Overview

• Laurie Gwen Shapiro’s “The Aviator and the Showman,” published July 15 by Viking, probes how Putnam shaped Earhart’s public image and career trajectory.
• The biography relies on previously unheard audio interviews to reveal Putnam’s role in orchestrating high-risk record attempts.
• Testimonies from contemporaries such as aviator Elinor Smith portray Putnam as an egomaniacal figure who intimidated other women pilots to protect Earhart’s singular status.
• Shapiro argues that financial motives and publicity demands drove Earhart into increasingly perilous stunts, culminating in her ill-fated final round-the-world flight.
• Reviewers acknowledge the book’s provocative reframing of Earhart’s legacy but question the thoroughness of its sourcing and citation practices.