At the beginning of the Space Race of the 1960s, thirteen American women fought for the right to fly to into outer space. Their experiences helped to open doors for future generations of female military test pilots and astronauts; however, the Mercury 13, as they were called, never achieved their dream. This non-fiction book details the trials and tribulations these heroic women endured in the name of equality.
The information provided in this book was news to me. Even growing up during a time when young women were urged to go into math and science fields (and being a member of my 4th grade’s Young Astronauts group), I never heard the story of the Mercury 13. It’s a familiar story, though. Women, considered weak and undeserving, were not allowed to even attempt a career that was considered “manly”.
There are many fantastic photographs throughout this book, helping to bring the story to life. The writing is well done, making this an excellent book for those wanting to know more about the history of the space program or about women’s rights.
That being said…there were a few times that I thought there was a negative tone towards anyone involved with the program at that time that did not publically support this effort, which affected the whole book.
This book was the winner of the 2010 Siebert award.
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