. in Los Angeles, 1 p.m. in Mexico City, 2 p.m. in New York, 8 p.m. in Yaoundé and Berlin, and 10:30 p.m. in Tehran, and
. . . the next day, Tuesday, at 6 a.m. in Sydney and 8 a.m. in Auckland.
Where: Zoom (details to be shared upon registration).
This is a small group series with limited space of up to approximately 18 people. Sign up to reserve your spot. We look forward to reading and discussing this important book with you!
About the Book:
Towards the end of his career as a fighter pilot with the British Royal Navy, Richard Moody became an ardent Peace Activist and Quaker. This book is the story of his conversion. In today's world of militarization and slaughter, Richard's diametric experiences have made him a uniquely compelling voice in the struggle for peace. Through his story, Richard hopes readers will learn that peace through diplomacy is vital for the survival of societies worldwide.
Praise for the Book:
"The author has written a fascinating and thought-provoking account of a rich and varied life. Starting with a childhood in post-war South Africa, he vividly describes a Naval career beginning with a posting on the Royal Yacht followed by the visceral thrill of flying jet fighters off aircraft carriers, resulting on one occasion with an ejection into the Pacific. A subsequent spell in insurance broking is enlivened with tales of skiing in South America and hiking in the Rockies and the UK. His subsequent decision to become a peace activist is well-argued and he frequently condemns US foreign policy, although the latter might be controversial for some. His eloquent description . . . shows an enquiring and thoughtful mind and provides a fitting and practical contribution to his peace activism. All in all, a thoroughly recommended read." —online reviewer
"I've known Richard for 40 years, so I knew a lot the stories -- Top Gun, South Africa, the Queen's Yacht -- and he's a very good spinner of yarns. What I most appreciated, however, was the chapter (11) on his conversion from a military mindset to peace activism. It was something that happened gradually. The first person mentioned who influenced him was the Rev. Ernest Gordon, the retired dean of Princeton University Chapel who had his own conversion as a Japanese POW. It was described in "Through the Valley of the Kwai." Then there was the Rev. Bob Moore of the Coalition for Peace Action In Princeton, among others who led him to Quakerism and a life-changing commitment to peace and justice." —online reviewer
About the Author:
Richard was born in the town of Fleet in the county of Hampshire in southern England and spent his early childhood in Simon’s Town outside Cape Town in South Africa. After school in South Africa, he was a student at two boarding schools in England before attending Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth - the Royal Navy’s equivalent of the US Naval Academy in Annapolis Maryland. After receiving his commission as a Naval Officer in the Royal Navy and serving in the Fishery Protection Squadron, he was appointed as Ocean Navigator and Meteorologist on the Royal Yacht Britannia for Her Majesty the Queen’s Royal Tours of Fiji, New Zealand and Australia before receiving his Wings with the Royal Navy. He flew as a pilot onboard two Royal Navy aircraft carriers operating in the Far East over a four year period with time also spent operating from shore bases in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Western Australia.
He was then sent to fly with the US Navy during the Vietnam era and was a member of the first staff of the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) in San Diego California. After a final two year aircraft carrier tour with the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean and the Eastern Atlantic, he retired as a Lieutenant Commander RN after 15 years of service and 627 aircraft carrier deck landings of which 144 were at night. He then became an international airline pilot with British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) flying to many countries throughout the world.
Years later, he became an ardent peace activist and joined the Coalition for Peace Action in Princeton, New Jersey. He is now very active in the name of Peace worldwide and works continuously to reduce U.S. militarism and the death and destruction which is being carried out by the United States and other countries around the world.