In 1928, a young social worker and hobby pilot named Amelia Earhart arrived in the office of George Putnam, heir to the Putnam & Sons throne and hitmaker, on the hunt for the right woman for a secret flying mission across the Atlantic. A partnership—professional and soon otherwise—was born. The Aviator and the Showman unveils the story of Amelia's decade-long marriage to George Putnam, offering an exploration of their relationship and the role it played in her enduring legacy.
Enticing...vibrant ... Shapiro dexterously untangles the Gordian knot of their entwined passions, shared ambitions and business bottom lines ... Shapiro’s tone is conversational, luring us into a rich story about American media ... Shapiro captures the thrill of a leap into the unknown.
Scintillating ... In a propulsive narrative peppered with intoxicating background details, Shapiro captures the strong-willed Earhart ... Shapiro’s book is an eye-opening look into the lives of a Jazz Age power couple and their dangerous flirtation with fame. She exposes all sides of their interlocking personalities, virtues and failings. This is an exciting, well-written account that offers new insight into a historical figure many people think they know, but really don’t.
Painstaking details ... Despite Shapiro’s deep dive into this complicated heroine, certain aspects of her psychology remain elusive. And perhaps it’s this very mystery that guarantees Earhart’s enduring allure, despite her many foibles — and her terrible taste in men.
