Amelia : the centennial biography of an aviation pioneer / Donald M. Goldstein and Katherine V. Dillon.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 312-314) and index.

A leader of her generation, Amelia was well educated, at one time studying to become a physician. She was an early champion of women's rights who never alienated those who disagreed with her ideas. Amelia cared deeply for her family and supported her mother and sister financially until her death. In addition to her career as a pilot, she wrote and lectured tirelessly about her adventures.

The combination of Amelia's unusual career, charismatic personality, and general good nature motivated many to reach for their own goals, regardless of the obstacles. In 1937, at age thirty-nine, Amelia attempted her most daring feat - a flight around the world. It was not the first time Amelia Earhart had tried to do something no one else had over done. This time, though, she would fail tragically.

What happened to Amelia Earhart? This question has been asked for decades. In Amelia, bestselling authors Donald Goldstein and Katherine Dillon review the existing theories about what happened when the world's most revered aviatrix disappeared over the Pacific Ocean. They provide new insights into a mystery that has confounded searchers for sixty years.

Much more than an investigation of Amelia's disappearance, this intimate biography describes a compelling young woman who rejected society's traditional female role to pursue an exciting, path-breaking career, and who overcame the stigma such independence brought her. Amelia includes more than thirty photographs, some never before published.

It is a vivid portrait of a fascinating person who had a personality so captivating, who was so glad to be alive and so dedicated to her chosen field that her reputation as a loyal, entertaining, and inspirational women endures to this day.