Sisters of the Wind: Voices of Early Women Aviators by Elizabeth S. Bell discusses 15 women who were involved in aviation in the 1920s and 1930s, and who wrote about their experiences. These women were primarily European (particularly British) although three American women are covered -- including two of the most famous, Amelia Earhart and Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Some of the early women in the 1920s were passengers rather than pilots. Several teams of women working together as pilots and technical (plane maintenance) people are included. Ms. Bell evaluates how being a woman impacted each woman; many of them faced discrimination by the male pilots. Sometimes, they were patronized. For example in the 1936 Benedix Race which was open to women for the first time, "the founder of the race offered a $2500 award 'for the female pilot who finishes first regardless of her position in the race itself'" -- only to have Louise Thaden win the whole race (p. 171).

Highly recommended ( )