Amelia Earhart by Doris L. Rich.
Although much of Earhart's early life was spent in poverty with no real home for seven years, she emerged with a sense of independence and a standard for achievement and honesty. Before her disappearance in 1937, she became not only a famous woman aviator, but also a champion of women's rights and a cofounder of one of the first commercial airlines. RC 32801.

Amelia Earhart’s Daughters: The Wild and Glorious Story of American Women Aviators from World War II to the Dawn of the Space Age by Leslie Haynsworth and David Toomey.
An account of pioneer female pilots in aviation history. Recalls the feats of the Ferrying Division that delivered new planes from manufacturers to air bases. Portrays courageous but unpublicized fliers such as Jackie Cochran, Nancy Harkness Love, and Jerrie Cobb. RC 49054.

The Bishop’s Boys: A Life of Wilbur and Orville Wright by Tom D. Crouch.
Both a biography and a history of early aviation. Crouch begins with the childhood of Wilbur and Orville in Dayton, Ohio. As their story unfolds, it becomes evident that the brothers, who were greatly influenced by their father, Bishop Milton Wright, were part of a family deeply devoted to each other and determined to succeed in spite of initial failures. RC 30316.

The Black Watch: The Men Who Fly America’s Secret Spy Planes by Ernest Kellogg Gann.
A captain in the Air Transport Command from 1942-1946 tells the story of the men and machines that fly intelligence-gathering reconnaissance missions. Gann describes the "birds," from the U-2, 1950s vintage, to the SR-71 that will fly at an altitude of over 80,000 feet. He talks about the men, their families, and the stress of the long solo flights. RC 31110.

Countdown: A History of Space Flight by T.A. Heppenheimer.
A chronicle of international efforts at space exploration since the 1930s. Describes the early experiments and breakthroughs, key personalities whose vision and work advanced the science of space flight, the technologies that made it possible, and the obstacles that were overcome in conquering the frontier of space. RC 46019.

Dr. Eckener’s Dream Machine: The Great Zeppelin and the Dawn of Air Travel by Douglas Botting.
Chronicles the technological development of airships--dirigibles or zeppelins. Focuses on their champion, German entrepreneur Dr. Hugo Eckener, describing his hopes for transforming air travel, epitomized by the 1929 around-the-world trip of the Graf Zeppelin. Discusses the use of the zeppelin in military warfare and its disastrous demise. RC 54887.
 
East to the Dawn: The Life of Amelia Earhart by Susan Butler.
Describes Earhart as an adventurous child who grew up to be the most famous female pilot of the 1920s and 1930s. Butler provides details about Earhart's private life and the men in it besides her husband. She traces Earhart's role in aviation history and discusses her disappearance in the Pacific during her around the world flight in 1937. RC 45559.

Fate Is the Hunter by Ernest Kellogg Gann.
Autobiography of the author during his flying days as a commercial pilot and with the Air Transport Command during World War II. Gann writes of the early time when he learned to fly, of becoming a seasoned pilot, and of the missions he flew during the war. His account also portrays many other pilots. Strong language. RC 44215.

Flight: My Life in Mission Control by Christopher C. Kraft.
NASA's first flight director offers an insider's view of the early days of the space program in the 1960s. He describes past achievements such as the first manned launch with Alan Shepard, and the glitches, near disasters, and successes, culminating with the astronauts walking on the moon. Some strong language. RC 53219.

Getting Off the Ground: The Pioneers of Aviation Speak for Themselves by George Vecsey.
Reminiscences about the early days of aviation by men and women now in their seventies, eighties, and nineties who were a part of it. The twenty-nine pioneers interviewed include women who broke endurance records and the man who built and flew a plane with flapping wings that could collapse like a sparrow's. RC 14556, BR 4421.

The Hindenburg by Michael Macdonald Mooney.
Presents a history of the Zeppelin airships, their voyages to and from Germany, and a detailed account of the last flight of the Hindenburg. Mooney writes of the passengers on that fatal flight and of the Luftwaffe officers and crew who were unable to prevent the explosion, perhaps the result of sabotage. RC 49148.

I Could Never Be So Lucky Again by James Doolittle.
Born in 1896, Doolittle has led a life of adventure. His love of flying, beginning in the Army Air Service, led to a doctorate in aeronautical science from MIT and fame in air shows. Although later established in the corporate world, Doolittle returned to the service during World War II and devised and carried out the devastating raid against Japan for which he is best known. RC 34878.

Invasion of the Moon, 1969: The Story of Apollo 11 by Peter Ryan.
A dramatic description of the flight and first moon landing by U.S. astronaut Neil A. Armstrong on July 20. This detailed account was actually written during the course of the moon flight by the science adviser to the British Broadcasting Corporation. BR 1293.

Jackie Cochran: An Autobiography by Jacqueline Cochran.
Cochran's exploits in aviation won her numerous honors. She set more distance, speed, and altitude records than any other woman aviator, organized the WASP program in World War II, and was the first woman to break the sound barrier. Some strong language. RC 27239.

The Last Man on the Moon: Astronaut Eugene Cernan and America’s Race in Space by Eugene Cernan and Don Davis.
This memoir of a space pioneer describes his personal experiences during his years with NASA, especially the flights of Gemini 9, Apollo 10, and Apollo 17. Cernan recalls the technical problems, his relations with fellow astronauts, and some family repercussions, but mostly the thrill of being in space and walking on the moon. RC 50403.

Lost Moon: The Perilous Journey of Apollo 13 by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger.
Apollo 13 was to have been the fifth mission to the moon. But two days into the trip, on April 13, 1970, the oxygen tank exploded in the command module, placing the three astronauts in grave danger. Lovell describes those terrifying days as astronauts, contractors, and Mission Control struggled to bring Apollo 13 safely back to earth. Basis for the movie Apollo 13. RC 40691.

Man Flies: The Story of Alberto Santos-Dumont by Nancy Winters.
Biography of the Brazilian aviation pioneer. Describes his experiments with maneuvering air balloons in Paris in the late 1890s and early 1900s. Explains why Santos-Dumont has been eclipsed in history by the Wright brothers but why his reputation deserves resurrection. BR 12320.

North Star over My Shoulder: A Flying Life by Bob Buck.
Memoirs of a career pilot whose adventures span aviation history, from open biplanes to B-17s to the 747. He recalls his intercontinental flights as copilot for actor Tyrone Power, the romance of exotic destinations such as Paris and Cairo, the danger of thunderstorms, and his abiding love of flying. RC 55454.

Plane Talk: Aviators’ and Astronauts’ Own Stories by Carl R. Oliver.
A collection of vivid, first person accounts by the men and women who have made American aviation history. Includes narratives by Orville Wright, Eddie Rickenbacker, Richard Byrd, and a quartet of astronauts. RC 20408.

Queen Bess: Daredevil Aviator by Doris L. Rich.
Rich outlines the life of the world's first black woman aviator, Bessie Coleman, by drawing on reports in black newspapers and memoirs of contemporaries. Born in 1892, Coleman battled racism and sexism in her drive to "amount to something." She chose flying as her road to glory, earned her license in France after U.S. instructors refused to teach her, and found fame in air shows. She died in a crash in 1926. RC 42230.

The Spirit of St. Louis by Charles Lindbergh.
Personal account of the famous first solo nonstop flight to Paris. The saga begins in 1926 when Lindbergh was a pilot on the Saint Louis-Chicago mail route, traces his struggle to get financial backers and to acquire the plane of his dreams, and details the historic 33-1/2 hour flight in the Spirit of St. Louis. RC 42159.

Taking Science to the Moon by Donald A. Beattie.
Insider's view of how NASA staffers banded with scientists to expand the research activities of the moon landing, an unprecedented undertaking. Discusses the behind the scenes maneuvering leading to Project Apollo's scientific achievements, which enriched knowledge not only of the Moon but of the planet Earth. RC 55465.

Voyager by Jeana Yeager and Dick Rutan.
Rutan and Yeager, the first man and woman to fly around the world without stopping to refuel, share the story behind that historic record. Their backgrounds and careers, their six years of preparation for the flight, their testing and research, as well as their friends and backers are described in this against-all-odds true adventure. RC 27189, BR 7200.

“We” by Charles Lindbergh.
Tells the story of the famed aviator's life, and of his flying experiences which culminated in the first successful solo flight from New York to Paris. Includes graphic accounts of early barnstorming trips, stunt flying, and parachute jumps. RC 13582.

Women of the Air by Judy Lomax.
Lomax profiles forgotten women in aviation history, such as Bessie Coleman, the first black woman to gain her pilot's license; Helen Richey, America's first female commercial pilot; and the Stinson sisters, stunt pilots and flight instructors. RC 28485.

Wilbur and Orville: A Biography of the Wright Brothers by Fred Howard.
A scrupulously detailed yet lively portrait of the bachelor brothers who invented powered flight. Placing their accomplishments in context, the author provides a comprehensive history of flight during the first decades of the twentieth century. He includes fascinating accounts of Orville's twenty-eight year feud with the Smithsonian Institution, the aircraft scandal of World War I, and the brothers' incessant battle over patents. RC 26497.
 
Winged Victory: The Army Air Forces in World War II by Geoffrey Perret.
Presents a history of World War II aerial campaigns, including key air battles in the Pacific and European theaters. Discusses leaders such as Lieutenant General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold, who along with subordinates, turned the United States Army Air Corps into an effective fighting force. RC 52553.

Yeager: An Autobiography by Chuck Yeager and Leo Janos.
Self-portrait of a real-life hero. Born in the hills of West Virginia, Chuck Yeager first became known for his abilities as a fighter pilot during World War II. Grit, a strong instinct for survival, and keen eyesight made him the victor in countless dogfights. He also became the nation’s premier test pilot--defying death and breaking all speed records. Some strong language. RC 21539, BR 6204.