Julia
Gifted from my aunt, who chose it for her book club. This was great! Sweeney is a generous biographer who nonetheless didn't shy away from the prickly sides of Laybourne's personality, and has such a deft mix of interviews with her colleagues, friends, and family with aviation history (truly, I had no idea bird collisions were such a big deal for planes!). This is a story you wouldn't think would be fast-paced, but it is, and I feel enriched to know about Laybourne's lifework. Also, really appreciated Sweeney's attunement for the sexism she worked upstream against her entire career, and his care not to make more of the fact that although she was clearly an adept professional mentor, she did not enjoy motherhood.
Gifted from my aunt, who chose it for her book club. This was great! Sweeney is a generous biographer who nonetheless didn't shy away from the prickly sides of Laybourne's personality, and has such a deft mix of interviews with her colleagues, friends, and family with aviation history (truly, I had no idea bird collisions were such a big deal for planes!). This is a story you wouldn't think would be fast-paced, but it is, and I feel enriched to know about Laybourne's lifework. Also, really appreciated Sweeney's attunement for the sexism she worked upstream against her entire career, and his care not to make more of the fact that although she was clearly an adept professional mentor, she did not enjoy motherhood.