Timely. This lively and entertaining book by journalist and author Becky Aikman tells the story of the 'Atta-Girls,' a collection of American women who, after being rejected by the U.S. military because of their gender, crossed the Atlantic to aid British forces by ferrying fighter planes, bombers and other aircraft to the male pilots in front-line squadrons. Those fearlessly determined female pilots are the professional forebears of the women who would slowly break down barriers in the U.S. military in the decades that followed . . . And what forebears those women were.

The Washington Post

Becky Aikman has done us all a great favor . . . In Spitfires, Aikman lets us in on a little secret: a group of women crossed the ocean and put their lives on the line for the war effort in the skies over Europe. It's about time their story was told, which Aikman does beautifully. And suddenly the picture of American heroism is more complete.

New York Journal of Books

Aikman's amazing account brings the 'Atta-Girls' boldly to life. The star-crossed affairs and marriages, the gossip and the drama, the death-defying near-crashes and the heartbreaking fatal ones, the blackout partying in blacked-out London-if these fierce heroines don't show up on a limited series soon, we'll eat our hats.

Oprah Daily

Journalist Aikman draws on diaries, letters, and interviews to create a brisk, lively account of nine intrepid American women, among the 25 who joined Britain's Air Transport Auxiliary, the civilian arm of the RAF . . . Engaging portraits of a spirited crew.

Kirkus Reviews

An exciting well-documented read.

Booklist

Based on extensive research, Aikman richly details the stories of these dauntless women.

Library Journal