FIRST CAME THE HISTORIC FLIGHT, THEN CAME THE REMARKABLE MARRIAGE.
NOW BOOKING SPRING 2027 · CENTENNIAL: MAY 20–21, 2027
In May of 1927, Charles Lindbergh made history and changed aviation forever when he successfully flew nonstop from Long Island to Paris. 100 years later the world will be celebrating this highflying aviator—but who was the woman who brought him down to earth?
ABOUT THE AVIATOR’S WIFE
Melanie Benjamin’s New York Times bestselling novel, THE AVIATOR’S WIFE, brings Anne Morrow Lindbergh to the center of history. An accomplished aviatrix in her own right, a poet, an author, a mother and a wife in a complex, unconventional marriage—Anne’s story was immediately embraced by readers and reviewers when it was first published in 2013.
“…riveting…the reader’s heart breaks with Anne’s as she copes with the infamous kidnapping and death of her firstborn, baby Charlie—and her husband’s coldness.”
— USA Today
“Benjamin’s primary focus is on Anne’s evolution from submissive helpmate into the author of the feminist classic Gift from the Sea…Well-researched and paced, this novel will certainly spark readers’ interest in learning more about this famous couple.”
— Library Journal
Still a favorite of book clubs, THE AVIATOR’S WIFE is the perfect way for readers and lovers of history to celebrate the anniversary of Lindbergh’s achievement.
THE CENTENNIAL PROGRAM
After the Flight: Anne Morrow Lindbergh at 100 Years
Drawing on her research for THE AVIATOR’S WIFE, Melanie Benjamin tells the part of the story the historians leave out: the young woman who learned to fly, navigate, and write her way out of her husband’s shadow. With humor, warmth, and her theatrical background, Melanie asks a question that reaches well beyond aviation: who gets to tell the story, and what gets left out?
BEST FOR:
Community reads, library and book club events, Women’s History Month
AUDIENCE:
Adult general audiences; book clubs
FORMAT:
In person or virtual · [45–60] min talk + Q&A · book signing
IDEAL DATES:
March–May 2027
“Melanie’s personal warmth and deep knowledge of her subject impressed audiences throughout the state and made us all feel we were having an exclusive, intimate chat about her research and writing.”
— One Book South Dakota, 2021
BRING MELANIE TO YOUR CENTENNIAL
Whether you’re planning a community read, a Women’s History Month program, or an event timed to the May anniversary, Melanie gives your audience the side of the Lindbergh story they haven’t heard.
Spring 2027 dates are limited. Reach out to learn more about Melanie’s programming, rates, and availability.
MELANIE BENJAMIN
Melanie Benjamin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nine historical novels. A lifelong performer with a background in theater, Benjamin has spent the past fifteen years returning famous women to the center of their own stories, from Alice Liddell and Lavinia Warren to Frances Marion, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, and Babe Paley.
Her newest novel, THE WINDSOR AFFAIR (Delacorte/Penguin Random House, June 2026), tells the story of the Abdication crisis and World War II through the bitter rivalry between Wallis Simpson and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. Previous novels include THE SWANS OF FIFTH AVENUE (a LibraryReads Top Ten pick), THE AVIATOR’S WIFE, MISTRESS OF THE RITZ, THE CHILDREN’S BLIZZARD (winner of the 2022 WILLA Literary Award and the One Book South Dakota 2021 selection), CALIFORNIA GOLDEN, THE GIRLS IN THE PICTURE, THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MRS. TOM THUMB, and ALICE I HAVE BEEN.
Her books have been translated into more than fifteen languages, featured in The New York Times, People, Entertainment Weekly, Good Housekeeping, and on NPR, and optioned for film and television. She lives in the Chicago area.
