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Midge Gillies

@midgegillies

"Atlantic Furies" coming soon, Scribe UK - early women who flew the ocean. Existing Books: biogs of Amy Johnson, Marie Lloyd, Piccadilly Circus, #POWs ("The Barbed-Wire University") etc. #WW2 Creative writing tutor Cambridge. https://midgegillies.com/

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30.12.2024
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Latest posts by Midge Gillies @midgegillies

Thank you. I love social history. Your book looks fascinating- I must get hold of a copy @scribepub.bsky.social

03.02.2026 16:28 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

You’re so kind! Thank you. I would have been distracted by that pastry too! Is it pistachio? I love the thought of you enjoying it while reading about those amazing women pilots.

02.02.2026 18:03 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Bessie Coleman’s story is among those told in @midgegillies.bsky.social excellent new book, #AtlanticFuries.

26.01.2026 13:38 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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When the world believed women too fragile to fly the Atlantic, what drove 6 pilots to risk everything to prove them wrong?
On 28 Jan I’m delighted to be talking to the wonderful @midgegillies.bsky.social about her new book #AtlanticFuries, on these pioneering women - for FANE.

09.01.2026 18:11 πŸ‘ 17 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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🚨 THIS WEEK🚨
πŸ’° The irony of the 1920s? The wealthiest women who could afford to fly often faced the most resistance from their families. 😀 @midgegillies.bsky.social explains why high society wanted these women grounded.

🎧 Listen now: pod.fo/e/36eaf4
#WomenInAviation #AviationHistory

03.01.2026 08:00 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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🚨 NEXT WEEK🚨
Ready for take-off? πŸš€ @midgegillies.bsky.social dives into her book, 'Atlantic Furies,' revealing astonishing stories of women who soared beyond Amelia Earhart's shadow. Buckle up for a conversation that’ll leave you inspired and questioning history’s narrative!

27.12.2025 15:00 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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@midgegillies.bsky.social reveals the remarkable stories of the early female pilots risking it all to cross the Atlantic.
Another top read for 2025. #histbookchat

Please find below a link to my book review.
historybookchat.blogspot.com/2025/11/atla...

17.11.2025 19:09 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

What a lovely review (& with a pun at the very end!). Thank you!

18.11.2025 16:25 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Having dodged the worse of the weather warning for Wales today, it's even nicer to come home to some book post.
Delighted to have received a review copy of @midgegillies.bsky.social new book. #histbookchat

11.11.2025 14:49 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

That’s wonderful, thanks for sharing @flyingarchivist.bsky.social

06.11.2025 10:44 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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More signed copies of Atlantic Furies @heffers.bsky.social and Waterstones Cambridge @scribeuk.bsky.social

01.11.2025 10:45 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Lovely eve celebrating publication of my friend @midgegillies.bsky.social new bk #AtlanticFuries, abt the women who risked everything to be the 1st to fly. The Telegraph said Midge’s previous biog of #AmyJohnson had them β€˜gripped, exhilarated and moved’ ✈️✈️

30.10.2025 20:46 πŸ‘ 12 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 1

I really hope so too!

29.10.2025 08:20 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Have you enjoyed this week’s Patreon episode? 🎧✨ Support the author, and me πŸ“šβ€οΈ by buying a copy of "Atlantic Furies" by @midgegillies.bsky.social through the History Rage Bookshop!

πŸ“– Buy the book: uk.bookshop.org/a/10...
🎧 Listen: www.patreon.com/post...

#History #podcast

12.10.2025 13:00 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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🚨 THIS WEEK TO PATREON AND APPLE 🚨 🌏 No GPS. No radio. Just guts, maps & skill. πŸ—ΊοΈ @midgegillies.bsky.social reveals how Amy Johnson fought through sandstorms, monsoons & deserts to reach Australia solo in 1930 πŸš€πŸ’ͺ.
🎧 Listen: www.patreon.com/post...
#HistoryRage #AmyJohnson #Podcast

07.10.2025 11:00 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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🚨 THIS WEEK FOR SUBSCRIBERS 🚨 ✈️ Amelia Earhart was a legend β€” but she wasn’t alone! Historian @midgegillies.bsky.social tells the incredible stories of forgotten women aviators who risked everything to fly into history 🌍πŸ”₯

🎧 Listen now: www.patreon.com/post...

#WomenInHistory #Podcast

06.10.2025 11:00 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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🚨 NEXT WEEK FOR SUBSCRIBERS 🚨

Ready for take-off? πŸš€ @midgegillies.bsky.social shares stories about aviation’s fierce female pioneers who flew beyond Amelia Earhart’s shadow ✈️πŸ”₯

Early access: www.patreon.com/historyrage
Or join on Apple subscriptions

#HistoryRage #AviationHistory

04.10.2025 17:00 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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I first read this book over a decade ago. I love it (as I do most of @midgegillies.bsky.social work. David had this one sitting in a book pile and I thought, I would like to revisit it. I can't find my copy (double stacked shelves) so I nicked it! #histbookchat I love it more: it's brilliant!

13.09.2025 09:17 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

@kristenauthor.bsky.social oh my goodness, what a lovely comment to read on a Sunday morning - or any time! That’s so kind of you. Thanks a million!

14.09.2025 11:00 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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✈️✨ Huge thanks to @midgegillies.bsky.social for raging that β€œIT’S NOT ALL ABOUT AMELIA EARHART!” πŸ™…β€β™€οΈπŸ›©οΈ We dived into early female aviators β€” danger ⚑, press treatment πŸ“° and exploding inner tubes πŸ’₯.

Landing on Patreon & Apple Subs in October! πŸŽ™οΈπŸ”₯

#History #Aviation #WomenInHistory #Podcast

01.08.2025 11:01 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Great finally to meet Judith Grandi from the @grantamag.bsky.social @profwriting.bsky.social #memoir course in person. We agreed we were both taller in the flesh! Thanks to everyone who came to the launch of the new edition of The Barbed-Wire University #POWs #WW2 & to Toppings bookshop

01.08.2025 08:18 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Do you have a number for Ray?

01.07.2025 08:18 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Yellow fields below a blue sky with white clouds. Seen from the train window.

Yellow fields below a blue sky with white clouds. Seen from the train window.

Off on a familiar journey to Cambridge. But not to work teaching English A Level as I'd have been doing 15 years ago. I'm off to Heffers @blackwells.bsky.social to talk about #LandBeneaththeWaves and there'll be some familiar faces in the audience! ☺️ #chronicillness #lifewriting #booksky

30.06.2025 15:35 πŸ‘ 35 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

Hearing about the icy conditions mid Atlantic, as told in this wonderful book, is a great way to stay cool! Hope to see you there. 🧊🌎🐳

29.06.2025 09:02 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
British Children’s Literature in the 20th Century | Institute of Continuing Education (ICE)

Dear all! I have a new intake starting on July 7th for my course on British children's literature in the 20th century and it would be lovely to have you there. www.ice.cam.ac.uk/course/briti.... More than happy to answer any questions on this - do feel free to message.

24.06.2025 11:05 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I thoroughly enjoyed THE BIG HOP by @rooneyvision.bsky.social & look forward to hearing more on Mon 30 June at Ely Toppings. See you there! www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/ely/r...

23.06.2025 14:20 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Midge Gillies at St Peter's Church

It feels appropriate to be back at St Peter’s Church in Ely 14 years after the original publication of The Barbed-Wire University. At the relaunch on Thurs 31 July I’ll be talking about the stories that emerged after the book was published & much more. www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/ely/g...

20.06.2025 11:19 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Scout has something meaty to sink her teeth into! Inspired by meeting the amazing #WillYoung & visiting #Stalag Luft III as part of @WDYTYA_UK The Barbed-Wire University is being re-issued with substantial afterword, new pics etc. Order from your local bookshop or shorturl.at/Vy3px #POWs

09.06.2025 10:37 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Three bucket list items crossed off: meeting Will Young, being on Who Do You Think You Are and visiting Stalag Luft III.
BBCiplayer: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Will Young is the tops. Read more about #POWs in the new edition of The Barbed-Wire University: www.amazon.co.uk/.../ref=mona...

04.06.2025 15:02 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Scout has taken the plunge(r)!

01.06.2025 13:00 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0