Description
Book SynopsisBased on the true World War II stories of America’s first female military pilots, this historic novel follows the story of a young woman from a dirt-poor farm family. Sally Ketchum has little chance of bettering her life until a mysterious barnstormer named Tex teaches her to fly and to dare to love. But when Tex dies in a freak accident, Sally must make her own way in the world. She enrolls in the U.S. military’s Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) program at a special school known as Avenger, where she learns to fly the biggest, fastest, meanest planes. She also reluctantly becomes involved with Beau Bayard, a flight instructor and aspiring writer who seems to offer her everything she could want. Despite her obvious mastery of flying, many members of the military are unable to accept that a “skirt” has any place in a cockpit. Soon Sally finds herself struggling against a high-powered Washington lawyer that wants to close down Avenger once and for all.
Trade Review"Friedrich merges an often-neglected part of U.S. aviation history with a page-turning plot in his commendable debut . . . rich historical details add zest . . . an entertaining and spirited saga." --Publishers Weekly
"Shocking . . . disturbing . . . insightful . . . a welcome addition to the historical novels depicting the marginalized position of women during America's wars." -- Historical Novels Review (May 2011)
"If you are interested in women's history, WWII or just want to read an excellently crafted story, then I suggest you check out Wings: A Novel of World War II Flygirls ." --www.ActingBalanced.com (October 2011)
"Wings is told in an easy-going natural voice. . . . It is extremely well-researched and when Sally was flying, I felt like I was in the cockpit with her. [I felt] like I was reading about the 1940s." --www.ReelSwellBlog.com (October 2011)
"Fans of vivid historical fiction, of WWII settings, and of coming of age novels will enjoy this novel as much as I did. And you'll love the beautiful cover!" --www.PerfectRetort.blogspot.com (October 2011)
"I highly recommend this novel. It grabs your attention from the beginning and flows easily. It simply makes you proud to be a woman." --www.ACozyReadersCorner.com (October 2011)
"Recommend? Yes, for historical fiction fans and/or for those who wish to learn more about this plucky group of women." --www.JoyfullyRetired.com (November 2011)
"Kurt Friedrich has written a captivating story about the WASP program. . . . Wings is an immensely readable story and enjoyable particularly because much of it is true." --www.HomeOfAimala.blogspot.com (November 2011)
