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Whether it’s for the thrill of an extreme sport like climbing Mount Everest or sky diving from a plane high above the ground, or for the allure of a job that involves the likes of exploring space or traveling the seas, some people naturally have what it takes to face the challenges of life in the extreme. Although there is no one perfect equation that leads to a person able to handle extreme environments, we pulled together the quiz below based on the ideas and information from Extreme: Why Some People Thrive at the Limits by Emma Barrett and Paul Martin. Try your hand at the questions below, and see if you have what it takes to be the next Amelia Earhart or Buzz Aldrin.
There's a fine art to turning a great life into something digestible for a child. The art lies in finding the essence, an almost haiku-like writing that condenses, getting only the most salient details on the page. Each of the following biographies rises to that fine art.
In 1928 Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly the Atlantic Ocean, a feat which made her an instant celebrity even though she was only a passenger, or in her self-deprecating description, “a sack of potatoes.” In 1932 she became the first person since Charles Lindbergh to fly the Atlantic solo, doing it in record time and becoming the first person to have crossed the Atlantic by air twice.
Having received far more credit than she felt she deserved in 1928, “I wanted to justify myself to myself. I wanted to prove that I deserved at least a small fraction of the nice things said about me.” So on 20 May 1932 (the fifth anniversary of Lindbergh’s flight), Amelia Earhart took off from Harbour Grace, Newfoundland in her single-engine bright red Lockheed Vega. The flight, rocked by storms, lasted over 14 hours and landed her in Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
The below map features quotes from Earhart’s acceptance speech of The Society’s Special Medal after her unparalleled achievement. (Please note all pinpoints are approximate as there are no logs of times and coordinates for her flight.)
The hundreds of telegrams, tributes, and letters that poured in after the 1932 solo flight testify that women in the United States, indeed throughout the world, took Amelia Earhart’s individual triumph as a triumph for womanhood, a view she herself encouraged. At a White House ceremony honoring her for her flight, she succinctly captured the links between aviation and feminism: “I shall be happy if my small exploit has drawn attention to the fact that women are flying, too.”
With all the mythology surrounding Amelia Earhart’s last flight in 1937, it is hard not to let the unsolved mystery of her disappearance cloud our historical memories. Without that dramatic denouement, however, it seems likely that Amelia Earhart would have been remembered primarily for the skill, daring, and courage demonstrated in her 1932 Atlantic solo. It is the life, not the death, that counts.
For more information on Earhart, visit her entry in American National Biography. The landmark American National Biography offers portraits of more than 18,700 men and women — from all eras and walks of life — whose lives have shaped the nation. More than a decade in preparation, the American National Biography is the first biographical resource of this scope to be published in more than sixty years.
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Image credit: Earhart and “old Bessie” Vega 5b c. 1935. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Enter to win a Who Was? book from Grosset & Dunlap's leading biography series.
Giveaway begins March 21, 2014, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends April 20, 2014, at 11:59 P.M. PST.
Much of what we know about Earhart is myth and legend. Much of the myth and legend developed after her mysterious disappearance over the Pacific, but much of the myth and legend was invented by Earhart herself. In this stunning biography, Fleming strips backs the layers of the myth and legend to show us a woman who soared to unimaginable heights, even if she did so in a different way than we thought.
Some cool things I learned--
Earhart had straight hair. To get that tousled, trademark look, she took a curling iron to it every morning.
She was the captain, but not the pilot on her first trans-Atlantic flight.
She and her husband were excellent at marketing Earhart as a brand, the money that resulted allowed her to keep flying. Part of this marketing was deliberately playing with and highlighting the physical similarity between Earhart and Charles Lindbergh.
What I really liked about this book was the structure. It starts with the crew of the Itasca, a Coast Guard cutter off the coast of Howland Island, waiting for Earhart. When she doesn't arrive, it then jumps back to her early childhood. In between the chapters of her life, sections chronicle the search for Earhart and some of the eeriness of her disappearance-- including the stories of several people who claimed they heard her distress calls over their short-wave radios. Even though we know how the story ends, these interspersions keep the tension high as everyone's on edge, listening to the radio static, hoping to hear a voice.
Overall, it's an excellent biography that sheds new light on a person and events we thought we knew.
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1 Comments on Nonfiction Monday, last added: 12/20/2011
This is the second review of the same book this week that I've read through Nonfiction Monday. With such glowing recommendations, I do need to find this book and read it for myself! :)
I hope you're having a fun time reading through so many books as a Cybils Judge! Must be tough but enjoyable too :)
Amelia Earhart! This tousled aviatrix is one of America's most fascinating historical figures. In Amelia Lost: the Life and Disapperance of Amelia Earhart, Candace Fleming uncovers amazing stories about the week that followed Earhart's disappearance over the Pacific Ocean. People as far east as Florida claimed to hear snatches of radio transmissions from Earhart's plane. The technology that existed back then may not have been up to the task of finding her but one wonders if the authorities paid closer attention to these "hearings', could she have been found?
Fleming's book sandwiches the story of Earhart's fascination with flight, and her development as a media darling and a daring pilot, between the stories of individuals who claimed that they heard her voice on their radio sets. Along with these reports, Fleming mixes in media coverage of Earhart's exploits and journalists' criticism or praise for her. The book is not only a comprehensive biography for middle grade readers, but a commentary on how media coverage has contributed to historical events. Earhart was a canny promoter, not only of herself but of feminist ideals and of aviation.
Fleming reveals little known facts about Earhart and dishes the truth about some of the legends that have grown up around this American icon. The book is liberally illustrated with period photos and snatches of Earhart's and her husband's journals and letters. There is a bibliography and a source list for serious Earhart enthusiasts.
Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart by Candace Fleming, Schwartz and Wade, 2011 (review copy provided by the publisher)
When Candace Fleming writes a new book I have to read it. When I saw it was about Amelia Earhart my first reaction was, really? A quick (and by no means exhaustive) search of Amazon.com indicates there are 134children's books about the famed aviator. Comparatively, Clara Barton only rates 65, Eleanor Roosevelt clocks in at 108, Dolly Madison -- 15, Abigail Adams -- 68, Marian Anderson --20, Susan B. Anthony -- 49, Helen Keller -- 119 (I really thought Keller might surpass her), Rosa Parks -- 122, and Sally Ride -- 34.
Clearly, Amelia Earhart trumps other female icons of American history in publishing. Fleming's book is unique though and is a rich addition to the Earhart bookshelf as 2012, will mark the 75th anniversary of the mystery of her disappearance over the Pacific Ocean.
Fleming shares this story in a unique way by planting the reader right there, on board the Coast Guard cutter Itasca, in the early morning hours of July 2, 1937, where the crew is listening and watching for Earhart's plane. The skillful storytelling pulls the reader right into the mystery of Amelia's disappearance. Even though we know the outcome, the reader feels caught up in the search and hopes that the story might have a different outcome this time. Hope flares for her recovery.
The book design invites the reader to dip in anywhere or read the story straight through. Images are captioned, and interesting facts and related events are highlighted in text boxes throughout. Some of the most fascinating aspects of the story to me were the pages featuring shortwave radio listeners in Wyoming and Florida who may have picked up some of the last broadcasts from the doomed plane. The story of that fateful day when Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan disappeared is told separately on gray shaded pages which can be read as they appear, interspersed throughout the book or easily located and read as a separate narrative.
Fleming provides an extensive bibliography which she has enhanced with subheadings explaining the role certain archives and references played in her research. She also includes a list of authoritative websites which is of immense value given the number of "speculative" sites that must be out there. Each chapter is documented with source notes and picture credits. I would share these pages with students to demonstrate the importance and value of documenting sources in research.
Rachel Cole's book design is lovely. The color scheme of white and soft gray echoes the hues of black and white photographs. The time perio
4 Comments on Nonfiction Monday: Amelia Lost, last added: 4/20/2011
I've been able to recommend this to students and they have actually checked it out. Usually, biographies only circulate when there is a project. Good stuff.
Ms.Y-- OH MY GOODNESS, I have been booktalking and sort of HiStoryTelling this book over the past 2 days and now EVERY Amelia Earhart biography in the library is checked out!
I am going to donate my review copy to this library because I have had so many kids ask if they can "check that book out."
This is an abbreviated version of a list of books put together by Lauren Donovan from Random House Children’s Books.
TILLIE THE TERRIBLE SWEDE: How One Woman, a Sewing Needle, and a Bicycle Changed History
By Sue Stauffacher; illustrated by Sarah McMenemy
When Tillie Anderson came to America, all she had was a needle. So she got herself a job in a tailor shop and waited for a dream to find her. One day, a man sped by on a bicycle. She was told “bicycles aren’t for ladies,” but from then on, Tillie dreamed of riding—not graceful figure eights, but speedy, scorching, racy riding! And she knew that couldn’t be done in a fancy lady’s dress. . . . With arduous training and her (shocking!) new clothes, Tillie became the women’s bicycle-riding champion of the world. Sue Stauffacher’s lively text and Sarah McMenemy’s charming illustrations capture the energy of America’s bicycle craze and tell the story of one woman who wouldn’t let society’s expectations stop her from achieving her dream.
Alfred A. Knopf | January 25, 2011 | Ages 5-8 | 40 pgs
AMELIA LOST: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart
By Candace Fleming
In this stunning new biography, Candace Fleming, the acclaimed author of The Great and Only Barnum and The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look and Abraham and Mary, peels back the layers of myth surrounding the world’s most famous aviatrix Amelia Earhart and presents an honest portrait of a multi-faceted, inspirational woman. With photos, maps, and hand-written notes from Amelia herself—plus informative sidebars tackling everything from the history of flight to what Amelia liked to eat while flying (tomato soup), this unique biography is tailor-made for middle graders.
Filled with memorable moments and a winning cast of characters, Fusco’s story, set during the Great Depression, is sure to tug at the heartstrings of all who read it. Bringing topics such as the Depression and segr
Our shared history unites families, communities, and nations. Although women’s history is intertwined with the history shared with men, several factors – social, religious, economic, and biological – have worked to create a unique sphere of women’s history. ~ The National Women’s History Project
Just Being Audrey
by Margaret Cardillo (Author), Julia Denos (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (January 25, 2011)
Source: Publisher
From her life as a child in Nazi occupied Europe to her rise to fame as an actress to her empowering work with UNICEF, Hepburn’s kindness and compassion has been highlighted clearly and carefully and will most definitely inspire young girls. The beautifully painted artwork truly captures the eloquence and signature style that exuded from Hepburn her entire life. Just Being Audrey certainly has a special je ne sais quoi.
This picture book is a brilliant way to introduce young girls to some very wonderful women. It’s empowering and inspiring and a whole lot of fun. These are some of Isabella’s role models: U.S. Astronaut Sally Ride, activist Rosa Parks, and sharpshooter Annie Oakley.
Before I moved to the U.S some eighteen years ago, (was it really that long ago?) I did not know much about Amelia Earhart. Then I worked in a school for a while, and began exploring the world of children's literature. I discovered that many children (especially girls) are fascinated by Amelia's story. As I started reading non-fiction titles about Amelia, I came to realize that flying was only one of the many things that she did with her time.She gave speeches about the role of women in the modern world, she taught, and she spent time with children and young women. She was, in short, a very remarkable woman.
For Amelia's birthday anniversary (July 24th) I reviewed an excellent book calledAmelia Earhart: The Legend of the Lost Aviator by Shelley Tanaka and illustrated by David Craig. Shelley Tanaka has written many splendid non-fiction titles and this is one of her best. Here is my review of the book.
Amelia Earhart: The legend of the lost aviator
Shelley Tanaka
Illustrated by David Craig
Non Fiction Picture Book
Ages 9 to 12
Abrams, 2008, 978-0-8109-7095-3
Amelia Earhart was not the kind of person to be put off when people told her that what she wanted to do was impossible, or inappropriate, or unladylike. More than almost anything Amelia believed that people should pursue their dreams. If need be, they should fight to do what they believe is important. Amelia certainly did; she ended up doing what she cared about the most: flying, teaching, and helping others.
Once Amelia found her place in the sky, she was unstoppable. She broke records and proved to the world that women can be great pilots, just like men. Flying rickety planes that were notoriously prone to breakages and problems, Amelia traveled long distances not only to break records, but to show women that the sky is indeed the limit.
When Amelia’s plane disappeared in July 1937, the whole world watched, waited, and then grieved. To this day, we do not know what happened to Amelia Earhart. We may never know, but her legacy lives on, and generations of girls and women still look to her for inspiration.
In this marvelous picture book Shelley Tanaka brings Amelia Earhart’s world to life. With numerous quotes from Amelia’s writings and speeches, the book beautifully captures Amelia Earhart’s indomitable spirit and her sense of adventure. Packed with information, illustrations, and photographs, this title is a must for all young Amelia Earhart fans.
If you are interested in purchasing this title please consider doing so through The TTLG website to help support this blog. Many thanks.
McCaughrean, Geraldine. 2007. The White Darkness. (First U.S. edition, 2007; originally published in 2005).
What can I say about The White Darkness? Really? It was strange. Odd. One-of-a-kind. There were moments when I was really loving the oddness of it. After all, how many writers begin off their novel like this:
I have been in love with Titus Oates for quite a while now--which is ridiculous, since he's been dead for ninety years. But look at it this way. In ninety years I'll be dead, too, and then the age difference won't matter. Besides he isn't dead inside my head. We talk about all kinds of things. From whether hair color can change spontaneously to whether friends are better than family, and the best age for marrying: 14 or 125. Generally speaking, he knows more than I do, but on that particular subject we are even. He wasn't married--at least he wasn't when he died, which must have substantially cut down his chances. (1)
Who is Titus Oates? Why has he--though dead--captured this young teen's heart? He was an Antarctic explorer in Robert Scott's expedition in 1911/12. Her uncle fueled her interest in the Antarctic through books and dvds. Now, she is mesmerized and a tad obsessed. It must run in the family.
Her family. Also odd. There is her father who died after months of strange behavior. There is her "uncle" Victor who while no blood relation, takes the family under his protection. And there is the mother. The mother who is almost always silent. The author has almost chosen to give her no voice in this novel. And then there is our narrator, Symone. She is odd. She is to some extent deaf. She cannot hear anything without her hearing aids. That doesn't make her odd necessarily. I'm not suggesting it does. But wearing hearing aids at such a young age, does make Sym--as she calls herself--feel a little out of place with her peers. That and the fact that she is almost constantly in conversation with a dead man. Sym and Titus. An odd combination of narrators. He does play a vital role in the story. But whether that is because he provides some relief and normalcy from the other actually "real" characters...or if he is just proof of her insanity...is debatable.
The story. What happens. Uncle Victor surprises Sym with a trip to Paris. But this isn't an ordinary trip to Paris. Without telling anyone--her mom, her school, etc--he is planning to head off to Antarctica with his "niece." Symone doesn't know either, not at first. And when she does find out, she tries to contact her mother--but there always seems to be some circumstance blocking her. The phone doesn't work. The radio is out. The two, Victor and Symone, are part of a group of tourists--or are they??? What is Uncle Victor's real motivations in dragging his "niece" all this way? And why is Symone only now beginning to see just how strange her uncle truly is?
I hesitate to describe any more of the novel. I don't want to spoil the plot. But I do want to say this. The further into the novel I read, the more uncomfortable I became. The less charmed I was by the quirkiness of the narration. It became evident fairly early on that we were talking of a severe case of mental illness. The narrator's mental status also being up for debate. The other characters? All equally strange and unexplainable. There was no one normal. No one trustworthy. No one that you could actually relate to or like. Everyone was either odd, weird, strange, quirky, or eccentric.
Do I like the novel? Not really. Why? I found the characters a little too odd. Too extreme. I just didn't connect with them. Yes, I kept reading the story. Yes, I suppose I wanted to know what happened. But it was more about closure--I didn't want to leave them stranded out on the ice without learning how it was resolved. I didn't like the characters. I thought they were all crazy.
Other readers may have a different take on the novel. It may appeal to them in a way that it doesn't for me. I can only say that this novel wasn't quite my style. We didn't really click that well.
0 Comments on The White Darkness as of 6/5/2007 8:37:00 AM
Cadel Piggott is a genius. There’s no denying it. But that doesn’t always mean he makes smart decisions. The reader first meets the hero, Cadel, when he is seven years old. Already placed several grades ahead, he is a genius when it comes to everything but people. Alone. Isolated. Cadel rarely makes the effort to make friends. After all, his classmates have always been older than him. Significantly older than him. But luckily, Cadel has one person in the world he can talk to. One person who understands him. That person is Dr. Thaddeus Roth. This “counselor” who helps troubled youth takes a special interest in Cadel. But all isn’t what it seems as the story unfolds. Secrets. Lies. Half-truths. Plots. Schemes. Manipulations. Betrayals. Cadel isn’t always a likable hero, but his story is full of one adventure after another.
Read the rest of my review in May's issue of The Edge of the Forest. Also of note: I made the 'best of the blogs' section as well!
Quincie Morris is not your average teen girl. For one thing, her first love and best friend, Kieren, is a werewolf. Another thing that separates her from the crowd: she's being wooed by a vampire. Yes, life for Quincie Morris is not your typical, ordinary one. She's an orphan being raised by her uncle. Together they are running the family restaurant. Due to some recent competition, the restaurant is being rejuvenated and going theme. The theme? vampires. So of course the head chef would need to at least pretend to be a vampire to attract customers. But when murders become an almost weekly occurrence in the neighborhood, Quincie doesn't know what to think. Is the restaurant attracting real vampires? Or is her best friend a serial killer? Who can she trust? Is anyone she loves a suspect? No one is safe in this thrilling vampire tale of murder and seduction.
P.S. The vampires in this novel are very, very bad. Not your blood-abstaining sort.
I put this on my to-read list way back when I first saw a picture of the cover floating around the internet. I have a thing for red-heads and the cover image on this book is beautiful!
Becky said, on 4/17/2007 11:10:00 AM
You should definitely enter this contest:
http://www.vampress.net/contests.php
Erin said, on 4/17/2007 11:38:00 AM
I hope you don't mind my asking, but would this count as a "clean read"? (i.e. what ages would you recommend it for?)
Becky said, on 4/17/2007 11:57:00 AM
It depends on how you define 'clean read'. I definitely would say at least 13+ or maybe even 14+. It would just depend on the reader. For example, there is discussion of sex, but I don't think there are any graphic sex scenes necessarily. S P O I L E R It is a vampire novel, and there is some biting and sucking going on in some what personal locations (neck, thighs, stomach, etc.) So it would just depend on what the reader felt comfortable with. Plus there is violence. If you're not bothered with violence (murder; horrific crime scenes, etc) then it might be appropriate. But if you're sensitive, it might turn your stomach. As far as language goes, I don't remember it being horrible (littered with f words or anything) but I don't think it would pass a Puritan's standard or anything either.
Set in France, England, and Romania during World War I, Bloodline is the story of four young people: the brother and sister team of John and Lily Shaw; Mary Seward, a young nurse who falls in love with John; and Colonel Quincey Harker, John's Commanding Officer and Lily's love interest. The story is told through diary/journal entries and/or letters of all the characters involved. When John arrives at the front and meets his new Commanding Officer, he has little idea what torments await him in the following weeks. It is more than the war. It is the horror of watching the twisted cruelty of humanity. John gets the feeling that there is something not quite right about Colonel Harker. He's mysterious. He's dangerous. He seems to have superhuman strength and an uncanny ability to return always unscathed from his nighttime raids and skirmishes. Witnessing a few scenes AND being injured, he ends up returning to England and becoming a patient in a sanatorium delirious with trench fever. His ravings and mumblings convince doctors he's mad--crazy, delirious. But what no one suspects is that his nightmares are rooted in truth--a dangerous, horrifying truth. Mary is the only one who senses there may be something to his suspicions about Colonel Harker. She's the only one who distrusts him when he comes to visit...and when he moves into the Shaw household. Is there really something dark and sinister lurking beneath his charming, charismatic persona? Will Harker endanger them all?
This war is as bad for the mind as it is for the boy. In the fog of combat, we aren't always able to see things for what they really are. (26)
My dear daughter, I fear an old enemy has returned. An enemy my friends and I had hoped our children would never know. He turned to John. "My boy," he said, "I do not believe your testimony of Quincey Harker's demonic activities is that of a fevered mind. For I have encountered such behavior before. From what you have told me, I believe Quincey Harker must be descended from the same evil, parasitic presence I helped remove from the world thirty-five years ago. One Count Dracula... (151)
In 1928 
it. When I saw it was about Amelia Earhart my first reaction was, really? A quick (and by no means exhaustive) search of Amazon.com indicates there are 134 children's books about the famed aviator. Comparatively, Clara Barton only rates 65, Eleanor Roosevelt clocks in at 108, Dolly Madison -- 15, Abigail Adams -- 68, Marian Anderson --20, Susan B. Anthony -- 49, Helen Keller -- 119 (I really thought Keller might surpass her), Rosa Parks -- 122, and Sally Ride -- 34.
This is the second review of the same book this week that I've read through Nonfiction Monday. With such glowing recommendations, I do need to find this book and read it for myself! :)
I hope you're having a fun time reading through so many books as a Cybils Judge! Must be tough but enjoyable too :)