How'd They Do That?: Grandparents Answer Questions about the Wright Brothers and Amelia Earhart

Well before AI was "born", before Graphing Calculators were available to solve algebraic, geometric and trigonometric problems, the Wright Brothers designed an airplane that actually took flight.

Before there was GPS, before there were navigation and weather satellites, and before the first turbo-jet aircraft, Amelia Earhart bravely flew across oceans and against bias.

The courage and dedication of those three aviators are spoken of here, in grandparent-grandchild conversations.


"Wilbur and Orville had endured periods of ridicule and abuse such as seldom been known in the history of scientific investigations. Through straightforwardness, intelligence, and tenacity, the Wright brothers achieved one of the most beautiful inventions of the human genius."

at an awards ceremony
November 1908


Amelia Earhart had flown over the Atlantic Ocean, alone. She had been in the air almost 16 hours. As she climbed down from her plane, a farmer approached and asked where she'd come from. She replied, "America." She then asked, "Where exactly am I?" The surprised farmer replied, as if it was obvious, "Gallagher's pasture!"

as reported in several newspapers published in Ireland, May 1932

Joseph Howard Cooper published book, movie, and stage-play appreciations at the Huffington Post, and The Christian Science Monitor. His "Pauses and Moments" stories appeared at PsychologyToday.com.

His one-act plays were performed at the New Haven International Festival of Arts & Ideas. More recently, his screenplays - the semi-autobiographical "Life after Lebanon" and the whimsical "Escapes: The Grandpa Chronicles" - have been recognized in a dozen global film-festival script competitions.

Cooper's own experience as a grandfather during the COVID-19 pandemic inspired "Grandpa's lonely, isn't he?", his 2022 debut picture book. His "FaceTime with Grandma" and "What was it like? D-Day June 1944" are works in progress. He lives in Culver City, California.