Prior to her 1932 solo transatlantic flight, Earhart had nearly completed the manuscript of her second book, The Fun of It. Before submitting it for publication, she wanted to add a final chapter about her latest venture.

She made time to complete the chapter only four days after landing in Ireland on May 21, 1932, despite the many invitations and appointments in the days that followed. As she and George Putnam had hoped, the finished book went on sale within weeks of her return to the United States.

This drawing was made by Hugo Gellert, a popular New York illustrator. Inspired by Earhart’s The Fun of It, he created this winning portrait of the aviator not long after her historic 1932 flight. With her head cocked forward and hair streaming back, his image casts her as the epitome of a new, more modern woman.