By Lynn Schmidt
March is Women’s History Month and three local female authors and their non-fiction books about women are highlighted in this issue. You can find these books at your favorite booksellers including Rediscovered Books in Boise.
Sky Girls: The True Story of the First Women’s Cross-Country Air Race, by Gene Nora Jessen. This is an inspiring true story about nineteen gutsy female pilots who flew in the first female cross-country air race in 1929. These female pilots, including Pancho Barnes and Amelia Earhart, crossed thousands of miles in propeller-driven airplanes. Gene Nora Jessen resides in Boise, Idaho and is a pilot. She participated in a female astronaut research program conducted by NASA and was one of the final thirteen women pilots tagged the “Mercury 13” who passed the astronaut physical exams. Learn more about the Mercury 13 in the 2018 Netflix documentary.
The Blue Doorknob: The Life and Times of Idaho Artist Cornelia Hart Farrer, by Rita Branham Rodriguez. This fascinating story describes the life of artist Cornelia Hart Farrer who helped shape the culture of Boise, Idaho in the early twentieth century. She was a founder of the Boise Art Museum and the Art in the Park festival. The book is filled with photographs of the era and Cornelia’s paintings. Rita Branham Rodriguez lives in Boise, Idaho and was a founding board member of the Cabin, Boise’s literary center. She has written for Boise Journal, Boise Magazine, and Idaho Magazine.
Shift Into Thrive: Six Strategies for Women to Unlock the Power of Resiliency, by Lynn Schmidt, PhD and Kevin Nourse, PhD. Shift Into Thrive provides six powerful strategies, practical action steps, and inspiring stories from women around the world that will help you create a life accompanied by growth and success. Lynn Schmidt resides in Boise, Idaho and is an award-winning author. She is a leadership coach and is passionate about helping women create successful careers. Join Lynn at an author event on International Women’s Day, March 8th, 2020, at 1:00 pm at Rediscovered Books in Boise to learn more about building resilience.
