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The Wright Sister
An epistolary novel of historical fiction that imagines the life of Katharine Wright and her relationship with her famous brothers, Wilbur and Orville Wright.
On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright flew the world's first airplane at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, establishing the Wright Brothers as world-renowned pioneers of flight. Known to far fewer people was their whip-smart and well-educated sister Katharine, a suffragette and early feminist.
After Wilbur passed away, Katharine lived with and took care of her increasingly reclusive brother Orville, who often turned to his more confident and supportive sister to help him through fame and fortune. But when Katharine became engaged to their mutual friend, Harry Haskell, Orville felt abandoned and betrayed. He smashed a pitcher of flowers against a wall and refused to attend the wedding or speak to Katharine or Harry. As the years went on, the siblings grew further and further apart.
In The Wright Sister, Patty Dann wonderfully imagines the blossoming of Katharine, revealed in her "Marriage Diary"--in which she emerges as a frank, vibrant, intellectually and socially engaged, sexually active woman coming into her own--and her one-sided correspondence with her estranged brother as she hopes to repair their fractured relationship. Even though she pictures "Orv" throwing her letters away, Katharine cannot contain her joie de vivre, her love of married life, her strong advocacy of the suffragette cause, or her abiding affection for her stubborn sibling as she fondly recalls their shared life.
An inspiring and poignant chronicle of feminism, family, and forgiveness, The Wright Sister is an unforgettable portrait of a woman, a sister of inventors, who found a way to reinvent herself.
On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright flew the world's first airplane at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, establishing the Wright Brothers as world-renowned pioneers of flight. Known to far fewer people was their whip-smart and well-educated sister Katharine, a suffragette and early feminist.
After Wilbur passed away, Katharine lived with and took care of her increasingly reclusive brother Orville, who often turned to his more confident and supportive sister to help him through fame and fortune. But when Katharine became engaged to their mutual friend, Harry Haskell, Orville felt abandoned and betrayed. He smashed a pitcher of flowers against a wall and refused to attend the wedding or speak to Katharine or Harry. As the years went on, the siblings grew further and further apart.
In The Wright Sister, Patty Dann wonderfully imagines the blossoming of Katharine, revealed in her "Marriage Diary"--in which she emerges as a frank, vibrant, intellectually and socially engaged, sexually active woman coming into her own--and her one-sided correspondence with her estranged brother as she hopes to repair their fractured relationship. Even though she pictures "Orv" throwing her letters away, Katharine cannot contain her joie de vivre, her love of married life, her strong advocacy of the suffragette cause, or her abiding affection for her stubborn sibling as she fondly recalls their shared life.
An inspiring and poignant chronicle of feminism, family, and forgiveness, The Wright Sister is an unforgettable portrait of a woman, a sister of inventors, who found a way to reinvent herself.
218 pages, Paperback
First published August 18, 2020
About the author
Patty Dann
7 books79 followersI love talking with readers - for 1:1s and Book Club visits, find me on Skolay: www.skolay.com/writers/patty-dann
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 241 reviews
August 17, 2020
3.5 stars!
Being a native North Carolinian who grew up visiting the beaches of Kitty Hawk, I have long been fascinated with the Wright brothers and their first flight. How intriguing to learn more about their sister, Katherine, known as a suffragette and early feminist.
Katharine is tasked with taking care of Orville after Wilbur dies. Eventually, though, Katharine marries and moves away, leaving Orville behind. She begins writing letters to Orville, but he never responds.
Katharine is a strong female character, and I loved learning about her. She is forward thinking, a woman before her time. I found the first half of the book even more engaging than the second, especially when it seemed like Orville would never reply to her. Overall, I found the storytelling imaginative and clever with an interesting character study of Katharine.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Being a native North Carolinian who grew up visiting the beaches of Kitty Hawk, I have long been fascinated with the Wright brothers and their first flight. How intriguing to learn more about their sister, Katherine, known as a suffragette and early feminist.
Katharine is tasked with taking care of Orville after Wilbur dies. Eventually, though, Katharine marries and moves away, leaving Orville behind. She begins writing letters to Orville, but he never responds.
Katharine is a strong female character, and I loved learning about her. She is forward thinking, a woman before her time. I found the first half of the book even more engaging than the second, especially when it seemed like Orville would never reply to her. Overall, I found the storytelling imaginative and clever with an interesting character study of Katharine.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
September 12, 2020
I especially love epistolary books.
However, if you are writing an entire book about a real person letters and diary entries should be real.
To invent 207 pages of letters and diary entries for a real person seems a bit presumptuous. Furthermore, it became repetitive and I was not surprised since the author made clear she did no research whatsoever.
I can’t say I understand the purpose of this book. Nor can I find a good reason to finish it.
Katharine Wright Haskell, sister to Wilbur and Orville Wright, was an intelligent, accomplished high school teacher and a supporter of women’s suffrage. I learned more about her from Google than this book.
However, if you are writing an entire book about a real person letters and diary entries should be real.
To invent 207 pages of letters and diary entries for a real person seems a bit presumptuous. Furthermore, it became repetitive and I was not surprised since the author made clear she did no research whatsoever.
I can’t say I understand the purpose of this book. Nor can I find a good reason to finish it.
Katharine Wright Haskell, sister to Wilbur and Orville Wright, was an intelligent, accomplished high school teacher and a supporter of women’s suffrage. I learned more about her from Google than this book.
July 3, 2020
More like 3.5 Stars.
I really enjoyed this one!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for my advanced copy.
What I liked-
The Cover- The cover is stunning.
The Format- This novel is in an epistolary format. It is a collection of diary entries and letters written by Katherine Wright. This is a work of fiction. The letters and entries are from the authors imagination.
The Subject Matter- Katherine Wright. I loved learning about her. I learned about her brothers in school ( obviously ) but I had never heard of Katherine or given any other family members a single thought. Katherine was an amazing woman. She was well educated and forward thinking. She's described as an early feminist and sufferagist. I appreciated that although she was those things - I didn't have to be those things to relate to her. She was also very loyal and family oriented. She found love later in life. She had a strained relationship with one of her closest siblings. All of this comes through very vividly in the book.
The History- Not only did I feel as though I was catching a glimpse of who Kathrine was as a person, this novel touches on parts of American History that I have always been fascinated with. Katherine often reflects on the invention of the airplane and being in the spotlight with her brothers. Henry Ford, Charles Lindbergh and The Great War are also written about briefly. I loved that about this book.
The Length- This is a tiny book. It is just over 250 pages but it packs a big punch.
Now my least favorite part. Why this book lost some stars in the rating. Sometimes I found myself bored. Towards the end I was skimming. My heart broke for Katherine as her frequent letters went unanswered. I felt as though the pleading in those letters became repetitive and I got tired of reading them. The first half of this book I was fully engaged but a little over half way through my interest started to drop.
Also- the author's note. It had very little information and I wanted to maybe hear about the author's research and writing process. Maybe it'll be included in the books final draft?
By the end of this book I found myself questioning what parts are fact and what parts were imagined by the author. Now I will do my own research.
I really enjoyed this one!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for my advanced copy.
What I liked-
The Cover- The cover is stunning.
The Format- This novel is in an epistolary format. It is a collection of diary entries and letters written by Katherine Wright. This is a work of fiction. The letters and entries are from the authors imagination.
The Subject Matter- Katherine Wright. I loved learning about her. I learned about her brothers in school ( obviously ) but I had never heard of Katherine or given any other family members a single thought. Katherine was an amazing woman. She was well educated and forward thinking. She's described as an early feminist and sufferagist. I appreciated that although she was those things - I didn't have to be those things to relate to her. She was also very loyal and family oriented. She found love later in life. She had a strained relationship with one of her closest siblings. All of this comes through very vividly in the book.
The History- Not only did I feel as though I was catching a glimpse of who Kathrine was as a person, this novel touches on parts of American History that I have always been fascinated with. Katherine often reflects on the invention of the airplane and being in the spotlight with her brothers. Henry Ford, Charles Lindbergh and The Great War are also written about briefly. I loved that about this book.
The Length- This is a tiny book. It is just over 250 pages but it packs a big punch.
Now my least favorite part. Why this book lost some stars in the rating. Sometimes I found myself bored. Towards the end I was skimming. My heart broke for Katherine as her frequent letters went unanswered. I felt as though the pleading in those letters became repetitive and I got tired of reading them. The first half of this book I was fully engaged but a little over half way through my interest started to drop.
Also- the author's note. It had very little information and I wanted to maybe hear about the author's research and writing process. Maybe it'll be included in the books final draft?
By the end of this book I found myself questioning what parts are fact and what parts were imagined by the author. Now I will do my own research.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2020
Thank you, Harper Perennial and Patty Dann for the opportunity to read this book!
First of all, just look at this cover! It is just stunning. Upon seeing the cover of The Wright Sister by Patty Dunn I could not wait to dive in! Everyone knows about the famous Wright Brothers who are credited with flying the first airplane. Orville and Wilbur were incredibly close to their sister, Katharine. This book begins in 1927 when Katharine is 52 years old. She marries for the first time to Harry Haskell, upon learning of the engagement, Orville refuses to speak to Katharine. The book is structured in diary entries and letters to Orville. The diary entries discuss her day to day activities, including her relationship with her husband. But the letters also feel like a diary as well. She is desperate to speak to her brother again and fills him in about her life and reminisces about the past.
I liked this book. I liked it but did not love it. I feel like it just skims the surface on an incredibly fascinating woman in history and it often shifted its focus to Harry and Orville. Sorry, I don’t care about Harry and there are so many books and fictional accounts of the Wright brothers. I wish the story would have gone into their trip to Europe where she became a huge celebrity! Her brothers were notoriously shy but she stole the spotlight. Then there is all her work as a suffragette! This book mentions it a handful of times but doesn’t nearly do her justice.
However, I did love the layout of the book. I love the idea of diary entries and letters. The author did a great job of getting the readers in her head. It is a quick read, but the ending packs an emotional punch. Again, the attention is brought to Orville. I love history and felt that I learned a lot from this book and many other history buffs will enjoy it too as a quick afternoon read. This is not a detailed fictional account. I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars because while it is good, it could have done Katharine justice.
First of all, just look at this cover! It is just stunning. Upon seeing the cover of The Wright Sister by Patty Dunn I could not wait to dive in! Everyone knows about the famous Wright Brothers who are credited with flying the first airplane. Orville and Wilbur were incredibly close to their sister, Katharine. This book begins in 1927 when Katharine is 52 years old. She marries for the first time to Harry Haskell, upon learning of the engagement, Orville refuses to speak to Katharine. The book is structured in diary entries and letters to Orville. The diary entries discuss her day to day activities, including her relationship with her husband. But the letters also feel like a diary as well. She is desperate to speak to her brother again and fills him in about her life and reminisces about the past.
I liked this book. I liked it but did not love it. I feel like it just skims the surface on an incredibly fascinating woman in history and it often shifted its focus to Harry and Orville. Sorry, I don’t care about Harry and there are so many books and fictional accounts of the Wright brothers. I wish the story would have gone into their trip to Europe where she became a huge celebrity! Her brothers were notoriously shy but she stole the spotlight. Then there is all her work as a suffragette! This book mentions it a handful of times but doesn’t nearly do her justice.
However, I did love the layout of the book. I love the idea of diary entries and letters. The author did a great job of getting the readers in her head. It is a quick read, but the ending packs an emotional punch. Again, the attention is brought to Orville. I love history and felt that I learned a lot from this book and many other history buffs will enjoy it too as a quick afternoon read. This is not a detailed fictional account. I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars because while it is good, it could have done Katharine justice.
July 7, 2020
This book is definitely for all the history buffs out there. As I read along I found myself checking Google to learn more about each character and I was in awe of Katherine. She was one of the original feminists out there and as a suffragette she helped women gain the right to vote. While I felt the book started out slowly, I found the ending to be a page turner that left me in tears.
Thank you Harper for my gifted copy.
Thank you Harper for my gifted copy.
July 4, 2020
This novel is about the Wright brother’s sister, Katharine, with an A! It is written through letters that Katharine wrote to Orville in her older years, and also as entires in her own marriage diary. It is an interesting read, going between the two. It reminds me a bit like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society how it was written from the view point of letters. It makes for very easy reading!
As Katharine writes letters to Orville, she is reminiscing about their childhood, as well as how they eventually go to wear they did with flying at Kitty Hawk. As she writes the entries in her marriage diary, she is writing mostly about her life currently, having finally married after half a century and trying to make a new life away from Orv and being used to running a household full of males.
I learned a lot about the Wright family, I did not know a lot to begin with but there was a lot to learn about Orville, and essentially Katharine seemed to be some of the brains behind it all as well. She seemed to be a little resentful of having gone through life being referred to as the Wright Brother’s sister, which in a way, I kind of don’t blame her considering her contribution.
I thought it was a very interesting read, and I liked the style of writing. Although sometime I had to look at the font to see if she was writing to her brother or in her marriage diary. Thank you to the author, and Harper Perennial for the ARC! I really enjoyed learning about this family and how they contributed to history and the airplane that none of give a second thought to anymore.
As Katharine writes letters to Orville, she is reminiscing about their childhood, as well as how they eventually go to wear they did with flying at Kitty Hawk. As she writes the entries in her marriage diary, she is writing mostly about her life currently, having finally married after half a century and trying to make a new life away from Orv and being used to running a household full of males.
I learned a lot about the Wright family, I did not know a lot to begin with but there was a lot to learn about Orville, and essentially Katharine seemed to be some of the brains behind it all as well. She seemed to be a little resentful of having gone through life being referred to as the Wright Brother’s sister, which in a way, I kind of don’t blame her considering her contribution.
I thought it was a very interesting read, and I liked the style of writing. Although sometime I had to look at the font to see if she was writing to her brother or in her marriage diary. Thank you to the author, and Harper Perennial for the ARC! I really enjoyed learning about this family and how they contributed to history and the airplane that none of give a second thought to anymore.
August 30, 2020
High expectations for this epistolary novel but the author can’t seem to find a way to tell Katherine’s story that doesn’t make her seem like a vapid teenager, even though she is a mature woman in her 50s who deserves her place in history. Instead, the book was very light, even non-existent on the historical side. And the style removes the reader from what (very) little plot there is. The “marriage diary,” often written while she is naked in the tub (?!), seems completely forced, filled with nudge nudge wink winks to her sex life. The increasingly desperate and repetitive letters to Orville are completely bland. Then there are lines like, “One of my favorite things at home was to be out in the yard while the boys were working on their contraptions.” Lots of references to their “nifty” inventions and the “fiddling” they did, but no insight whatsoever into what may have been her motivations or her actual relationships. Not everyone’s life merits a novel, but if you are going to try, at least respect your subject by bothering to do some research. Really a terrible book.
August 2, 2020
You grab a pristine sheet of paper from the ream and breathe in the soothing pulp scent of the page. You lay it flat on the desk and smooth your hand over it, prepping it for the words it’s about to hold. The pen is poised in your hand and you slowly lower it to the waiting ivory blankness. The black ink begins to flow as you scroll intricate letters onto the page. The words come freely as you begin furiously describing all that life has become.
The Wright Sister was an epistolary-style book detailing the life of Katharine, the sister of the famous Wright brothers who brought flight to existence. The book is filled with letters to her brother Orville as they are settling into their later years, past the historic flight and the passing of their brother Wilbur. The book is also filled with journal entries as Katharine describes her current life as a newlywed in her fifties, as well as her reminisces about her childhood and their many inventions as siblings.
As far as a plot goes, this book didn’t have much of one. But the writing was beautiful as Katharine shared her life. I’m a big fan of epistolary novels and I loved that about this book. It felt so personal and raw to read in that form.
I recommend if you love or would enjoy a journal-like look into the lives of historic figures.
TW: Loss of a Loved One.
*I received a gifted copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.
The Wright Sister was an epistolary-style book detailing the life of Katharine, the sister of the famous Wright brothers who brought flight to existence. The book is filled with letters to her brother Orville as they are settling into their later years, past the historic flight and the passing of their brother Wilbur. The book is also filled with journal entries as Katharine describes her current life as a newlywed in her fifties, as well as her reminisces about her childhood and their many inventions as siblings.
As far as a plot goes, this book didn’t have much of one. But the writing was beautiful as Katharine shared her life. I’m a big fan of epistolary novels and I loved that about this book. It felt so personal and raw to read in that form.
I recommend if you love or would enjoy a journal-like look into the lives of historic figures.
TW: Loss of a Loved One.
*I received a gifted copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.
August 21, 2020
I wanted to like this - I really did - but finishing was a struggle, even though it was quite short. I almost gave up so many times, since at no point did I feel any real drive to continue reading.
I read (and enjoy!) a lot of historical fiction, but something about this just didn't work for me. Perhaps it was the completely one-sided presentation, consisting only of letters and diary entries by the same person. Katharine may have had an interesting history before her marriage, but the reader's exposure to it was severely limited by her narrow lens. Clumsy exposition irked me as well - would you really write "our brother, Lorin" in a letter to your brother? Or bother to note exact years in your diary? These details seemed contradictory to the format, and only served to break the illusion of archival papers.
I understand what the author was trying to do: provide an intimate, introspective portrait of a woman finding herself and her place in the world beyond her famous family. And there were certainly some good bits to be found, but for me they were too few to justify the repetitious and even dull text surrounding them.
Also, from a purely aesthetic point of view, the fonts selected for printing - a cramped italic and a not-quite-standard serif - made this extra-difficult to read, and only added to my frustration.
I read (and enjoy!) a lot of historical fiction, but something about this just didn't work for me. Perhaps it was the completely one-sided presentation, consisting only of letters and diary entries by the same person. Katharine may have had an interesting history before her marriage, but the reader's exposure to it was severely limited by her narrow lens. Clumsy exposition irked me as well - would you really write "our brother, Lorin" in a letter to your brother? Or bother to note exact years in your diary? These details seemed contradictory to the format, and only served to break the illusion of archival papers.
I understand what the author was trying to do: provide an intimate, introspective portrait of a woman finding herself and her place in the world beyond her famous family. And there were certainly some good bits to be found, but for me they were too few to justify the repetitious and even dull text surrounding them.
Also, from a purely aesthetic point of view, the fonts selected for printing - a cramped italic and a not-quite-standard serif - made this extra-difficult to read, and only added to my frustration.
July 14, 2020
Katharine Wright was the sister of Orville and Wilbur Wright, and after Wilbur died, she became the reclusive Orville’s caretaker. This epistolary novel begins in 1926, when, at the age of 52, Katharine marries and moves 600 miles away. Her marriage caused a huge rift between Katharine and Orville. This fictional account is told through the entries in Katharine’s marriage diary as well as letters she wrote to Orville—letters he never answered. Her letters to Orville are heartfelt and poignant, but the diary gives us insight into Katharine herself. She was bright and independent, a suffragette, a caregiver, a feminist. She is a fascinating, forward-thinking, passionate character!
August 14, 2020
So I quite enjoyed this one! Tell any story through letters or journals or diary entries and I am immediately hooked! It makes for a quicker, more interesting read in my opinion. So I loved the journal entries and letters that made up this book.
Sadly, I have not done a lot of research about the Wright family and didn't even know they had a sister. So that's what immediately drew me to this book. I loved learning about Katharine. She's a strong woman in her own right, a suffragette and honestly a really interesting woman both for accomplishments and time period. So I really enjoyed learning more about her and this was a fascinating way to do it. Of course this is historical fiction but I really felt it gave her a strong, interesting voice and I appreciated that. I will definitely be doing more research on her in the future!
My only problem with this book is that Katharine is the only character we interact with. The letters in this book are all written to Orville... but he never writes back. So while does talk extensively about her brothers and her husband, it just feels like something is missing? It's mentioned that she writes to someone else living in Orville's house (Carrie, maybe?) and I think this book would've been enhanced by seeing those letters. Just so there would've been some other interaction and would could've had some perspective on Katharine. It's not that I didn't like her but being in ONLY her head just made the story feel a little off.
So other than that, I enjoyed this book a ton. It's a quick, fascinating read and I finished in under 24 hours. If you're a lover of historical fiction or just books written in letters, I definitely recommend!
Thank you to Harper Perennial for sending a copy of this my way in exchange for an honest review!
Sadly, I have not done a lot of research about the Wright family and didn't even know they had a sister. So that's what immediately drew me to this book. I loved learning about Katharine. She's a strong woman in her own right, a suffragette and honestly a really interesting woman both for accomplishments and time period. So I really enjoyed learning more about her and this was a fascinating way to do it. Of course this is historical fiction but I really felt it gave her a strong, interesting voice and I appreciated that. I will definitely be doing more research on her in the future!
My only problem with this book is that Katharine is the only character we interact with. The letters in this book are all written to Orville... but he never writes back. So while does talk extensively about her brothers and her husband, it just feels like something is missing? It's mentioned that she writes to someone else living in Orville's house (Carrie, maybe?) and I think this book would've been enhanced by seeing those letters. Just so there would've been some other interaction and would could've had some perspective on Katharine. It's not that I didn't like her but being in ONLY her head just made the story feel a little off.
So other than that, I enjoyed this book a ton. It's a quick, fascinating read and I finished in under 24 hours. If you're a lover of historical fiction or just books written in letters, I definitely recommend!
Thank you to Harper Perennial for sending a copy of this my way in exchange for an honest review!
June 14, 2020
This is an epistolary novel of historical fiction that looks at the life of Katherine Wright and her famous brothers, Wilbur and Orville. I know so little about the Wright Brothers that I never once considered that they may have had a sister. The story is told through Katherine’s journal entries after her marriage at 52 and the unanswered letters to her beloved brother, Orville, who was not pleased by the union. The story provides an interesting insight into the Orville family as well as life in the late 1920s. Overall this was a quick and easy read, but I would have loved to learn more about Katherine as a suffragette.
Thank you to @HarperPerennil for the ARC.
Thank you to @HarperPerennil for the ARC.
July 2, 2024
Did you know that the famous Wright brothers of aviation fame had a sister? I did know it, a fact I learned when touring colleges and universities with my then high school senior daughter. Oberlin College and Conservatory was famously radical back in the day for daring to admit women, one of whom was Orville and Wilbur Wright's sister, Katharine (the only Wright sibling to earn a college degree). This book imagines her life (short by today's standards) through letters written to her brother Orville (apparently as odd as he was brilliant).
This book is recommended to lovers of historical fiction, particularly those who like reading about lesser-known people (particularly women) whose lives and achievements have gone largely unsung. Per the author's notes, there is some credible evidence that it was Katharine, not Orville or Wilbur, who solved one of the thorniest problems dogging the brothers' earliest design attempts, and that without it, their efforts at Kitty Hawk would never have gotten off the ground. (So, dare I say it? Katharine was the wind beneath the Wright brothers' wings? GROAN! Sorry, I just couldn't help myself.)
This book is recommended to lovers of historical fiction, particularly those who like reading about lesser-known people (particularly women) whose lives and achievements have gone largely unsung. Per the author's notes, there is some credible evidence that it was Katharine, not Orville or Wilbur, who solved one of the thorniest problems dogging the brothers' earliest design attempts, and that without it, their efforts at Kitty Hawk would never have gotten off the ground. (So, dare I say it? Katharine was the wind beneath the Wright brothers' wings? GROAN! Sorry, I just couldn't help myself.)
August 18, 2020
Patty Dann, in "The Wright Sister," explores Katharine Wright's thoughts and emotions after marrying for the first time at the age of fifty-two. Having spent decades caring for her family, assisting her brothers (Orville and Wilbur Wright), teaching Latin, and traveling, Katharine and Harry Haskell, who was a widower, journalist, and friend of the family, wed on November 20, 1926. Katharine tells her story through diary entries and the many unanswered letters that she wrote to Orville. Wilbur had already died, and Orville remained in Dayton, Ohio, with his long-time housekeeper. Orv, as Katharine called him, stopped speaking to his only sister when she became Mrs. Haskell and moved six hundred miles away to Kansas City, Missouri. Dann depicts Orville as an eccentric, immature, and needy person who was outraged at Katharine for leaving him.
In her correspondence and journal, Katharine comes across as forthcoming, eloquent, witty, and caring. Her delight at becoming Mrs. Haskell is marred by the irrational guilt that she feels for abandoning Orv. Katharine vividly remembers—with longing, anger, and a great deal of pain—the good and bad times that she and her brothers shared. Although she was a college graduate and an activist who fought for women's rights, Katharine felt that she could have done so much more with her life. Sadly, her father, the Reverend Wright, belittled her and undermined her self-confidence. She says, regarding the reverend's condescension towards her, "I was an educated servant to him."
In this concise, lively, and enchanting novel, Dann offers us glimpses into the mind of an intelligent, compassionate, and creative woman who was overshadowed by the men in her life. Although she received her share of attention after the invention of the airplane, Katharine spent far too much time catering to needs of others. Her letters to Orville are heartrending, poignant, and intimate. Unlike Orv, she was a good-hearted and forgiving person who tried to rise above pettiness. Had Katharine not been constrained by society's expectations and her devotion to those she loved, what might she have achieved in her own right?
In her correspondence and journal, Katharine comes across as forthcoming, eloquent, witty, and caring. Her delight at becoming Mrs. Haskell is marred by the irrational guilt that she feels for abandoning Orv. Katharine vividly remembers—with longing, anger, and a great deal of pain—the good and bad times that she and her brothers shared. Although she was a college graduate and an activist who fought for women's rights, Katharine felt that she could have done so much more with her life. Sadly, her father, the Reverend Wright, belittled her and undermined her self-confidence. She says, regarding the reverend's condescension towards her, "I was an educated servant to him."
In this concise, lively, and enchanting novel, Dann offers us glimpses into the mind of an intelligent, compassionate, and creative woman who was overshadowed by the men in her life. Although she received her share of attention after the invention of the airplane, Katharine spent far too much time catering to needs of others. Her letters to Orville are heartrending, poignant, and intimate. Unlike Orv, she was a good-hearted and forgiving person who tried to rise above pettiness. Had Katharine not been constrained by society's expectations and her devotion to those she loved, what might she have achieved in her own right?
Did Not Finish
December 23, 2020DNF @40% (skimmed the middle bits listened to ending and author’s note)
2020; Harper Perennial/HarperCollins
I was interested in the Wright Sister as I didn't even know the Wright brothers had a sister. I don't know much about the Wright brothers other than what I have see on TV and learned briefly in classes. What better way to know more, then see it from their sister's point of view. I found the story a bit dull, to be honest, and soon found myself skimming the audio.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
2020; Harper Perennial/HarperCollins
I was interested in the Wright Sister as I didn't even know the Wright brothers had a sister. I don't know much about the Wright brothers other than what I have see on TV and learned briefly in classes. What better way to know more, then see it from their sister's point of view. I found the story a bit dull, to be honest, and soon found myself skimming the audio.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
September 6, 2020
Did not finish.
I thought the topic would be interesting even though it was written in the form of letters/journal entries which is not my favorite writing style. However, I felt like it lacked enough big picture detail to help me enjoy the story line. And it seems to focus a lot on how active her sex life is which is definitely not anything I’m interested in. I just didn’t love it enough to keep pushing through.
I thought the topic would be interesting even though it was written in the form of letters/journal entries which is not my favorite writing style. However, I felt like it lacked enough big picture detail to help me enjoy the story line. And it seems to focus a lot on how active her sex life is which is definitely not anything I’m interested in. I just didn’t love it enough to keep pushing through.
January 25, 2020
No longer hidden by history, the wind beneath Wilbur and Orville’s wings--their brainy sibling Katharine--soars from THE WRIGHT SISTER. Patty Dann’s cunning epistolary page-turner chronicles a woman taking flight at fifty-plus while it reflects on sexual awakening, early feminism, and the unbreakable bonds of filial love. Immensely readable!
May 31, 2020
The Wright Sister was a decent read. Katharine Wright keeps writing letters to her brother, Orville, that go unanswered. She also keeps a diary that is mostly about her brother, but it reveals snippets of her past. I found this book to be a strange, sad read. Her whole life was wrapped in her brothers. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the early read in exchange for my honest review.
February 18, 2021
This book was a little racier than I expected. The Wright Sister is comprised of letters to Orville and journal entries by Katharine Wright. I’m not sure how much of this novel was true versus the author’s imagination. I would have liked more clarity on that other than google searches.
September 6, 2020
What an incredible book about the sister of the famous Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur. We all know who the Wright brothers were right? They are well known as the pioneers of flight. But so little is known of their amazingly smart sister, Katharine, who was a strong feminist and loved her brothers. So much that she took care of one of them after the other’s death when they became a recluse; not able to handle the fame and fortune on his own. This all took a turn for the worse when Katharine’s brother became so angry upon hearing the plans of Katharine marrying a mutual friend.
August 18, 2020
3.5
So much was packed into such a short book. I loved the letter/diary format. I feel like I learned so much from the snapshots this book provided. I loved that it was historical fiction from a female perspective. And I’m always terribly impressed with the way historical fiction writers are able to take bits of information and spin a tale that feels so real. I would definitely recommend this one if you enjoy historical fiction.
I received an advanced copy in exchange for my review.
So much was packed into such a short book. I loved the letter/diary format. I feel like I learned so much from the snapshots this book provided. I loved that it was historical fiction from a female perspective. And I’m always terribly impressed with the way historical fiction writers are able to take bits of information and spin a tale that feels so real. I would definitely recommend this one if you enjoy historical fiction.
I received an advanced copy in exchange for my review.
April 27, 2025
Beautiful and sad. Loved it. Poor Katharine with an A. I’ll always think of her when I hear or read about the Wright brothers
August 17, 2020
In my review of The Wright Brothers, my one criticism of David McCullough's excellent, illuminating history of the earliest days of aviation was this:
"What I was left wanting in the end was more. With their story so strongly rooted as a family affair, I wanted a deeper account of what happened between Orville and Katharine after Wilbur's untimely death. I also found myself wanting to know more about their private lives."
Two years later, what I wanted has been fulfilled by Patty Dann in her novel about The Wright Sister, a fact-based fictionalized imagining of what exactly happened between Orville and Katharine after Wilbur's untimely death. Well, it's known that Katharine's marriage after the age of 50 is what alienated Orv, who like Wil was a lifelong bachelor. But why -- that's the enduring mystery.
Patty chooses an epistolary format to tell Katharine's story in the first person -- her marriage diary along with letters to Orv which he never answers or even acknowledges receiving. That's a courageous choice, a structure that has been overused, misused, abused even. But it's a perfect way to imagine what Katharine might have been thinking, especially in areas that an early 20th century woman would never otherwise commit to paper, such as her intimate relations with her husband. And also in her portrayal of Orv's mental health.
It's also a courageous choice when you consider that a person would never resort to outright exposition of things lost past when writing in a diary or a letter. So Katharine's role in the development of the first airplane has to come piecemeal, through random comments -- even a subject as salient to the story as the tail rudder, the key innovation that earned the Wright Brothers their place in history over other inventors, is never fully explained except insofar as it is relevant to the state of affairs between K and Orv. So too her life outside of the invention of the Flyer, such as her work as a suffragist helping women earn the right to vote.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, for which I thank them, the publisher, and the author. Furthermore, I must disclose that my wife has been a frequent student of Patty Dann, who teaches writing in NYC, and Patty provided developmental editing for my own novel, which was excellent and pivotal.
One of Patty's recommendations was to excise all that fun stuff one loves to write about, like pop culture references, but which didn't actually advance the story or characters. That would have caused my novel to be really short, which was fine by Patty, who believes that novels should be short, as hers usually are. And that is the case with The Wright Sister, although it is not too short -- it is exactly the right length for the story Patty wants to tell.
That could be a plus or a minus depending on your taste -- I am left somewhat fulfilled from my Wright Brothers desire for more, but there's still more that I want to know. But more than that, there are those references to the invention of the airplane that I understood because I recently read The Wright Brothers but which may vex readers not fully versed on the details. I recommend researching that history before or during reading of this book, even if it's just brief or cursory, because there was a lot more to their achievement than just the invention.
Just as there is so much more to Katharine Wright than just "The Wright Sister" who (historically) remains too far in the shadow of her famous brothers. Bravo to Patty for shedding light (even if part of it is fictional) on one of the great supporting characters in the history of invention.
"What I was left wanting in the end was more. With their story so strongly rooted as a family affair, I wanted a deeper account of what happened between Orville and Katharine after Wilbur's untimely death. I also found myself wanting to know more about their private lives."
Two years later, what I wanted has been fulfilled by Patty Dann in her novel about The Wright Sister, a fact-based fictionalized imagining of what exactly happened between Orville and Katharine after Wilbur's untimely death. Well, it's known that Katharine's marriage after the age of 50 is what alienated Orv, who like Wil was a lifelong bachelor. But why -- that's the enduring mystery.
Patty chooses an epistolary format to tell Katharine's story in the first person -- her marriage diary along with letters to Orv which he never answers or even acknowledges receiving. That's a courageous choice, a structure that has been overused, misused, abused even. But it's a perfect way to imagine what Katharine might have been thinking, especially in areas that an early 20th century woman would never otherwise commit to paper, such as her intimate relations with her husband. And also in her portrayal of Orv's mental health.
It's also a courageous choice when you consider that a person would never resort to outright exposition of things lost past when writing in a diary or a letter. So Katharine's role in the development of the first airplane has to come piecemeal, through random comments -- even a subject as salient to the story as the tail rudder, the key innovation that earned the Wright Brothers their place in history over other inventors, is never fully explained except insofar as it is relevant to the state of affairs between K and Orv. So too her life outside of the invention of the Flyer, such as her work as a suffragist helping women earn the right to vote.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, for which I thank them, the publisher, and the author. Furthermore, I must disclose that my wife has been a frequent student of Patty Dann, who teaches writing in NYC, and Patty provided developmental editing for my own novel, which was excellent and pivotal.
One of Patty's recommendations was to excise all that fun stuff one loves to write about, like pop culture references, but which didn't actually advance the story or characters. That would have caused my novel to be really short, which was fine by Patty, who believes that novels should be short, as hers usually are. And that is the case with The Wright Sister, although it is not too short -- it is exactly the right length for the story Patty wants to tell.
That could be a plus or a minus depending on your taste -- I am left somewhat fulfilled from my Wright Brothers desire for more, but there's still more that I want to know. But more than that, there are those references to the invention of the airplane that I understood because I recently read The Wright Brothers but which may vex readers not fully versed on the details. I recommend researching that history before or during reading of this book, even if it's just brief or cursory, because there was a lot more to their achievement than just the invention.
Just as there is so much more to Katharine Wright than just "The Wright Sister" who (historically) remains too far in the shadow of her famous brothers. Bravo to Patty for shedding light (even if part of it is fictional) on one of the great supporting characters in the history of invention.
January 17, 2023
This was the type of Historical Fiction book I love to read. Even though I knew the basics of Orville & Wilbur Wright's success in flight at Kittyhawk, this book piqued my interest to know more about the brothers and their sister Katharine, who I knew nothing about. I ended up reading more online about the whole Wright family.
Katharine was a suffragette with strong opinions and beliefs. Very close with her brothers, she had more to do with helping them in their quest for flight and never received the credit she deserved.
The story is told through letters to her brother Orville and journal entries. It was interesting to read what things women worried or thought about in the 1920's. I did think that her relationship with her brother was very odd and wonder how close this was to reality.
Just barely 200 pages, I think this was a quick, but enjoyable read.
Katharine was a suffragette with strong opinions and beliefs. Very close with her brothers, she had more to do with helping them in their quest for flight and never received the credit she deserved.
The story is told through letters to her brother Orville and journal entries. It was interesting to read what things women worried or thought about in the 1920's. I did think that her relationship with her brother was very odd and wonder how close this was to reality.
Just barely 200 pages, I think this was a quick, but enjoyable read.
August 17, 2020
DNF @ 41%
I really wanted to like this book but after taking over 4 days to only read less than 100 pages I finally just DNFed. I have not read anything about Katherine Wright so I was excited to read about this woman who was such an amazing feminist. However, this book is so heavily character driven there is no plot. It is told entirely in journal entries and letters to her brother Orville after her marriage at 52. This caused a rift between the siblings which is why she is writing the letters. She talks about the past but with such detachment that I truly did not care what was happening. I was going to keep going since I thought things might pick up in the "climax" but after reading other reviews in which it was said the book gets slower I decided to put it down.
If you love character driven books or books about strong woman you might love this one. It is also only a little over 200 pages so it would be a quick read.
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Perennial for the advanced copy in exchange for the honest review.
I really wanted to like this book but after taking over 4 days to only read less than 100 pages I finally just DNFed. I have not read anything about Katherine Wright so I was excited to read about this woman who was such an amazing feminist. However, this book is so heavily character driven there is no plot. It is told entirely in journal entries and letters to her brother Orville after her marriage at 52. This caused a rift between the siblings which is why she is writing the letters. She talks about the past but with such detachment that I truly did not care what was happening. I was going to keep going since I thought things might pick up in the "climax" but after reading other reviews in which it was said the book gets slower I decided to put it down.
If you love character driven books or books about strong woman you might love this one. It is also only a little over 200 pages so it would be a quick read.
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Perennial for the advanced copy in exchange for the honest review.
June 2, 2020
I read this book in ARC form.
Imaginary, perhaps, but also imaginative and well written. Katharine Wright’s voice is heard through letters to her brother Orville and in “wedding diary” entries, all written after her marriage, at fifty-two, to Harry Haskell, a widower and long-time friend of the Wright family.
Having read and enjoyed David McCullough’s The Wright Brothers, I was already impressed with Katharine’s intelligence and accomplishments: graduating from Oberlin, teaching, working for women’s suffrage, and supporting her brothers and father. Dann manages to bring Katharine to life as a woman one would love to accompany on what she and her Oberlin friends describe as a “walk and talk.”
Dann has nothing good to say about their father, Bishop Milton Wright, and I wonder how she came by her opinion. Not doubting it, necessarily, I just hope the final edition of her novel will have some notes in it.
Imaginary, perhaps, but also imaginative and well written. Katharine Wright’s voice is heard through letters to her brother Orville and in “wedding diary” entries, all written after her marriage, at fifty-two, to Harry Haskell, a widower and long-time friend of the Wright family.
Having read and enjoyed David McCullough’s The Wright Brothers, I was already impressed with Katharine’s intelligence and accomplishments: graduating from Oberlin, teaching, working for women’s suffrage, and supporting her brothers and father. Dann manages to bring Katharine to life as a woman one would love to accompany on what she and her Oberlin friends describe as a “walk and talk.”
Dann has nothing good to say about their father, Bishop Milton Wright, and I wonder how she came by her opinion. Not doubting it, necessarily, I just hope the final edition of her novel will have some notes in it.
July 8, 2020
This historical fiction novel about Katharine Wright, the sister of Orville and Wilbur is written in a somewhat epistolary manner. Interspersed with her letters to her brother Orville are journal entries, piecing together her life. I don’t read a lot of historical fiction, so I may not have been the right audience for this book but it was very slow for me. Not much took place and Katharine’s thoughts seemed to go to the same place over and over. It’s a short book but it took me a long time to read it.
June 5, 2020
This book imagines the letters Katharine Wright wrote to her brother, Orville, after her marriage. Imaginative, fun reading.
November 29, 2021
📚 Hello Book Friends! THE WRIGHT SISTER by Patty Dann looks at the life of Katharine Wright, sister of the famous Wright brothers who flew the world’s first airplane. The book is written in the form a marriage diary and letters to her brother Orville. It was interesting to find out more about her unrecognised contributions in the invention of the airplane. He attempts to reach out to her reclusive brother Orville are moving and sad. Her marriage life anecdotes were eye-opening for those times but too repetitive in the book. I doubt she spent that much time in a bath but who am I to judge. If you like discovering more about historical characters, this is a good book to pick up.
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September 5, 2020
Goodreads Giveaway. Flyboys Orville and Wilbur Wright had a devoted sister Katharine, who became their close comrade following the early death of their mother. Educated at Oberlin College, she was actively involved in their inventions and endeavors, helping to build the first craft to achieve flight and designing the movable rudder. The three made a pact in childhood to never marry. After Wilbur's early death Orv and Katharine shared home and hearth. When she married mutual friend Harry Haskell at fifty two, Orville severed all contact. the novel's format of Katherine's unread letters to her reclusive estranged brother are poignant in her feeling of loss and emptiness despite her martial joy. I was a bit disappointed that there was not more historic and biographical details although I realize that was not the author's intent or focus. A moving enjoyable read.
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