emlickliter's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly – Women’s history month was the perfect time to read this lovingly curated collection of experiences! The love and admiration for this community sings out of every page. Everyone should read this (and then go watch the movie because it was also fantastic)! Happy Reading!
angieinbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I appreciated this more than I enjoyed it. But what a fascinating and important history I'd never known about. History (and STEM) is not kind to women, and it's even less kind to black women, so I'm grateful for Margo Lee Shetterly's research and dedication to recording this history. Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson and the other women featured, and those not even mentioned, are truly inspiring.
I docked it a star because as much as I enjoyed it, it was really hard to read. And don't think it had to be. These women's lives are compelling, the Space Race is thrilling, the Civil Rights Movement was happening simultaneously behind the scenes, and yet it was really difficult to read at times. But that doesn't mean this story isn't important. I still think everyone should read it. I think it should be required reading in schools.
I docked it a star because as much as I enjoyed it, it was really hard to read. And don't think it had to be. These women's lives are compelling, the Space Race is thrilling, the Civil Rights Movement was happening simultaneously behind the scenes, and yet it was really difficult to read at times. But that doesn't mean this story isn't important. I still think everyone should read it. I think it should be required reading in schools.
whenweplay1950's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Racism
ronsos's review against another edition
4.0
I felt that this started slowly with the stories of WWII-era goings on at the NACA. The later parts that focused on Mercury, Apollo, and the contributions of Katherine Johnson were excellent and a fantastic additional to the already large body of work covering the early days of NASA. It is not easy to find new ways to cover Apollo-era NASA , but this book surely did.
Also, Katherine Johnson is awesome.
Also, Katherine Johnson is awesome.
felinity's review against another edition
5.0
An incredible story showing the intersection of aeronautical history (from flight to space), mathematics, the civil rights movement, and gender equality with the impact of the Cold War on the space race, the flux of public opinion, and the overall impetus that drove us to set a man on the moon and to dream far beyond.
I'll admit I found the ebook tough going, but thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook.
I'll admit I found the ebook tough going, but thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook.
micalyia's review against another edition
This was written like it was a history textbook. It just wasn’t what I was expecting :(
I thought this would have a plot, but it’s really just informative in nature. Now the content is important but I couldn’t bring myself to feign enough interest to want to finish it when it’s so disjointed in nature
I thought this would have a plot, but it’s really just informative in nature. Now the content is important but I couldn’t bring myself to feign enough interest to want to finish it when it’s so disjointed in nature
shiradest's review against another edition
4.0
Wow -this book is not just about the Black women of NACA/NASA who did crucial work, and who paved the way both for other women and for other Colored People to work at the agency, and to have "very very good" jobs. This book also puts into context and makes you feel the lives of these women as they interacted with the wider world, and as the wider world interacted (and still interacts) with us, as Black Americans, as Americans, and as members of the entire human race -and even more, as co-hosts and dwellers on Planet Earth.
ShiraDest
ShiraDest
February 25th, 12018 HE
mbullock's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.75