Americans in Space: A Novel

The narrative follows mathematician Katherine Johnson, who famously re-checked the computer calculations for John Glenn's orbit around Earth, as well as Dorothy Vaughan, who became head of the African American "computers" and an early electronic computer programmer, engineer Mary Jackson and Christine Darden, who started as a computer but eventually became head of Langley's sonic boom research team.

Through the eyes and careers of those women, the book traces America's flight research through World War II, the Cold War and the space race, plus the civil rights movement and changing times in the Virginia research town. The book offers a fascinating look into the history of spaceflight and America itself — how the first Americans flew to space and the evolving society that sent them. Stories from Astronauts Who've Been There" reads less like a list of facts about spaceflight and more like a conversation with an astronaut after a few beers. The stories in Waldman's book capture the humbling experience of going to space, including the awkward changes in bodily function, the lack of clean laundry and the prevalence of freeze-dried shrimp cocktail.

While serving on the Committee on Human Spaceflight for the National Academy of Sciences, where she spoke frequently with multiple astronauts, Waldman accumulated a plethora of personal stories from life in orbit, and she decided to share those stories with a wider audience. Her book is funny, beautifully illustrated and a great reminder that spaceflight not only teaches us new things about the cosmos, but about ourselves. The early rocket test launches thundering through the sky near the California-based Jet Propulsion Laboratory JPL had everything to do with a highly-skilled group of women, called computers, who performed the trajectory and rocket-design calculations for much of the laboratory's long history.

They worked by hand, at first, and over the decades transitioned to fill equally essential programming and engineering roles within the lab. Nathalia Holt talked extensively with several of JPL's "women computers" as she wrote this comprehensive look at that part of America's spaceflight history. Rocketry was never an exact science. From the first curious scientists experimenting with different fuels and rocket-powered cars to daredevil pilots riding balloons into the stratosphere, anything could happen in the days of early spaceflight research.

Amy Shira Teitel's new history documents the birth and evolution of the space-program precursors that would eventually assemble into NASA. It's a fascinating look into the early careers and journeys of spaceflight giants like Werner von Braun, who helped develop what became Germany's V-2 rocket before moving to develop missiles within the U.

Clayton Anderson's new memoir spans his entire year NASA career, but it doesn't skimp on the specific, quirky details along his path to space and his 15 separate applications before acceptance to the program. He gets deep into the intricacies of training and the bonding among his astronaut class as well as navigating the power structures within NASA and finding his way through two space missions — 5 months on the space station and then a dozen-day shuttle mission.

Readers find chapters that run the gamut of emotions: Plus, he includes a chapter whose incredible detail should put to rest a whole class of question: Space exploration is an epic human endeavor, but it is also fraught with peril and unforgiving of mistakes. That lesson was painfully clear on Feb. In "Comm Check," veteran spaceflight reporters Michael Cabbage and William Harwood recount the Columbia space shuttle disaster with expert care, detailing exactly how and why the accident occurred.

1. John Daniels Diary - Posh Stuffing (John Daniels Diary - Get It Here Book 3);
2. 16 Stellar Books That Take Place in Space | Penguin Random House.
3. A Low Road to Enlightenment (A Jake Loner Adventure Book 2);
4. Navigation menu!
5. Achieving an AIDS Transition: Preventing Infections to Sustain Treatment.

The book offers an inside look at the in-depth investigation into the fatal shuttle accident, and ends with a riveting final chapter that you'll have to read yourself. If you're looking for a definitive history of the Apollo missions that brought humans to the moon for the first time, look no further than Andrew Chaikin's "A Man on the Moon" Viking Penguin, The book is based on interviews with 23 of the 24 astronauts who flew to the moon during the Apollo program.

Chaikin's book is fun and well researched, and packed full of tidbits of information that make you feel like you know the astronauts and NASA officials he's writing about.

• The Rolling Stones: Incorrigible - Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, The Rolling Stones @ 50 and counting, tours then and now, Crossfire Hurricane, Monkey ... Rock (Ellen Sanders Classic Rock Readers)!
• Unclear Target?
• Americans in Space by Mary E. Mitchell?
• Today We Are Rich - Enhanced edition: Harnessing the Power of Total Confidence!
• Frequently bought together;
• Best Spaceflight and Space History Books to Read in .

Tom Wolfe's iconic profile of the first group of Americans to go to space is nonfiction, but it sometimes reads as though it were written by the characters rather than the author. Wolfe dives deep into the mind-set of the people involved in the early days of American space exploration, including the astronauts, their wives, the press core and the American public. To accomplish this, Wolfe takes some creative liberties with his storytelling, but the final result highlights the emotions and motivations that drove this incredible enterprise.

At the end of this page-turner, readers will understand what it means to say that someone has "the right stuff. The book advocates traveling light and living off the Martian land as much as possible. Though the book is nearly 20 years old, it remains an engaging and informative read today, because putting boots on Mars remains the top goal of the international human spaceflight community.

How do astronauts go to the bathroom in zero or reduced gravity? How do they keep clean? What would it be like to have sex in space? Has anyone ever had sex in space? But the book is far from just a catalog of the scurrilous and scatalogical; it delves seriously into the physiological and psychological effects of spaceflight and how astronauts, doctors and engineers prepare to meet such challenges. Every single astronaut I have ever had the fortune of interviewing has said that the view from space is like none other — a vision of our place in the cosmos that is as awe-inspiring as it is humbling.

Garan saw it as a call to action for himself and all the people of Earth.



• Roman Blood (Gordianus the Finder Book 1).
• Follow the Author.
• All Life is Problem Solving;
• .
• La palla al piede. Io o lhandicap? (Italian Edition);

That call to action forms the heart of " The Orbital Perspective ," Garan's first book that details his spaceflights on a NASA shuttle and the International Space Station, and also shares the phenomenal accomplishments of people on Earth that improved living conditions around them. You don't have to go to space to get an orbital perspective, Garan says. Only by working together and embracing new ideas can humanity truly solve the challenging problems it faces in the 21st century.

Read an Excerpt from "The Orbital Perspective". We're adding to these lists all the time; let us know your favorites in the comments below! The space shuttle Endeavour glides back to Earth on Jan. Buy How to Live in Space on Amazon. Buy Astounding on Amazon. Buy Chasing New Horizons on Amazon. Buy Space Odyssey on Amazon. Buy Spaceport Earth on Amazon. Buy Ask an Astronaut on Amazon. Buy Soonish on Amazon. Buy Chasing Space on Amazon. Buy Ask the Astronaut on Amazon. Buy Spaceman on Amazon. Buy Hidden Figures on Amazon. Buy What's It Like in Space? Buy Breaking the Chains of Gravity on Amazon.

The answer if her husband had had his way, would be suicide if she had sex again Dec 27, Kelly rated it liked it Shelves: After reading a review of this book on the Indie List book reviews put out by independent book store owners , I was really looking forward to reading American Space. In addition, as a teacher who deals with teenage angst on a regular basis at work, this story of a high school counselor was intriguing to me. The book was good, not quite great.

The Cavanaugh family is still reeling, two years later, from the death of Kyle, patriarch of the family. As Kate, Kyle's wife, deals with her own mourning After reading a review of this book on the Indie List book reviews put out by independent book store owners , I was really looking forward to reading American Space. As Kate, Kyle's wife, deals with her own mourning, her teenage daughter, Charlotte acts out in an attempt to seek closure and find hope for the future.

It's an interesting depiction of one family coming to terms with death and anger, eventually finding a renewed hope for what lies ahead. Dec 02, Peggy rated it really liked it. A very good book about a disfunctional family grieving the death of the father. The children are messed up, the son has attached himself to ketchup bottles and won't let go, the daughter, skips school, gets both a tatoo and a tongue stud. The mom a high school counselor, grieves for her husband and shuts herself off from friends, family and the outside world.

A tragedy at the Allen B. Shepard High School, when a young teen committs suicide finally gets the family to accept what has happened and A very good book about a disfunctional family grieving the death of the father.

www.newyorkethnicfood.com: Space: A Novel (): James A. Michener, Steve Berry: Books

Shepard High School, when a young teen committs suicide finally gets the family to accept what has happened and starts them on the path to wellness. A few bumps along the way are very interesting to the plot. Feb 07, Becky rated it it was ok. I did not like this book, it was very angry. The characters had no depth. A high school counselor lost her husband two years ago, just as her daughter is heading into adolescence, and her 4 yr old son is having attachment issues.

Major problems for any family, but I just didn't see any redeeming qualities of this book. So many issues crammed into one- rebelling teenager, widowhood, high school suicide, running away from home, not being able to cope.

Customers who bought this item also bought

It dealt with a lot, but was just shallow. Has I did not like this book, it was very angry. Has received very high ratings elsewhere, I just don't get what the hype is about. Feb 27, Lisa rated it really liked it. This novel about a family still reeling from the sudden, untimely death of its husband and father two years ago has a great narrator: Kate Cavanaugh, the wife and mother. Her confessional voice drew me in right away, and she or Mitchell tells her story with poignancy and humor I'm stealing these adjectives from the book jacket, because they're perfect!

The portrayal of Charlotte, the year-old, as a troubled teenager is a little extreme, however, at least in the context of this story. The This novel about a family still reeling from the sudden, untimely death of its husband and father two years ago has a great narrator: There are memorable characters and you'll find yourself rooting for this family to make it.

Jul 25, Lorri Steinbacher rated it it was ok. In some ways painful to read. I cannot abide authors who allow their characters to look in mirrors and describe themselves. Feels lazy to me. Using brand names as short cuts for describing character personalities Mitchell seems focused on shoes. I felt sorry for Marge, having to live next to these people, I really did. Feb 04, Amanda rated it did not like it. With pages left, I just couldn't finish this book. The main character, who is the narrator, was incredibly annoying.

I didn't agree with her actions at the point in the story where I decided to put the book down. Just couldn't sympathize with her and her constant negativity. On top of that, the first person narration jumped to third person in several different places and that drove me bonkers.

See a Problem?

Dec 07, John Seyfarth rated it it was ok. About a woman who is raising two kids, an adolescent girl and a younger boy, after her husband dies. The girl is unpredictable and often rude. The mother, a school counselor, is unable to cope with the girl and seeks the help of a neighbor-friend whose relationship to the late husband is not quite clear.

Americans in Space

Dec 29, Renee rated it it was ok. This book was mentioned by author Chris Bojalian at a speach of his I attended on his book the Double Bind as one of his recent reads. It's about a family trying to move forward after the father dies young and unexpectantly. I didn't like the characters of the book and therefore found the book difficult. The daughter was just a jerk and the mother doesn't seem to have a clue.

Oct 06, Diane rated it liked it. I almost quit reading this book at the half way point. I am really weary of reading about people rolling around in their own melancholy after two years. I thought the daughter should not have been acting out after two years and the mother who was a school counselor, was clueless as to how to help her. It did get better but what a lot of drama!!! May 04, Sarah rated it liked it Shelves: I plodded through the first half of the book, rather disappointed as it was quite simply, boring. I'm glad I did because the second half was much better.

I ended up liking the book overall despite its meager beginning. The premise is nothing new but the story sucked me in because I wanted to know what became of the characters. Jan 28, Linda rated it liked it. I enjoyed this book and the characters. I've read several books on this same theme -- a woman dealing with the loss of a spouse.

The woman in this book is a high school counselor, and it's interesting to read how she deals with her own children.



You get involved with this book and care about the characters. Dec 02, Angelina rated it really liked it Shelves: Found the writing in this book to be quite addictive. Didn't really like the love interest or find it believable, but was able to look past that. The book got a bit crazy in the second half, but overall was an easy enjoyable contemporary read. Liked the cheese name and ketchup bottle anecdotes sprinkled throughout the novel.

Jul 07, Maryanne rated it really liked it. A young woman suddenly loses her husband and is left to raise a teenage daughter and four-year old son. It's sad, funny, true-to-life. The author is really in touch with today's teenagers which added realism to the story. Jan 22, Kym added it. Uneven reading -- really good in spots, terrible in others. Supporting characters fell flat as being "too good to be true.

May 28, Annalise rated it liked it. Not a bad read, though a bit too much to swallow at times. I'd recommend it for a commuter or someone else who just wants to read a different voice before diving back in to something else with more substance. Feb 26, Amanda added it. I tried to read this, but I only got about 3 chapters into this--too much is going on in my life right now, and the sadness in this book, coupled with everything in my life was too much--I couldn't even try to finish the book.

Feb 10, Marjanne rated it liked it.