The Six- The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts by Loren Grush

4.9 (7)
$32.50

Product details

Web ID: 17302274

In the bestselling tradition of Hidden Figures and Code Girls, the remarkable true story of America's first women astronauts-six extraordinary women, each making history going to orbit aboard NASA's Space Shuttle. When NASA sent astronauts to the moon in the 1960's and 1970's the agency excluded women from the corps, arguing that only military test pilots-a group then made up exclusively of men-had the right stuff. It was an era in which women were steered away from jobs in science and deemed unqualified for space flight. Eventually, though, NASA recognized its blunder and opened the application process to a wider array of hopefuls, regardless of race or gender. From a candidate pool of 8,000 six elite women were selected in 1978-Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon. In The Six, acclaimed journalist Loren Grush shows these brilliant and courageous women enduring claustrophobic-and sometimes deeply sexist-media attention, undergoing rigorous survival training, and preparing for years to take multi-million-dollar payloads into orbit. Together, the Six helped build the tools that made the space program run. One of the group, Judy Resnik, sacrificed her life when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded at 46,000 feet. Everyone knows of Sally Ride's history-making first space ride, but each of the Six would make their mark.

  • Product Features

    • Suggested age range- Adult
    • Format- Hardcover
    • Dimensions- 6" W x 9.1" H x 1.4" D
    • Genre- Science
    • Publisher- Scribner, Publication date- 09-12-2023
    • Page count- 432
    • ISBN- 9781982172800
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Ratings & Reviews

4.9/5

7 star ratings & reviews

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7 months ago
from Gulfport, MS

Breaking Barriers!!

This meticulously researched and captivating book tells the incredible stories of the first six American women in space from NASA's groundbreaking 1978 astronaut class: Sally Ride, Judy Resnick, Kathy Sullivan, Anna Fisher, Rhea Seddon, and Shannon Lucid. The author takes deep dives into their historic Space Shuttle missions during the 1980s, showcasing their extraordinary achievements and diverse expertise—whether as engineers, physicists, medical doctors, or more. The book also highlights the media frenzy these women faced, especially Sally Ride, who broke barriers and received unprecedented attention—something their male counterparts never had to deal with. It explores the remarkable balance they struck between their careers and personal lives—something often scrutinized in the women, but never for the men. The tragic Challenger disaster, in which Judy Resnick lost her life, is also covered in depth, with Sally Ride playing a pivotal role in the investigation that followed. I remember being in fourth grade when the Challenger disaster happened, and what was supposed to be a day of excitement quickly turned into heartbreak. This book is an inspiring, thought-provoking journey through space history that pays tribute to the significant and lasting impact these women had on the field. If you're interested in space exploration, women's history, or the spirit of pioneers who shattered barriers, this is a must-read! I can't recommend it highly enough. Big thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the chance to read and review this advanced copy!

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

2 years ago
from Fl

Absolutely fascinating and highly recommended!

The Six really highlights the first six women who earned the very prestigious title of astronaut. From their background stories growing up, to their journey in education and even into piloting planes, to their rise (with so.....many..............many..........many...........obstacles) into space. So much research has been done, down to even the fitting of the space suits, but it reads like a regular everyday novel. I especially appreciate the weight of the understanding of all implications of their path, from questions asked of them that weren't asked of their male peers, to not stopping their wants of motherhood, of their united front in public, of juggling the weight and depth of others opinions and intrusions on their lives, knowing the cost if they made a single mistake. Absolutely fascinating and highly recommended! *I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

2 years ago
from Iowa

Inspiring bios of the 1st 6 American Women in Spac

I have been interested in space since I was a child watching space launches on TV. I listened to the audiobook of ENDURANCE back in 2018 where Scott Kelly shares his unexpected journey to becoming an astronaut and chronicles his year on the ISS. It is a fascinating read. Last October, I watched the SpaceX Crew launch into space from a beach in Florida. It was quite amazing to watch knowing there were people heading to space. Even though I was just about 60 miles from the launch site, I was still shocked at how loud it was and how much I could see of the launch. I would definitely do that again. When NASA first sent astronauts into space, women couldn’t apply. Then in the late 70s, NASA created a campaign for women encouraging them to send in their resumés. Eight thousand women applied and from that group of women, six were chosen to enter the astronaut realm: Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon. Some of these names might be more familiar than others, but all of them eventually made it into space. Unfortunately, Judy Resnik perished in the Challenger flight in 1986, her second scheduled trip to space. Most people born in the 80s or earlier can say where they were while watching the Challenger take off. I was in my school lunchroom and remember feeling shocked and devastated. I appreciated reading the behind-the-scenes of that particular launch and what happened after. I’m not sure how I didn’t remember hearing that the crew members’ remains were found months later at the bottom of the ocean in the crew compartment. But, this bit of knowledge brought me some peace. The final chapters of this book detail this particular space launch, the reactions of the other five women astronauts, and the mistakes that were discovered during that launch. While reading this book, I wanted to keep telling people about it because I think everyone should read it. These six women blazed a trail for women not just in space but in many other disciplines. The Six came to NASA with degrees in medicine, engineering, science, and more. But, were still considered to not be “smart enough” or “capable enough” to be astronauts. They had to be tested to make sure they could handle the rigors of space travel when in most cases, the women actually performed better than the men. “The Six understood that as the first women, their every move was being scrutinized, more so than the performance of any of their male colleagues. They also realized that if one of them visibly messed up, critics would pounce, using the failure as evidence that women weren’t fit for space.” Each of the six women’s journeys to space is chronicled in the book, but Sally Ride’s journey gets a bit more coverage due to her being “The Chosen One”. I hadn’t thought about the kind of notoriety Sally Ride had to deal with by being the first American woman in space. Even in the early 80s, I was shocked at how scrupulous and idiotic the paparazzi and media were. Some of their questions regarding Sally in space were appalling and incredibly disrespectful. Loren Grush’s meticulous research, personal stories, and knowledge of NASA made this an amazing read for me. If you enjoy learning about fascinating women in history, want to learn more about space travel, or just want an enjoyable reading experience, this book is for you. If you’d like a fun book flight to pair with this book, LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY would make for a great reading experience due to the similarities of women trying to get ahead in the world of science.

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

2 years ago
from Mande

Fantastic!

Fascinating! I learned so much about NASA’s space program and the six pioneer women astronauts and their journey to space. Each astronaut is given an (almost) equal amount of coverage in the book and I found out more about the culture and their struggle to be taken seriously to be seen as astronauts, on the same footing as their male counterparts. There were some funny stories and the sad moments are handled well. Highly recommended for those interested in space exploration, strong smart women, and the history of the space program.

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

2 years ago
from WI

Fascinating

Space shuttle flights have fascinated me since the early days. I vividly recall the loss of Challenger and Columbia. Reading about the first six women was enlightening. Much is already known about Sally Ride and Judy Resnik. The four others shine through here. Shannon Lucid has become my most admired astronaut of The Six. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

2 years ago
from AL

The story behind the headlines for first six femal

I did not expect this to be a book I would really love but guess what? I was totally wrong on this one! It is a cannot put down book. I learned so much about each of the six women and most of the men astronauts that made up the first of the US astronauts. It is an in-depth study and written in a very likeable, informative way that really appealed to me. I followed the careers of each of the six women from childhood to career endings of each of these iconic women in the history of the United States Space program. The reader will experience their pain, their joys and their secrets. It is an amazing work and I simply cannot praise it enough. The total description of the training involved in preparation for an actual space journey is incredible and I felt great respect for all of them as they endured so much, risked so much and put their life, their marriages, their families behind them while the sought the ultimate prize of space travel. This book will be a book club favorite when it is published. I highly recommend this book. I wish to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, Scribner Publishers for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

2 years ago
from Planet Earth

Engaging and readable

Though initially excluded, women were invited to become NASA astronauts in 1978 when the Space Shuttle program began. This engaging and readable book tells the stories of the first six to be chosen. This book is a good choice for fans of HIDDEN FIGURES, or for anyone who enjoys biography, space exploration, and women in STEM. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com