This is the astounding story of the six female aviators who battled to become the first woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean by plane. In the early 20th century, the dream of crossing the Atlantic by air was as potent as putting a man on the moon would be 50 years later. But many people believed women too fragile and lacked the skills to endure the gruelling conditions of flying long distances. In Atlantic Furies, Midge Gillies uncovers the stories of Elsie Mackay, Lady Anne Savile, Frances Grayson, Ruth Elder, Amelia Earhart, and Mabel Boll. These courageous, rule-breaking women risked everything to prove that women could fly the Atlantic. Some had lied to their families in order not to be stopped, others duped the press about their intentions and, ultimately, three lost their lives, but each pushed the boundaries of the possible. Atlantic Furies celebrates the bravery, panache, and drive of these trail-blazing aviators, who showed the world that it wasn't just men who could conquer the skies. 'Atlantic Furies is both a fascinating history of early aviation from an untold perspective and a celebration of courage, panache and defiance, of women who quite literally flew over our heads.' -Fiona Sherlock, Irish Sunday Independent 'The astounding stories of the first women aviators, who took to the skies in the 1920s - all of them intrepid, determined, and remarkably stylish.' -Sue Roe, author of Hidden Portraits 'Atlantic Furies is a joy for anyone who's ever gazed down from the window seat of a trans-Atlantic flight and wondered about the intrepid women and men who braved these long, lonely miles in the earliest days of flight. I loved these fascinating stories of aviation pioneers, and can't recommend them highly enough to every frequent flier and armchair traveller.' -Mark Vanhoenacker, Boeing 787 pilot and author of the bestseller Skyfaring and Imagine a City
True stories: general, Biography - Literature and Literary studies, History and Archaeology, Transport: general interest
Paperback
Midge Gillies
416 pages
H: 233mm W: 155mm Spine: 32mm
Weight: 535 grams