The Aviator and the Showman
The Aviator and the Showman by Laurie Shapiro ’81
This intensively researched book puts to rest some of the myths surrounding Amelia Earhart and, by virtue of going into every detail of extant data, shows us that this story is of two intertwined lives. Amelia Earhart is a household name, but many of us know little about George Putnam, her husband. He was the showman, the wizard manipulating the legend from behind the curtain. Though many of his contemporaries found him unpleasant, he knew how to play the game of getting publicity for Amelia, and for making her the central woman in the history of aviation.
Amelia was an early feminist. Terribly ambitious, she worked to make a name for herself and to break new records. She wanted to be the female Lindy and indeed was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. Her last trip, of course, is the one that we all remember, when she disappeared trying to circumnavigate the globe. As we read the reality of what occurred before that tragedy, we realize that she knowingly put herself in danger by her own lack of sufficient aviation skills and navigational tools, by electing a route which required landing on a very tiny island, and by picking a navigator who was a notorious alcoholic.
When we first encounter George Putnam, he is married to the heiress of the Crayola Fortune. One of the pleasures of this book is contemplating a time before crayons. What did kids do? It is also easy to see why the developer and marketer of such a useful tool made a killing. George’s early publishing exploits were backed by his first wife, and sometimes were successful. His son’s travel adventures were a popular hit. When his marriage failed, he wooed and finally won Amelia; his aggressive publicity stunts kept her in the public eye. Unfortunately, safety and flying technique took a backseat; Instead, he was interested in making a big splash in the headlines.
Of course when you read the book, you know what is coming, but it still is extremely harrowing and heartbreaking to read Laurie Shapiro ‘s account of that final 1937 flight -- all the risks, the fears and ultimately the tragedy of what did happen to Amelia Earhart. Since this book is about two people, it does not end with the catastrophe. We follow George into his new life in which still plays tricks on the public to garner attention and money.
I admire this book for taking on the subject matter in the way that sheds new light. By focusing on the marriage with George Putnam, Laurie shows that the phenomenon of Amelia Earhart was as much his creation as hers. She did the flying, and he did the promoting.
This book is an in-depth look at an era in American and global history. It is hard to imagine a researcher coming any closer to the actual truth of this story. We come away feeling sorry for Amelia Earhart, that her life was cut short, that she couldn’t really realize an important dream, and that even such an independent spirit as she depended on someone like George Putnam to secure her place as an American icon.
