Buy used
£2.77
FREE delivery 18 - 20 July. Details
Used: Very Good | Details
Sold by The Cotswold Library
Condition: Used: Very Good
Comment: This book has been looked after very well and will have minimal signs of use, if any.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Giles Whittell
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Spitfire Women of World War II Paperback – 7 July 2008

by Giles Whittell (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 176 ratings
See all formats and editions

This is the incredible true story of a wartime sisterhood of women pilots: a group of courageous pioneers who took exceptional risks to fly Spitfires, Hurricanes and Lancasters to the frontlines of World War II.

The women pilots of Air Transport Auxiliary came from all countries and backgrounds. Although not allowed into combat, they demonstrated astonishing bravery in their supporting role: flying unarmed, without radios or instruments, and at the mercy of the weather and enemy aircraft, they delivered battle-ready planes to their male counterparts, the fighter pilots of the RAF.

The story of these remarkable women pilots – among them Amy Johnson and Lettice Curtis – is a riveting account of women in wartime, and a fitting tribute to their spirit and valour.

Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    304 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Harper Perennial
  4. Publication date
    7 July 2008
  5. Dimensions
    13 x 2.21 x 19.71 cm
  6. ISBN-10
    0007235364
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0007235360
  8. See all details
Next slide of product details

From the Publisher

bestselling military books;bestselling non fiction books;books on military;top non fiction books

bestselling military books;bestselling non fiction books;books on military;top non fiction books

bestselling military books;bestselling non fiction books;books on military;top non fiction books

bestselling military books;bestselling non fiction books;books on military;top non fiction books

Product description

Review

‘Superb…At long last these magnificent women have the tribute they deserve.' Sir Ranulph Fiennes

‘Thrilling…true adventure stories.’ The Times

’The breadth of Whittell’s research leaps off the page in telling encounters with the now-aged survivors.’ Scotsman

‘Extraordinary stories.’ Daily Mail

‘Giles Whittell’s affectionate book reads like a Boy’s Own adventure turned on its head…and uncovers some exceptional tales.’ Financial Times

‘Reading it is a bumpy flight as well as an exciting one…the author’s enthusiasm carries the day.’ TLS

'Extraordinary stories of women who had little fear and minimal concern for the enormous step they were taking in banging “Good grief, it's a girl!” condescension on the head.' Good Housekeeping

‘An eye-opening and at times very moving illustration of the courage and sacrifice of women who deserve to be remembered alongside their more celebrated male counterparts.’ Literary Review

Review

'An extraordinary tale of stoicism and sisterhood...their story is remarkable...this book is a fitting memorial'

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Perennial; 1st Harper Perennial Edition (7 July 2008)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0007235364
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0007235360
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 13 x 2.21 x 19.71 cm
  • Customer reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 176 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Giles Whittell

Giles Whittell

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Giles Whittell is an English author and journalist. He has worked for The Times of London since 1993, first as US West Coast Correspondent from 1993 to 1999 and later as Moscow Correspondent (1999–2001) and Washington Bureau Chief (2009–2011). He is currently the paper's chief leader writer.

His books include Lambada Country (1992), Extreme Continental (1994), Spitfire Women of World War II (2007) and Bridge of Spies, a New York Times bestselling account of the Cold War spy swap between Rudolf Abel, Gary Powers and Frederic Pryor on Berlin's Glienicke Bridge in 1962. The book was published in the US in 2010 and the United Kingdom in 2011.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
176 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the content fascinating and inspiring. They also describe the writing quality as exceptional and well-written.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
ContentWriting quality
22 customers mention ‘Content’22 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fascinating and inspiring, with an inside story. They also say it's well researched and readable, with long forgotten stories of incredible achievement over adversity. Readers also say the book answers a lot of questions and is a funny book about a serious subject.

"Well researched and we'll written in a readable style that is equally informative and entertaining...." Read more

"...They were a singular group of women, some insular and some forceful, all brave, a number lost their lives...." Read more

"...This was a very good read and opened my eyes to the truth behind many rumours that persist to this day." Read more

"Long forgotten stories of incredible achievement over adversity. Well written." Read more

12 customers mention ‘Writing quality’9 positive3 negative

Customers like the writing quality of the book. They say it's exceptionally well written and conveys the many women who against so.

"Well researched and we'll written in a readable style that is equally informative and entertaining...." Read more

"This is at least the third time I have read this book. It is exceptionally well written and conveys so well the many women who against so many odds..." Read more

"...An interested subject and well researched but not very well written" Read more

"...This was a very good read and opened my eyes to the truth behind many rumours that persist to this day." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

Alan Davey
5.0 out of 5 stars An illuminating read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 31 July 2021
Verified Purchase
Well researched and we'll written in a readable style that is equally informative and entertaining. This is an ideal book for everyone who is interested by the background to the Second World War, aviation history, or women's struggles to be better recognised and utilised during the twentieth century.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
P. Scrivener
4.0 out of 5 stars Guts and detemination
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 April 2010
Verified Purchase
This is not a technical book about flying, but a piece of social history about a small group of women who were determined to utilise their flying skills, both for the personal experience it gave them and to assist the war effort. The battles with authority and prejudice represented the social attitudes of the time. The ferry pilots flew without radios and other aids and had only a brief period to learn a new aircraft from notes they nwere given for each aircraft. The women pilots were not taught how to fly on instruments, a particular hazard when flying in bad weather. Although some it appears were taught on an ad hoc basis by male pilots who were had the opportunity to assist them. They were a singular group of women, some insular and some forceful, all brave, a number lost their lives. They flew missions on practically a daily basis, including taking aircraft in poor condition to be broken up. A situation that proved highly dangerous on occasion and called for a high level of skill when things went wrong. All of them wanted to fly a Spitfire, and some undoubtedly would have made good operational pilots. Although this was never considered.

I would have liked a bit more of the politics of the situation in the Air Minstry as background. But still a fascinating piece of war and social history.
18 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
D. Bryan
5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 November 2023
Verified Purchase
This is an excellent tribute to the handful of women who volunteered, and were lucky enough to be selected, to fly for Britain's Air Transport Auxiliary during World War 2.
I'd known about them, and some of those featured in this thouroughly researched volume, have written articles or had excerpts from books they'd authored, published in Aeroplane Magazine, which I used to read in the distant past.
Nevertheless, the wealth of detail contained here exceeded anything I had come across before, and the access to several key figures for interviews and photographs, marks this out a the go-to source for anyone interested in learning more about their lives, and in a number of tragic cases, deaths.
Helpful
 Report
Mrs. Olga A. Danes-volkov
5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 December 2021
Verified Purchase
This is at least the third time I have read this book. It is exceptionally well written and conveys so well the many women who against so many odds, joined the ATA in WWII.

Women talk now about the patriarchy and what a poor deal so.many women get. Undoubtedly true. However, when one reads of the misogyny these brave women were up against, we have little to complain of.

As in.every job, there were so.many different characters but the uniting factor was their love of flying, their skill and their preparedness to lose their lives every bit as bravely as male soldiers, sailors and airmen. I think.none are alive today. Let us not forget them.
Helpful
 Report
RayB
4.0 out of 5 stars Women of the Air Transport Auxillary
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 April 2011
Verified Purchase
This is the story of the Women of the Air Transport Auxillary. These were the skilled pilots who delivered aircraft from the factory to the operational units. The book is based on notes and interviews of the ladies who showed they were as good as anyone. In my opinion, they were better and were operating at Test Pilot standard without much training.
The ATA was composed of men and women but this book concentrates on the women, their stories, their unusual tasks and thir dedication to contribute to the war effort. This is another view of WWII which should not be overlooked and the bravery recognised. This was a very good read and opened my eyes to the truth behind many rumours that persist to this day.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Karl Jackson
5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended Read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 April 2021
Verified Purchase
Long forgotten stories of incredible achievement over adversity. Well written.
Helpful
 Report
Beej68
5.0 out of 5 stars Spitfire Women -Amazing Women
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 July 2018
Verified Purchase
Moving, insightful, first hand accounts of these amazing women, some of whom are still live, it's importnant we record theseaccounts before the info goes to the grave with them
Helpful
 Report
Midland Man
3.0 out of 5 stars Social history rather than flying recollections
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 February 2015
Verified Purchase
I am perhaps a little unfair giving this book only three stars, because it depends what you think you are getting. From the title and cover image I thought this book would be about the flying exploits of the female pilots of the ATA. In fact the book is more a social history about their background and goings-on away from the flying.
You do get some brief flying anecdotes in the latter half of the book, but they are in a minority, and some of them are covered in another book which I think is a much better buy if you want to read and experience the dangerous and sometimes near fatal situations that arose for the female pilots of the ATA, bearing in mind that quite apart from mechanical issues, they could be caught out by weather conditions, in aircraft that often had no radio, and situations where they had not been trained to fly on instruments.
The book I am referring to is Diana Barnato Walker's " Spreading my wings", which if you skip the early chapters about her childhood and privileged upbringing, is packed with her flying anecdotes.
I am sure "Spitfire Women" is well researched, but I feel a little uncomfortable with the actual title.
8 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Elizabeth A. Ellsworth
5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing book about amazing women.
Reviewed in the United States on 9 July 2023
Verified Purchase
An amazing book about amazing women. These are the women who paved the way for the rest of us, breaking stereotypes so we could do or be anything we wanted to. Brave, fun, smart, sophisticated and funny, they broke as many barriers during WWII as they ferried fighter planes to the front. This book was easy to read, interesting, full of action and heartbreak and educational. If you want to read about strong women who made a difference, or aviation, or WWII or just enjoy a good book, this is the book to read next. I intend to find if this author has written anything else and if so, get it immediately. Bravo, Mr. Whittell, for bringing these wonderful women to the forefront where they belong, bravo!
Report
James T Tayler
5.0 out of 5 stars Great photos and inspiring story
Reviewed in Canada on 20 September 2022
Verified Purchase
The bravery was phenomenal. Their heroics kept the front line defence running.
Report
RoB Ward
5.0 out of 5 stars Spitfire Women of World War 11
Reviewed in Australia on 25 March 2024
Verified Purchase
This is an excellent reading of those who flew in the ATA. Well researched, and many thanks to those who contributed to this story
Report
Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting social history read.
Reviewed in Spain on 5 September 2017
Verified Purchase
it was ok, informative and gave an insight into the pre war lives and service record of the gals. I was hoping for a few of the referred to photos to be reproduced, but alas there were none.
Report
reading addict
5.0 out of 5 stars Those wonderful girls in their flying machines
Reviewed in Australia on 26 July 2019
Verified Purchase
Like the other true accounts of the ferry pilots in WW2, this story is wonderful. These women flew just about every machine available delivering new planes to air bases and even unsevicable aircraft to the scrap heap. They flew without instrument training, using roads and railway lines as guides. Derided by those who should have known better, these women assisted with the war effort without compare and received very little recognition of their bravery and service. The author interviewed those pilots still alive and his book is worth reading . The dangers encountered, he reports, and their love of the spitfires and some of the four engined bombers comes through. Yes, they loved flying, but foremost was their determination to ferry aircraft where they were needed by the RAF. Many lost their lives, some because of the unservicable aircraft they were required to deliver, some because the weather closed in and they were not trained on instruments. This book, I feel, should be recommended reading for students and for young women who wonder what theirfuture might be. Yes , and for oldies too, remembering the days when everyone worried about family fighting to end the war. There is so much here to keep the reader so engrossed with sudden and unexpected twists and turns in the narrative that 'lights out' is a difficult activity to carry out.
Report