Among the stories Midge Gillies has told in the past was a biography of Amy Johnson. When Midge heard that a film of Amy's life had been proposed, she decided to refamiliarise herself with the story of this British aviator. In doing so, she realised there were many women who had paved the way for Johnson and also, of course, Amelia Earhart, but they had received less attention and acclaim.

In this book Midge profiles six women who, early in the 20th century, dreamt of crossing the Atlantic by air. They were Elsie Mackay, Lady Anne Savile, Frances Grayson, Ruth Elder, Amelia Earhart and Mabel Boll. And they were extraordinary.

Sharing their stories thematically, Gillies writes beautifully, capturing the glamour and propriety of this time, the 1920s and 30s. It's both funny and poignant with its tales of packed lunches in the cockpit, hair and make up concerns to satisfy the press, bravery in managing the planes in the air and on the ground, and obstacles posed through racism, sexism and society in general.

It's astonishing how they set off with so little to help them on their journey. Navigation sometimes meant having to resort to throwing messages onto boats below to get coordinates painted on the deck. They'd fly blind in fog and snow. And there were terrible disasters as well as occasions when planes went missing and the fate of the pilots and their crews were never known.

This is such a great read. I was in awe of the achievements of the age, full of admiration of the dedication and determination of the women who flew, and I delighted in the writing which was so vivid, entertaining, informative and gripping. Wonderful!