Summary

Chapter 16, “Spetakkel.” This chapter begins with a description of the attractive Florence Klingensmith, a flier just starting to make a name for herself as Amelia Earhart was returning from Europe after making her crossing. Klingensmith made it clear that she intended to make her own crossing at one point, with the narration commenting that “it was like she was chasing the others … stalking the pack, coming from behind” (161).

The narration then shifts focus, describing Klingensmith’s childhood in North Dakota and how “she was filled with what the Old-World folks called spetakkel,” a Norwegian term that translated into “rambunctious” (162). The narration describes her rough childhood on a prairie farm, how she worked to support her family, how she married young, and divorced her husband after two years. The narration also describes how she was inspired by a visit to North Dakota...