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Katharine, the Wright Sister
She helped her brothers soar… but was the flight worth the fall?
It all started with two boys and a bicycle shop. Wilbur and Orville Wright, both unsuited to college and disinclined to leave home, jumped on the popular new fad of bicycle riding and opened a shop in Dayton, Ohio. Repairing and selling soon led to tinkering and building as the brothers offered improved models to their eager customers. Amid their success, a new dream began to take shape. Engineers across the world were puzzling over how to build a powered flying machine—and Wilbur and Orville wanted in on the challenge. But their younger sister, Katharine, knew they couldn't do it without her. The three siblings made a the three of them would solve the problem of human flight.
As her brothers obsessed over blueprints and risked life and limb testing new models on the sand beaches of North Carolina, Katharine became the mastermind behind the scenes of their inventions. She sourced materials, managed communications, and kept Wilbur and Orville focused on their goal—even when it seemed hopeless. And in 1903, the Wright brothers made the first controlled, sustained flight of humankind.
What followed was the kind of fame and fortune the Wrights had never imagined. The siblings traveled the world to demonstrate their invention, trained other pilots, and built new machines that could fly higher and farther. But at the height of their success, tragedy wrenched the Wright family apart… and forced Katharine to make an impossible choice that would haunt her for the rest of her life.
From internationally bestselling author Tracey Enerson Wood, Katharine, the Wright Sister is an unforgettable novel that shines a spotlight on one of the most important and overlooked women in history, and the sacrifices she made so that others might fly.
It all started with two boys and a bicycle shop. Wilbur and Orville Wright, both unsuited to college and disinclined to leave home, jumped on the popular new fad of bicycle riding and opened a shop in Dayton, Ohio. Repairing and selling soon led to tinkering and building as the brothers offered improved models to their eager customers. Amid their success, a new dream began to take shape. Engineers across the world were puzzling over how to build a powered flying machine—and Wilbur and Orville wanted in on the challenge. But their younger sister, Katharine, knew they couldn't do it without her. The three siblings made a the three of them would solve the problem of human flight.
As her brothers obsessed over blueprints and risked life and limb testing new models on the sand beaches of North Carolina, Katharine became the mastermind behind the scenes of their inventions. She sourced materials, managed communications, and kept Wilbur and Orville focused on their goal—even when it seemed hopeless. And in 1903, the Wright brothers made the first controlled, sustained flight of humankind.
What followed was the kind of fame and fortune the Wrights had never imagined. The siblings traveled the world to demonstrate their invention, trained other pilots, and built new machines that could fly higher and farther. But at the height of their success, tragedy wrenched the Wright family apart… and forced Katharine to make an impossible choice that would haunt her for the rest of her life.
From internationally bestselling author Tracey Enerson Wood, Katharine, the Wright Sister is an unforgettable novel that shines a spotlight on one of the most important and overlooked women in history, and the sacrifices she made so that others might fly.
480 pages, Paperback
First published September 10, 2024
230 people are currently reading
11875 people want to read
About the author
Tracey Enerson Wood
6 books447 followersTracey Enerson Wood has always had a writing bug. While working as a Registered Nurse, starting an interior design company, raising two children, and bouncing around the world as a military wife, she indulged in her passion as a playwright, screenwriter and short story writer. She has authored magazine columns and other non-fiction, written and directed plays of all lengths, including Grits, Fleas and Carrots, Rocks and Other Hard Places, Alone, and Fog. Her screenplays include Strike Three and Roebling's Bridge. The Engineer's Wife is her first published novel.
Other passions include food and cooking, and honoring military heroes. Her co-authored anthology/cookbook Homefront Cooking, American Veterans share Recipes, Wit, and Wisdom, was released in May, 2018, and all authors' profits will be donated to organizations that support veterans.
A New Jersey native, she now lives with her family in Germany and Florida, and loves to travel, so be careful giving out casual invitations, she will show up anywhere.
(source: Amazon)
Other passions include food and cooking, and honoring military heroes. Her co-authored anthology/cookbook Homefront Cooking, American Veterans share Recipes, Wit, and Wisdom, was released in May, 2018, and all authors' profits will be donated to organizations that support veterans.
A New Jersey native, she now lives with her family in Germany and Florida, and loves to travel, so be careful giving out casual invitations, she will show up anywhere.
(source: Amazon)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
August 4, 2024
Wilbur and Orville Wright enjoyed building things, like printing presses and bicycles, and they open a bike shop in Dayton, Ohio. The brothers are fascinated by flight, they study birds and wonder if a machine could be built for humans to be able to fly? Their younger sister Katharine stepped into her mother's role when she died of tuberculosis, she kept house for Wilbur and Orville and her father and studied to be a teacher.
The Wright brothers tested the latest models on the beaches of North Carolina, at Kitty Hawk and they picked the location because it was windy, had soft sand to land on and away from prying eyes. Meanwhile Katharine located the right material for the gliders and plane prototypes wings, dealt with correspondence and bike shop, and worked as a high school teacher.
On the 17th of December 1903, Wilbur and Orville made history with the first controlled, sustained flight of humankind. The Wright brothers became famous, they travelled the world demonstrating their new invention, looking for financial backers and wanting to build better planes and teach others to fly. Then they were hit by a law suit, a legal fight over what they lodged a patent for and this takes a big toll Wilbur. Katharine gave up her career as a teacher to help her brothers follow their dreams and when she wants to do the same, a childish and ungrateful Orville forces her to make a difficult choice.
I received a copy of Katharine, the Wright Sister by Tracey Enerson Wood from the publisher and in exchange for an unbiased review. The author is known for writing historical fiction based on real women and this time its Katharine Wrights turn.
At first I found Orville’s attitude towards his sister annoying, it stopped me from enjoying the narrative and then I thought about how Ms. Enerson Wood chooses to write about overlooked women and Katharine Wright was certainly one of these. Katharine made huge sacrifices for her brothers to pursue their passion and remember behind successful men are influential and supportive women.
Five stars from me, I highly recommend Katharine, the Wright Sister and Tracey Enerson Wood's previous book, The War Nurse.
The Wright brothers tested the latest models on the beaches of North Carolina, at Kitty Hawk and they picked the location because it was windy, had soft sand to land on and away from prying eyes. Meanwhile Katharine located the right material for the gliders and plane prototypes wings, dealt with correspondence and bike shop, and worked as a high school teacher.
On the 17th of December 1903, Wilbur and Orville made history with the first controlled, sustained flight of humankind. The Wright brothers became famous, they travelled the world demonstrating their new invention, looking for financial backers and wanting to build better planes and teach others to fly. Then they were hit by a law suit, a legal fight over what they lodged a patent for and this takes a big toll Wilbur. Katharine gave up her career as a teacher to help her brothers follow their dreams and when she wants to do the same, a childish and ungrateful Orville forces her to make a difficult choice.
I received a copy of Katharine, the Wright Sister by Tracey Enerson Wood from the publisher and in exchange for an unbiased review. The author is known for writing historical fiction based on real women and this time its Katharine Wrights turn.
At first I found Orville’s attitude towards his sister annoying, it stopped me from enjoying the narrative and then I thought about how Ms. Enerson Wood chooses to write about overlooked women and Katharine Wright was certainly one of these. Katharine made huge sacrifices for her brothers to pursue their passion and remember behind successful men are influential and supportive women.
Five stars from me, I highly recommend Katharine, the Wright Sister and Tracey Enerson Wood's previous book, The War Nurse.
August 24, 2024
This remarkable story sheds light on the Wright sister, the mastermind of logistics behind the achievement of human flight. She was the powerful force and voice, full of enthusiasm and persuasion. Along with her two brothers, she was one of the architects striving to make the world a better place.
The story begins in Ohio in the latter part of the 19th century and reveals the Wright siblings’ passion, which started with a helicopter toy from their childhood. Their passion for flight persists throughout their lives, though it ebbs and flows with demands of busy lives. The secret to reigniting their passion is their sister, often overlooked in many stories.
The progression of the story reveals the detailed steps the brothers took and the crucial moments when their sister stepped in to keep the dream alive, starting with their strong traits.
Wilbur and Orville Wright were skilled at fixing things, and during the bicycle craze, there was a constant need for repairs. With the idea of flight at heart, they set up a bicycle business, working on bicycles in the front of the shop and building flying machines in the back.
They observed the birds to understand the mechanics of flight and read books by men obsessed with manned flight.
Meanwhile, Katharine pursues her studies at college, and upon returning home, she noticed that her brothers were so busy with the bicycle shop that their dream of aviation advancement was taking a back seat. Thus, she challenged them to refocus on their passion.
As the brothers tested new models on the beaches of North Carolina, Katharine stayed home to manage the bicycle shop, as they needed the income to fund their dream. She also became the mastermind behind securing the necessary supplies and convincing people to support their goal.
The reader witnesses the meticulous thought process which reveals the science of flight, the thrill of the first take-offs lasting for seconds, and the persistence to make flights last longer and climb higher.
The characters are further developed through their thoughts of caring for each other, as each flight carries its risk.
Filled with dreams, obstacles, attempts, persistence, and above all, support for each other, the story also highlights Katharine, an incredible woman who craved to live her own life despite the obstacles she faced as a woman in a male-driven world.
This in depth journey brings to life fascinating characters and their strong will and support for each other, leading to one of the greatest advancements in aviation.
Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story begins in Ohio in the latter part of the 19th century and reveals the Wright siblings’ passion, which started with a helicopter toy from their childhood. Their passion for flight persists throughout their lives, though it ebbs and flows with demands of busy lives. The secret to reigniting their passion is their sister, often overlooked in many stories.
The progression of the story reveals the detailed steps the brothers took and the crucial moments when their sister stepped in to keep the dream alive, starting with their strong traits.
Wilbur and Orville Wright were skilled at fixing things, and during the bicycle craze, there was a constant need for repairs. With the idea of flight at heart, they set up a bicycle business, working on bicycles in the front of the shop and building flying machines in the back.
They observed the birds to understand the mechanics of flight and read books by men obsessed with manned flight.
Meanwhile, Katharine pursues her studies at college, and upon returning home, she noticed that her brothers were so busy with the bicycle shop that their dream of aviation advancement was taking a back seat. Thus, she challenged them to refocus on their passion.
As the brothers tested new models on the beaches of North Carolina, Katharine stayed home to manage the bicycle shop, as they needed the income to fund their dream. She also became the mastermind behind securing the necessary supplies and convincing people to support their goal.
The reader witnesses the meticulous thought process which reveals the science of flight, the thrill of the first take-offs lasting for seconds, and the persistence to make flights last longer and climb higher.
The characters are further developed through their thoughts of caring for each other, as each flight carries its risk.
Filled with dreams, obstacles, attempts, persistence, and above all, support for each other, the story also highlights Katharine, an incredible woman who craved to live her own life despite the obstacles she faced as a woman in a male-driven world.
This in depth journey brings to life fascinating characters and their strong will and support for each other, leading to one of the greatest advancements in aviation.
Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2024
Katherine, the Wright Sister
was a surprise to me! I had only ever known of Wilbur and Orville Wright. . .and my father was a pilot! Who knew there were other Wright siblings, and especially one so specific to the interests and providing such key support to those two flying brothers as Katherine was in their endeavors?
Very readable and informative, even in its "historical fiction" category, I'm moved to delve deeper into the lives of this family and learn more about their contributions to the many opportunities and advancements afforded the world community by their early efforts, inventions, investments and sacrifices.
Another great book by this author - I've read a number of them, and am looking forward to whatever is next!
*A sincere thank you to Tracey Enerson Wood, Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*
Very readable and informative, even in its "historical fiction" category, I'm moved to delve deeper into the lives of this family and learn more about their contributions to the many opportunities and advancements afforded the world community by their early efforts, inventions, investments and sacrifices.
Another great book by this author - I've read a number of them, and am looking forward to whatever is next!
*A sincere thank you to Tracey Enerson Wood, Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*
September 14, 2024
“She helped her brothers soar … but was the flight worth the fall?”
Wood’s fantastic historical fiction brings to light the dynamic woman behind the history of flight - a woman who has been overlooked and overshadowed by her famous brothers.
Katharine Wright was a celebrity in her own right. The youngest of five Wright children and the only girl, Katharine graduated from university, pioneered women’s rights, and pursued a career in education. Like her brothers, she dreamed about flight as a child and the three of them (Orville, Wilbur, and Katharine) managed to keep their dream alive until realizing it, many decades later.
Author Tracey Enerson Wood (1) examines what drives and keeps a person invested in a dream to hold it for so long and (2) explores the question of whether the Wrights were responsible for their invention (i.e. it was sold to the U.S. Airforce and used as a weapon of destruction). Her story definitely benefits from three different POVs; Wilbur, Orville and Katharine.
I was amazed to discover the force behind these two men. I can’t believe I’d never heard of their sister, Katharine, despite her significant impact on the invention and in the field of aviation. I think the thing that stayed with me the most was the years of sacrifice and risk the siblings endured to realize their dreams. I was caught up in the family dynamics and in Katharine’s role, not only in sustaining the family but in keeping their dream alive. My heart ached when I read about a single choice that changed the trajectory of the sibling relationship.
Above all, I appreciated the opportunity to realize how far we’ve come since the invention of flight.
I was gifted this copy by Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Wood’s fantastic historical fiction brings to light the dynamic woman behind the history of flight - a woman who has been overlooked and overshadowed by her famous brothers.
Katharine Wright was a celebrity in her own right. The youngest of five Wright children and the only girl, Katharine graduated from university, pioneered women’s rights, and pursued a career in education. Like her brothers, she dreamed about flight as a child and the three of them (Orville, Wilbur, and Katharine) managed to keep their dream alive until realizing it, many decades later.
Author Tracey Enerson Wood (1) examines what drives and keeps a person invested in a dream to hold it for so long and (2) explores the question of whether the Wrights were responsible for their invention (i.e. it was sold to the U.S. Airforce and used as a weapon of destruction). Her story definitely benefits from three different POVs; Wilbur, Orville and Katharine.
I was amazed to discover the force behind these two men. I can’t believe I’d never heard of their sister, Katharine, despite her significant impact on the invention and in the field of aviation. I think the thing that stayed with me the most was the years of sacrifice and risk the siblings endured to realize their dreams. I was caught up in the family dynamics and in Katharine’s role, not only in sustaining the family but in keeping their dream alive. My heart ached when I read about a single choice that changed the trajectory of the sibling relationship.
Above all, I appreciated the opportunity to realize how far we’ve come since the invention of flight.
I was gifted this copy by Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
July 29, 2024
I have loved all of Wood’s novels about strong women from our past. I knew a lot about Orville and Wilbur Wright, but did not know about Katharine. She gave her entire life to her brothers and was often the brain with ideas. The counted on her for so much.
The brothers owned a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio. While the world was wanting a flying machine, Orville and Wilbur decided to try taking on this challenge. They tested different models, while Katharine worked behind the scenes. They were at the forefront as the demonstrated their machine, trained others and kept improving their inventions.
When a tragedy pulled them, apart Katharine has to make a hard decision.
The brothers owned a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio. While the world was wanting a flying machine, Orville and Wilbur decided to try taking on this challenge. They tested different models, while Katharine worked behind the scenes. They were at the forefront as the demonstrated their machine, trained others and kept improving their inventions.
When a tragedy pulled them, apart Katharine has to make a hard decision.
September 23, 2024
I am so sad to report that this was not good. I loved the premise, the idea, the historical characters. I want the world to start referencing “the Wright siblings” instead of “the Wright brothers” if that is more correct but my word this book was boring! I read 20% of it and nothing happened. It was so dull and the pacing was weird. The characters were sooooo flat. They had no personalities and I couldn’t tell you the difference between the brothers and even the sister sometimes (all three were alternating narrators). If you know stuff about aviation you might like it because there was a lot of technical information that was not necessary for the intended audience. I was forcing myself to read it, thinking it had to get better, but I’m giving up! I’ve liked other books by this author but this was a miss!
Content warning: none for the bit I read
Content warning: none for the bit I read
March 19, 2024
Growing up less than an hour away from the Wright family's Dayton, Ohio, home always made me intrigued by the famous brothers. To learn how their sister Katharine provided important support to them--unknown to me before--made for an absolutely compelling read. Highly recommended!
September 24, 2024
I just finished Katharine, the Wright Sister by Tracey Enerson Wood and here are my thoughts.
Everyone knows the story about the Wright brothers but history never sings the story of their sister, a woman just as intelligent as her high flying brothers.
The book focuses on 3 of the 5 Wright siblings. We get the POVs of Wilbur, Orville and Katharine. Katharine was the hub of their brilliance. She did a lot of the research and mastermining. I loved Katharines character. As someone who shares the same last name, no relation, as a child, I was fascinated by the Wright brothers and as an adult, I enjoyed the Katharine rabbit hole.
Katharine and the relationship with her brothers feels realistic and indicative of the times. I enjoyed learning more about her as a woman, sister and her belief in what they were doing. The writing was wonderful and brought this captivating historical event to life with ease and brilliance.
I binged the whole thing in one sitting. It was quite excellent!!
I love realistic historical fiction that follows true events and this one was excellent!! I wasn’t blown away with the POV of the brothers… I would have preferred just the story from her perspective but it didn’t spoil the read.
4.5 stars! Thank you to @bookmarked for my gifted copy of this wonderful novel.
Everyone knows the story about the Wright brothers but history never sings the story of their sister, a woman just as intelligent as her high flying brothers.
The book focuses on 3 of the 5 Wright siblings. We get the POVs of Wilbur, Orville and Katharine. Katharine was the hub of their brilliance. She did a lot of the research and mastermining. I loved Katharines character. As someone who shares the same last name, no relation, as a child, I was fascinated by the Wright brothers and as an adult, I enjoyed the Katharine rabbit hole.
Katharine and the relationship with her brothers feels realistic and indicative of the times. I enjoyed learning more about her as a woman, sister and her belief in what they were doing. The writing was wonderful and brought this captivating historical event to life with ease and brilliance.
I binged the whole thing in one sitting. It was quite excellent!!
I love realistic historical fiction that follows true events and this one was excellent!! I wasn’t blown away with the POV of the brothers… I would have preferred just the story from her perspective but it didn’t spoil the read.
4.5 stars! Thank you to @bookmarked for my gifted copy of this wonderful novel.
March 31, 2024
You have probably heard of Wilbur and Orville Wright, and their contributions to modern flight. However, have you ever heard mention of their sister, Katharine; the woman and driving force behind their efforts and success.
Born in 1874, Katharine was the youngest of the Wright children. She was only 14 when their mother died, requiring her to step into the role of the woman of the house. Despite the responsibilities, Katharine managed to finish school and go on to teacher's college and become an educator. Despite running the house and teaching during the day, Katharine was Wilbur and Orville's biggest cheerleader. She made suggestions on design, wrote letters for them procuring materials, attended events as a public speaker and put her personal life on hold to see them realize their dreams.
I really enjoyed reading Katharine's story and feel the author, Tracey Enerson Wood, did a wonderful job of portraying Katharine as an intelligent, knowledgeable woman who loved her family, and recognized the importance of her brothers "tinkering" with machines to the future of piloted flight.
If you enjoy a good historical fiction, I highly recommend reading "Katharine, the Wright Sister" that has a publication date of September 10, 2024. Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Born in 1874, Katharine was the youngest of the Wright children. She was only 14 when their mother died, requiring her to step into the role of the woman of the house. Despite the responsibilities, Katharine managed to finish school and go on to teacher's college and become an educator. Despite running the house and teaching during the day, Katharine was Wilbur and Orville's biggest cheerleader. She made suggestions on design, wrote letters for them procuring materials, attended events as a public speaker and put her personal life on hold to see them realize their dreams.
I really enjoyed reading Katharine's story and feel the author, Tracey Enerson Wood, did a wonderful job of portraying Katharine as an intelligent, knowledgeable woman who loved her family, and recognized the importance of her brothers "tinkering" with machines to the future of piloted flight.
If you enjoy a good historical fiction, I highly recommend reading "Katharine, the Wright Sister" that has a publication date of September 10, 2024. Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read and review this book.
September 14, 2024
Immersive, evocative, and fascinating!
Katharine, the Wright Sister is an atmospheric, absorbing tale that sweeps you away to the turn of the twentieth century and into the lives of the Wright brothers and their often unknown, overlooked or forgotten sister, Katharine, who not only provided support and assistance to her siblings during the continual ups and downs of attempting to invent, build, and fly the first powered airplane but was a consistent motivator that kept them focused on the tasks at hand and the dream firmly alive.
The prose is expressive and eloquent. The characters are well drawn, multilayered, and authentic. And the plot is an intriguing, absorbing mix of life, loss, loyalty, friendship, family, dreams, drive, ambition, successes, failures, imagination, and innovation.
Overall, Katharine, the Wright Sister is a compelling, rich, illuminating tale by one of my all-time favourite authors, Tracey Enerson Wood, that once again enthralled, entertained, and informed me!
Katharine, the Wright Sister is an atmospheric, absorbing tale that sweeps you away to the turn of the twentieth century and into the lives of the Wright brothers and their often unknown, overlooked or forgotten sister, Katharine, who not only provided support and assistance to her siblings during the continual ups and downs of attempting to invent, build, and fly the first powered airplane but was a consistent motivator that kept them focused on the tasks at hand and the dream firmly alive.
The prose is expressive and eloquent. The characters are well drawn, multilayered, and authentic. And the plot is an intriguing, absorbing mix of life, loss, loyalty, friendship, family, dreams, drive, ambition, successes, failures, imagination, and innovation.
Overall, Katharine, the Wright Sister is a compelling, rich, illuminating tale by one of my all-time favourite authors, Tracey Enerson Wood, that once again enthralled, entertained, and informed me!
September 10, 2024
In Katharine, the Wright Sister, we meet the sister of and force behind the famed Wright brothers and their flying machine. As with her other novels, Tracey Enerson Wood introduces us to an important woman whom history has overlooked. I enjoyed "meeting" Katharine. I only knew the grade-school version of the invention of the airplane, and this book goes so much deeper. Truly, without Katharine, her brothers would not have been successful.
I think book clubs will love this novel as there is a lot to think about. For example, was Katharine altruistic in giving up her dreams to help her family? Or was she guilted into it? Personally, I really enjoyed Katharine and didn't always like how she was treated by her brothers or father.
The book is narrated in alternating chapters by Katharine, Wilber and Orville. Though Wood's neat prose is generally so pleasant to read, I thought there was a lack of distinction between each voice. I had to look back at the beginning of chapters on occasion to remind myself who was narrating.
Wood's writing really shines in the descriptions of flying machines and the science of flight. She keeps it interesting and also explains complex concepts and describes how machines looked and worked in incredible detail that's easy to understand. She deftly teaches readers about complex flight and machine concepts without talking down to us.
Overall, I really enjoyed this well-done novel and loved learning about lesser-known but very important figure the history books have disregarded.
I received a free advance copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
I think book clubs will love this novel as there is a lot to think about. For example, was Katharine altruistic in giving up her dreams to help her family? Or was she guilted into it? Personally, I really enjoyed Katharine and didn't always like how she was treated by her brothers or father.
The book is narrated in alternating chapters by Katharine, Wilber and Orville. Though Wood's neat prose is generally so pleasant to read, I thought there was a lack of distinction between each voice. I had to look back at the beginning of chapters on occasion to remind myself who was narrating.
Wood's writing really shines in the descriptions of flying machines and the science of flight. She keeps it interesting and also explains complex concepts and describes how machines looked and worked in incredible detail that's easy to understand. She deftly teaches readers about complex flight and machine concepts without talking down to us.
Overall, I really enjoyed this well-done novel and loved learning about lesser-known but very important figure the history books have disregarded.
I received a free advance copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
May 29, 2024
Katharine is the lesser known Wright sibling who devoted her life work to her brothers, Orville and Wilbur. She supported their dreams of flying, worked out kinks, promoted them, and created a backbone to their endeavors. The chapters alternate from each sibling’s POV. She’s a strong character and you wonder if things would’ve turned out the same without her push. My main complaint with historical fiction lately has been that authors basically take a historical figure and write a fictional book, with little detail. This was not the case! I’m happy to say that this had a lot of information, most new to me, and I learned a lot. That said, it was a little long and I did think the specifics and technicalities were a little much at times. Overall, I’ll definitely look for other books by this author as she has some very interesting subjects and I enjoyed her writing.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 13, 2025
10% plot, 75% aeronautical engineering, and 15% meandering stories that lead no where. The author clearly knows her STEM stuff, but it made for lots for my eyes to glaze over. This book could have greatly benefitted from some diagrams for someone like me, not well versed in mechanics. Unfortunately this book was the definition of too much “tell” and not enough “show.”
The title of this one is deceiving because this book is very much about the Wright siblings, though their individual voices were not different enough for me to remember whose POV we were on in each chapter. Katharine has very little to do with her brothers’ work in aviation other than housekeeping and administration and luncheons. This book paints her as loyal and humble, giving up the few small dreams she had for herself to support her brothers— not the most exciting of female main characters to read about.
I was disappointed by this one but I persevered because I love the Wright brothers history, but I did learn a lot about what happened with the Weight brothers after their famous Kitty Hawk flight.
The title of this one is deceiving because this book is very much about the Wright siblings, though their individual voices were not different enough for me to remember whose POV we were on in each chapter. Katharine has very little to do with her brothers’ work in aviation other than housekeeping and administration and luncheons. This book paints her as loyal and humble, giving up the few small dreams she had for herself to support her brothers— not the most exciting of female main characters to read about.
I was disappointed by this one but I persevered because I love the Wright brothers history, but I did learn a lot about what happened with the Weight brothers after their famous Kitty Hawk flight.
March 25, 2024
Katharine, the Wright Sister by Tracey Enerson Wood is a great historical fiction that I really enjoyed.
I really liked Ms. Wood’s previous novels, so of course I was excited to read this one.
It was so fascinating diving into the Wright family and to get to see history not only through the minds of both Wright brothers, but also through their sister, Katharine. I had already read a book from her POV, but this one really gave her another dimension that I felt I was missing when I pictured it all.
Great read.
4.5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Sourcebooks Landmark for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/10/24.
I really liked Ms. Wood’s previous novels, so of course I was excited to read this one.
It was so fascinating diving into the Wright family and to get to see history not only through the minds of both Wright brothers, but also through their sister, Katharine. I had already read a book from her POV, but this one really gave her another dimension that I felt I was missing when I pictured it all.
Great read.
4.5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Sourcebooks Landmark for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/10/24.
August 31, 2025
I loved learning the hidden story of Katharine Wright and the history of the Wright siblings' inventions. I also enjoyed references to the surrounding historical period and context, including the siblings' impact and notable experiences (presidential visits, etc.). However, the book is a bit dry, particularly in the first half. It tells, tells tells instead of showing, a cardinal rule of storytelling. The characters are not very fleshed out (they get more emotional depth in the latter half), and the book reads like a didactic paper versus a novel. I continued out of great interest in the topic, but it isn't a compelling read.
April 18, 2025
I really found this book to not be very interesting. I read to Page 70 and decided it was a DNF.
September 10, 2024
Everyone has heard about the famous Wright brothers, who have invented the first modern airplane. Yet, very few know about their sister, Katharine. This novel attempts to shine light on a little known historical figure. Katharine Wright is shown to be the mastermind to help the brothers make their most famous invention, the airplane.
Before reading this novel, I had never heard of Katharine Wright. Therefore, I was eager to read this novel to see how she had impacted the Wright brothers. Katharine is portrayed as a genius who is involved in her brothers’ inventions. She had a really close relationship with them until tragedy struck. However, I found Katharine to be very admirable in making a tremendous sacrifice for the good of her family. Thus, Katharine was a very compassionate and loving figure. Katharine is a commendable character. I couldn’t stop reading to find out what had happened to her.
Overall, this novel is about family, dreams, and sacrifice. I found all the characters to be very well-developed and complex. I did not like the multiple narrators, especially the perspectives of her brothers because it seemed to distract us from Katharine’s story. I also thought the story was very slow-paced, and I struggled at times to get through it! I did find the novel to be very well-written and meticulously researched! Nevertheless, Katharine, the Wright Sister shines lights on a forgotten historical figure! Katharine, the Wright Sister is perfect for those who love reading about early aviation! I recommend this novel for fans of Her Last Flight, The Aviator’s Wife, and Flygirl!
(Note: I read an ARC copy of this book in courtesy of Netgalley.)
Before reading this novel, I had never heard of Katharine Wright. Therefore, I was eager to read this novel to see how she had impacted the Wright brothers. Katharine is portrayed as a genius who is involved in her brothers’ inventions. She had a really close relationship with them until tragedy struck. However, I found Katharine to be very admirable in making a tremendous sacrifice for the good of her family. Thus, Katharine was a very compassionate and loving figure. Katharine is a commendable character. I couldn’t stop reading to find out what had happened to her.
Overall, this novel is about family, dreams, and sacrifice. I found all the characters to be very well-developed and complex. I did not like the multiple narrators, especially the perspectives of her brothers because it seemed to distract us from Katharine’s story. I also thought the story was very slow-paced, and I struggled at times to get through it! I did find the novel to be very well-written and meticulously researched! Nevertheless, Katharine, the Wright Sister shines lights on a forgotten historical figure! Katharine, the Wright Sister is perfect for those who love reading about early aviation! I recommend this novel for fans of Her Last Flight, The Aviator’s Wife, and Flygirl!
(Note: I read an ARC copy of this book in courtesy of Netgalley.)
November 9, 2024
I really enjoyed this book, a look a a woman I didn’t know existed! I think Katharine and I would have been kindred spirits! While parts of this book dragged (especially when in Orville’s mind regarding the mechanics of flight!) I found myself wishing for a little more about Katharine. The author is lovely and she said this was hard to research as there isn’t a lot of information about her. Keeping that in mind, I was impressed by what the result is. I was saddened KW didnt get her happily ever after (for long anyway) but her life as fascinating!
October 6, 2025
This was an interesting story about the Wright brothers and their sister. However, too many pages were devoted to the technical details of building and operating a plane. While an engineer might find that part fascinating, I would rather have read more about their personal lives. Still a good read overall.
June 28, 2025
Tracey Enerson Wood's Katharine, the Wright Sister illuminates the overlooked contributions of Katharine Wright, a crucial, yet unknown, female figure in history. Told through the alternating perspectives of Orville, Wilbur, and Katharine, the novel offers a comprehensive view of their journey. It's a powerful story of perseverance, sacrifice, and unbreakable family bonds, finally giving Katharine the recognition she deserves.
December 5, 2024
If you are a fan of aviation, you'll love this book. Filled with technical details and timeline driven for the early days of flight told through 3 Wright siblings POV. I wish the story didn't just skirt the surface and was hoping to understand the siblings more deeply.
October 7, 2024
Absolutely love this book. A look at the last century on how amazing events took place with tremendous effort, purpose, experiments, trials and tribulations. Deep dive into the Wright family dynamics as well as the science and politics involved in historic accomplishments!
January 15, 2025
This was a fascinating story of the Wright brothers, their struggle to fly, and their little known sister Katharine. A long book, but well written and moved along. Especially interesting to me since I have visited the Wright brothers home and cycle shop at Greenfield Village many times.
March 23, 2025
As the title implies, this is about Margaret, the older sister of Wilbur and Orville Wright. While we all have heard and know the impact that these brothers have made on history, this book shines a light on Margaret, who was the guiding light and lovable support for her brothers.
November 19, 2024
I grew up spending summer vacations on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and have visited the Wright Memorial on a few different occasions as a kid. When I picked this book off the new books shelf at my local library and read the blurb, I knew I needed to read this story. Reading this was an excellent object lesson in what happens when certain moments in history get more or less glossed over, and marginalized individuals and their contributions are straight up ignored or erased. Sure, we’ve all learned the bare minimum about the Wright brothers, in that they owned a bicycle shop in Dayton, OH, chose Kitty Hawk/Kill Devil Hills, NC for their flight experimentation based on its near constant winds, and that’s where the first manned, powered flight took place. But the amount of facts that are left out of that story appears to be quite significant, to say nothing of the erasure of their sister from the story entirely. This book seeks to right (Wright? Haha) that wrong, and I can say that it delivers quite nicely on that front. I was really blown away to learn about how much Katharine contributed to and enabled the development of the Kitty Hawk flyer, to say nothing of subsequent aviation developments, all at (of course) the expense of her own dreams, ambitions, and goals. I was also blown away by how much a non-event the first flight in Kitty Hawk was to the majority of the American public and government, how the achievements of the Wright family were basically ignored almost completely in the U.S. for several years (vs how they are treated now). I’m amazed at how progressive the Wright family in general appeared to be. Also, you’d think that inventing the airplane would be something accomplished by someone super wealthy, but the Wright family were anything but—it seems it was Katharine practically single-handedly supporting the family during their early R&D.
That being said, I felt the book definitely was not a page turner and read more like narrative non-fiction than straight up fiction. It took me longer than I’d like to admit to get through it, as it often didn’t hold my attention for very long. Also, I didn’t care for the narration that rotated between Katharine, Orville, and Wilbur. The author explains this in some notes in the back, but I still feel that it sold Katharine and her story short. Instead of feeling like a story exclusively about Katharine, it was a story about how she and her brothers worked to crack the code of manned, powered flight. The story always seems to center around her relationship with her brothers, while hinting at her having a very rich life outside of those bonds. There are hints at her work on the womens’ suffrage movement, which I dearly wish had been explored further. She sounds like she was a fascinating person, and I just get the nagging feeling that this book didn’t exactly do her justice. I mean, if you’re going to write a book to give overdue recognition to an individual who has had their efforts erased from historical narratives, maybe center them just a little more in their own story?
That being said, I felt the book definitely was not a page turner and read more like narrative non-fiction than straight up fiction. It took me longer than I’d like to admit to get through it, as it often didn’t hold my attention for very long. Also, I didn’t care for the narration that rotated between Katharine, Orville, and Wilbur. The author explains this in some notes in the back, but I still feel that it sold Katharine and her story short. Instead of feeling like a story exclusively about Katharine, it was a story about how she and her brothers worked to crack the code of manned, powered flight. The story always seems to center around her relationship with her brothers, while hinting at her having a very rich life outside of those bonds. There are hints at her work on the womens’ suffrage movement, which I dearly wish had been explored further. She sounds like she was a fascinating person, and I just get the nagging feeling that this book didn’t exactly do her justice. I mean, if you’re going to write a book to give overdue recognition to an individual who has had their efforts erased from historical narratives, maybe center them just a little more in their own story?
May 7, 2025
I went into this book excited to finally learn more about Katharine Wright—the sister behind the famous Wright Brothers. I’d always known about Orville and Wilbur’s historic first flight, but I had no idea how deeply involved Katharine was in keeping things afloat behind the scenes—literally and figuratively. She helped run their bicycle business, supported them through every setback, and even became an officer in the Wright Company. That alone makes her an incredible figure who absolutely deserves more attention in history books.
That said, I have to be honest: this book was a bit of a slog at times. While it’s supposed to be about Katharine, a huge chunk of the story veers into very technical and detailed descriptions of aviation experiments, mechanics, and prototypes. For someone who isn’t super into flight engineering, those sections were hard to get through—and there were a lot of them. I found myself zoning out or skimming to get back to the human story, especially Katharine’s. It didn’t help that the book often shifted focus to Orville and Wilbur’s perspectives, which made it feel like Katharine was taking a backseat in her own story.
One of the most heartbreaking parts was learning that after everything she sacrificed for her brothers—her independence, her personal dreams, even the chance at her own family—Orville stopped speaking to her when she finally chose to marry the man she had loved for years. All she wanted was a chance at happiness, and he couldn’t even support her in that. She died young, and it’s just really sad to think that the two of them never fully made peace.
I wish the book had leaned more into Katharine’s personal journey instead of getting lost in blueprints and patents. And honestly, a few diagrams or sketches of the early planes would have helped the dense technical sections make more sense.
I’m giving it three stars on Goodreads, though in my mind it’s more like a 3.5. Unfortunately, Goodreads won’t let me do half stars. It was informative, and I’m glad I read it—but I definitely had to push myself through it more than I expected.
That said, I have to be honest: this book was a bit of a slog at times. While it’s supposed to be about Katharine, a huge chunk of the story veers into very technical and detailed descriptions of aviation experiments, mechanics, and prototypes. For someone who isn’t super into flight engineering, those sections were hard to get through—and there were a lot of them. I found myself zoning out or skimming to get back to the human story, especially Katharine’s. It didn’t help that the book often shifted focus to Orville and Wilbur’s perspectives, which made it feel like Katharine was taking a backseat in her own story.
One of the most heartbreaking parts was learning that after everything she sacrificed for her brothers—her independence, her personal dreams, even the chance at her own family—Orville stopped speaking to her when she finally chose to marry the man she had loved for years. All she wanted was a chance at happiness, and he couldn’t even support her in that. She died young, and it’s just really sad to think that the two of them never fully made peace.
I wish the book had leaned more into Katharine’s personal journey instead of getting lost in blueprints and patents. And honestly, a few diagrams or sketches of the early planes would have helped the dense technical sections make more sense.
I’m giving it three stars on Goodreads, though in my mind it’s more like a 3.5. Unfortunately, Goodreads won’t let me do half stars. It was informative, and I’m glad I read it—but I definitely had to push myself through it more than I expected.
September 29, 2024
I couldn't finish this one. The story is more about the Wright Brothers with little snippets of Katharine's life and that wasn't what I was lead to believe by the synopsis. I wanted to know about her and her life. The pacing is incredibly slow with a lot of aviation jargon that made me feel like I should have a dictionary nearby to reference.
The characters were pretty well developed overall and I liked reading about some NC history. The pacing just left me bored and looking for something else to read. I'm glad it is others' cup of tea though. If you don't know much about the Wright Family, you might like it. Just don't expect it to move quickly.
The characters were pretty well developed overall and I liked reading about some NC history. The pacing just left me bored and looking for something else to read. I'm glad it is others' cup of tea though. If you don't know much about the Wright Family, you might like it. Just don't expect it to move quickly.
November 15, 2024
You don’t need yet another summary from me. My review is simply subjective rather than focusing on the technical aspects. I found it slow. Tedious and dragging in some parts and then months or years would go by in a sentence. That said, it was interesting to learn more about the Wrights, and I certainly don’t recall learning anything about Katherine before.
I did grow up in the Finger Lakes of NY, and the story of Glenn Curtiss has a much different perspective at his museum. :)
More than 3 stars but not 4.
I did grow up in the Finger Lakes of NY, and the story of Glenn Curtiss has a much different perspective at his museum. :)
More than 3 stars but not 4.
January 19, 2025
Couldn’t get past the first 20 pages bc the character development seemed so poor and the sibling relationship was unrealistic.
September 25, 2024
Real Rating: 3.5* of five
The Publisher Says: She helped her brothers soar… but was the flight worth the fall?
It all started with two boys and a bicycle shop. Wilbur and Orville Wright, both unsuited to college and disinclined to leave home, jumped on the popular new fad of bicycle riding and opened a shop in Dayton, Ohio. Repairing and selling soon led to tinkering and building as the brothers offered improved models to their eager customers. Amid their success, a new dream began to take shape. Engineers across the world were puzzling over how to build a powered flying machine—and Wilbur and Orville wanted in on the challenge. But their younger sister, Katharine, knew they couldn't do it without her. The three siblings made a pact: the three of them would solve the problem of human flight.
As her brothers obsessed over blueprints and risked life and limb testing new models on the sand beaches of North Carolina, Katharine became the mastermind behind the scenes of their inventions. She sourced materials, managed communications, and kept Wilbur and Orville focused on their goal—even when it seemed hopeless. And in 1903, the Wright brothers made the first controlled, sustained flight of humankind.
What followed was the kind of fame and fortune the Wrights had never imagined. The siblings traveled the world to demonstrate their invention, trained other pilots, and built new machines that could fly higher and farther. But at the height of their success, tragedy wrenched the Wright family apart… and forced Katharine to make an impossible choice that would haunt her for the rest of her life.
From internationally bestselling author Tracey Enerson Wood, Katharine, the Wright Sister is an unforgettable novel that shines a spotlight on one of the most important and overlooked women in history, and the sacrifices she made so that others might fly.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA aggregator. THANK YOU.
My Review: Author Wood wrote The President's Wife , review linked, and now takes on another woman His-story (get it?) has chosen to ignore. The structure, using all three Wright siblings' voices, conveys the tragedy of the story so much better than an omniscient narrator could.
Historical fiction about overlooked women is almost always tendentious. This book is no exception. I will say that the facts are given prominence, but the act of betrayal by Orville during the story that costs Katharine her due place in the limelight made me so goddamned mad I had ro put the book down for a week. I won't spoil what it was...if I got furious, you should too.
And you readers who like the modern trend of recentering women in our history definitely should read this one. I won't rate it more highly because I'm not fond of the triumphalist tenor of the Kitty Hawk flight in our discourse. This is a corrective only to a part of that story.
Sourcebooks Landmark wants $8.99 for the Kindle version.
The Publisher Says: She helped her brothers soar… but was the flight worth the fall?
It all started with two boys and a bicycle shop. Wilbur and Orville Wright, both unsuited to college and disinclined to leave home, jumped on the popular new fad of bicycle riding and opened a shop in Dayton, Ohio. Repairing and selling soon led to tinkering and building as the brothers offered improved models to their eager customers. Amid their success, a new dream began to take shape. Engineers across the world were puzzling over how to build a powered flying machine—and Wilbur and Orville wanted in on the challenge. But their younger sister, Katharine, knew they couldn't do it without her. The three siblings made a pact: the three of them would solve the problem of human flight.
As her brothers obsessed over blueprints and risked life and limb testing new models on the sand beaches of North Carolina, Katharine became the mastermind behind the scenes of their inventions. She sourced materials, managed communications, and kept Wilbur and Orville focused on their goal—even when it seemed hopeless. And in 1903, the Wright brothers made the first controlled, sustained flight of humankind.
What followed was the kind of fame and fortune the Wrights had never imagined. The siblings traveled the world to demonstrate their invention, trained other pilots, and built new machines that could fly higher and farther. But at the height of their success, tragedy wrenched the Wright family apart… and forced Katharine to make an impossible choice that would haunt her for the rest of her life.
From internationally bestselling author Tracey Enerson Wood, Katharine, the Wright Sister is an unforgettable novel that shines a spotlight on one of the most important and overlooked women in history, and the sacrifices she made so that others might fly.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA aggregator. THANK YOU.
My Review: Author Wood wrote The President's Wife , review linked, and now takes on another woman His-story (get it?) has chosen to ignore. The structure, using all three Wright siblings' voices, conveys the tragedy of the story so much better than an omniscient narrator could.
Historical fiction about overlooked women is almost always tendentious. This book is no exception. I will say that the facts are given prominence, but the act of betrayal by Orville during the story that costs Katharine her due place in the limelight made me so goddamned mad I had ro put the book down for a week. I won't spoil what it was...if I got furious, you should too.
And you readers who like the modern trend of recentering women in our history definitely should read this one. I won't rate it more highly because I'm not fond of the triumphalist tenor of the Kitty Hawk flight in our discourse. This is a corrective only to a part of that story.
Sourcebooks Landmark wants $8.99 for the Kindle version.
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