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December 21, 2007
Helena Page Schrader, '75
Sisters in Arms: British and American Women Pilots During World War II, Pen and Sword Books, 2006
The book: During World War II, a few, carefully selected women in the US and the UK were briefly given the unprecedented opportunity to fly military aircraft. Yet the story of these pioneer women pilots is made even more intriguing by the fact that, despite many notable similarities in the utilization and organization of the women in their respective countries, they experienced radically different fates. Throughout the war, the contribution of the women of the British ATA to the war effort was recognized and praised both from official quarters and in the press. By contrast, the American WASPs were first glamorized and made into Hollywood stars-and then subjected to a slander campaign. What accounts for this dramatic difference in the treatment of women pilots doing essentially the same job? This book seeks to answer these questions. The women who participated in the ATA and WASP have been allowed to speak for themselves. The story these women have to tell is exciting and intriguing.
The author: Helena Schrader is a historian and novelist. The daughter of an American professor of economics, she traveled extensively as a child and as a student, living and attending school in Japan, Brazil, England, and Nigeria. As an adult she lived for many years in Europe, working in government organizations and in the private sector.
Posted by tobiaslw at December 21, 2007 02:54 PM