What do you think?
Rate this book
Win a free print copy of this book!
9 days and 10:48:34
75 copies available
U.S. only
A Pair of Wings
Win a free print copy of this book!
9 days and 10:48:34
75 copies available
U.S. only
A riveting, adventurous novel inspired by the life of pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman, a Black woman who learned to fly at the dawn of aviation, and found freedom in the air.
A few years after the Wright Brothers’ first flight, Bessie was working the Texas cotton fields with her family when an airplane flew right over their heads. It buzzed so low she thought she could catch it in her hands. Bessie wasn’t afraid. Without even thinking, she spread my arms out and pretended she was flying. She knew there was freedom in those wings.
The daughter of a woman born into slavery, Bessie answers the call of the great migration, moving to Chicago as a single woman. While working as a manicurist in the White Sox barbershop, she wins the backing of two wealthy, powerful Black men, Robert Abbott, the publisher of The Chicago Defender, and Jesse Binga, Chicago’s first Black banker. Abbott becomes her mentor and chronicles her adventures, while the good-looking gun-toting Binga becomes her lover. Her first love, though, remains the airplane.
But In 1920, no one in the U.S. will train a Black woman to fly, so 26- year-old Bessie learns to speak French and bets it all on an epic journey to Europe as she begins a quest to defy the odds and gravity itself. Two years ahead of Amelia Earhart, Bessie is molded by battle-hardened French and German combat pilots, who teach her death-defying stunts. Bessie’s signature majestic loops, spiky barrel rolls, and hairpin turns, just like her hardscrabble journey, are spellbinding.
While she finds there is no prejudice in the air, Bessie must wrestle with many challenges: She nearly dies in a plane crash, one of her brothers seems to be crumbling under the weight of Jim Crow, and as she grapples with tough truths about Binga, Bessie begins to wonder if the freedom she finds is the air
means she must otherwise fly solo.
With tenderness and verve, Carole Hopson imagines the breathtaking moxie that led Bessie Coleman to strap up knee-high boots and don a self-designed flight suit to become “Queen Bess” of the sky.
A few years after the Wright Brothers’ first flight, Bessie was working the Texas cotton fields with her family when an airplane flew right over their heads. It buzzed so low she thought she could catch it in her hands. Bessie wasn’t afraid. Without even thinking, she spread my arms out and pretended she was flying. She knew there was freedom in those wings.
The daughter of a woman born into slavery, Bessie answers the call of the great migration, moving to Chicago as a single woman. While working as a manicurist in the White Sox barbershop, she wins the backing of two wealthy, powerful Black men, Robert Abbott, the publisher of The Chicago Defender, and Jesse Binga, Chicago’s first Black banker. Abbott becomes her mentor and chronicles her adventures, while the good-looking gun-toting Binga becomes her lover. Her first love, though, remains the airplane.
But In 1920, no one in the U.S. will train a Black woman to fly, so 26- year-old Bessie learns to speak French and bets it all on an epic journey to Europe as she begins a quest to defy the odds and gravity itself. Two years ahead of Amelia Earhart, Bessie is molded by battle-hardened French and German combat pilots, who teach her death-defying stunts. Bessie’s signature majestic loops, spiky barrel rolls, and hairpin turns, just like her hardscrabble journey, are spellbinding.
While she finds there is no prejudice in the air, Bessie must wrestle with many challenges: She nearly dies in a plane crash, one of her brothers seems to be crumbling under the weight of Jim Crow, and as she grapples with tough truths about Binga, Bessie begins to wonder if the freedom she finds is the air
means she must otherwise fly solo.
With tenderness and verve, Carole Hopson imagines the breathtaking moxie that led Bessie Coleman to strap up knee-high boots and don a self-designed flight suit to become “Queen Bess” of the sky.
432 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication August 20, 2024
About the author
Carole Hopson
1 book58 followersCarole Hopson is a captain on the Boeing 737 for United Airlines, based in Newark, New Jersey. After a twenty-year career as a journalist and executive for iconic brands like the National Football League, Foot Locker, and L’Oréal, Carole followed her dream to become a pilot. A century after Bessie Coleman soared over seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Black women in the U.S. account for less than one percent of all professional pilots. Inspired by Bessie’s spellbinding accomplishments, Carole founded the Jet Black Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to sending one hundred Black women to flight school by the year 2035.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
February 26, 2024
A Pair of Wings tells the life story of pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman.
In 1915, Bessie leaves oppressive Texas for Chicago where two of her brothers already relocated, and where she also reconnects with her college friend Norma. The two are opposites. Norma avoids risks, Bessie rushes toward adventure. All of them are part of the Great Migration that left agricultural South for opportunity in the North.
Bessie works at barbershop where she meets a man who supports her dream of flying. But the problem is no one wants to accept a Negro female student. He helps her to apply to different schools, and he finds one that accepts her. It happens to be in France. That doesn’t deter her from following her dream. She learns the language and travels to France.
In France, she learns much more. She converts wargame maneuvers into graceful performances which earn her the nickname of Daredevil in the US.
It is a fascinating story of a remarkable woman and set against interesting historical background of the Great Migration. However, the style of writing is informative, making it a dry read, and the progression of the story is slow. I wished there was more to the backstories at the beginning to get attached to the main character.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In 1915, Bessie leaves oppressive Texas for Chicago where two of her brothers already relocated, and where she also reconnects with her college friend Norma. The two are opposites. Norma avoids risks, Bessie rushes toward adventure. All of them are part of the Great Migration that left agricultural South for opportunity in the North.
Bessie works at barbershop where she meets a man who supports her dream of flying. But the problem is no one wants to accept a Negro female student. He helps her to apply to different schools, and he finds one that accepts her. It happens to be in France. That doesn’t deter her from following her dream. She learns the language and travels to France.
In France, she learns much more. She converts wargame maneuvers into graceful performances which earn her the nickname of Daredevil in the US.
It is a fascinating story of a remarkable woman and set against interesting historical background of the Great Migration. However, the style of writing is informative, making it a dry read, and the progression of the story is slow. I wished there was more to the backstories at the beginning to get attached to the main character.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 28, 2022
Amazing novel based on Bessie Coleman! Carole Hopson does an incredible job describing life in the early 1900's when Bessie became the first American civilian to be certified to fly by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale.
While reading A Pair of Wings, I felt completely immersed in the story as if I was walking alongside Bessie as she walked 18 miles round trip each day to her flying lessons.
Hopson captures exquisite detail of world and national events, clothing, food, relationships, and romance.
Highly, highly recommend!
While reading A Pair of Wings, I felt completely immersed in the story as if I was walking alongside Bessie as she walked 18 miles round trip each day to her flying lessons.
Hopson captures exquisite detail of world and national events, clothing, food, relationships, and romance.
Highly, highly recommend!
January 25, 2024
Many thanks to both Henry Holt & Co. and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of A Pair of Wings. The expected publication date is August 20, 2024.
3½ Stars
Bessie Coleman was a fearless woman who overcame an amazing number of cultural, racial, and economic obstacles in her quest to learn to fly. I would love to go back in time to meet her.
I feel the author did a great job describing Bessie's life on the pages of A Pair of Wings. What she went through to get anyone to give her a chance to learn how to fly, and then to finally LET her fly were riveting.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel the explicit sex scenes added anything to the book. There was so much about Bessie I wanted to learn about! I mean, becoming the first African American/Native American female aviator is huge and that was where my interest lay.
Most of the book was fascinating, however. What an inspiration Queen Bess was!
3½ Stars
Bessie Coleman was a fearless woman who overcame an amazing number of cultural, racial, and economic obstacles in her quest to learn to fly. I would love to go back in time to meet her.
I feel the author did a great job describing Bessie's life on the pages of A Pair of Wings. What she went through to get anyone to give her a chance to learn how to fly, and then to finally LET her fly were riveting.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel the explicit sex scenes added anything to the book. There was so much about Bessie I wanted to learn about! I mean, becoming the first African American/Native American female aviator is huge and that was where my interest lay.
Most of the book was fascinating, however. What an inspiration Queen Bess was!
August 30, 2021
I was thrilled to interview pilot and author Carole Hopson about her gorgeous historical fiction A Pair of Wings about the life of pioneering Aviatrix, Bessie Coleman (which you can listen to here Aviatrix Book Review website or on the Aviatrix Book Review podcast.) Already an Oprah Daily best pick for July 2021, A Pair of Wings is so incredibly well done, it feels as if Carole was hand-picked by the universe to deliver Bessie’s story. As she shares in our interview, she provided the ‘glue’ to hold the biographical facts together with her fictional drawing of Bessie’s interpersonal relationships and emotions, making this feel like a deeply personal memoir. Her exhaustive research is evident throughout the book, to include walking the nine-mile route that Bessie traveled daily, on-foot, to and from her flight school in France to achieve her ambitious dream of flight.
I have been so inspired and fascinated reading about our many women aviation pioneers, but Bessie stands apart with her incredible determination and defiance of every social norm and expectation of her day, not only related to gender, but also race. Carole very skillfully and thoroughly places Bessie in the full context of her times—both within the dawn of aviation and the Great Migration of Blacks from the rural South to the North and West. The characters’ voices ring true and distinct, the descriptions are vivid, and the history cleverly woven through newspapers—"the social media of the time”—and Bessie’s active engagement in the world.
On top of all of the wonderful things I feel about this story, I have to gush about Carole and her vision for this book contributing to a larger mission. Carole is working to raise funds for her One Hundred Pairs of Wings initiative, which will launch this November with a goal of sending 100 Black women through flight training at the Lieutenant Colonel Luke Weathers Junior Flight Academy by the year 2035. This may sound like a small number, but when you consider that there are fewer than 150 licensed Black female pilots in the US, it feels at once achievable and ambitious. 20% of book sales go to support this project.
I have been so inspired and fascinated reading about our many women aviation pioneers, but Bessie stands apart with her incredible determination and defiance of every social norm and expectation of her day, not only related to gender, but also race. Carole very skillfully and thoroughly places Bessie in the full context of her times—both within the dawn of aviation and the Great Migration of Blacks from the rural South to the North and West. The characters’ voices ring true and distinct, the descriptions are vivid, and the history cleverly woven through newspapers—"the social media of the time”—and Bessie’s active engagement in the world.
On top of all of the wonderful things I feel about this story, I have to gush about Carole and her vision for this book contributing to a larger mission. Carole is working to raise funds for her One Hundred Pairs of Wings initiative, which will launch this November with a goal of sending 100 Black women through flight training at the Lieutenant Colonel Luke Weathers Junior Flight Academy by the year 2035. This may sound like a small number, but when you consider that there are fewer than 150 licensed Black female pilots in the US, it feels at once achievable and ambitious. 20% of book sales go to support this project.
September 14, 2021
A Pair of Wings, an historical fiction novel about the life of early 1900’s Black and Native American pilot Bessie Coleman, is incredible! Denied entrance to American flight schools, she learned French and moved to France where she was welcomed at one of France’s most prestigious flight schools.
Bessie Coleman was famous in her day. She became the first American (Black, white, Native American, male or female) to earn an International Civilian Pilots License. She did stunt flying shows all over the US. When she died, 5,000 people attended her funeral in Florida. Over 10,000 people attended her funeral in Chicago including Ida B. Wells.
And yet, I’d never heard of her until I came across Carole Hopson’s book. Amelia Earhart, known by most Americans, was the 16th woman to earn the International license. Bessie Coleman was the first, yet she was left out of history. Leaving black history out of textbooks is a racist act. It is racism.
The Author, Carole Hopson, a pilot herself, painted an incredibly rich backdrop of the 1920’s and I felt sad when the novel came to an end because I was enjoying it so much.
Beautiful book.
Bessie Coleman was famous in her day. She became the first American (Black, white, Native American, male or female) to earn an International Civilian Pilots License. She did stunt flying shows all over the US. When she died, 5,000 people attended her funeral in Florida. Over 10,000 people attended her funeral in Chicago including Ida B. Wells.
And yet, I’d never heard of her until I came across Carole Hopson’s book. Amelia Earhart, known by most Americans, was the 16th woman to earn the International license. Bessie Coleman was the first, yet she was left out of history. Leaving black history out of textbooks is a racist act. It is racism.
The Author, Carole Hopson, a pilot herself, painted an incredibly rich backdrop of the 1920’s and I felt sad when the novel came to an end because I was enjoying it so much.
Beautiful book.
September 11, 2021
I LOVE this book! I took my time reading it because I didn’t want to reach the end. Author and aviator Carole Hopson combines black history during the Great Migration with the dawn of aviation in the early 20th century. Fashioned around the real life of pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman, a young African American woman who became the first American (black, white, male or female) to hold an international civilians pilots license, this rich historical fiction tells the story of an era simultaneously fostering technological progress while fiercely suppressing the advancement of black and brown Americans. Bessie Coleman’s journey is an inspiration for anyone with a dream and aspirations that feel out of reach. Persevere and let your passion be your guide!
January 27, 2024
“A Pair of Wings” is a wonderful five star read - if I could give it ten stars, I would. It is a tremendous story of strength and determination, masterfully told by Ms. Carole Hopson who herself is one of today’s rare Black, women, commercial pilots, flying as a Captain for United Airlines.
It is the true story of Bessie Coleman’s travails to become a pilot in the early 20th century. Ms. Coleman was a young Black woman who was determined to learn to fly. She managed to overcome all the obstacles put in front of her - her race, her sex and her poverty, all of which made it hard for her to realize her dream. There was no one in the States that was willing to teach her, so she learned French and learned to fly in France, becoming the first American (of any race or sex) to receive a license to fly from the French authorities. Then she moved to Holland and Germany to learn aerobatics from World War I veterans. On her return to the United States she started barnstorming around the country to show fellow Blacks that anything, including flying, was possible.
Her tale is told in the first person, which brings a sense of immediacy to the story. It lets the reader experience more closely the difficulties, setbacks and triumphs that Bessie encountered. I also love the way the author wraps the story in the American society of the time, so segregation is ever present, and Bessie lives the South to North migration, leaving Waxahachie, Texas for Chicago, where jobs and money were easier to find. Black society of the time was evoked so effectively that I felt a part of it myself.
I was getting a little restless as Bessie spent her formative years in Chicago with no flying in sight, but one has to be patient and trust that the author knows her craft. During this time we come to understand what drives Bessie, the unique Black Chicago society of the time and also the enormous changes that occurred in her life when she left for France and flight school. I cannot over-state how much this book enveloped me so that I experienced all of Bessie’s ups and downs, fears and exhilarations for myself.
Thank you, Ms Hopson for the wonderful experience of flying along with Bessie. And thank you, also, for founding the Jet Black Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, aiming to send one hundred Black women to flight school by 2035.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Henry Holt Company for providing me with a free ARC in return for my unbiased review.
It is the true story of Bessie Coleman’s travails to become a pilot in the early 20th century. Ms. Coleman was a young Black woman who was determined to learn to fly. She managed to overcome all the obstacles put in front of her - her race, her sex and her poverty, all of which made it hard for her to realize her dream. There was no one in the States that was willing to teach her, so she learned French and learned to fly in France, becoming the first American (of any race or sex) to receive a license to fly from the French authorities. Then she moved to Holland and Germany to learn aerobatics from World War I veterans. On her return to the United States she started barnstorming around the country to show fellow Blacks that anything, including flying, was possible.
Her tale is told in the first person, which brings a sense of immediacy to the story. It lets the reader experience more closely the difficulties, setbacks and triumphs that Bessie encountered. I also love the way the author wraps the story in the American society of the time, so segregation is ever present, and Bessie lives the South to North migration, leaving Waxahachie, Texas for Chicago, where jobs and money were easier to find. Black society of the time was evoked so effectively that I felt a part of it myself.
I was getting a little restless as Bessie spent her formative years in Chicago with no flying in sight, but one has to be patient and trust that the author knows her craft. During this time we come to understand what drives Bessie, the unique Black Chicago society of the time and also the enormous changes that occurred in her life when she left for France and flight school. I cannot over-state how much this book enveloped me so that I experienced all of Bessie’s ups and downs, fears and exhilarations for myself.
Thank you, Ms Hopson for the wonderful experience of flying along with Bessie. And thank you, also, for founding the Jet Black Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, aiming to send one hundred Black women to flight school by 2035.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Henry Holt Company for providing me with a free ARC in return for my unbiased review.
March 5, 2024
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A Pair of Wings is an inspiring novel about Bessie Coleman, the first African American woman to earn a pilots license. We learn about the steps Bessie had to take and hurdles she had to jump through to go from picking cotton in Texas to learning to fly in France and Germany, and eventually performing stunts at rallies and fairs throughout the United States before her untimely death at the age of 34.
I always get excited when I learn about a figure in history I’ve never heard of before. I’ve never really thought much about the history of aviation, but this book piqued my interest from the jump. I also really enjoyed learning more about the mechanics behind flight. I loved learning about Bessie and this book made me want to do some more research about her.
I also LOVED some of the other people we were in introduced to in Bessie’s life: Norma, her mother, Rene Caudron, Anton Fokker, Tristan, her brothers, and everyone else that played a positive part in her journey to become an aviatrix. Even the tailor who made her flight suit in France was a delightful person to read about! The author also did an amazing job of painting a picture as I was reading. I felt like I was with Bessie as she experienced everything.
I wish there was more about the aftermath of Bessie’s fatal accident and her legacy. What happened to the people she had such connections with throughout her life? (Jesse, Mr. Abbott, the Hills, the DeWalts, Norma, her instructors) I enjoyed learning how Bessie’s life inspired the author, but since this was the first time I had heard of her, a little more about her legacy would have been welcomed.
I also struggled a bit with some of the content. The explicit sex scenes just didn’t seem to have a place here. I understand the need to detail her relationship with Jesse Binga, but there were a handful of pages dedicated to Bessie losing her virginity to him, and that just felt out of place.
I also wish the author included some sort of note regarding the fact that this wasn’t a biography, but rather a novel inspired by Bessie’s life. We have no way of knowing what was fact and what was fabricated or embellished for the sake of the story. Maybe I missed it in the acknowledgments at the end, but it seemed like a lot of her research was done by following her footsteps, perhaps reading a biography about Bessie, and reading any other materials from that time period, including newspapers. This may be due to a lack of materials (she admitted not even being able to track down the eulogies from Bessie’s funerals) but I’m curious, since this was written as if Bessie was telling the story of her life, how the author was able to get into Bessie’s mind in order to write all of the dialogs and thoughts that were throughout the story. Were there any letters she found between Bessie and her family? Any diary entries? How much did her great niece and nephew know about Bessie that they were able to relay to the author? I’m just curious what kind of materials the author consulted to get a read on Bessie’s personality. And if it was all or mostly a fabrication, I think a note is needed informing the reader that this is the case.
All in all, this was an enjoyable read and an inspiring story!
A Pair of Wings is an inspiring novel about Bessie Coleman, the first African American woman to earn a pilots license. We learn about the steps Bessie had to take and hurdles she had to jump through to go from picking cotton in Texas to learning to fly in France and Germany, and eventually performing stunts at rallies and fairs throughout the United States before her untimely death at the age of 34.
I always get excited when I learn about a figure in history I’ve never heard of before. I’ve never really thought much about the history of aviation, but this book piqued my interest from the jump. I also really enjoyed learning more about the mechanics behind flight. I loved learning about Bessie and this book made me want to do some more research about her.
I also LOVED some of the other people we were in introduced to in Bessie’s life: Norma, her mother, Rene Caudron, Anton Fokker, Tristan, her brothers, and everyone else that played a positive part in her journey to become an aviatrix. Even the tailor who made her flight suit in France was a delightful person to read about! The author also did an amazing job of painting a picture as I was reading. I felt like I was with Bessie as she experienced everything.
I wish there was more about the aftermath of Bessie’s fatal accident and her legacy. What happened to the people she had such connections with throughout her life? (Jesse, Mr. Abbott, the Hills, the DeWalts, Norma, her instructors) I enjoyed learning how Bessie’s life inspired the author, but since this was the first time I had heard of her, a little more about her legacy would have been welcomed.
I also struggled a bit with some of the content. The explicit sex scenes just didn’t seem to have a place here. I understand the need to detail her relationship with Jesse Binga, but there were a handful of pages dedicated to Bessie losing her virginity to him, and that just felt out of place.
I also wish the author included some sort of note regarding the fact that this wasn’t a biography, but rather a novel inspired by Bessie’s life. We have no way of knowing what was fact and what was fabricated or embellished for the sake of the story. Maybe I missed it in the acknowledgments at the end, but it seemed like a lot of her research was done by following her footsteps, perhaps reading a biography about Bessie, and reading any other materials from that time period, including newspapers. This may be due to a lack of materials (she admitted not even being able to track down the eulogies from Bessie’s funerals) but I’m curious, since this was written as if Bessie was telling the story of her life, how the author was able to get into Bessie’s mind in order to write all of the dialogs and thoughts that were throughout the story. Were there any letters she found between Bessie and her family? Any diary entries? How much did her great niece and nephew know about Bessie that they were able to relay to the author? I’m just curious what kind of materials the author consulted to get a read on Bessie’s personality. And if it was all or mostly a fabrication, I think a note is needed informing the reader that this is the case.
All in all, this was an enjoyable read and an inspiring story!
June 22, 2024
I received a copy for review purposes; all opinions are honest and mine alone.
Adventure, aeronautic history, The Great Migration and heart - these are the hallmarks of A PAIR OF WINGS, by Carole Hopson. Because Hopson is a pilot herself, the prose dealing with flying, planes and maintenance are detailed, sometimes to the point of being manual like. I found myself skimming, at times. This propensity for being highly organized comes thru in the overall format of the story which reads more like a textbook than a biography. Those issues aside, this is an inspiring story that should be part of popular history: aeronautics, women, (black or not), Great Migration, 20th century milestones; SO. MANY. OPPORTUNITIES. MISSED. by our history books…
Bessie Coleman lived 34 short years but achieved a gargantuan amount of success in that time. She earned the FAI certification, the first American, female or male, to do so, on 15 June 1921. It was a few years before another American was able to accomplish it. Bessie had to learn French and earn enough to live in France for almost a year to make this happen; nothing short of a miracle as a black woman in the early 20th century.
The story of her tenacity and ability to rally folks to support her life’s purpose for flying and freeing black people from the insidious tentacles clinging from slavery, had me cheering out loud. She was visionary and recognized that reading, education and rising from generations of poverty was the real answer to freedom for her family, community and her people. Coleman devoted her life and death to this pursuit. Her story should be read and shared by all. I’d love to see a YA, middle reader and picture book version of this book📚
Read and reviewed from a NetGalley eARC, with thanks
Adventure, aeronautic history, The Great Migration and heart - these are the hallmarks of A PAIR OF WINGS, by Carole Hopson. Because Hopson is a pilot herself, the prose dealing with flying, planes and maintenance are detailed, sometimes to the point of being manual like. I found myself skimming, at times. This propensity for being highly organized comes thru in the overall format of the story which reads more like a textbook than a biography. Those issues aside, this is an inspiring story that should be part of popular history: aeronautics, women, (black or not), Great Migration, 20th century milestones; SO. MANY. OPPORTUNITIES. MISSED. by our history books…
Bessie Coleman lived 34 short years but achieved a gargantuan amount of success in that time. She earned the FAI certification, the first American, female or male, to do so, on 15 June 1921. It was a few years before another American was able to accomplish it. Bessie had to learn French and earn enough to live in France for almost a year to make this happen; nothing short of a miracle as a black woman in the early 20th century.
The story of her tenacity and ability to rally folks to support her life’s purpose for flying and freeing black people from the insidious tentacles clinging from slavery, had me cheering out loud. She was visionary and recognized that reading, education and rising from generations of poverty was the real answer to freedom for her family, community and her people. Coleman devoted her life and death to this pursuit. Her story should be read and shared by all. I’d love to see a YA, middle reader and picture book version of this book📚
Read and reviewed from a NetGalley eARC, with thanks
July 31, 2024
A Pair of Wings is a historical fiction book that follows the life of Bessie Coleman.
I was SO excited to read this book. Earlier this year I read the book American Wings ( which I highly suggest) which followed the history of Black Aviators. I learned about Bessie Coleman from that book and how much of an incredible person she was. So when the publisher sent me a copy of this book I was extra excited to read a book all about her. THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD!!!!!!! As someone who is half black and studied both History and Women's studies in college, this was the perfect book for me. Also, I loved that this book was written by a black woman who is a captain for United Airlines. Not only that but the author also founded the Jet Balck Foundation which is an organization dedicated to sending 100 Black women to flight school. That is just so inspiring to me. You could tell how much Bessie Coleman inspired the author of this book. I loved this book. It made me love Bessie Coleman even more. I did not want this book to end. The book started off with so much action and just kept getting better as I kept reading it. I can't wait to reread this one. I love reading books that focus on inspirational women who are written by inspirational women. But this book on your list!
Thank you so much Carole Hopson, and Henry Holt books for the ARC of this wonderful book!
I was SO excited to read this book. Earlier this year I read the book American Wings ( which I highly suggest) which followed the history of Black Aviators. I learned about Bessie Coleman from that book and how much of an incredible person she was. So when the publisher sent me a copy of this book I was extra excited to read a book all about her. THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD!!!!!!! As someone who is half black and studied both History and Women's studies in college, this was the perfect book for me. Also, I loved that this book was written by a black woman who is a captain for United Airlines. Not only that but the author also founded the Jet Balck Foundation which is an organization dedicated to sending 100 Black women to flight school. That is just so inspiring to me. You could tell how much Bessie Coleman inspired the author of this book. I loved this book. It made me love Bessie Coleman even more. I did not want this book to end. The book started off with so much action and just kept getting better as I kept reading it. I can't wait to reread this one. I love reading books that focus on inspirational women who are written by inspirational women. But this book on your list!
Thank you so much Carole Hopson, and Henry Holt books for the ARC of this wonderful book!
January 24, 2024
“A Pair of Wings” by Carole Hopson is an incredible story about the life of pioneer Aviation hero Bessie Coleman. I must admit before reading this book I never heard of Bessie Coleman who was born into slavery and spent her life figuring out how to become a pilot during a time in American history when no one would train an African American women to fly. Her breathtaking journey takes her from Chicago to Europe and describes in detail the challenges & hardships she faced living in the early 1900s in the US. This is a powerful story about another forgotten female hero, and the whole time I was reading this book I was thinking this needs to be a movie!
Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
July 17, 2024
The best historical fiction novel is the one that sends me down a dozen rabbit holes of research -- a double bonus of time well-spent in an at least somewhat fictionalized world and in the world of history. Carole Hopson's A Pair of Wings did just that.
I had a passing idea of who Bessie Coleman was in American history, specifically the story of women and African Americans between the two World Wars, but I didn't know a lot about her. This novel taught me about her, about her contribution to America, and about tangential parts of history and even about aviation history and how it changed the world.
I can't speak to all the details of what Hopson created and what she found when she was writing Bessie's story. I'm not knowledgeable enough about that. What I can speak to is the value of this novel as, at the very least, a starting point for learning more about someone and something who deserves more space in the annals of American history.
The narrative is compelling and strong (I was reading other books at the same time when I started this one & I put them aside to focus just on it) and the lessons and philosophy of following your dreams and fighting for them because that is how you live are powerful.
And there's no better 'teacher' than Bessie Coleman to tell a reader that you can read about something random and you can achieve it. At the very least, you've got to try.
--------
I received a copy of A Pair of Wings through NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. in exchange for an honest & original review. All thoughts are my own.
I had a passing idea of who Bessie Coleman was in American history, specifically the story of women and African Americans between the two World Wars, but I didn't know a lot about her. This novel taught me about her, about her contribution to America, and about tangential parts of history and even about aviation history and how it changed the world.
I can't speak to all the details of what Hopson created and what she found when she was writing Bessie's story. I'm not knowledgeable enough about that. What I can speak to is the value of this novel as, at the very least, a starting point for learning more about someone and something who deserves more space in the annals of American history.
The narrative is compelling and strong (I was reading other books at the same time when I started this one & I put them aside to focus just on it) and the lessons and philosophy of following your dreams and fighting for them because that is how you live are powerful.
And there's no better 'teacher' than Bessie Coleman to tell a reader that you can read about something random and you can achieve it. At the very least, you've got to try.
--------
I received a copy of A Pair of Wings through NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. in exchange for an honest & original review. All thoughts are my own.
February 20, 2023
Very intresting life, a bit lengthy book
July 6, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️From the publisher Henry Holt Co: An airline captain crafts a riveting, adventurous novel inspired by the remarkable true life of pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman, a Black woman who learned to fly at the dawn of aviation and found freedom in the air
A few years after the Wright brothers’ first flight, Bessie was working the Texas cotton fields with her family when an airplane flew over their heads. It buzzed so low she thought she could catch it in her hands. Bessie was fearless. She knew there was freedom in those wings.
But in 1920, no one in the United States will train a Black woman to fly. So, twenty-eight-year-old Bessie learns to speak French and sets off for Europe. Two years ahead of Amelia Earhart, Bessie earns her pilot's license, and later she learns death-defying stunts from French and German dogfighting combat pilots.
While she finds no prejudice in the air, Bessie wrestles with other challenges on the ground. A plane crash nearly kills her, her brothers seem to be crumbling under the weight of Jim Crow, and, while grappling with tough truths about Binga, Bessie begins to wonder if the freedom she finds in the sky means she must otherwise fly solo.
****************
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️My review: Historical fiction with a known figure is one of my favorite genres. Books like The Paris Wife, Circling the Sun, The Lost Daughter, The Secret Wife, The Personal Librarian and In the Time of Butterflies really bring history alive and always make me research more. Research = learning.
I knew a little about Bessie Colman from teaching elementary school and reading about her when we studied the history of Chicago. But her life, fictionalized or not, was remarkable.
While Bessie worked hard and took her education and training very seriously, she also had the added weight of being "the first". She was well aware of this and it made her even more determined.
In our era of instant everything, Bessie had to plan for years to reach her goal of flight school. Her drive and persistence were clear. I also learned about early flight and planes...literally putting one's life on the line. I did some research about Jesse Binga and Robert Abbot--both real and both helped Bessie. No information on Jesse and Bessie and their private life. That's the great thing about historical fiction--an author can make you believe and make more come alive.
Amazing story about an amazing woman with ties to Chicago. :)
Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt Publishing for an advance digital copy in exchange for my review.
May 13, 2024
On 15 June 1921, the Federation Aeronautique Internationale in France granted a black female aviator named Bessie Coleman her pilot’s license. Coleman - the tenth of thirteen children born in Waxahachie, Texas to a family with African American and Native American heritage - became the very first person of color to obtain an official FAI pilot’s license. Inspired by the courage of European female aviators (and having been denied admission by flight schools in the US), this fearless young woman learned to speak and understand French (and later German), and made a journey from Chicago to France to pursue her dream. A Pair of Wings is a fictionalized account of her life, thoroughly researched and written in an engaging first-person style that draws the reader into Coleman's life and time, a period of American history when women remained relegated to a status as second-class citizens, and opportunities for women of color were especially limited.
Bessie's dream of flying through the air was sparked by an incident in her childhood when a plane flew close overhead while she was working in the field with her family picking cotton. Bessie spontaneously raised her own arms and pretended to fly, recognizing the freedom flight could bring. As a young adult, she joined many other Black people from the South in the Great Migration to the North, traveling to Chicago, where her two older brothers had already settled. Working as a manicurist and obtaining sponsorships from Prominent and wealthy Black entrepreneurs, she accumulated the funds she needed to travel to France and enroll in flight school. Besides basic pilot training, she also traveled to other parts of Europe to learn from other famous aviators the techniques and tricks that allowed her to become a barnstormer, entertaining large crowds with daredevil feats once she returned to the stats. Her lifelong goal, though, was to capture the imaginations of others like herself, and open her own flight school for students of color, to enable others of her race and gender to avail themselves of opportunities that had once been denied to her.
Thank you to the publisher, Henry Holt & Co, and to #NetGalley for providing a free ARC in exchange for an objective review. I thoroughly enjoyed this fascinating novel, and appreciate the opportunity to learn about this brave young woman. 4-1/2 enthusiastic stars.
Bessie's dream of flying through the air was sparked by an incident in her childhood when a plane flew close overhead while she was working in the field with her family picking cotton. Bessie spontaneously raised her own arms and pretended to fly, recognizing the freedom flight could bring. As a young adult, she joined many other Black people from the South in the Great Migration to the North, traveling to Chicago, where her two older brothers had already settled. Working as a manicurist and obtaining sponsorships from Prominent and wealthy Black entrepreneurs, she accumulated the funds she needed to travel to France and enroll in flight school. Besides basic pilot training, she also traveled to other parts of Europe to learn from other famous aviators the techniques and tricks that allowed her to become a barnstormer, entertaining large crowds with daredevil feats once she returned to the stats. Her lifelong goal, though, was to capture the imaginations of others like herself, and open her own flight school for students of color, to enable others of her race and gender to avail themselves of opportunities that had once been denied to her.
Thank you to the publisher, Henry Holt & Co, and to #NetGalley for providing a free ARC in exchange for an objective review. I thoroughly enjoyed this fascinating novel, and appreciate the opportunity to learn about this brave young woman. 4-1/2 enthusiastic stars.
February 18, 2024
In 1915 Bessie Coleman was among the many African American that came along with the Great Migration, those Black people leaving the South and migrating to northern cities looking for jobs and better opportunities for better lives. Bessie settled in Chicago and after living with her two brothers and their wives, she found a small apartment and became a manicurist at a men’s barbershop However Bessie had a dream, a dream to become an aviator. In the 1920’s the nation was changing and the South was steeped in racism with the Jim Crow laws taking affect, where lynching was common place. While women earned the right to vote, it was not so for the Black people in these Southern communities.
With her dream in place, through the help of two friends, James Binga a black banker and Robert Abbott, founder and publisher of the “Chicago Defender” a newspaper for Black readers, she was able to have her dream become a reality. As women, no matter race, were not allowed to attend flight schools in America, through the financial help of her two friends, Jessie made her way to France and study abroad.. By 1921 she received her pilot’s license; this made her the first American and black women to achieve this status as her dream became a reality. Following her time in France, she studies in both Holland and Germany where she learned the “art” of barnstorming.. Returning to the United States, she put on air shows and garnered much fame and admirers.
Bessie Coleman was a strong, independent woman who let nothing stand in the way of her desire to fly. Fearless and determined, she wanted others to follow in her path; perhaps she would start a school where she could teach. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be, as at the age of 34 she died in an accident.
This book was amazing in its telling while I learned about someone I never heard of. It brought me to the times in the 20’s where hardship for these Black minorities was swept under the carpet. While Bessie Coleman didn’t always have it easy, it gave her community hope with the thought that they too could have a dream to follow.
My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With her dream in place, through the help of two friends, James Binga a black banker and Robert Abbott, founder and publisher of the “Chicago Defender” a newspaper for Black readers, she was able to have her dream become a reality. As women, no matter race, were not allowed to attend flight schools in America, through the financial help of her two friends, Jessie made her way to France and study abroad.. By 1921 she received her pilot’s license; this made her the first American and black women to achieve this status as her dream became a reality. Following her time in France, she studies in both Holland and Germany where she learned the “art” of barnstorming.. Returning to the United States, she put on air shows and garnered much fame and admirers.
Bessie Coleman was a strong, independent woman who let nothing stand in the way of her desire to fly. Fearless and determined, she wanted others to follow in her path; perhaps she would start a school where she could teach. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be, as at the age of 34 she died in an accident.
This book was amazing in its telling while I learned about someone I never heard of. It brought me to the times in the 20’s where hardship for these Black minorities was swept under the carpet. While Bessie Coleman didn’t always have it easy, it gave her community hope with the thought that they too could have a dream to follow.
My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 9, 2024
Synopsis: Bessie Coleman is one of America's unsung Aviation heroes. Born to former slaves in Texas, Bessie knows what it feels like to toil in the fields picking cotton and suffering under the Klan and white supremacy. She, however, has a dream! When she was just a young girl, Bessie heard of the fantastic exploits of the Wright Brothers, and ever since then, she has dreamed of flying. She knows that if she stays in the deep South, that dream will never come true. So, she embarks on a lifelong journey to reach the sky. Starting with life up north in Chicago, Bessie quickly learns no one in America will teach an African American woman to fly, so she heads to France. Bessie is the first African American and American of any race to obtain an international aviation license from France. She continues learning barnstorming and aviation aerobatics in Holland and Germany.
Thoughts: Before I picked up this book, I had never heard of Bessie Coleman, which is a shame. Bessie was a brave and courageous soul whose story should be inspiring millions; instead, until now, she has been hiding away, forgotten in the history books. This book does not hold anything back, and I love it. It fully describes the challenges that an African American living in the early 1900s would have faced, from lynchings, beatings, and rape to the day to to day humiliation our African American brothers and sisters faced. But, through it all, Bessie held her head high and made her dreams come true! Carole Hopson has written an excellent historical fiction novel of Bessie's life. While some parts seemed to drag on, I could not put this book down. With each victory, I cheered for Bessie! Hopson, a pilot herself, keeps Bessie's dream of encouraging African American women to take to the skies! Hopson has founded a non-profit scholarship for African American pilots, hoping to send 100 women to flight school by the year 2035.
https://www.jetblackfoundation.org/
Thoughts: Before I picked up this book, I had never heard of Bessie Coleman, which is a shame. Bessie was a brave and courageous soul whose story should be inspiring millions; instead, until now, she has been hiding away, forgotten in the history books. This book does not hold anything back, and I love it. It fully describes the challenges that an African American living in the early 1900s would have faced, from lynchings, beatings, and rape to the day to to day humiliation our African American brothers and sisters faced. But, through it all, Bessie held her head high and made her dreams come true! Carole Hopson has written an excellent historical fiction novel of Bessie's life. While some parts seemed to drag on, I could not put this book down. With each victory, I cheered for Bessie! Hopson, a pilot herself, keeps Bessie's dream of encouraging African American women to take to the skies! Hopson has founded a non-profit scholarship for African American pilots, hoping to send 100 women to flight school by the year 2035.
https://www.jetblackfoundation.org/
May 4, 2024
This was a very cool, meticulously researched work of historical fiction about Bessie Coleman (who sadly, I'd never heard of before reading this book.)
Coleman's story is amazing in every way, shape, and form as she follows her dream to become a pilot in a time when both her race and her gender ensured zero access to such opportunities.
From studying French so she could learn to fly at a school in France, to moving to post WWI Germany and studying there with little knowledge of German, to finding planes to borrow for her new career in the US, with faith and grit, Bessie keeps moving forward and overcomes countless obstacles.
Bessie did have some close calls with emotional trauma (like when she lands in a small town airport to find threatening men), but for the most part this book leaned heavily on her successes.
In other words, other than the safety of her acts in the sky, I wasn't that worried about her safety on the GROUND. And that felt like a (perhaps intentional?) gap in the writing. It didn't make the story feel less believable, but glossier than I'm guessing things were in reality. (There is no way no man ever tried to grope her.)
Some readers were put off by the sex scene. I was more put off on the amount of the book that focused on this dude, who then disappears entirely from the narrative. I was more interested in the cool people she met and things she did while they were dating.
Overall, a really solid (though longish read.) The writing doesn't always soar, the story itself deserves to be told. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Coleman's story is amazing in every way, shape, and form as she follows her dream to become a pilot in a time when both her race and her gender ensured zero access to such opportunities.
From studying French so she could learn to fly at a school in France, to moving to post WWI Germany and studying there with little knowledge of German, to finding planes to borrow for her new career in the US, with faith and grit, Bessie keeps moving forward and overcomes countless obstacles.
Bessie did have some close calls with emotional trauma (like when she lands in a small town airport to find threatening men), but for the most part this book leaned heavily on her successes.
In other words, other than the safety of her acts in the sky, I wasn't that worried about her safety on the GROUND. And that felt like a (perhaps intentional?) gap in the writing. It didn't make the story feel less believable, but glossier than I'm guessing things were in reality. (There is no way no man ever tried to grope her.)
Some readers were put off by the sex scene. I was more put off on the amount of the book that focused on this dude, who then disappears entirely from the narrative. I was more interested in the cool people she met and things she did while they were dating.
Overall, a really solid (though longish read.) The writing doesn't always soar, the story itself deserves to be told. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 5, 2024
3.5 stars
There is so much to love about this book. Not only is it a celebration of Bessie Coleman, an aviation/Civil Rights pioneer, but it is also a deep dive into African American history of the early 20th century. IAs a US History teacher, I marveled at the mentions of the Great Migration, Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. DuBois, Marcus Garvey, Mary McLeod Bethune, and more. What kept this from being a 5-star read is that it was just too long. There were so many unnecessary details. If this had been about 100 page shorter, it would have been 5-stars! The other thing I found unnecessary were the explicit scenes between Bessie and her married lover. I felt it detracted from the story, and would limit the audience. One picks up a Christina Lauren or Emily Henry book expecting spice. It was not expected or necessary in a fictionalized autobiography of such a pioneer. I also felt that some of the family scenes in Chicago detracted from the story. Her brother's foul-mouthed wife did nothing to showcase Bessie's life. Also, the language throughout the book seemed to bounce between Roaring Twenties slang and modern day expressions.
I had never heard of Bessie Coleman until I started collecting Barbie Inspiring Women Barbies and came across a Bessie Coleman doll. She stands proudly in my classroom, between similar dolls of Madame C.J. Walker and Rosa Parks.. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read this book and learn more about her life. Thank you so much to Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in return for an honest review.
There is so much to love about this book. Not only is it a celebration of Bessie Coleman, an aviation/Civil Rights pioneer, but it is also a deep dive into African American history of the early 20th century. IAs a US History teacher, I marveled at the mentions of the Great Migration, Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. DuBois, Marcus Garvey, Mary McLeod Bethune, and more. What kept this from being a 5-star read is that it was just too long. There were so many unnecessary details. If this had been about 100 page shorter, it would have been 5-stars! The other thing I found unnecessary were the explicit scenes between Bessie and her married lover. I felt it detracted from the story, and would limit the audience. One picks up a Christina Lauren or Emily Henry book expecting spice. It was not expected or necessary in a fictionalized autobiography of such a pioneer. I also felt that some of the family scenes in Chicago detracted from the story. Her brother's foul-mouthed wife did nothing to showcase Bessie's life. Also, the language throughout the book seemed to bounce between Roaring Twenties slang and modern day expressions.
I had never heard of Bessie Coleman until I started collecting Barbie Inspiring Women Barbies and came across a Bessie Coleman doll. She stands proudly in my classroom, between similar dolls of Madame C.J. Walker and Rosa Parks.. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read this book and learn more about her life. Thank you so much to Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in return for an honest review.
June 18, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review. There is a small spoiler after the dotted line below.
A remarkable account of Bessie Coleman, the first documented black Aviatrix. Her story from Texas to Chicago to her training in Europe is remarkable, and her demise incredibly sad. How far would she have gone if fates were different? I loved that this book was written by a pilot, as the desciptions of the engines, the training, and the flying of the planes rang true.
--------spoiler-------
Her story fascinated me as did the authors notes, I just found the book to be long and too detailed on some things. I know she had to have met some fascinating and famous people, but sometimes the interactions didn't do much for the story and could have been thinned. I was completely turned off by the graphic sex scene fairly early on. It was unnecessary and frankly I don't really want to imagine the real people in my historical fiction novels this way. It made the book cheaper and it will be hard for me to recommend it to my patrons who are historical fiction fans. The age group for this reader in my library explicitly say they don't want this. It really nearly ruined the book for me and I have a pretty high threshold - but I do also read for my book club and my patrons, so this will always factor into my reviews.
So while I really enjoyed the book, I will give it a 3*
A remarkable account of Bessie Coleman, the first documented black Aviatrix. Her story from Texas to Chicago to her training in Europe is remarkable, and her demise incredibly sad. How far would she have gone if fates were different? I loved that this book was written by a pilot, as the desciptions of the engines, the training, and the flying of the planes rang true.
--------spoiler-------
Her story fascinated me as did the authors notes, I just found the book to be long and too detailed on some things. I know she had to have met some fascinating and famous people, but sometimes the interactions didn't do much for the story and could have been thinned. I was completely turned off by the graphic sex scene fairly early on. It was unnecessary and frankly I don't really want to imagine the real people in my historical fiction novels this way. It made the book cheaper and it will be hard for me to recommend it to my patrons who are historical fiction fans. The age group for this reader in my library explicitly say they don't want this. It really nearly ruined the book for me and I have a pretty high threshold - but I do also read for my book club and my patrons, so this will always factor into my reviews.
So while I really enjoyed the book, I will give it a 3*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2024
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, for which I thank them.
“A Pair of Wings” by Carole Hopson is a historical fiction book about Bessie “Queen Bess” Coleman, a Black aviatrix. I’ve read a number of books about Ms. Coleman so I was very interested to see how this one compared. This one has a lot of information about Ms. Coleman’s background I didn’t know (other books mostly focus on her flying career). The fact that Ms. Hopson is, herself, a pilot gave the sections about airplanes a bit of depth lacking from some of the other books I’ve read. What I really wish this book did, however, was have a reference section - what information did Ms. Hopson find, what sources did she use, opposed to what was inferred or even made up (Ms. Hopson touches on this but I would’ve preferred more information. Additionally, some of the explicit scenes I felt were unnecessary. There’s a fine line between being informative and being complete - in some instances Ms. Hopson’s writing was both, at other times it came across a bit dry, which was disappointing. Overall, if you desire to know more about the life of Ms. Coleman -who is fascinating - this is a book to pick up. Basically I think if you desire to know more about the “early days” of aviation, this is a book to pick up. Overall, for me a 3.5 read, but rounded up to 4 because I think everyone should know more about Ms. Coleman.
“A Pair of Wings” by Carole Hopson is a historical fiction book about Bessie “Queen Bess” Coleman, a Black aviatrix. I’ve read a number of books about Ms. Coleman so I was very interested to see how this one compared. This one has a lot of information about Ms. Coleman’s background I didn’t know (other books mostly focus on her flying career). The fact that Ms. Hopson is, herself, a pilot gave the sections about airplanes a bit of depth lacking from some of the other books I’ve read. What I really wish this book did, however, was have a reference section - what information did Ms. Hopson find, what sources did she use, opposed to what was inferred or even made up (Ms. Hopson touches on this but I would’ve preferred more information. Additionally, some of the explicit scenes I felt were unnecessary. There’s a fine line between being informative and being complete - in some instances Ms. Hopson’s writing was both, at other times it came across a bit dry, which was disappointing. Overall, if you desire to know more about the life of Ms. Coleman -who is fascinating - this is a book to pick up. Basically I think if you desire to know more about the “early days” of aviation, this is a book to pick up. Overall, for me a 3.5 read, but rounded up to 4 because I think everyone should know more about Ms. Coleman.
July 17, 2024
I received a digital ARC from the publisher (Henry Holt & Company) through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed learning more about Bessie Coleman and the world of aviation. The sections describing all of the training that Bessie did were among my favorites because the passion for flying (both from Bessie as a character ans from the author herself) was so apparent. I also liked the exhilarating, tense way that the book began. However, the beginning section (Bessie's life before beginning flight training) dragged and had several awkwardly placed sex scenes that felt more gratuitous than anything and introduced a relationship that seemed extraneous. I also felt like the ending began too abruptly--as soon as I started to read the last chapter, it had a feeling reminiscent of a movie narrator imparting one last, grand life lesson as the camera pans out of the final scene and the credits begin to roll. Interestingly, I enjoyed the afterword the most, and I am also intrigued by the author's story of how she decided to become a pilot and what her journey to achieve her goal looked like. I wonder how a book more reminiscent of a memoir, which also discusses Bessie Coleman's life and training in detail, would go over. I did appreciate this book's historical setting and the vivid portrayals of the many obstacles Bessie Coleman faced (and overcame). I would recommend this book to anyone interested in historical aviation.
I enjoyed learning more about Bessie Coleman and the world of aviation. The sections describing all of the training that Bessie did were among my favorites because the passion for flying (both from Bessie as a character ans from the author herself) was so apparent. I also liked the exhilarating, tense way that the book began. However, the beginning section (Bessie's life before beginning flight training) dragged and had several awkwardly placed sex scenes that felt more gratuitous than anything and introduced a relationship that seemed extraneous. I also felt like the ending began too abruptly--as soon as I started to read the last chapter, it had a feeling reminiscent of a movie narrator imparting one last, grand life lesson as the camera pans out of the final scene and the credits begin to roll. Interestingly, I enjoyed the afterword the most, and I am also intrigued by the author's story of how she decided to become a pilot and what her journey to achieve her goal looked like. I wonder how a book more reminiscent of a memoir, which also discusses Bessie Coleman's life and training in detail, would go over. I did appreciate this book's historical setting and the vivid portrayals of the many obstacles Bessie Coleman faced (and overcame). I would recommend this book to anyone interested in historical aviation.
July 22, 2024
This book is why I love historical fiction. I knew nothing about the aviatrix Bessie Coleman but now my brain and heart are filled with her challenges, desires, and courage exhibited to become a trailblazer. She is the first black female aviatrix in the early days of flying. In order to get her pilot's license she had to go to France, learn the language, and pass the tests there since no one would teach her in the U.S. She earned her license before Amelia Earhart. Bessie overcame racism, sexism, language barriers, broken bones, money issues, and more to fulfill her destiny. Back in the U.S., she performed barnstorming stunts around the country to share her love of flying in hopes that it would inspire other Black girls and boys to want to fly. Her life ended way too soon and in such a surprising way, I gasped as I was reading the book.
Kudos to the author for sharing this amazing woman with the world. Bessie was unstoppable. She was blessed with a wonderful family and some very smart sponsors who supported her throughout her flying years.
I highly recommend this book if you are looking for an inspiring story of another woman that has been forgotten in history. It is a little long, but the time to read this was so worth it. I will be thinking of Bessie Coleman for quite a while.
#APairofWings #NetGalley
Thank you to Henry Holt & Company and Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
Kudos to the author for sharing this amazing woman with the world. Bessie was unstoppable. She was blessed with a wonderful family and some very smart sponsors who supported her throughout her flying years.
I highly recommend this book if you are looking for an inspiring story of another woman that has been forgotten in history. It is a little long, but the time to read this was so worth it. I will be thinking of Bessie Coleman for quite a while.
#APairofWings #NetGalley
Thank you to Henry Holt & Company and Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
September 4, 2021
*4.5 stars
A Pair of Wings is the story of Bessie Coleman, the first African American and first woman to earn an international pilot’s license from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale in France. Since there were no opportunities for black women to train as pilots In the U.S., Bessie learned French, gained sponsorships from prominent black men, and traveled to France to join an aviation program. She successfully completed the challenging program which most men dropped out of due to both the rigor and danger of the program.
I didn’t know very much about Bessie Coleman when I started A Pair of Wings. Carole Hopson did an exceptional job of portraying her story and the state of the country during her short life. Bessie was part of the Great Migration of blacks from the south to the north in search of a better life. She seized every opportunity given to her and relentlessly pursued her goals, becoming a pioneer in aviation and stunt flier.
The descriptions of Chicago at the time (The Stroll, Jesse Binga’s bank and gangster dealings, and the Chicago Defender) were engrossing. Bessie’s personal relationships were difficult to read about at times.
Although I was aware of how Bessie died, I was still very moved when Hopson described it. An engaging, worthwhile read.
Thank you to Goodreads for this giveaway. All opinions are my own.
A Pair of Wings is the story of Bessie Coleman, the first African American and first woman to earn an international pilot’s license from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale in France. Since there were no opportunities for black women to train as pilots In the U.S., Bessie learned French, gained sponsorships from prominent black men, and traveled to France to join an aviation program. She successfully completed the challenging program which most men dropped out of due to both the rigor and danger of the program.
I didn’t know very much about Bessie Coleman when I started A Pair of Wings. Carole Hopson did an exceptional job of portraying her story and the state of the country during her short life. Bessie was part of the Great Migration of blacks from the south to the north in search of a better life. She seized every opportunity given to her and relentlessly pursued her goals, becoming a pioneer in aviation and stunt flier.
The descriptions of Chicago at the time (The Stroll, Jesse Binga’s bank and gangster dealings, and the Chicago Defender) were engrossing. Bessie’s personal relationships were difficult to read about at times.
Although I was aware of how Bessie died, I was still very moved when Hopson described it. An engaging, worthwhile read.
Thank you to Goodreads for this giveaway. All opinions are my own.
January 3, 2022
A Pair of Wings is a novel based on the life of pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman. Arriving in Chicago in 1915 from Waxahachie, Texas, Coleman is among the first wave of African Americans to take part in the Great Migration, the largest movement of Black people fleeing the oppression of the agricultural South for greater freedom and the promise of jobs in the industrialized North.
Set in the 1915s, this historical fiction was a delight to read, and true to its historical timeline chronicling the great migration, systematic racism, and disparities. Real life figures, such as Jesse Binga, Oscar Stanton De Priest, Robert Sengstacke Abbott, Anthony Overton, Charlotta Bass, Olen P. Dewalt and many more.
The beginning of the novel was a dramatic intro into the story of Bessie Coleman. I was so moved by Hopson’s novel, at 9% of the book read, I decided that I wanted a hardcover copy for my library, so I brought it as a birthday gift to myself! I wanted to take my time and read it slow, to soak up every detail. The print was small for a 423 page novel.
I was awakened by the fact that Blacks were not paid as equally as their White counterparts, despite the unions and denied housing, so instead they purchased fancy cars to express their new found status. I witness the same in my day and time. Many African Americans are shut out of homeownership completely, so instead of houses they buy cars, the biggest, fanciest ones they could finance.
My grandfather was a Pullman Porter, and when my mother wasn’t attending school, usually during the summer, she would ride the railway system with him, while my grandmother ran a boarding home for teachers in Alabama. Hopson perfectly referenced airplanes to the time period as aeroplane. Hopsons’ description of emotions that Bessie felt during her first flight was so well written that you could feel her exact joy. Although this is a fiction novel, it is chocked full of historical people, places, events and things to the time period. Such as Juneteenth’s emancipation of Texas slaves, who waited two years longer than slaves in the rest of the country to know that they were free from bondage. At no point did the story seemed forced or drag on.
This story of Bessie Coleman is written in an entertaining and captivating way from cover-to-cover, including photos, and an extraordinary reveal that Carole Hopson is the sister to award winning and best selling author, Lorene Cary. What a great journey this novel took me on. Well written!
Set in the 1915s, this historical fiction was a delight to read, and true to its historical timeline chronicling the great migration, systematic racism, and disparities. Real life figures, such as Jesse Binga, Oscar Stanton De Priest, Robert Sengstacke Abbott, Anthony Overton, Charlotta Bass, Olen P. Dewalt and many more.
The beginning of the novel was a dramatic intro into the story of Bessie Coleman. I was so moved by Hopson’s novel, at 9% of the book read, I decided that I wanted a hardcover copy for my library, so I brought it as a birthday gift to myself! I wanted to take my time and read it slow, to soak up every detail. The print was small for a 423 page novel.
I was awakened by the fact that Blacks were not paid as equally as their White counterparts, despite the unions and denied housing, so instead they purchased fancy cars to express their new found status. I witness the same in my day and time. Many African Americans are shut out of homeownership completely, so instead of houses they buy cars, the biggest, fanciest ones they could finance.
My grandfather was a Pullman Porter, and when my mother wasn’t attending school, usually during the summer, she would ride the railway system with him, while my grandmother ran a boarding home for teachers in Alabama. Hopson perfectly referenced airplanes to the time period as aeroplane. Hopsons’ description of emotions that Bessie felt during her first flight was so well written that you could feel her exact joy. Although this is a fiction novel, it is chocked full of historical people, places, events and things to the time period. Such as Juneteenth’s emancipation of Texas slaves, who waited two years longer than slaves in the rest of the country to know that they were free from bondage. At no point did the story seemed forced or drag on.
This story of Bessie Coleman is written in an entertaining and captivating way from cover-to-cover, including photos, and an extraordinary reveal that Carole Hopson is the sister to award winning and best selling author, Lorene Cary. What a great journey this novel took me on. Well written!
January 9, 2024
Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman was born in a shotgun shack on January 26th, 1892 in Atlanta, TX, to her parents, Susan and George Coleman. Still under the oppressive heat that were Jim Crow laws in the south and racism and lynchings across the country, Bessie always knew she wanted more than what this part of life gave her.
On December 3rd, 1903 as she was cleaning the home of a white family, she overheard a conversation. One that would change her entire life as she knew it.
She would, from that moment, be on a life-long mission of proving herself, defying the odds, and setting records.
More importantly, she would fly.
A Pair of Wings is one for the ages.
Corporate executive-turned-first officer pilot, Carole Hopson, does a phenomenal job at bringing Bessie to life right in front of our eyes and in our minds.
If you want to be taken on a journey halfway around the world and see things from a perspective you probably weren't taught in school, this is the book for you.
Thank you so much to Henry Holt and Co along with NetGalley for sending me this book in exchange for a review. As soon as I finished this book, I went and watched videos, read, and listened to podcasts about Bessie. I will never forget her, or the author who gave so much of her heart and soul for this book.
On December 3rd, 1903 as she was cleaning the home of a white family, she overheard a conversation. One that would change her entire life as she knew it.
She would, from that moment, be on a life-long mission of proving herself, defying the odds, and setting records.
More importantly, she would fly.
A Pair of Wings is one for the ages.
Corporate executive-turned-first officer pilot, Carole Hopson, does a phenomenal job at bringing Bessie to life right in front of our eyes and in our minds.
If you want to be taken on a journey halfway around the world and see things from a perspective you probably weren't taught in school, this is the book for you.
Thank you so much to Henry Holt and Co along with NetGalley for sending me this book in exchange for a review. As soon as I finished this book, I went and watched videos, read, and listened to podcasts about Bessie. I will never forget her, or the author who gave so much of her heart and soul for this book.
April 4, 2024
Pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman was the first American to earn a French civilian pilot’s license and the first Black woman to earn a pilot’s license, as well as the first person of Native American descent to hold a pilot’s license. This debut novel set in post-slavery, Jim Crow America, was inspired by Ms. Coleman’s life and accomplishments: from growing up in a shotgun shack in a large sharecropper family on a cotton farm in Atlanta, Texas (the tenth of thirteen children) to her part in the first wave of the Great Migration from the agricultural south to Chicago to her successful efforts to gain sponsorships, learn French, and travel to France to join the aviation program there, and beyond.
I especially loved Ms. Hopson’s immersive writing on Chicago in the second decade of the 20th century – the gangsters, the Stroll, the Chicago Defender, Jesse Binga’s bank – I felt as if I had a front row seat. And the details of Ms. Coleman’s time in France, where she earned her license from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale and then trained with battle-hardened German and French combat pilots in the 1920s. Ms. Hopson breathes life into “Queen Bess” through imagined dialogue, giving her dimension as both a woman and a determined pioneer. She excavates Ms. Coleman’s remarkable, but too-short life from relative obscurity through well-researched historical fiction. The book is scheduled to be published on August 20, 2024.
Thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Co., and Ms. Hopson for making this ARC available to me. #APairofWings #NetGalley
I especially loved Ms. Hopson’s immersive writing on Chicago in the second decade of the 20th century – the gangsters, the Stroll, the Chicago Defender, Jesse Binga’s bank – I felt as if I had a front row seat. And the details of Ms. Coleman’s time in France, where she earned her license from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale and then trained with battle-hardened German and French combat pilots in the 1920s. Ms. Hopson breathes life into “Queen Bess” through imagined dialogue, giving her dimension as both a woman and a determined pioneer. She excavates Ms. Coleman’s remarkable, but too-short life from relative obscurity through well-researched historical fiction. The book is scheduled to be published on August 20, 2024.
Thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Co., and Ms. Hopson for making this ARC available to me. #APairofWings #NetGalley
Read
April 29, 2024"A Pair of Wings" by Carole Hopson tells the incredible story of Bessie Coleman, a pioneering black female aviator who overcame tremendous odds to pursue her passion for flying in the early 20th century. The book captures Bessie's determination and resilience as she faces discrimination and challenges in her quest to become a pilot. I can see a lot of my students relating to some of the trials and tribulations that this heroine faced.
I found the book to be a bit slow to start, but as the story unfolded, I couldn't help but be captivated by Bessie's journey. Her decision to learn French and travel to Europe to pursue her dreams, at a time when no one in the United States would train a black woman to fly, is truly inspiring.
One of the aspects of the book that I particularly enjoyed was its setting in Chicago. As someone who appreciates stories set in this city, I found that it added an extra layer of depth to Bessie's story.
Overall, "A Pair of Wings" is a compelling and important read. It sheds light on a lesser-known figure in history and highlights the importance of perseverance and courage in the face of adversity. Despite its slow start, I believe that this is a story that needed to be told and is definitely worth reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
#APairofWings #NetGalley.
I found the book to be a bit slow to start, but as the story unfolded, I couldn't help but be captivated by Bessie's journey. Her decision to learn French and travel to Europe to pursue her dreams, at a time when no one in the United States would train a black woman to fly, is truly inspiring.
One of the aspects of the book that I particularly enjoyed was its setting in Chicago. As someone who appreciates stories set in this city, I found that it added an extra layer of depth to Bessie's story.
Overall, "A Pair of Wings" is a compelling and important read. It sheds light on a lesser-known figure in history and highlights the importance of perseverance and courage in the face of adversity. Despite its slow start, I believe that this is a story that needed to be told and is definitely worth reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
#APairofWings #NetGalley.
February 9, 2024
A great read! This novel read more like a diary and took you on Bessie's journey to become an aviator. This book took longer for me to read because I kept stopping to look up the notable figures in the book to learn more about who they were- Robert Abbott, Jesse Binga, Ida B. Wells, and Charlotta Bass to name a few. Though I was not able to find any mention of Bessie and Jesse being intimate during my extra reading, it was an added story line that worked so well.
Learning about Bessie's history, her family's, and life in the 1920's was so interesting. History books skim over the majority of it and diving deeper into so many facets was rewarding. Kudos to the author, Carole Hopson, for taking the reader inside Bessie's head and helping them to experience life as Bessie did. Before this book, I knew the basics about Bessie Coleman, but didn't know what had caused the plane to crash. After reading about the wrench, I asked my husband- also a pilot- how one misses a wrench?! He told me it wasn't as far fetched as one might think.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves history, wanted to learn more about Bessie Coleman, or early aviation.
*I read an advanced copy on NetGalley for my honest review*
Learning about Bessie's history, her family's, and life in the 1920's was so interesting. History books skim over the majority of it and diving deeper into so many facets was rewarding. Kudos to the author, Carole Hopson, for taking the reader inside Bessie's head and helping them to experience life as Bessie did. Before this book, I knew the basics about Bessie Coleman, but didn't know what had caused the plane to crash. After reading about the wrench, I asked my husband- also a pilot- how one misses a wrench?! He told me it wasn't as far fetched as one might think.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves history, wanted to learn more about Bessie Coleman, or early aviation.
*I read an advanced copy on NetGalley for my honest review*
February 11, 2024
This captivating novel offers a richly detailed journey into the life of aviator Bessie Coleman, shedding light on her remarkable achievements and the challenges she faced in a racially segregated society. Written in a diary-like format, the narrative immerses readers in Bessie’s world, allowing them to experience her triumphs and struggles firsthand.
The author, Carole Hopson, skillfully weaves historical figures such as Robert Abbott, Jesse Binga, Ida B. Wells, and Charlotta Bass into Bessie’s story, adding depth and context to her journey. While some fictional elements enhance the narrative, the book remains grounded in historical reality, offering insights into Bessie’s personal and professional life.
Through meticulous research and vivid storytelling, Hopson brings the vibrant landscape of the 1920s to life, providing readers with a nuanced understanding of the era. From Bessie’s upbringing to her groundbreaking achievements in aviation, every aspect of her life is explored in fascinating detail.
For history enthusiasts, aviation aficionados, or anyone curious about Bessie Coleman’s legacy, this book is a must-read. It offers a compelling blend of fact and fiction, shedding light on a pioneering figure whose impact reverberates to this day.
The author, Carole Hopson, skillfully weaves historical figures such as Robert Abbott, Jesse Binga, Ida B. Wells, and Charlotta Bass into Bessie’s story, adding depth and context to her journey. While some fictional elements enhance the narrative, the book remains grounded in historical reality, offering insights into Bessie’s personal and professional life.
Through meticulous research and vivid storytelling, Hopson brings the vibrant landscape of the 1920s to life, providing readers with a nuanced understanding of the era. From Bessie’s upbringing to her groundbreaking achievements in aviation, every aspect of her life is explored in fascinating detail.
For history enthusiasts, aviation aficionados, or anyone curious about Bessie Coleman’s legacy, this book is a must-read. It offers a compelling blend of fact and fiction, shedding light on a pioneering figure whose impact reverberates to this day.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews