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East to the Dawn: The Life of Amelia Earhart Audiobook
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(3.07) - 313 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Amelia Earhart captured the hearts of the nation after becoming the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic in 1928—and her disappearance on an around-the-world flight in 1937 is an enduring mystery.
The image we have of Amelia Earhart today—a tousle-haired, androgynous flier clad in shirt, silk scarf, leather jacket, and goggles—is only one of her many personas, most of which have been lost to us over time. Through years of research and interviews with many of the surviving people who knew Amelia, Susan Butler has recreated a remarkably vivid and multifaceted portrait of this enigmatic figure. Listeners will experience Amelia in all her permutations: not just as a pilot but also as an educator, a social worker, a lecturer, a businesswoman, and a tireless promoter of women's rights. We experience a remarkably energetic and enterprising woman who battled incredible odds to achieve her fame, succeeded beyond her wildest dreams, and yet never lost sight of her beginnings, ensuring that her success would secure a path for women after her.
This richly textured biography is the perfect complement to the 2009 filmAmelia, starring Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, and Ewan McGregor.
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"Biographies are such a good reminder of the depths and intricacies of people's lives, not to mention very particular histories. I found myself paying closer attention to weather reports after I finished this book, and that's saying a lot since I love weather-watching. "
— Amy (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Certainly the single best book that we now have on Earhart’s life…Earhart comes into sharper, more realistic focus through Butler’s lens.”
— Washington Post Book World -
“The reader closes East to the Dawn with the lingering realization of how truly contemporary Amelia Earhart remains and with a new understanding of the love and admiration she earned from colleagues and the public at large. Her insistence on being her own person while fighting for causes larger than herself continue to command our respect and fuel our dreams.”
— Los Angeles Times -
“Butler tracked down sources overlooked by previous biographers of pioneering flyer Amelia Earhart…the resulting authenticity strengthens [the] book.”
— Audiofile -
“Filled with wonderful details about Earhart’s glamorous lifestyle and the wild, dangerous world of early aviators.”
— Kirkus Reviews -
“[Butler’s] text is readable, well documented, and insightful.”
— Library Journal
East to the Dawn Listener Reviews
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" I've read everything I could get my hands on about AE. This one was good, but not the best I've read. Now I'm moving on to the books written BY AE. Looking forward to those! "
— Kate, 2/18/2014 -
" I only read the first 1/3 and the last 1/3. It was mostly interesting, but way too many details about people who were Amelia's friends and extended family. "
— Tamara, 2/16/2014 -
" Love Amelia, didn't love the writing in this book. It really needed editing. "
— Christi, 2/8/2014 -
" Brilliant. Amelia Earhart is my new favorite feminist. "
— Liz, 2/4/2014 -
" very interesting !! great family background. good to read before you go see the current movie "
— Kristine, 1/28/2014 -
" An amazing story about Amelia, the aviator adventurer who knew no limitations. "
— Julie, 1/13/2014 -
" Amelia is my Hero. This was an excellent portrait of her life. I felt that I got to know Amelia in a very personal way. And even though we all know the ending, it was a page turner till the end. Pretty good for a biography. Thank you Susan. "
— Claudia, 1/11/2014 -
" Excellent. The most comprehensive biography. Very well researched, written and narrated. "
— Michelle, 1/11/2014 -
" Very well put together. Perhaps too detail-oriented. "
— Olivia, 1/9/2014 -
" This is the best book on Amelia Earhart out there. If you want to know more about this amazing woman, read this book! "
— Ny, 12/9/2013 -
" Good bio, enjoyed. Read like a novel. "
— Laura, 12/4/2013 -
" Very interesting book with great details about the perils of flying in the early 20th century. According to Susan Butler, often to get airborne equipment and fuel had to be dumped. Apparently the radio gear needed to hear the distress call had been left behind on that final flight. "
— Kathy, 11/11/2013 -
" I didn't finish this because it was due back to the library, but also because it left out a great deal of her personal life with women. It is part of her life and part of her history. "
— Beth, 4/23/2013 -
" I found this book to be well written and very interesting to read. "
— Merry, 3/17/2013 -
" I quit about 2/5 of the way through this. It was fine, but I kind of prefer the PBS special over the long read, when it comes to biographies. "
— Joanna, 1/31/2013 -
" Biographies are such a good reminder of the depths and intricacies of people's lives, not to mention very particular histories. I found myself paying closer attention to weather reports after I finished this book, and that's saying a lot since I love weather-watching. "
— Amy, 12/22/2012 -
" Probably the best book I've read about her and her life (and I've read quite a lot that are out there). A bit slow in the beginning as she was reviewing her childhood but after the 1st 100 pages or so it picked up and sort of read like a work of fiction. "
— Kim, 12/18/2012 -
" Great book about Amelia Earhart - I guess I take for granted how easy it is to fly to Hawaii now! "
— LeAnn, 10/18/2012 -
" Not too bad biography of a truly great chick...the best is the letter she handed to her hubby on their wedding day, but I won't spoil it for you by spilling the beans. "
— Stacey, 1/14/2012 -
" It is a very detailed biography showing all facets of her personality. I like that the author shows the real person instead of the myth that has developed since her disappearance. "
— Angie, 11/12/2011 -
" The first few chapters of this book are worth skipping. I would start at California.<br/><br/>In the end it is a good book but I would recommend skipping a few chapters... "
— Jasmine, 2/28/2011 -
" Great book about Amelia Earhart - I guess I take for granted how easy it is to fly to Hawaii now! "
— LeAnn, 1/13/2011 -
" Thoroughly researched and well-written but more than I really wanted to know about Amelia Earhart. "
— Nancy, 12/10/2010 -
" I've read everything I could get my hands on about AE. This one was good, but not the best I've read. Now I'm moving on to the books written BY AE. Looking forward to those! "
— Kate, 10/30/2010 -
" Not the best written biography I've ever read, and possibly the worst edited. Luckily, Ms. Earhart is downright fascinating. "
— Traci, 10/7/2010 -
" Probably the best book I've read about her and her life (and I've read quite a lot that are out there). A bit slow in the beginning as she was reviewing her childhood but after the 1st 100 pages or so it picked up and sort of read like a work of fiction. "
— Kim, 8/2/2010 -
" Very interesting book with great details about the perils of flying in the early 20th century. According to Susan Butler, often to get airborne equipment and fuel had to be dumped. Apparently the radio gear needed to hear the distress call had been left behind on that final flight. "
— Kathy, 7/19/2010 -
" I only read the first 1/3 and the last 1/3. It was mostly interesting, but way too many details about people who were Amelia's friends and extended family. "
— Tamara, 7/18/2010 -
" Amelia, as always, is terribly interesting. Susan Butler, however, is a terribly boring author. This reads like a 400 page research paper. "
— viola, 7/13/2010 -
" My mind wanders when I listen to an audio book so I am listening to this one again. This is a very thorough and well-researched biography about Amelia Earhart. "
— Tammy, 6/7/2010 -
" Remained interesting throughout. What an amazing person. Very inspirational. "
— Lori, 4/23/2010 -
" I am glad that I read this book. I wouldn't say it is a page turner but I learned a lot from it. It was very interesting. Amelia Earhart was an amazing women and was groundbreaking in her day and time. She contributed tremendously to the women's movement. "
— Emily, 4/19/2010 -
" This was an amazing read about an amazing person. "
— Sabra, 4/12/2010
About Susan Butler
Susan Butler, whose mother was a member of Amelia Earhart’s flying organization, the Ninety-Nines, is a journalist with an MA degree from Columbia University whose work has appeared in the New York Times and Barron’s, among other publications. She spent ten years writing East to the Dawn, which was her first book. She lives in Lake Wales, Florida.
About Anna Fields
Kate Fleming (a.k.a. Anna Fields) (1965–2006), winner of more than a dozen Earphones Awards and the prestigious Audie Award in 2004, was one of the most respected narrators in the industry. Trained at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, she was also a director, producer, and technician at her own studio, Cedar House Audio.