Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland's history-making race around the world by Matthew Goodman 910.4 Goo

I always like non-fiction books, especially when I can learn about periods of history in which I am interested.  To tell the truth I had never heard of this race - just the one in the book written by Jules Verne.  This is the story of Nellie Bly (the name was made up when she was trying to get a job in journalism) who, in 1889, left NYC going east on a ship in order to set a record for the fastest trip around the world.  She actually was racing, so she thought, against Verne's fictional character who did it in 80 days.  In reality The Cosmopolitan magazine talked one of their journalist into trying to beat Bly and sent her off on a train going west, several hours after Bly had left - and Bly would be half-way around the world when she found out about her 'rival', Elizabeth Bisland.  At the beginning of the book I was very impressed by Bly.  She did some incredible undercover work to write her take on some of the social injustices of the times.  When she went to the editor of The World (Joseph Pulitzer's newspaper) to suggest she try going around the world in fewer than 80 days, she was turned down.  (They had thought about such a trip but certainly NOT for a woman.)  A year later they decided to do it.  A very interesting look at the times and mores of the late 19th century.  As the book continued I lost some of my admiration for Bly.  I am, however, in absolute awe of her for one reason - she wore the dress in this picture for the entire time!!!!!!