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26th out of 139 books
—
45 voters
The Sound of Wings: the Life of Amelia Earhart
"We must be on you, but cannot see you -- but gas is running low. Have been unable to reach you by radio. We are flying at 1,000 feet." Amelia Earhart's last radio transmissions left few clues to her 1937 disappearance over the Pacific, but the legend of this pioneer female aviator was already firmly in place. Mary S. Lovell's adeptly crafted biography of this short-haired...more
Paperback, 448 pages
Published
February 15th 1991
by St. Martin's Griffin
(first published 1989)
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This book does an excellent job of explaining Amelia Earhart's achievements and putting them in the context of her time. It also highlights the achievements of a number of her now lesser known contemporaries, which I found fascinating.
I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the intrepid women aviators at the national races: (view spoiler)
This is really a double biography - it devotes significant t...more
I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the intrepid women aviators at the national races: (view spoiler)
This is really a double biography - it devotes significant t...more
This book was very very well researched by the author and contain a plethora of information that I formally didn't know about Miss Earhart and Mr. Putnam. The author went to the wonderful extents of actually interviewing thse who knew both Earhart and Putnam. She was also able to obtain letter and document from reamining family and friends. The book, while sometimes confusing, was very eloquently written. I would recommend this book for anyone who is even slightly interested in Amelia. This book...more
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I read a biography written for children on Amelia Earhart years ago. So this is my first foray in reading about her from an adult perspective. I've read several books that talked about Lindbergh and WWI flyers so I feel I have some background in the times and aviation history she lived in.
One reason I liked this book is the author really wrote a dual biography here. She told the story of Amelia but also of her one and only husband, George Putnam. Others can tell so much about us about the books...more
One reason I liked this book is the author really wrote a dual biography here. She told the story of Amelia but also of her one and only husband, George Putnam. Others can tell so much about us about the books...more
I learned a great deal about Amelia Earhart from this book. She was a fascinating woman and a great advocate for women and aviation. The book deals a lot with her marriage and relationship to George Putnam. The author takes the position that people remember Amelia Earhart more than other woman pilots was because of the publicity that George promoted for Amelia. He was in the vanguard of promotion in that time period. I didn't know that Amelia's first crossing of the Atlantic was mostly as a pass...more
I came to this book with a long-standing appreciation for Earhart's basic character and role in women's history, but with little knowledge about the details of her life. Therefore I gained a lot from diving into such a thorough study of the the people and events that made her into the legend she has become.
The author parallels the life story of Amelia with that of George Putnam, her husband and publicist--demonstrating how integral he was to her success. While there are those who think of AE as...more
The author parallels the life story of Amelia with that of George Putnam, her husband and publicist--demonstrating how integral he was to her success. While there are those who think of AE as...more
I wanted to read this biography of Amelia Earhart before I saw the movie about her that was released this fall. She lead a very interesting life always advocating for equality for women. She was about my age when she disappeared. Much of the book centers on her relationship with her publicist husband who the author credits with keeping Amelia in the public eye during her life and after her disappearance. Reading about the early days of aviation was enjoyable too. We take very much for granted th...more
Not nearly so comprehensive as Susan Butler's "East to the Dawn." It's more of a biography in tandem, of Earhart and Putnam. Compared to other Earhart biographers, Lovell is comparatively unromantic--a welcome change. However, her exploration of Earhart's early life is somewhat lacking, and her overall opinion seems to have been influenced by people who had an ax to grind with Putnam. Required "devil's advocate" reading for Earhart enthusiasts.
I really enjoyed this biography of Amelia Earhart. I really knew almost nothing about her before reading this and she was quite interesting. I also enjoyed reading about her husband George Putnam although I at times I felt the author was pushing an overly positive agenda about him. The sad thing is that I became quite fond of Amelia by the end of the book so although I knew what was coming, it was a fresh tragedy to me.
This biography of Amelia Earhart was quickly appraised as the definitive biography. Mary Lovell does a good job of presenting various sides to Amelia's story achieving a balanced presentation especially of the events of Amelia's final flight. Lovell's writing is somewhat terse and abrupt but this style seems to fit the times and story told. The book starts with Amelia's grandparents, so it is really a biography and not just a story about Amelia as a pilot nor her round the world flight attempt....more
Very interesting profile of the life of Amelia Earhart, and the people behind her. Definitely took down the untouchable heroine myth, and portrayed her as a flawed and very ambitious woman. Which doesn't necessarily make me like her less. If you like biographies that portray a different side of our heroes, I'd recommend this one.
An interesting bio for someone who knew nothing about A.E. (like me). Lovell seemed to want to argue that A.E.'s husband, George Putnam, wasn't as bad as many biographers have made him out to be. She spent as much time on him as on Amelia, which was fine because he seemed very interesting. I enjoyed it but it's not a "must read".
Mary S. Lovell sets aside many notions that had already been written about Amelia Earhart and her husband, George Palmer Putnam, and has written an interesting history of their life together. I did not realize that many of Amelia's peers and contemporaries found her wanting as a pilot. I also find it sad that the round-the-world flight was said to be her last planned "dangerous" flight anyway (although Amelia often said things and then went on to attempt more flights).
I enjoyed the book very muc...more
I enjoyed the book very muc...more
After going to the latest movie about Amelia Earhart, I was interested in reading more about her. This is one of the main books used as a reference for the movie. However, the books is a biography of George Putman, as well as Amelia. A story of a brave woman who had the courage to live her dream.
I'm not much of a biography reader, but this was pretty good. I learned alot more about Amelia Earhart's life. She's been one of my hero's since I was little. I found out she was married to George Putnam. He was a publisher and if wasn't for his efforts to publize Amelia, she would have not been remembered for her flying records where she constantly tried to be the best female pilot of her time. She was quite liberal but a very humbled person.
I just couldn't get into this book. I thought I would have enjoyed it much more. If you are looking for a book filled with every historical detail in Earhart's life, this is for you. It was interesting to read about how she came to be a pilot, but it also showed a side to Earhart that I never knew. Growing up I had this imagine of her as some heroine. While she was quite known and famous for her role as a leading female pilot, she really wasn't that great or skilled as she was made out to be.
Historically accurate, and a good read. At times, you wonder if you're reading a book about George Palmer Putnam rather than Amelia, but because he was such an important part of her life, I can understand why they went so in depth into his.
RE: _The Sound Of Wings: The Life Of Amelia Earhart_ by Mary S. Lovell
IMDb mentions this book in the writing credits of the 2009 movie, "Amelia". See the IMDb page at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1129445/f...
IMDb mentions this book in the writing credits of the 2009 movie, "Amelia". See the IMDb page at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1129445/f...
Who knew that Amelia Earhart wasn't exactly a stellar pilot? I had no idea! I liked how the author covered the lives of both Amelia and GP Putnam.
I recently finished two books on Amelia Earhart, including this one (The Sound of Wings) and the one by Dorothy Rich. They were both very informative, but The Sound of Wings was much better. I thought the author of The Sound of Wings had a much more inquisitive mind and was more disposed to view George Putnam (Amelia's husband) with an open mind. I thought Dorothy Rich made up her mind early on that she didn't much like or care for George Putnam (it was true that most people didn't like him). I...more
I enjoyed Straight on till morning by Mary Lovell and picked this up at the Friends of HHI Library. Well written and an interesting look at EA and JPP. Two very driven and complicated people.
Not one of the greatest biographies ever read but certainly sets the tone for the times and the motivation behind Amelia's story.
All I can say is, more power to women! Amelia is a great example for all women, we deserve better and we should always aim high.
Apr 07, 2010
Christie
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
history buffs, depression era buffs, aviation buffs
Shelves:
book-club-selection
contained a great objective, and well-researched account of amelia's life before she became an aviator. also, a biography of amelia's sometimes controversial husband george putnam. i defnitely learned a lot from this book, which was very comprehensive, without being tedious.
A wonderful look into the life and disappearance of Amelia Earhart. Especially focuses on why Amelia became so famous when she probably wasn't the best aviatrix of her time. Her marriage to George Putnam, from the famous Putnam publishing family, helped of course but also her own ambition.
It took me awhile to get into this story but biographies are often deeper than the other stories I read but this was wonderful.
It took me awhile to get into this story but biographies are often deeper than the other stories I read but this was wonderful.
Simply inspirational.
good
Very readable, but rather plain and polite.
Am now absolutely obsessed with Amelia Earhart. Cannot wait to see the movie! Although I am going to be upset if they stray too far from the truth. Excellent read if you like biography-type books.
I confess to being part of that cult who are fascinated by Amelia Earhart's disappearance and wanted to learn more about her as a pioneer in women's aviation. This biography was very well-researched and provided a wealth of information about her AE's hisband as well.
A well researched biography that read like a novel. Prior to this book all I knew about Amelia Earhart was that she disappeared during a flight, so it was interesting to get a full picture of her life prior to the disappearance.
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Mary was an accountant and company director for 20 years before becoming a writer. She wrote her first book in 1981 at the age of 40, while recovering from a broken back which was the result of a riding accident. She returned to accountancy but during the following 5 years she also published two further non-fiction books that were written in her spare time.
She lives in the New Forest in Hampshire,...more
More about Mary S. Lovell...
She lives in the New Forest in Hampshire,...more
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