Touching the Sky (Deborah Lawrie, ABC Books)

In Touching the Sky, aviation pioneer Deborah Lawrie recounts her remarkable life and career, from her landmark fight to become Australia’s first female commercial pilot to decades spent in the cockpit. Told chronologically, her memoir keeps its focus firmly on Lawrie’s professional life. She began flying lessons as a teenager and obtained her private flying license at just 18, quickly proving herself a diligent and capable student while logging the hours required to qualify as a flying instructor. Her decision to take Ansett Transport Industries before the newly established Victorian Equal Opportunity Board forms one of the book’s most compelling sections. The case, the first sex discrimination claim to be formally contested in Australia, is presented with clarity and restraint, allowing its historical significance to speak for itself. Her accounts of moving to the Netherlands, training on new aircraft types, and taking on a range of teaching and safety roles offer valuable insight into the realities of an aviation career at a time when women in the industry were still a rarity. Lawrie’s determination is inspiring to read about, as are her achievements as a member of the Order of Australia and as the longest-flying female airline pilot in the world. Touching the Sky is an important addition to Australian aviation history and for readers interested in memoirs centred on perseverance and trailblazing careers.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Ellie Pope is a librarian and avid reader who is passionate about literature. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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