A New York Times Bestseller * An Amazon Best Book of the Year * A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice * A Time Best Book for Summer Between the world wars, no sport was more popular, or more dangerous, than airplane racing. While male pilots were lauded as heroes, the few women who dared to fly were more often ridiculed–until a cadre of women pilots banded together to break through the … banded together to break through the entrenched prejudice.
Fly Girls weaves together the stories of five remarkable women: Florence Klingensmith, a high school dropout from Fargo, North Dakota; Ruth Elder, an Alabama divorcée; Amelia Earhart, the most famous, but not necessarily the most skilled; Ruth Nichols, who chafed at her blue blood family’s expectations; and Louise Thaden, the young mother of two who got her start selling coal in Wichita. Together, they fought for the chance to fly and race airplanes–and in 1936, one of them would triumph, beating the men in the toughest air race of them all.
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At the dawn of aviation, when every flight was a test of courage, a remarkable band of female pilots proved that a woman’s place is in the sky – or anywhere else she wants to be. This book is a soaring tribute to forgotten American heroes, filled with white-knuckle thrills and gut-wrenching emotion. It’ll take your breath away.
This is more than history; it is a powerful story for our times. This book has it all: adventure, tragedy, and heroes who overcame cruel prejudice to rule the air. Fly Girls reads like a heart-stopping novel, but this story is all true–and thoroughly inspiring.
America’s past is full of remarkable women who have been unjustly forgotten. Fly Girls gives its heroines their due at last. It is a thrilling and important story, superbly told.
If you liked The Boys in the Boat or Unbroken, you’ll love Fly Girls. This story — carefully researched and expertly written — offers an irresistible cast of characters and high-octane drama. Buckle up; you’re in for a hell of a ride.
Flying was very dangerous in the 1920s and 30s. It was risky yet thrilling to fly in races across the U.S. (with stopovers for refueling). However, it was truly remarkable to fly non-stop across bodies of water and live to tell about it. Fly Girls shares the lives and times of the Ninety-Nines — brave women aviators.
Newspapers loved them, of course: lady fliers! But men didn’t want them in their races. Other forces conspired against them too. Storms loomed. Planes crashed and burned. But no challenge could stop the remarkable community of female pilots at the core of Fly Girls. During the golden age of flight, they fought for the chance to race — and won. This is a thrilling story of courage, competition, skill, and triumph.
WHY WAS Bessie Coleman not included???? So let’s change the blurb to the best white woman pilots.
Fly Girls is a fantastic story of the early days of aviation and many of the women who played important parts in that history.
In telling the story of early women pilots, the author really made me care about them. I became quite engrossed in the challenges, triumphs and disasters of their lives.
Great historical information on forgotten heroes.
While I found the history in the book remarkable, it was all a bit tedious and repetitive. Get funding, find plane, buy plane, fix some problem with plane, crash, many deaths, much prejudice against women pilots, the end. Perhaps the scope of the book was just too wide.
Who knew about the first women aviators/record breakers. The book was informative about all the trails and trubulations of these women. I recomend particularlly for women readers
While I am inspired by the amazing women, both in this book and those not mentioned, who persevered and faced the challenge of aviation, the book itself was not very entertaining. There were lots of details shared, but I also felt like the author did not do a great job at presenting the stories of the “fly girls” as they should be shared.
Basically the writing style is what turned me off with this book. There were some interesting facts presented, but it just couldn’t hold my attention.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Every now and then its nice to read a biography that has all the thrills of fiction. These are 5 very different, but very cool ladies that the history books largely ignore. It thrills my history major heart to have more female heroines to look up to and learn about! If you are looking for another Hidden Figuresesque read, this is a great one!
Fascinating information about women breaking into aviation, at a high price – the death of many of them. The author honestly reflects the mores of the time and the feeling that women were physically, mentally, and emotionally incapable of flying. He made the women come alive. I really enjoyed this book.
Really enjoyed this book. Informative true story.
This book provided a great look into the early days of female aviators. Their efforts both successful and unsuccessful were written in such a way that l felt like I was there with them.
Fascinating look at the strong women who took to the air against great opposition.
Some triumphed and some did not, but they took great risks and showed uncommon passion for something they loved.
This is a story that needs to be told. These women are inspiring folks and you will be amazed by what they did.
Historically relevant