I got this book from Netgalley so I can read and review it before it’s officially published.
I actually didn’t even know about this book until I got an email from Netgalley promoting it along with the National Geographic logo. I was intrigued as I knew only of Amelia as a pilot and her last voyage.
This book is part biographical as it tells us how Amelia became the Amelia Earhart that the world knows. It also tracks her career path, her engagement to Sam Chapman, her marriage to George Putnam, and her passion for flying (along with her being a student to all of her flying escapades).
At just 7 years old, in 1904, her family spent a week at the World’s Fair in St. Louis. Amelia’s attention, and probably most kids her age, was focused on the rides. One of those was designed by. George Ferris (is that where her love of being airborne came from?).
There is a quick reference to brothers Malcolm and Allan Loughead who in 1916, moved their aircraft manufacturing business from San Francisco to a Santa Barbara garage. Jack Northrup, a mechanic, joined the brothers. The business folded, but in 1926, a new company, Lockheed, was founded. Lockheed was the manufacture of Amelia’s Electra 10-E.
Amelia was not the only pilot back in those days and a lot of other names were mentioned (same of them, unfortunately, died in crashes). William Boeing was one of them. He was already wealthy from his timber holdings and really wanted to get someone to take him up in a plane in 1910, but nobody did. When he finally experienced his first flight, he decided to get into the plane-building business.
It’s also part exploration as the author dives in to many of the theories as to what happened to her, her navigator, and the plane. The author was even included on these adventures. I will say it was a bit confusing for me with the names of all the places mentioned. But, it was interesting also to learn about all the theories. Even Bob Ballard, the guy who discovered the Titanic, did an expedition to the sea to explore. To this day, still nobody knows.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, and now have a much better understanding of Amelia. As to what happened on her final journey, use your own best judgment from what is provided in the book.
