The early aviatrix fascinates me with their tenacity and bravery. Finding well written non-fiction about these women who broke social rules to follow their passions is hard to find, but Margaret Whitman Blair does an outstanding job of telling of the powder puff derby of 1929. Twenty women started in California and most finished in Ohio having flown across the country using mostly railroad lines as navigational markings. This story follows those that experienced mechanical breakdowns that nearly killed them, illnesses caused by dehydration, freezing temperatures, and included some serious discussions of sabotage. From this brave cluster of women, professional pilots would be nurtured through the Ninety-Nines. National Geographic does a wonderful job of including historical pictures, maps, background information, and visuals that make this race come alive to the reader. Ms. Blair presents a wonderful tail of true heroism in feminism. ( )