“I love Orv in what some say is an uncommon love. But I think all love is uncommon if it is worth its salt.”
Living near Dayton, Ohio, I was intrigued by a book that would imagine what life was like for the Wright Brothers’ sister. She’s mentioned here and there when you visit the historic sites, but I honestly don’t know much about her. The Wright Sister picks up when Katharine marries at 52 to a widowed family friend and Orville no longer speaks with her. The book is fiction other than that, but I feel like I got a glimpse into Katharine’s personality.
Most of The Wright Sister is comprised of letters sent from Katharine to Orville or diary entries she is making in her “Marriage Diary.” It lets the reader into her thoughts and shows how her role in her family of origin was not just as a sister, but as a mother to her brothers after their mother died. By the time she finally married, Wilbur and her father had both passed and Orville had not wanted life to change. He never answers any of her letters and never visits his sister. She continues to write to him and call him, much to the chagrin of her new husband. He cuts her some slack, though, since she is surrounded by reminders of his first wife.
While mostly fictionalized, I did learn about Orville not speaking to his sister after marrying. It reveals that there must have been some strange family dynamic going on with the Wrights. I plan to dive deeper into Katharine Wright when the chance arises.
Do you know much about The Wright Sister, Katharine? Share what you know in the comments!