Aviatrix Classics - Jacque, Jenny, and I completely geek out on the incredible adventures of pioneering New Zealand pilot Jean Batten who set multiple records in the 1930s, including being the first person to fly solo from England to New Zealand
Send us a textIn the 1930’s, pioneering New Zealand pilot Jean Batten set multiple aviation records, including a speed record from London to Sydney, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic from East to West in 1935 (which, before reading this I routinely accredited to Beryl Markham), and first person to fly solo from London to New Zealand to prove how aviation could connect her homeland to the rest of the world. “Alone in the Sky” is an apt summation of this pilot’s jaw dropping accomplishments. If you love flying and aviation history, you’ll love this book and our conversation. That’s just the half of it. Have I mentioned how awesome my co-hosts Dr. Jacque Boyd and Capt. Jenny Beatty are? It is an honor and privilege to talk about our pioneers with these two incredibly accomplished and insightful women, both self-proclaimed aviation and book nerds, whose general aviation flying, aviation education, and airline careers, along with their long history of advocacy for women in aviation, complement my own military experiences, giving us the opportunity to approach our collective history from a variety of perspectives to help us all understand it better. As we honor the anniversary of Amy Johnson’s passing today, the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia, we celebrate the many adventurers who came after her. Later this year, the Aviatrix Book Club will discuss the memoirs of two women who celebrate this legacy of adventure: Solo 2 Darwin by Amanda Harrison, and Bird by Tracey Curtis-Taylor. Special shout out to author Maggie Shipstead, whose novel Great Circle was inspired by Jean Batten, and is a story that honors the spirit of our women pioneers. You don’t want to miss the Aviatrix Classics Series. More to come in 2025 . . . Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening!-Liz Booker
Netherlands