A Pair of Wings

by Carole Hopson

An airline captain crafts a riveting, adventurous novel inspired by the remarkable true life of pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman, a Black woman who learned to fly at the dawn of aviation and found freedom in the air

A few years after the Wright brothers’ first flight, Bessie was working the Texas cotton fields with her family when an airplane flew over their heads. It buzzed so low she thought she could catch it in her hands. Bessie was fearless. She knew there was freedom in those wings.

The daughter of a woman born into slavery, Bessie answers the call of the Great Migration. She moves to Chicago, where she wins the backing of two wealthy, powerful Black men—Robert Abbott, creator and publisher of the Chicago Defender, and Jesse Binga, the founder of Chicago’s first Black bank. Abbott becomes her mentor, while Binga becomes her lover. Her true first love, though, remains flying.

But in 1920, no one in the United States will train a Black woman to fly. So, twenty-eight-year-old Bessie learns to speak French and sets off for Europe. Two years ahead of Amelia Earhart, Bessie earns her pilot's license, and later she learns death-defying stunts from French and German dogfighting combat pilots.

While she finds no prejudice in the air, Bessie wrestles with other challenges on the ground. A plane crash nearly kills her, her brothers seem to be crumbling under the weight of Jim Crow, and, while grappling with tough truths about Binga, Bessie begins to wonder if the freedom she finds in the sky means she must otherwise fly solo.

With tenderness and mastery, Carole Hopson imagines the breathtaking moxie Bessie Coleman harnessed in order to lift herself out of poverty and become known as “Queen Bess.”

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, African American, Historical, Audiobook, Book Club, Aviation

432 pages, Hardcover

First published August 20, 2024

About the author

Carole Hopson is a captain on the Boeing 737 for United Airlines, based in Newark, New Jersey. After a twenty-year career as a journalist and executive for iconic brands like the National Football League, Foot Locker, and L’Oréal, Carole followed her dream to become a pilot. A century after Bessie Coleman soared over seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Black women in the U.S. account for less than one percent of all professional pilots. Inspired by Bessie’s spellbinding accomplishments, Carole founded the Jet Black Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to sending one hundred Black women to flight school by the year 2035.

Reviews

[Marilyn (not getting notifications) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Pair of Wings: A Novel by Carole Hopson was the riveting story of Bessie Coleman, a young black woman whose greatest desire was to learn how to fly an airplane from a very young age. Eventually, Bessie became known as a pioneer aviatrix. Early on, Bessie was mesmerized and greatly influenced by the success the Wright brothers achieved with their first flight. A Pair of Wings was inspired by Bessie Coleman’s love for planes and her desire to learn how to fly one. This dream stemmed from Bessie’s early years as a young girl growing up on a share cropper farm, picking cotton in Texas with her mother and some of her siblings.

Finally in 1915, Bessie knew if she was ever going to have a chance of making her dream come true, she had to leave Texas. Bessie made her way to Chicago where her two older brothers lived. Over the course of the next many years, Bessie met influential men who supported her dream and believed in her. The odds of her dream coming true were not likely. The early 1900’s were not favorable or accepting of any women who wanted to learn to fly a plane and even less for black women. Bessie defied all odds. She became the first Black female to earn an international pilot’s license from France. The only pilot’s school that had accepted Bessie into flight school had been located in France. Bessie Coleman had to fight and prove herself every single day not only as a woman but as a Black woman. She accomplished something that no one else had come close to accomplishing. Although she died much too young, her achievements were remarkable. She was driven, determined and so courageous.

I had never heard anything about Bessie Coleman and her dreams, challenges or accomplishments before reading A Pair of Wings by Carole Hopson. Women’s aspirations were so stifled back in the early 1900’s and Black women’s even more so. I admire the fight and determination that Bessie possessed in order to achieve her dream. She did have people who believed in her and helped her but she was met with so many obstacles that she had to overcome. I listened the audiobook that was very well narrated by Alaska Jackson. A Pair of Wings was Carole Hopson’s debut book. I look forward to seeing what she writes in the future. Overall, I enjoyed listening to this audiobook and highly recommend it.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook A Pair of Wings: A Novel by Carole Hopson through Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Pair of Wings tells the life story of pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman.

In 1915, Bessie leaves oppressive Texas for Chicago where two of her brothers already relocated, and where she also reconnects with her college friend Norma. The two are opposites. Norma avoids risks, Bessie rushes toward adventure. All of them are part of the Great Migration that left agricultural South for opportunity in the North.

Bessie works at barbershop where she meets a man who supports her dream of flying. But the problem is no one wants to accept a Negro female student. He helps her to apply to different schools, and he finds one that accepts her. It happens to be in France. That doesn’t deter her from following her dream. She learns the language and travels to France.

In France, she learns much more. She converts wargame maneuvers into graceful performances which earn her the nickname of Daredevil in the US.

It is a fascinating story of a remarkable woman and set against interesting historical background of the Great Migration. However, the style of writing is informative, making it a dry read, and the progression of the story is slow. I wished there was more to the backstories at the beginning to get attached to the main character.

Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sharon Orlopp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing novel based on Bessie Coleman! Carole Hopson does an incredible job describing life in the early 1900's when Bessie became the first American civilian to be certified to fly by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale.

While reading A Pair of Wings, I felt completely immersed in the story as if I was walking alongside Bessie as she walked 18 miles round trip each day to her flying lessons.

Hopson captures exquisite detail of world and national events, clothing, food, relationships, and romance.

Highly, highly recommend!

[Kasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

**ARC of this book provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Oh, how I wish this was a non-fiction.

I've never heard about Bessie Coleman (the first black aviatrix) before so I was immediately intrigued when I learned about this book. We are following her story from the moment she moves to Chicago from Texas up till her untimely death. It's 1915 and it's a turbulent time in US - the slavery was abolished but black people are still facing horrible racism and potential death due to many lynching still taking place. Against this brutal backdrop you see how black culture starts to explode propelled by many great minds of the era. Author makes a terrific job showing you this cultural evolution and I was gobbling it up. I wish this was a non-fiction book that would dive a bit deeper and tell me a bit more about this topic. The historical details were bee's knees, cat's meow and hot dog! - you see that a lot of effort went into the research. Which, unfortunately, makes novelized story of Bessie Coleman life the weakest part of this book.

I guess the worst thing I can say about this book is that it feels too long. First half that is focusing on Bessie's life in Chicago and subsequent aviation training in Europe is flowing smoothly even despite centering on a somewhat cringy romance with a married man (there is a very explicit scene here so be warned). Author's way of writing is a bit uneven and sometimes it delivered brilliant pieces (loved that description of Monsieur Dumas!) but sometimes it was giving me a secondhand embarrassment (Bessie answers a question and it's so good that teacher stands up and starts clapping his hands). Everyone meeting Bessie is immediately commenting on how beautiful and how smart she is and all man are instantly attracted to her. Then suddenly, somewhere in the middle of the book, the tone shifts and from that moment on author will repeatedly hit you over your head with the information about how inspirational Bessie is. It gets boring pretty quickly but it's being emphasized relentlessly so 50 pages before the ending I was tempted to DNF. But I prevailed in the sole purpose of informing you that in my opinion the story didn't get better from that moment on - Bessie feels aimless, the gospel of inspiration is being spelled out to you, the historical details are rushed and sparse.

It's an OK book.

[Valleri · Rating 4 out of 5]

3½ Stars

Bessie Coleman was a fearless woman who overcame an amazing number of cultural, racial, and economic obstacles in her quest to learn to fly. I would love to go back in time to meet her.

I feel the author did a great job describing Bessie's life on the pages of A Pair of Wings. What she went through to get anyone to give her a chance to learn how to fly, and then to finally LET her fly were riveting.

Unfortunately, I didn't feel the explicit sex scenes added anything to the book. There was so much about Bessie I wanted to learn about! Becoming the first African American/Native American female aviator was huge and that was where my interest lay.

Most of the book was fascinating, however. What an inspiration Queen Bess was!

Many thanks to both HenryHolt&Co and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of A Pair of Wings. The expected publication date is August 20, 2024.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Pair of Wings is a novelization of Bessie Coleman, the first Black person to earn a pilot's license. She should be as famous as the Wright Brothers or Charles Lindbergh. She was from Texas and lived in Chicago but in order to get her license she had to go to France. She worked hard saved her money and with the help of some wealthy Black people who were willing to help bankroll her trip. She was an amazing woman. 20 years after her death she would be honored by the Tuskegee Airmen as their mother figure. It's a travesty that Bessie Coleman isn't even taught in pilot school. How can one of the most important people in aerospace history not be taught?

Bessie had to deal with racial intolerance and gender discrimination. As someone who is terrified of flying, I am so in awe of Bessie and the author of this book Carole Hopson who is also a Black woman pilot. There are very few Black pilots and even fewer Black women pilots and the current American presidential administration is trying to get rid of all non white male pilots so people like Bessie are all the more important to remember. Im, sure they have probably already removed what little acknowledgment she does receive.

Bessie had a short but very full life. I knew about her before picking up this book but I'm still hungry to learn more about her. Bessie was a brave and fully human person.

I highly recommend this book!

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“To become the first female Negro flyer I would have to conquer not only gravity but also America’s rules about what I could or could not achieve. In order to do that, I had to possess just two things: optimism and fearlessness.”

4.5 Stars. A fascinating and important history, well told. What kept it from being 5 stars is that it could have been edited down a bit — it is clear there was so much history to relay that the story got a little dense — and also some of the main character reflections and reactions about encountering racism and sexism sounded a little naive or contrived at some places. But a hands-down fantastic debut novel that I hope gets widely read.

Bessie Coleman “is the only American flyer who has ever flown over the ex-Kaiser’s palaces at Berlin and Potsdam, and the only woman possessing an international license entitling her to make flights anywhere on the globe. She has the distinction of flying the largest plane flown by any woman in the world. She made exhibition flights at the American Legion convention in Kansas City, in the presence of Lloyd George of England, Prime Minister Briand of France, and other world notables—enviable recognition among flyers of both sexes throughout the world.”

About being among an illustrious groups of contemporaries who were also visible pioneers and icons during the early 1900’s:

“And like the scientific progress that was taking place, we were next in line to ascend. Our own institutions—newspapers, banks, entertainment, education, and politics—were all being designed by us and invented from scratch. I was going to be part of this new group of mavericks.”

The author’s note provides some of the answers I was curious about, about how the author came to know and care about this topic and how much of the story are factual. The author’s own relationship with the story is deeply personal and authoring this book was clearly a deep labor of love and act of service.

“When I was thirty-four years old, I went to a Women in Aviation and an Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals Convention. I wanted to learn how one would become a professional pilot. From the outside, the club of aviators appeared an impenetrable line to someone who looked like me, because I had never seen a Black woman, or a woman of any hue, walk the flight line or the corridors of an airport before…

I was a college graduate, I had earned an Ivy League master’s degree, and yet I, an arguably well-read Black woman, who yearned to fly, had never even known that Bessie Coleman existed. She was missing from every textbook I’d ever read, and twenty years ago, she was missing from the common lexicon of greats who stoke our imagination and make us believe that there is greatness in our being, because we have seen what greatness looks like in them, our heroes. How could the fact that Coleman existed be hidden in plain sight?”

I agree. There’s no reason for Bessie Coleman’s name to not have the same recognition and historical prominence as Amelia Earnhardt or George Washington Carver… I hope Carole Hopson is successful in sparking more writing, attention, lesson plans and general awareness of this courageous and impactful woman.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 5 out of 5]

With A Pair of Wings Carole Hopson provides her readership the opportunity to learn more (if they knew anything) about Bessie Coleman - a pioneer aviatrix busting the ceiling with her own set of wings - a pilot in every sense of the word.

Bessie is the daughter of a former slave - no easy road for her family - but Bessie has no patience for that kind of settlement. She ups and moves on to places that can help her with her dream - to fly. She finds backers, and one points her to (and pays the way) France, where she has a chance not available in these United States - to attend flight school and earn wings just like every other human slipping earth's surly bonds.*

An interesting read, which includes the author's notes and endpapers providing her motivations for writing this debut novel, and describes her own path also pointed skyward - albeit a much easier one than Bessie's, thanks to the pioneers who'd found a way around and through career blockades long posted in decades past. From me - All the stars - certainly for Bessie, but as much for Carole Hopson, who shows us by this writing Bessie's dream and her fight for it.

*Bessie's path reminded me of many others who died doing what they loved, and John Gillespie Magee's poem 'High Flight' catches the euphoria of flight the best - (I am particularly thrilled by the use of exclamation point at the moment of epiphany) -

'Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, -- and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of -- wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . .

Up, up the long delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew --
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.'

*A sincere thank you to Carole Hopson, Henry Holt & Company, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #APairofWings #NetGalley 52:42

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A Pair of Wings is a historical fiction inspired by the true life of pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman, a Black woman who learned to fly at the dawn of aviation. In 1920, no one in the U.S. would train a Black woman to fly, so Bessie learns French and sails to Europe where she can train, and then 2 years ahead of Amelia Earhart, Bessie earns her pilot’s license.

Bessie was such a force. She is just a child when the Wright Brothers first take flight and she’s so in awe and inspired. I loved seeing her determination to fly and follow her dream in a world that told her “no” at many turns. She teaches herself about engines, planes, and understanding everything she can about taking flight (and staying in the air). Once she returns to the U.S. with her pilot’s license, she’s an instant media sensation. Because commercial flights were still over a decade away, Bessie quickly realized she’d have to do something to make a career in aviation and began doing stunt flying air shows, performing dangerous tricks in the air for pay. Which she sailed back to Europe to learn these dangerous stunts by French and German dogfighting combat pilots.

The history of this was so good, I love learning about Bessie’s life and career. She lead a purpose-driven life, was a visionary, and an absolute force! The writing and way the story is constructed was where I had issues with this book, it felt tedious and slow at times and I think it could have been edited down.

[LiteraryAviatrix · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled to interview pilot and author Carole Hopson about her gorgeous historical fiction A Pair of Wings about the life of pioneering Aviatrix, Bessie Coleman (which you can listen to here Aviatrix Book Review website or on the Aviatrix Book Review podcast.) Already an Oprah Daily best pick for July 2021, A Pair of Wings is so incredibly well done, it feels as if Carole was hand-picked by the universe to deliver Bessie’s story. As she shares in our interview, she provided the ‘glue’ to hold the biographical facts together with her fictional drawing of Bessie’s interpersonal relationships and emotions, making this feel like a deeply personal memoir. Her exhaustive research is evident throughout the book, to include walking the nine-mile route that Bessie traveled daily, on-foot, to and from her flight school in France to achieve her ambitious dream of flight.

I have been so inspired and fascinated reading about our many women aviation pioneers, but Bessie stands apart with her incredible determination and defiance of every social norm and expectation of her day, not only related to gender, but also race. Carole very skillfully and thoroughly places Bessie in the full context of her times—both within the dawn of aviation and the Great Migration of Blacks from the rural South to the North and West. The characters’ voices ring true and distinct, the descriptions are vivid, and the history cleverly woven through newspapers—"the social media of the time”—and Bessie’s active engagement in the world.

On top of all of the wonderful things I feel about this story, I have to gush about Carole and her vision for this book contributing to a larger mission. Carole is working to raise funds for her One Hundred Pairs of Wings initiative, which will launch this November with a goal of sending 100 Black women through flight training at the Lieutenant Colonel Luke Weathers Junior Flight Academy by the year 2035. This may sound like a small number, but when you consider that there are fewer than 150 licensed Black female pilots in the US, it feels at once achievable and ambitious. 20% of book sales go to support this project.

[Bolt Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really excited to read A Pair of Wings by Carole Hobson, especially because Bessie Coleman is a hero to my daughter. My daughter admires Coleman so much that she even petitioned Piccolina to feature her in their trailblazer collection. I hoped this book would be a great way for her to learn more about her idol.

Unfortunately, I found the book quite disappointing. The excessive and unnecessary foul language, along with a scene that describes Bessie Coleman in an inappropriate manner, feels completely out of place in a story of such an inspiring figure. This content makes the book unsuitable for my daughter, which is a major letdown.

Moreover, the book often reads like a disjointed collection of newspaper clippings from The Defender rather than a well-crafted story about Bessie Coleman. It delves into irrelevant details, such as the porters and the White Sox, which don’t contribute meaningfully to Bessie Coleman’s story. I was also surprised and disappointed by the omission of her time at Langston University in Oklahoma, with the narrative jumping from her life in Texas straight to Chicago.

Overall, A Pair of Wings did not meet my expectations and, unfortunately, does not effectively honor the legacy of Bessie Coleman.

I received the ARC from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this, but it was slow and hard to get into. The author didn’t write about flying until 2/3rds into the book and that was I was excited to read about.
Also, the beginning had an extremely unnecessary sex scene that I don’t understand why they added.

[Kristy Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical fiction novel follows the life of pioneer aviatrix, Bessie Coleman. It is told in first person by Bessie in four parts, covering her life after she moved from Waxahachie, Texas to Chicago in 1915, where she lived with family and found work in a barber shop as a manicurist to her time in France training to fly since no one in the US would agree to train a black woman to fly planes at that time. The last two parts cover her career flying as a barnstorming stunt flier and her comeback after the injurious crash that kicks off the prologue in 1923 Santa Monica.

I admit that I had never heard of Bessie Coleman before receiving the offer for this audiobook, but I thought it would make an educational read and I was right. I found the jobs available and treatment of a black woman during this time in both Chicago and Waxahachie to be informative. The audiobook was narrated by Alaska Jackson, and I really enjoyed her portrayal of this brave courageous woman who traveled the world to follow her passion despite those who would seek to hold her back due to her race and gender. Her story was truly inspiring.

The early parts of the book introduced her family and background, her determination to become an aviatrix and defy the traditional roles designated by others. Her family was both loving and supportive as well as complicated and antagonistic at times. I really enjoyed her time spent studying in France and the relationships she developed with her colleagues there as well as the time she spent in the Netherlands and Germany learning more about exhibition flying. I particularly enjoyed her return to Waxahachie for an air show.

Recommended to readers looking for an inspirational read about a strong female character, aviation, and/or interested in race relations and living situations during the early twentieth century.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy provided for an honest review.

[Renee Seinfeld · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Pair of Wings, an historical fiction novel about the life of early 1900’s Black and Native American pilot Bessie Coleman, is incredible! Denied entrance to American flight schools, she learned French and moved to France where she was welcomed at one of France’s most prestigious flight schools.

Bessie Coleman was famous in her day. She became the first American (Black, white, Native American, male or female) to earn an International Civilian Pilots License. She did stunt flying shows all over the US. When she died, 5,000 people attended her funeral in Florida. Over 10,000 people attended her funeral in Chicago including Ida B. Wells.

And yet, I’d never heard of her until I came across Carole Hopson’s book. Amelia Earhart, known by most Americans, was the 16th woman to earn the International license. Bessie Coleman was the first, yet she was left out of history. Leaving black history out of textbooks is a racist act. It is racism.

The Author, Carole Hopson, a pilot herself, painted an incredibly rich backdrop of the 1920’s and I felt sad when the novel came to an end because I was enjoying it so much.

Beautiful book.

[Shakila (BooksandThemes) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you @macmillian.audio #macaudio2024 for my gifted ALC!

4.5⭐️ From the very first page I knew I would love this one. The way CH vividly told the story of aviatrix Bessie Coleman made me feel as though I was there watching Bessie fly the airplane. Seeing the cockpit, the sky, and having the rush of doing something she loved! I was able to feel her love of airplanes and flying through the words on the page! While I did have some background on Bessie Coleman being an African American aviatrix flying an airplane, it was interesting following her story of how she got there.

This story told as well as showed how Bessie Coleman did not let anything or anyone stop or get in the way of her dream of flying. She also wanted to show other Black people that they can, too, fly planes. This showed her determination and drive. So much so, it talked about a time where she walked 9km (5.6m) to get to flight school on a badly sprained ankle. We also get a glimpse of her romantic stories along the way.

This historical fiction was amazing to say the least. I would highly recommend the audiobook to get the vivid pictures of Bessie’s story told by Carole Hopson just as I did!

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review. There is a small spoiler after the dotted line below.
A remarkable account of Bessie Coleman, the first documented black Aviatrix. Her story from Texas to Chicago to her training in Europe is remarkable, and her demise incredibly sad. How far would she have gone if fates were different? I loved that this book was written by a pilot, as the desciptions of the engines, the training, and the flying of the planes rang true.
--------spoiler-------
Her story fascinated me as did the authors notes, I just found the book to be long and too detailed on some things. I know she had to have met some fascinating and famous people, but sometimes the interactions didn't do much for the story and could have been thinned. I was completely turned off by the graphic sex scene fairly early on. It was unnecessary and frankly I don't really want to imagine the real people in my historical fiction novels this way. It made the book cheaper and it will be hard for me to recommend it to my patrons who are historical fiction fans. The age group for this reader in my library explicitly say they don't want this. It really nearly ruined the book for me and I have a pretty high threshold - but I do also read for my book club and my patrons, so this will always factor into my reviews.
So while I really enjoyed the book, I will give it a 3*

[Michele Dubois · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this book! I took my time reading it because I didn’t want to reach the end. Author and aviator Carole Hopson combines black history during the Great Migration with the dawn of aviation in the early 20th century. Fashioned around the real life of pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman, a young African American woman who became the first American (black, white, male or female) to hold an international civilians pilots license, this rich historical fiction tells the story of an era simultaneously fostering technological progress while fiercely suppressing the advancement of black and brown Americans. Bessie Coleman’s journey is an inspiration for anyone with a dream and aspirations that feel out of reach. Persevere and let your passion be your guide!

[Glenda Nelms · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bessie Coleman, the first Black woman and first Native American female aviator to earn a pilot’s license. Coleman is highlighted in a historical fiction novel called A pair of wings by Carole Hopson, a United Airlines captain pilot. I spotlighted this important book during the 2025 Black Girl Bookstatour that was hosted by Jamise (@Spinesvines)

Bessie Coleman’s goal was to encourage Women and Black people to reach their dreams. Those she broke a leg & three ribs when her plane crashed. Coleman continued to promote aviation, combat racism and refuse to participate in aviation events that prohibited African Americans.

[Maranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Pair of Wings is an inspiring novel about Bessie Coleman, the first African American woman to earn a pilots license. We learn about the steps Bessie had to take and hurdles she had to jump through to go from picking cotton in Texas to learning to fly in France and Germany, and eventually performing stunts at rallies and fairs throughout the United States before her untimely death at the age of 34.

I always get excited when I learn about a figure in history I’ve never heard of before. I’ve never really thought much about the history of aviation, but this book piqued my interest from the jump. I also really enjoyed learning more about the mechanics behind flight. I loved learning about Bessie and this book made me want to do some more research about her.

I also LOVED some of the other people we were in introduced to in Bessie’s life: Norma, her mother, Rene Caudron, Anton Fokker, Tristan, her brothers, and everyone else that played a positive part in her journey to become an aviatrix. Even the tailor who made her flight suit in France was a delightful person to read about! The author also did an amazing job of painting a picture as I was reading. I felt like I was with Bessie as she experienced everything.

I wish there was more about the aftermath of Bessie’s fatal accident and her legacy. What happened to the people she had such connections with throughout her life? (Jesse, Mr. Abbott, the Hills, the DeWalts, Norma, her instructors) I enjoyed learning how Bessie’s life inspired the author, but since this was the first time I had heard of her, a little more about her legacy would have been welcomed.

I also struggled a bit with some of the content. The explicit sex scenes just didn’t seem to have a place here. I understand the need to detail her relationship with Jesse Binga, but there were a handful of pages dedicated to Bessie losing her virginity to him, and that just felt out of place.

I also wish the author included some sort of note regarding the fact that this wasn’t a biography, but rather a novel inspired by Bessie’s life. We have no way of knowing what was fact and what was fabricated or embellished for the sake of the story. Maybe I missed it in the acknowledgments at the end, but it seemed like a lot of her research was done by following her footsteps, perhaps reading a biography about Bessie, and reading any other materials from that time period, including newspapers. This may be due to a lack of materials (she admitted not even being able to track down the eulogies from Bessie’s funerals) but I’m curious, since this was written as if Bessie was telling the story of her life, how the author was able to get into Bessie’s mind in order to write all of the dialogs and thoughts that were throughout the story. Were there any letters she found between Bessie and her family? Any diary entries? How much did her great niece and nephew know about Bessie that they were able to relay to the author? I’m just curious what kind of materials the author consulted to get a read on Bessie’s personality. And if it was all or mostly a fabrication, I think a note is needed informing the reader that this is the case.

All in all, this was an enjoyable read and an inspiring story!

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Refreshing this for publication day!

This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Carole Hopson, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley.

The narrator of this audiobook is Alaska Jackson. Alaska did an exceptional job as this book took place in France, Germany, the North, and the South with each resulting accent. This had the function of placing the narration in the background to the story being told. It was a very successful choice for this novel.

This was really, really good. It was significantly better than I was expecting, and I had fairly high expectations. I was an adult when I found out about Bessie Coleman. I grew up learning about Ms. Earhart, but not a peep about Ms. Coleman. So, as an adult, I was amazed that she managed to go all of the way to Paris for flight training. I honestly assumed she was from an at least moderately wealthy and well-connected Black family. I was shocked to discover she was raised as a share cropper, and her mom was single head of household at least part of her growing up life. I've been hungry for a quality historical fiction novel about her life ever since.
I have to say this novel was well worth the wait.
The novel starts with Bessie in the air and then flashes back to her move to Chicago from Texas before her flight training in France. This covers her meeting with the men who helped her to arrange her training in France as well as helped fund her travels. This covers her training in Europe and her struggles to establish herself back in the US after her successful training.
Bessie emerges from this story as a breathing, laughing, flesh, and blood woman. The skills of this author are superb. I know nothing about aviation, nor am I particularly interested in it, but I was riveted to the details in this story.
In a way, it reminded me of when I read Pillars of the Earth because I equally don't care about church building. However, in both novels, the information is offered in such interesting ways and tied to such beloved characters, I know it'll live in my memory a surprising amount of time.
I hope this author writes more historical fiction. This was phenomenal.

Thank you to Carole Hopson, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

[TJ ❤️ books · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who doesn’t typically gravitate towards historical fiction, I must admit that “A Pair of Wings” by Carole Hopson was a delightful surprise. I initially felt a pang of guilt for taking so long to read this ARC, but I’m glad I finally took the plunge.

Hopson’s vivid storytelling brought the life of Bessie Coleman to life in a way that was both informative and inspiring. Her journey from a young girl in Texas to a pioneering aviator is a testament to the power of human spirit and the pursuit of dreams.

As I drove past Bessie Coleman Road in Chicago, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride and connection to this remarkable woman. It was a timely reminder of her enduring legacy and the impact she continues to have on generations to come.

If you’re looking for a captivating and inspiring read, I highly recommend “A Pair of Wings.” It’s a historical fiction novel that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this tale recounting the life and background of Ms. Bessie Coleman. I had an idea of who she was but, this book gave her more depth and insight into her deterrents and perseverance. I did not care for the portrayal of the relationship between Bessie and Jesse Binga. Aside from that, I admired Bessie’s determination and commitment, engagement with Robert Abbott, various inclusion of historical figures and events (i.e. WWI, Binga, Abbott,etc), trans-national journey to learn to fly (including learning French!), and Bessie's strict attentiveness to not comprising herself/becoming a negative stereotype.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A Pair of Wings” is a wonderful five star read - if I could give it ten stars, I would. It is a tremendous story of strength and determination, masterfully told by Ms. Carole Hopson who herself is one of today’s rare Black, women, commercial pilots, flying as a Captain for United Airlines.
It is the true story of Bessie Coleman’s travails to become a pilot in the early 20th century. Ms. Coleman was a young Black woman who was determined to learn to fly. She managed to overcome all the obstacles put in front of her - her race, her sex and her poverty, all of which made it hard for her to realize her dream. There was no one in the States that was willing to teach her, so she learned French and learned to fly in France, becoming the first American (of any race or sex) to receive a license to fly from the French authorities. Then she moved to Holland and Germany to learn aerobatics from World War I veterans. On her return to the United States she started barnstorming around the country to show fellow Blacks that anything, including flying, was possible.
Her tale is told in the first person, which brings a sense of immediacy to the story. It lets the reader experience more closely the difficulties, setbacks and triumphs that Bessie encountered. I also love the way the author wraps the story in the American society of the time, so segregation is ever present, and Bessie lives the South to North migration, leaving Waxahachie, Texas for Chicago, where jobs and money were easier to find. Black society of the time was evoked so effectively that I felt a part of it myself.
I was getting a little restless as Bessie spent her formative years in Chicago with no flying in sight, but one has to be patient and trust that the author knows her craft. During this time we come to understand what drives Bessie, the unique Black Chicago society of the time and also the enormous changes that occurred in her life when she left for France and flight school. I cannot over-state how much this book enveloped me so that I experienced all of Bessie’s ups and downs, fears and exhilarations for myself.
Thank you, Ms Hopson for the wonderful experience of flying along with Bessie. And thank you, also, for founding the Jet Black Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, aiming to send one hundred Black women to flight school by 2035.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Henry Holt Company for providing me with a free ARC in return for my unbiased review.

[Marina Marcello · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Pair of Wings was a different pick for me because with historical fiction I usually go back to the times of kings and castles and courtly intrigue and tend to avoid American history, but something drew me to this book! Bessie Coleman was essentially a footnote in my history classes in school and was often overshadowed by Amelia Earhart, and I’m sure it’s because Amelia was white and Bessie was Black, despite Bessie being older and being granted an FAI license first.

Reading about Bessie’s life not only taught me about her experience becoming a female pioneer in aviation, but also painted such a clear picture of Black life in America in the early 1900s as the author, in Bessie’s voice, would give historical context, often going into exposition on other Black pioneers and activists, and I really appreciated that aspect of the storytelling! The book is mostly written in first person POV with Bessie stating she was given pages to write her story while she healed from a terrible crash, so I liked that it felt like a conversation with Bessie herself.

In her short life, Bessie worked so hard to achieve her dreams, never once accepting defeat or giving in to despair and what she accomplished was truly impressive! Her story was so inspiring, and not just for aviators, but honestly for anyone with dreams, goals, and the passion to succeed!

The end of this five star book absolutely wrecked me because that was not something I remembered from the little I knew about her, and I appreciate that the author gave an Afterward about her own life and experiences—Hopson hadn’t even heard of Bessie Coleman until she had begun pilot school and a friend gave her a book about Coleman! Hopson founded an organization dedicated to sending one hundred Black women to flight school by the year 2035!

P.S. I really enjoyed the narrator’s ability to do various accents!

[Linda Galella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy for review purposes; all opinions are honest and mine alone.


Adventure, aeronautic history, The Great Migration and heart - these are the hallmarks of A PAIR OF WINGS, by Carole Hopson. Because Hopson is a pilot herself, the prose dealing with flying, planes and maintenance are detailed, sometimes to the point of being manual like. I found myself skimming, at times. This propensity for being highly organized comes thru in the overall format of the story which reads more like a textbook than a biography. Those issues aside, this is an inspiring story that should be part of popular history: aeronautics, women, (black or not), Great Migration, 20th century milestones; SO. MANY. OPPORTUNITIES. MISSED. by our history books…

Bessie Coleman lived 34 short years but achieved a gargantuan amount of success in that time. She earned the FAI certification, the first American, female or male, to do so, on 15 June 1921. It was a few years before another American was able to accomplish it. Bessie had to learn French and earn enough to live in France for almost a year to make this happen; nothing short of a miracle as a black woman in the early 20th century.

The story of her tenacity and ability to rally folks to support her life’s purpose for flying and freeing black people from the insidious tentacles clinging from slavery, had me cheering out loud. She was visionary and recognized that reading, education and rising from generations of poverty was the real answer to freedom for her family, community and her people. Coleman devoted her life and death to this pursuit. Her story should be read and shared by all. I’d love to see a YA, middle reader and picture book version of this book📚

Read and reviewed from a NetGalley eARC, with thanks

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I didn't know about Bessie Coleman and her achievements before reading this and I'm glad I did!
I think the author did a really good job in balancing facts and aviation details and the feelings and emotions of a black woman in these times. At times I was nerding out along with the book when it talked about planes that I knew or stunts that I had heard from a video game that my son plays. I also really enjoyed hearing the author's note and how she learned of this pilot and writing this was her way of sharing this amazing story that isn't well known.
I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator, the various accents throughout the book and the way she portrayed emotions through her voice. It made me feel like I was there listening to the announcers while watching Bessie flying those stunts or listening to the French and German instructors.
This book was divided into four sections, each based on a different phase of her life. The first section was the hardest for me to get through as it set up the book with the time period and developing the main character emotionally. So there was a lot of racism with blacks in 1920s America. There was also sexuality, nudity, and adultery as she was growing into a woman and finding herself. These things definitely set the story, but if it weren't for these and one other time later in the book, I thought this would have been better for a wider audience range.
**Cautionary content: racism, sexuality, nudity, swearing, rape, adultery, descriptive scenes of plane crashes and injuries, miscarriages,
*** Would definitely recommend this books, but only to adults due to sexual content

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Pair of Wings is a historical fiction book that follows the life of Bessie Coleman. 

I was SO excited to read this book. Earlier this year I read the book American Wings ( which I highly suggest) which followed the history of Black Aviators. I learned about Bessie Coleman from that book and how much of an incredible person she was. So when the publisher sent me a copy of this book I was extra excited to read a book all about her. THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD!!!!!!! As someone who is half black and studied both History and Women's studies in college, this was the perfect book for me. Also, I loved that this book was written by a black woman who is a captain for United Airlines. Not only that but the author also founded the Jet Balck Foundation which is an organization dedicated to sending 100 Black women to flight school. That is just so inspiring to me. You could tell how much Bessie Coleman inspired the author of this book. I loved this book. It made me love Bessie Coleman even more. I did not want this book to end. The book started off with so much action and just kept getting better as I kept reading it. I can't wait to reread this one. I love reading books that focus on inspirational women who are written by inspirational women. But this book on your list! 

Thank you so much Carole Hopson, and Henry Holt books for the ARC of this wonderful book! 

[Fay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Henry Holt for the #gifted ARC and thank you Macmillan Audio for the #gifted listening copy of A Pair of Wings! #MacAudio2024 #henryholt #henryholtbooks #APairOfWings #CaroleHopson

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐀 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐎𝐟 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐨𝐧
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐀𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐚 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

This was such an interesting historical fiction novel and I’m so glad I read it and learned more about such an important historical figure. A Pair of Wings provides such an insightful look at the life of Bessie Coleman, and while this is a historical fiction novel, you know you are still getting such great biographical content and I loved learning more about Bessie’s life. This book is a must read for anyone who loves history and aviation and I am so disappointed that I am just now learning about Bessie Coleman. I thought the book was very well done, but my only criticism is that at times it felt a little drawn out.

🎧I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Alaska Jackson. I absolutely LOVED listening to Jackson narrate this audiobook. I found her to be truly remarkable and I just could not get enough! I highly recommend this one on audio! The physical book does contain some photographs so it was nice to pair the physical and the audio together.

[Carly Howe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Pair of Wings is a novel about the impressive and fascinating life of Bessie Coleman, the first African American woman to earn a pilots license. Because of her gender and race, Ms. Coleman had to jump many hurdles to chase her childhood dream of flying. Bessie had to move to France and learn French to accomplish her goal and become an aviatrix. In 1921, she became the first African American to accomplished earning the FAI certification- an international pilot's license.

Through the story we also get a glimpse into African American history in the early 20th century with references to the Great Migration, W.E.B. DuBois, Bessie Smith, Marcus Garvey, and Booker T. Washington. We learn about Ms. Coleman through this fictionalized account of her life, and the author does a great job of drawing the reader in as we follow her life and her pursuit of her dream.

Thank you to Henry Holt and Co, the author, and NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A Pair of Wings” by Carole Hopson is an incredible story about the life of pioneer Aviation hero Bessie Coleman. I must admit before reading this book I never heard of Bessie Coleman who was born into slavery and spent her life figuring out how to become a pilot during a time in American history when no one would train an African American women to fly. Her breathtaking journey takes her from Chicago to Europe and describes in detail the challenges & hardships she faced living in the early 1900s in the US. This is a powerful story about another forgotten female hero, and the whole time I was reading this book I was thinking this needs to be a movie!

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.