On an episode of a show called Mysteries at the Museum I saw a story about a woman, an immigrant, who was homesick and wanted to go home. She had no money for this, so she decided to walk home. To Russia. From New York ?? Really? I had to find a book! What I found was The Woman Who Walked to Russia: a Writer's Search for a Lost Legend, by Cassandra Pyrus. It's an odd read (I thought) ... enjoyed the bits on doing the research, but why she hooked up with someone she'd not seen in ages to take an arduous trip to the far north, I never did understand. She'd find interesting snippets about Lillian Alling, but be disappointed. And, a huge pet peeve of mine, no bibliography, index, or references at the end! Still, I did read the book all the way through! :-)

I continue on my airplane/pilot trail today with Alaska's Bush Pilots, by Rob Stapleton with the Alaska Aviation Museum, from the Images of Aviation series. Alaska is a huge state and planes made it easier to move supplies, mail and people. Both the pilots and planes were amazing ... the pilots could fly and land pretty much anywhere (and in all kinds of weather) because the planes could land on water, ice, or in a field. As always, wonderful photos! This book would go well with Adventures of the Iditarod Air Force, by Ted Mattson. (See post for March 11, 2014).

Also from Images of Aviation comes Flying High: Pioneer Women in American Aviation, by Charles R. Mitchell and Kirk W. House. Women flew the earliest of planes. They helped build them, too. They flew solo, and in barnstorming events (including walking on the wings of their plane). They sewed the fabric together to create dirigibles (talk about a huge job). And, of course, they crashed and died, as well. If you want an amazing look at just how much women did, and so early, in this industry, this is the place to start.

Reading Hermit With Dog