Jackie Cochran: An Autobiography

by Jacqueline Cochran, Maryann Bucknum Brinley

Traces Cochran's life from her childhood in poverty to her experiences creating a cosmetic empire, becoming a pilot and setting airspeed records and winning races, and becoming involved in politics and government

Genres: Aviation, Nonfiction, History, Autobiography, Biography, Memoir, World War II

351 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1987

Reviews

[Tara Chevrestt · Rating 1 out of 5]

NOTE: This is not a 24 page book. It is 24 pages of illustrations. For some reason on every website, it has been stated wrong. It is a good 351 pages at least.

I don't know about everybody else, but when I pick up an autobiography, I want the truth. If I want fiction, I pick up a fiction. Knowing what I do about aviation and its history and yes, even mechanics, I started having some doubts about whether this was a true story or not and came online to do my research. My suspicions proved true. As a fellow reviewer already stated, Jackie's childhood is fabricated. She was not really an orphan, but was born Bessie Lee Pittman with two parents. She did, indeed, grow up on mills in Florida but apparently, her food and clothing situations were greatly exagerated. She did not wear a flour sack or starve. Seeing as her entire childhood is fabricated in order to I suppose, gain public sympathy, I don't doubt that some of her accomplishments may be somewhat exagerated as well.. Are we really supposed to believe that a woman that didn't make it thru the second grade managed to solo fly and dead stick land a plane a mere 48 hours after first sitting in one? Not to mention, she manages to fly to Canada without even knowing what a compass is. If this is true, I hope the school that issued her license has since been shut down. Scary to think there may be pilots up there that don't know what they're doing!

I won't deny this was an amazing woman that set a lot of records and paved the way for other women in aviation, but I want an honest account of her life, not just a good story.

Also something I am curious about is how she managed to conveniently leave out the fact she was married once before Floyd (to a man named Robert Cochran.. that is how she got the name, not from a phone book) and had a 5 year old son that burned himself to death in her backyard. I think that is something that belongs in one's autobiography.

I made to page 100 and felt like I was reading mythology.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jackie Cochran was an amazing woman who accomplished so much.
Her childhood years were so poor she often had no shoes and clothes made out of sack cloth.
She worked from a very early age, at many jobs, and eventually made it to nursing school.
At some point she became obsessed with flying and obtained her pilot's license in 1932.
She was, about, 26.
From there she achieved a great deal. These are some of the, very, selective highlights.
She advanced women's liberation by fighting for their ability to be pilots.
She helped create the first women's pilot organisation, who helped the US war effort.
She helped towards creating the separate US Air Force.
Two US presidents owed her a great deal.
She made and broke numerous flying records, over at least three decades, well into her fifties.
She made many breakthroughs in the cosmetic industry, with her own range.
She had a loving 40 year marriage to a man who himself had great impact on US business.
She carried out test flights in various jet aeroplanes that helped advance the industry.
She championed the concept of women astronauts.
And, throughout, she coped with ill health.
Jackie Cochran is a woman who should be better known by everybody.

[Becky Brinkley · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Jackie Cochran: An Autobiography" gave me a new understanding of women's contributions to aviation history and World War II. She was best friends and competitors with Amelia Earhart. Jackie convince President Truman to create the U.S. Air Force as a separate branch of the military, not under the Army. She was aggressive in going after her dreams.
The book about her life so inspired me that I named my daughter after her (and Jacqueline Kennedy.)
Review by Becky Brinkley, author of Whatever Happened to Lil' Bobby Burton?: A True Adventure

[Chris Tschirhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting story about an amazing woman. It's a tragedy that hers is not a household name like Amelia Earhart. However, the book is poorly written it is somewhat choppy and while it follows her life there is a lack of continuity and I agree with other reviewers that it is self serving. However her personality while forceful was what perhaps got her to achieve so many things as an aviatrix. Jackie Cochran was an interesting woman, but in a way this book may not do her justice.

[Esteban Stipnieks · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is an interesting read since it is not just her but other voices. She is not a HERO in https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... this book does nothing to dispel this or criticism of her in Olveta Culp Hobby's biography. She played with the boys it is her story and we see more of her it backs up what friends of hers BOb Hoover, and Chuck Yeager wrote. I did find her relationship with Amelia Earhart interesting. It was an entertaining and worth while book to read.

[Jodi Womack · Rating 5 out of 5]

She founded the Air Forces' WASP program in WWII and so much more. Truly an impressive story of a powerhouse woman, who helped the Air Force be its own separate branch and who advised multiple presidents, did some spying while she was abroad in Russia, Korea, and broke all kinds of flight speed, distance & height records! What an incredible woman. I highly recommend this book.

[Chris Trombley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read. Jackie Cochran was a real life superhero. Probably the coolest, most amazing woman, pilot, entrepreneur, inspirational, bad ass adventurer who ever lived. Learned about her in Smithsonian Air and Space Museum but this book brought her to life.

[Brandon Ruiz]

PDF

[Mary Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Important for my research, but she sure gives herself a lot of credit for a lot of things. Person to like, but not like.

[Sheila Hansberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jackie Cochran was probably the world's greatest aviatrix. She tackled every kind of women's flying record, such as breaking the speed of sound, and was responsible for establishing a women's program to ferry airplanes to soldiers in Europe during WWII. She founded the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) and Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). She was a "girly" type of woman who loved beautiful clothing and cosmetics. In fact, she founded an upscale cosmetics company, and initially learned to fly so she could market her wares across the U.S.

This book is extremely entertaining, and affirms Cochran as a "fantastic" story-teller . . . so much so that many accountings of her childhood seem a little "sketchy." Research on the internet confirms it--she was given to embellishing, and did not grow up in poverty, nor with a foster family.

However, her adult life was filled with achievements, documented by exhibits in the Smithsonian and at various Presidential libraries. Her list of flying awards puts most male flyers to shame.

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a fascinating story about an amazing woman. It's a tragedy that hers is not a household name like Amelia Earhart. However, the book is poorly written. Many of the stories and anecdotes feel forced and self-serving. Jackie Cochran was an interesting woman, but there must be better sources than this one.

[KennyO · Rating 3 out of 5]

While she lived there was no shortage of men working to hold her back. Since her death the population of impediments has shrunk only a little. The writing here isn't generally riveting but it's a comprehensive, well told story of a woman who achieved greatness despite it all.

[Joy]

She is amazing and inspired my life.

[Hermien · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting woman who did a lot and achieved a lot.