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 lacking in 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 aviators 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.
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‘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.’
" - Irish Sunday Independent
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Praise for The Barbed-Wire University:
‘A valuable, fascinating, and moving book … this is a riveting collection of stories about incredible resourcefulness.’
" - The Guardian
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Praise for Amy Johnson:
‘This diligent, vivid, and stirring biography … an exceptionally thorough biography, but one that wears its research lightly, never allowing it to choke up the narrative. Her book is perceptive without being over-analytical; colourful without being over-egged and full of admiration for its subject without ever toppling into over-empathy. I was gripped, exhilarated, and moved by it.’
" - The Sunday Telegraph
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Praise for Piccadilly:
‘A magpie’s nest of a book, replete with anecdotes, sketches, and quotes … Piccadilly is painstakingly researched and as busy as the Circus itself.’
" - TLS
