September 15, 2016
Katharine Wright was the devoted sister of her famous brothers Orville and Wilbur and a powerful presence in their personal and professional lives. She also led a quietly fascinating life of her own, which included a late marriage, years after Wilbur's death, that resulted in a permanent break from Orville. It is primarily the impact of her romance with Harry Haskell that the author (Haskell's grandson) explores in this quietly gripping novel. Written from the points of view of Katharine, Orville, and Harry, Maiden Flight draws heavily on personal correspondence (as documented in extensive end notes) as Haskell tells the love story of Katharine and Harry. Their relationship was complicated by Orville's tremendous dependence on his sister to run his household, and many passages offer details about their high-profile social engagements and his ongoing conflict with the Smithsonian Institution over the Wright Flyer. Haskell imaginatively makes what was already an interesting triangle even more emotionally gripping. This slow burn of a story draws readers in more deeply with each page and makes Katharine truly the most intriguing Wright of them all.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)