Rating: 
Summary: Wow
Review: The only thing you can say to yourself when you finish "The Happy Bottom Riding Club" is Wow, what a life!This book takes you into the fantasy like life of Florence "Pancho" Barnes. She had one heck of a life and it is certainly fun to read about it. From the cross country flying races to the rowdy parties packed with Hollywood celebrities and flying aces, Pancho Barnes did it all. How many women are considered among the pioneers of aviation? How many women got to hang out with Jimmy Doolittle? How many women had direst access to military brass? How many women as influential as Pancho Barnes could get away with what amounted to a brothel in the middle of the desert? Throughout her entire life, Pancho seemed to be in the right place at the right time. She had her share of defeats and problems (she was not much of a looker), but she remains a very interesting woman, and the stories of her experiences are even better. I am not an aviation or history buff, but I do enjoy a good book. This is a good book and I definitely enjoyed it. I think most people will too.
Rating:
Summary: Wow
Review: The only thing you can say to yourself when you finish "The Happy Bottom Riding Club" is Wow, what a life! This book takes you into the fantasy like life of Florence "Pancho" Barnes. She had one heck of a life and it is certainly fun to read about it. From the cross country flying races to the rowdy parties packed with Hollywood celebrities and flying aces, Pancho Barnes did it all. How many women are considered among the pioneers of aviation? How many women got to hang out with Jimmy Doolittle? How many women had direst access to military brass? How many women as influential as Pancho Barnes could get away with what amounted to a brothel in the middle of the desert? Throughout her entire life, Pancho seemed to be in the right place at the right time. She had her share of defeats and problems (she was not much of a looker), but she remains a very interesting woman, and the stories of her experiences are even better. I am not an aviation or history buff, but I do enjoy a good book. This is a good book and I definitely enjoyed it. I think most people will too.
Rating: 
Summary: Rugged Individualist Aviation History
Review: This book is MUST READ for anyone interested in the histories of aviation, of the 1920s, of Los Angeles, of the California desert, and of Edwards Air Force Base in particular. Pancho Barnes is a larger-than-life character. A slightly sad one, in a way, since she spent her way out of fortune into poverty; but, wow, if you are going to burn the candle at both ends, this is the way to do it. Flying booze in from Mexico during probihition, stunt riding for Hollywood movies (and the Foursquare Gospel), barnstorming the country, giving daily parties for the earliest movie stars, and then providing round-the-clock R&R for all the Right Stuff pilots in the earliest days of experimental jet and rocket flight. Pancho knew how to live it up, tell a story, and deliver a line, and fortunately was appreciated and looked after in her declining years by the pilots she had entertained in the 40s and 50s. This story has hardly even been told (one TV movie was ridiculous) and is still largely esoteric knowledge to the fraternity of pilots.
Rating:
Summary: Rugged Individualist Aviation History
Review: This book is MUST READ for anyone interested in the histories of aviation, of the 1920s, of Los Angeles, of the California desert, and of Edwards Air Force Base in particular. Pancho Barnes is a larger-than-life character. A slightly sad one, in a way, since she spent her way out of fortune into poverty; but, wow, if you are going to burn the candle at both ends, this is the way to do it. Flying booze in from Mexico during probihition, stunt riding for Hollywood movies (and the Foursquare Gospel), barnstorming the country, giving daily parties for the earliest movie stars, and then providing round-the-clock R&R for all the Right Stuff pilots in the earliest days of experimental jet and rocket flight. Pancho knew how to live it up, tell a story, and deliver a line, and fortunately was appreciated and looked after in her declining years by the pilots she had entertained in the 40s and 50s. This story has hardly even been told (one TV movie was ridiculous) and is still largely esoteric knowledge to the fraternity of pilots.
Rating:
Summary: Wild Woman
Review: What a great book! I've read about Pancho in other books but I had no idea that she was such an adventurer and entrepeneur (for lack of a better word). It's obvious that Kessler did a great job of researching Pancho and an equally great job of tell her story. A must read!
Rating:
Summary: Wild Woman of the Sky
Review: What I was asking myself upon reading this book is: How is it that I had not heard of Pancho Barnes before? I am so glad this book fell into my lap! I was rivet by her story from page one. She outflew Amelia Earhart, outdrank the Mexican Army, and partied with the likes of Jimmy Doolittle and Chuck Yaeger (ya know the test pilot that broke the sound barrier). She flew as a stunt pilot in movies. She new all the Hollywood people and was responsible for quite a few successful careers. You know John Wayne? Well so did Pancho. She lived wild and created her own rules for living. You won't believe this story. What ever happened to Pancho Barnes?
Rating:
Summary: Wild Woman of the Sky
Review: What I was asking myself upon reading this book is: How is it that I had not heard of Pancho Barnes before? I am so glad this book fell into my lap! I was rivet by her story from page one. She outflew Amelia Earhart, outdrank the Mexican Army, and partied with the likes of Jimmy Doolittle and Chuck Yaeger (ya know the test pilot that broke the sound barrier). She flew as a stunt pilot in movies. She new all the Hollywood people and was responsible for quite a few successful careers. You know John Wayne? Well so did Pancho. She lived wild and created her own rules for living. You won't believe this story. What ever happened to Pancho Barnes?
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