The Lady and the Tigers: The story of the remarkable woman who served with the Flying Tigers in Burma and China, 1941-1942 [Paperback]

Olga Greenlaw (Author), Daniel Ford (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 26, 2011

Olga Greenlaw kept the War Diary of the American Volunteer Group--the Flying Tigers--while those gallant mercenaries defended Burma and China from Japanese aggression during the opening months of the Pacific War. Returning to the United States in 1942, she wrote 'The Lady and the Tigers', which war correspondent Leland Stowe hailed as "an authoritative, gutsy and true to life story of the AVG." Out of print for more than half a century, her book has now been brought up to date by Daniel Ford, author of 'Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers'. What's more, Ford explains for the first time where Olga and Harvey Greenlaw came from, how they became caught up in the saga of the Flying Tigers, and what happened to them after their tumultuous year with the AVG.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A great book on the legendary group done like no other on subject of the AVG-Flying Tigers. A very inside point of view from Olga Greenlaw, the only female (a timeless beauty I might add) of the group that defended Rangoon, the Burma Road and China in the very dark, early days of WWII.... The author herself is a mystery in most of the other books on the AVG but she's fully revealed in this one. The one photo of her on the waterfront, slit skirt and all may be worth the cover price alone. No fan of the Flying Tigers should be without this book." (On the Barnes & Noble website) --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

From the Inside Flap

Perhaps someone got to sleep that last night in Lashio, but I didn't. There was no use trying. The activity going on all over the dirty little town was frenzied and noisy: people shouting and running around in the rain, repairing tires and motors, loading trucks and all sorts of vehicles in frantic haste and confusion. This was the last chance to escape. In a few hours it would all be over.

Harvey came back, and with him Little Oley. They had a jeep and the Ford truck with "RAF" still painted on it, loaded with cases of whiskey and gin, cigarettes, boxes of sugar, tins of hard candy and biscuits. "Loot," said Harvey. "And food for the AVG."

Olga Greenlaw joined the Flying Tigers because her husband did. She soon became the keeper of the group's War Diary, a sex symbol, and the surrogate mother of a band of lonely American pilots. In April 1942, as Burma crumbled before the Japanese onslaught, she was nearly trapped in Lashio. This is her story, as only she could have told it. --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 194 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (December 26, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1456415328
• ISBN-13: 978-1456415327
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #441,937 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #59 in Books > History > Asia > Myanmar

More About the Author

Daniel Ford has spent a lifetime reading and writing about the wars of the past hundred years, from the Irish rebellion of 1916 to the counter-guerrilla operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is best known for his history of the American Volunteer Group--the 'Flying Tigers' of the Second World War--and his Vietnam novel that was filmed as 'Go Tell the Spartans', starring Burt Lancaster. Most recently, he has turned to the invasion of Poland in 1939 by Germany and Soviet Russia. Most of his books and many shorter pieces are available for Amazon's Kindle ebook reader. He lives and works in New Hampshire. (Photo by Liz Handy, London)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Lady and the Tigers, June 1, 2002

By 

Joel F. Naprstek (Morris Plains, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lady and the Tigers: Remembering the Flying Tigers of World War II (Paperback)

I've been searching for this out of print book for decades and have found a few over the years but with it being a highly sought after title and out of print for so long I couldn't justify the cost of an original copy. Now I don't have to since this reprint and new edition with more information added is available. This is a great book on a great group done like no other on the AVG-Flying Tigers. An inside point of view from Olga Greenlaw, the only female (a timeless beauty I might add)of the group that defended Rangoon, the Burma Road and China in the very early days of WWII. This book gets into details and personalities that most of the other books on the Tigers only touch upon. The author herself is a mystery in most of the other books on the AVG but she's fully revealed in this one. The one photo of her on the waterfront, slit skirt and all may be worth the cover price alone.
No fan of the Flying Tigers should be without this book.

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The no-sweat history of the Flying Tigers, June 1, 2002

By 

Mike (New York State) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lady and the Tigers: Remembering the Flying Tigers of World War II (Paperback)

Highly recommend! Not only is Olga Greenlaw a handsome lady (check out the legs in that photo on the waterfront in Shanghai!) but she writes a rollicking good yarn. If you're new to the Flying Tigers this is a great way to get an overvue of the group that saved China and almost saved Burma from the Japanese. She was there, unlike most of the people who wrote the histories of the Tigers, and she was writing with her diary in front of her. If she makes a mistake, Mr. Ford quietly corrects it [like this]. The editing is helpful but never annoying.

Plus Olga Greenlaw is a fascinating woman in her own right. Many are the stories written about her and flying tiger pilots like Pappy Boyington. Mr. Ford sets us straight on this matter also. Olga, he says, didn't sleep around nearly as much as people like to believe. There's a very convincing history of Olga's early years and how she came to be with the Flying Tigers, and also an account of what became of her afterward.

Something for every WWII aviation buff to have on his shelf!

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The truth about Olga at last!, May 3, 2002

By 

"mattcass4" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lady and the Tigers: Remembering the Flying Tigers of World War II (Paperback)

Anyone who's read about the Flying Tigers has wondered about Olga Greenlaw, who was the great-looking wife of Chenault's executive officer. Now Dan Ford has edited this rare book, which is cause for celebration, but what's even better is that he has tracked down Olga and Harvey Greenlaw.

I've read the original, of course, and I've read Dan's introductory chapter on his website, and also seen some of the photographs. (Was Olga a "White Russian?" No. Did she have a love affair with Pappy Boyington? Probably not. Was she as gorgeous as she looks? You bet!)

Later: Okay, I've got my copy, and it's even better than I thought! Olga's text has been very deftly updated. And there's a concluding chapter on Olga's life after she came home from China. Suffice it to say that what Pappy Boyington wrote in his novel "Tonya" looks like a pure case of sour grapes. Sounds to me like Pappy had a crush on Olga, she turned him down, and "Tonya" was his way of getting back at her.

Oh yes, and the photos are even better on the printed page. What legs she had!

-- Matthew