"Keith O'Brien weaves together the stories of five remarkable women: Florence Klingensmith, a high school dropout who worked for a dry cleaner in Fargo, North Dakota; Ruth Elder, an Alabama housewife; Amelia Earhart, the most famous, but not necessarily the most skilled; Ruth Nichols, who chafed at the constraints of her blue blood family's expectations; and Louise Thaden, the mother of two young kids who got her start selling coal in Wichita, Kansas. Together they fought for the chance to race against the men--and in 1936 one of them would triumph in the toughest race of all." -- From the publisher.

An Eamon Dolan Book.

The miracle of Wichita -- Devotedly, Ruth -- Real and natural, every inch -- The fortune of the air -- The fairest of the brave and the bravest of the fair -- Flying salesgirls -- The right sort of girl -- City of destiny -- If this is to be a derby -- There is only one Cleveland -- Good eggs -- Mr. Putnam and me -- Law of fate -- Give a girl credit -- Grudge flight -- Spetakkel -- All things being equal -- That's what I think of wives flying -- They'll be in our hair -- Playing hunches -- A woman couldn't win -- The top of the hill.