Fly Girls

June 1, 2018
In the decades between the world wars, women took to the skies as daring, record-breaking fliers.Drawing on abundant sources, including letters, published and unpublished memoirs, newspaper reports, and archival material from more than a dozen museums and historical collections, O'Brien (Outside Short: Big Dreams, Hard Times, and One County's Quest for Basketball Greatness, 2013) has fashioned a brisk, spirited history of early aviation focused on 5 irrepressible women. Amelia Earhart was the most famous among them, but the others were no less passionate and courageous: Louise McPhetridge Thaden, tall, stately, and, even as a child, "a follower of boyish pursuits," according to her mother; Ruth Nichols, who chafed at a future as the socialite daughter of wealthy parents; Ruth Elder, determined to be the first woman to fly across the Atlantic; and Florence Klingensmith, who trained as a mechanic so she could learn planes inside and out but whose first aviation job was as a stunt girl, standing on a wing in her bathing suit. In 1928, when women managed to get jobs in other male dominated fields, fewer than 12 had a pilot's license, and those ambitious for prizes and recognition faced entrenched sexism from the men who ran air races, backed fliers, and financed the purchase of planes. They decided to organize: "For our own protection," one of them said, "we must learn to think for ourselves, and do as much work as possible on our planes." Although sometimes rivals in the air, they forged strong friendships and offered one another unabated encouragement. O'Brien vividly recounts the dangers of early flight: In shockingly rickety planes, pilots sat in open cockpits, often blinded by ice pellets or engine smoke; instruments were unreliable, if they worked at all; sudden changes in weather could be life threatening. Fliers regularly emerged from their planes covered in dust and grease. Crashes were common, with planes bursting into flames; but risking injury and even death failed to dampen the women's passion to fly. A vivid, suspenseful story of women determined to defy gravity--and men--to fulfill their lofty dreams.

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June 4, 2018
Journalist O’Brien (Outside Shot) tells the exciting story of aviators who, though they did not break the aviation industry’s glass ceiling, put a large crack in it. He focuses mostly on five important fliers: Louise Thaden, a studious pilot, mother, and wife; Ruth Nichols, who was brave and willing to do anything to be the best; Amelia Earhart, the smartest of the bunch, with average flying ability, but the weight of powerful money behind her; Ruth Elder, gorgeous and bright, who went on to star in films; and Florence Klingensmith, a high school dropout and a naturally talented pilot and mechanic who could challenge the men head-to-head in speed racing. They fought against rudimentary technology, severe weather, and undermining men to accomplish their goals. Primary among their many antagonists in this account is Cliff Henderson, millionaire promoter and organizer of the national air races, who first manipulates women to promote his sport and then has them banned from competing in it. The women’s victorious fight against his ban opens the door to even greater success and recognition as equals to men in the air. This fast-paced, meticulously researched history will appeal to a wide audience both as an entertaining tale of bravery and as an insightful look at early aviation. Agent: Richard Abate, 3 Arts Entertainment.

June 15, 2018

O'Brien, a finalist for the PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing, profiles five women who joined in the national air races of the 1920s and 1930 despite resistance: high school dropout Florence Klingensmith, Alabama divorcee Ruth Elder, frustrated upper-cruster Ruth Nichols, mother-of-two Louise Thaden, and Amelia Earhart. With a 50,000-copy first printing.

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from June 15, 2018

Journalist and author O'Brien's (Catching the Sky) latest offering takes on airplane racing in the 1920s and 1930s. Specifically, the author looks at women "fly girls" racing open cockpit airplanes. He describes these fly girls as "wives and mothers, divorcees and heiresses, teachers and bankers, daredevils and starlets." From this intriguing mix, he profiles five individuals who broke barriers to participate in the Bendix Trophy race: Ruth Elder, Amelia Earhart, Ruth Nichols, Louise McPhetridge Thaden, and Florence Klingensmith. Of these women, only Thaden won the race, in 1936, flying from New York to Los Angeles. O'Brien details in crisp and engaging writing how his subjects came to love aviation, along with their struggles and victories with flying, the rampant sexism they experienced, and the hard choices they faced regarding work and family. Some of their stories ended abruptly with tragedy, while others detailed a long life. VERDICT Highly recommended for readers with an interest in aviation history, women's history, cultural history, and 20th-century history.--Crystal Goldman, Univ. of California, San Diego Lib.Movers and shakers in the margins; page-turning poems; the women who made aviation history

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2018
Air races captivated the nation during the golden age of aviation in the 1920s and 1930s, and few participants drew more attention than the female pilots who challenged the male-dominated field. O'Brien focuses on five of those women: Ruth Elder, Ruth Nichols, Louise Thaden, Florence Klingensmith, and, of course, Amelia Earhart. In profiling these aviatrixes he explores their flying careers from the beginning, showing how varied their backgrounds and personal circumstance were and what attracted each of them to the sport of air racing. Drawing heavily from contemporaneous news reports, the author documents their achievements and setbacks as well as their sometimes complicated romantic relationships. The narrative flows easily from one subject to the next as O'Brien shifts between them, showing their competitive spirit and camaraderie even in the face of the trying circumstances of the first Women's Air Derby in 1929. Although Earhart's story has been recounted numerous times, the addition of the other female pilots makes for a more thorough and enjoyable read that should appeal to readers interested in history, aviation, and women's achievements.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)