20 Hrs., 40 Min.

I've actually finished two books in my Goodreads challenge so far.  But, I'm going to review my second one first.  Partly because it's shorter and a stand alone book so it's easier for me to figure out how to write about it without giving anything away.  And, partly because I'm also linking up to Trifextra's weekend challenge with this book.

The book is 20 Hrs., 40 Min by Amelia Earhart.  The 33 word quote I chose for the Trifextra challenge is this:

“…on the flight I think two questions have been asked of me most frequently.  First: Was I afraid?  Second: What did I wear?  I’m sorry to be a disappointment in answering the first…”

 

I love the idea that these were the two most frequently asked questions upon Earhart's return from being the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.  By the way, she goes on to say she was not afraid on the flight.

 

The book is a quick, easy read.  From a literary stand point I didn't find much remarkable about it.  But, I don't think that is a fair way to judge the book.  Earhart's voice comes through clearly in her writing, so much so that she has become a person I would put on my list of famous people in history I wish I could meet.  She is straight forward in her telling of this part of her story and gives credit where credit is due.

 

Earhart wrote the book shortly after the flight was made.  She points out several times she was merely a passenger on this flight.  She is careful to make clear she felt the credit for the flight should be focused on Wilmer Stultz, the pilot, and Louis Gordon, the mechanic, who actually flew the plane.  Earhart came across to me as someone who was not looking for the fame but was willing to use it to advance one of her passions - aviation.

 

Interestingly, aviation was NOT Earhart's main love.  She, at heart, called herself a social worker.  She was working in a settlement house prior to Friendship's flight across the Atlantic and, once in England, her favorite part of the trip was visiting settlement houses in London.

 

Overall I enjoyed the book.  While some dispute how much of her fame was deserved and how much she merely capitalized on the work of others, after reading this, I think she was very aware of this balance.  Some of her fame came from the work of others and she acknowledged this.  Yet, Earhart also did many things to earn the fame in her own right, such as setting the female aviation altitude record at one point.