Before Amelia: Women Pilots in the Early Days of Aviation (Paperback) by Eileen F. Lebow (Author) In the early days of aviation, the Wright Brothers refused to sell their airplanes to women because, in their opinion, women lacked the requisite "coolness and judgment" to fly. Despite such obstacles, a number of women in the first decades of flying managed to become accomplished pilots and to play various other roles in aviation. Lebow's book surveys the careers of these remarkable women, both in the United States and internationally. She looks at women such as Hilda Hewlett of England, who was not only a pilot but cofounded England's first aviation school in 1910 and produced her own line of aircraft. Lebow (A Grandstand Seat: The American Balloon Service in World War I) is an accomplished writer particularly adept at doing archival and historical research and then bringing it to life. Much of the attention in the area of women in aviation has gone to later figures, like Amelia Earhart, while the earlier pioneers of the pre-World War I era have been largely overlooked. Lebow's well-researched book fills that gap. It is engaging to read, with useful chapter notes and ample illustrations. Highly recommended for women's studies and aviation history collections. Charles Cowling, SUNY at Brockport Lib. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.