Promotional Information

* Reissue of the acclaimed biography of aviator Amelia Earhart

Promotional Information

* Reissue of the acclaimed biography of aviator Amelia Earhart

About the Author

Mary Lovell lists her chief interests as horses, sailing, aviation and book collecting. She enjoys overseas travel and is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. She is the author of four previous biographies including the international bestseller STRAIGHT ON TILL MORNING: The Biography of Beryl Markham.

Reviews

** 'The inevitability of a great romantic tragedy ... In this book the little things and the great mingle and somehow explain each other. This is what biographies are about' GUARDIAN ** 'A private glimpse beneath the surface of public lives' THE TIMES ** 'Vividly evokes the tragic aspect of Amelia Earhart, as well as the moxie and grit of her personality and the hair-raising atmosphere of pioneering aviation' NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

** 'The inevitability of a great romantic tragedy ... In this book the little things and the great mingle and somehow explain each other. This is what biographies are about' GUARDIAN ** 'A private glimpse beneath the surface of public lives' THE TIMES ** 'Vividly evokes the tragic aspect of Amelia Earhart, as well as the moxie and grit of her personality and the hair-raising atmosphere of pioneering aviation' NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

Both of these new biographies on Earhart are exceedingly well-researched and clearly written. Although they have the same biographical intent, they differ in their approach. Rich emphasizes Earhart's flying career and the stories and personalities behind her accomplishments. Hers is a scholarly account of Earhart's life, highlighting her goals, enthusiasm, and competitive pioneer spirit. Lovell, also author of Straight on Till Morning: The Biography of Beryl Markham ( LJ 9/15/87), delves more into the personalities of Earhart and George Palmer Putnam, her media-wise husband. Earhart's personality and character and the relationships with family and friends as they contributed to her accomplishments are the main thrust. The book also contains excerpts from Last Flight , Earhart's reworked logbook and notes on the fateful 1937 flight. Both books detail her life and the theories of her disappearance. They also clearly address Earhart's legacy: to dream what seems to be unattainable goals and then to acquire the skills and have the desire and determination to achieve them. Also, while Earhart is known today for her flying career and her mysterious disappearance, these books show her to be an early advocate of women's rights, equality, and world peace, who used her fame to help promote them. Both books are highly recommended; Lovell's book will appeal more to general readers. Lovell's book is a Literary Guild selection and Doubleday Book Club alternate.-- Ed. --William A. McIntyre, New Hampshire Vocational-Technical Coll. Lib., Nashua