Atlantic Furies: the women who risked everything to be the first to fly

(Paperback)

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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 lacked 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 women 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. Praise for The Barbed-Wire University- 'A valuable, fascinating, and moving book ... this is a riveting collection of stories about incredible resourcefulness.' -The Guardian 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 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

Author Bio

Midge Gillies specialises in writing books about history's forgotten stories. Nicholas Lezard of The Guardian described her book about Prisoners of War, The Barbed-Wire University, as 'one of the best war books I have ever read' and The Mail on Sunday called her biography of pioneering pilot Amy Johnson 'a riveting slice of social history'. Her most recent book Piccadilly was praised by the TLS as 'painstakingly researched and as busy as the Circus itself'. She has written or co-authored ten books and teaches creative writing at Cambridge University. She is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and was a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Magdalene College, Cambridge, for three years. She has a PhD from the University of East Anglia and is married to award-winning crime writer, Jim Kelly. Her website is at- midgegillies.com.