Oceans to Cross: Amelia Earhart's Extraordinary Life and Her Fight for Women's Rights

The ultimate biography of Amelia Earhart, written by the last surviving family member who knew her. Amelia Earhart was an unknown twenty-three-year-old in 1920 when women won the right to vote in the United States. Eight years later, she burst onto the world stage when she became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. Amelia used her newfound platform to amplify her profound belief that there should be full equality for women, in aviation and in society. Featuring never-before-published photos from the Earhart family collection, Oceans to Cross: Amelia Earhart's Extraordinary Life and Her Fight for Women's Rights provides intimate details and insight from Earhart's niece Amy M. Kleppner, the last member of the Earhart family who knew Amelia. She shares stories of Amelia's early childhood--revealing that Amelia was a survivor of a broken and dysfunctional home with an alcoholic father and mentally unstable mother--her time as a nurse's aid during World War I caring for wounded pilots, and her advocacy as a social worker helping immigrant families find housing and work. But aviation was her passion, and Kleppner recounts how Amelia spent her days off learning to fix and build planes from abandoned parts while gaining flight hours whenever she could. Amelia's success was never a foregone conclusion. Oceans to Cross is an inspiring story of what can be achieved through hard work, dedication, and advocacy. Her love of flying made Amelia Earhart a household name, but to her niece she was a role model, someone who believed that girls and women could do everything men could do and more, someone who spent her life fighting for equal rights.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Chapter 1: Horrid Little Girl Chapter 2: The Road to Cherryville Chapter 3: The End of Childhood Chapter 4: A Homeless, Broken Family Chapter 5: Ice Cream on Sundays Chapter 6: Carburetors and Camshafts Chapter 7: Love at First Flight Chapter 8: Unless We Dare Chapter 9: The Right Sort of Girl Chapter 10: Popping Off Letters Chapter 11: The Shocking Arrival of a Woman in Pants Chapter 12: Violet Cheerio! Chapter 13: Lady Lindy Chapter 14: Think With Your Stick Forward! Chapter 15: Beware of Sabotage Chapter 16: An Attractive Cage Chapter 17: Flying Blind, Dreading Fire Chapter 18: The Greatest Woman in the World Chapter 19: Night Flight Chapter 20: A Night of Stars Chapter 21: Pacifism and Politics Chapter 22: The Flying Laboratory Chapter 23: The Whole Width of the World Chapter 24: Dare to Dream Afterword: Are We There Yet? Bibliography About the Author

About the Author :
Amy M. Kleppner (1931-2024) was a lifelong educator, starting as a college professor of philosophy at Wellesley College, Howard University, and the University of Maryland, and then as a high school teacher for 40 years. As the last member of the Earhart family who personally knew Amelia, and as the steward of the Earhart estate, Amy was a seasoned public speaker who spent much of her adult life answering questions for authors, students, and film and TV show producers about her aunt.

Review :
Because Amelia Earhart conquered the skies before women even conquered the vote, she continues to make the impossible possible. Everyone, women and men, will find strength in these pages. Amy Kleppner provides details and family lore that personalize the remarkable life of her aunt, Amelia Earhart. A rare glimpse into Amelia Earhart's personal story of courage and determination. An exciting biography that tells the story of Earhart's lifelong dedication to raising women's sights. Amy Kleppner's book is a beautiful tribute to Atchison's favorite daughter, Amelia Earhart, her fight for women's rights, and her influence on the women she inspired both then and now. In this book, we can all draw inspiration from Earhart's rare ability to envision a better future and turn every setback into a challenge to do better, fly higher, and change the game. Amelia Earhart's life is beautifully recounted by Amy Kleppner, interspersed with personal photographs and cherished memories. Earhart stands as a beacon of leadership and a role model for all who dare to follow their own unique path. A fascinating and heartfelt journey into Amelia Earhart's life, rich with details and perspectives, told by someone who knew her best-her niece. This book is inspiring. Oceans to Cross is a compelling biography, balancing Earhart's passion for flight and women's rights. This new book gives us fresh insights into Amelia Earhart's life and her undeniable commitment to advancing women's rights. While she is best known for pioneering aviation for women, I learned that she was so much more. Her brave fight to determine her own destiny and promote the rights of women made me wish that I could sit down and talk with her-and personally thank her for her efforts. This book sheds light on Amelia Earhart's tireless advocacy for equality for women, told through the eyes of her niece, Amy Kleppner. In these pages, Amelia Earhart's bravery, audacity, and fight for equality shine as brightly as her aviation triumphs, elevating the story too often overshadowed by the mystery of her disappearance. This biography beautifully captures the fervor and tenacity with which Amelia embraced life. Oceans to Cross is a delightful adventure that inspires and resonates with women today. Bravo!