The #1 New York Times bestseller
The phenomenal true story of the black female mathematicians at NASA whose calculations helped fuel some of America’s greatest achievements in space. Soon to be a major motion picture starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kirsten Dunst, and Kevin Costner.
Before John Glenn orbited the earth, or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of … the earth, or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as “human computers” used pencils, slide rules and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space.
Among these problem-solvers were a group of exceptionally talented African American women, some of the brightest minds of their generation. Originally relegated to teaching math in the South’s segregated public schools, they were called into service during the labor shortages of World War II, when America’s aeronautics industry was in dire need of anyone who had the right stuff. Suddenly, these overlooked math whizzes had a shot at jobs worthy of their skills, and they answered Uncle Sam’s call, moving to Hampton, Virginia and the fascinating, high-energy world of the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory.
Even as Virginia’s Jim Crow laws required them to be segregated from their white counterparts, the women of Langley’s all-black “West Computing” group helped America achieve one of the things it desired most: a decisive victory over the Soviet Union in the Cold War, and complete domination of the heavens.
Starting in World War II and moving through to the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement and the Space Race, Hidden Figures follows the interwoven accounts of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson and Christine Darden, four African American women who participated in some of NASA’s greatest successes. It chronicles their careers over nearly three decades they faced challenges, forged alliances and used their intellect to change their own lives, and their country’s future.
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It’s not often I like the movie better than the book, but this one is.
Awesome true story
Books like this make you think. Love the progression of acceptance based upon ability. Excellent read. Would even read again!
I loved it but I am a retired mathematics teacher. I think many might find it tedious but I loved it!
Very good. Shows a part of history that should have been told long ago
A great story told so dryly, I had to put it down. Watched the movie and thought that would help, but it did not.
Excellent story about black women’s struggle for recognition for their talents in the world of math and science and their struggles against segregation
Racial prejudice at the time of the NASA space program was the back drop to this story. The women who had to deal with those men and women at NASA and around the world in particular the segregation policies are truly inspirational, as women in a so called man’s world but also facing the ridiculous and obnoxious racial prejudice of those times. My respect and gratitude to those women what an inspiration.
Awesome true story!!
It’s a fascinating story but slow going.
Boring, drawn out. The narrator seemed to drone on and on. The movie was so much better.
great book but be sure to have a dictionary with you.
Celebrating the human calculators who made safe space travel possible. These women were pioneers and sadly not given due recognition at the time of their efforts. I enjoy the stories behind great events in history like this, and Margot Lee Shetterly’s account is engaging and balanced, a thoroughly enjoyable read.
I wish this is what kids were rushing to see (the movie) or read instead of the Black Panther. These women were amazing – absolutely amazing and true heroines.
Intriguing and interesting information, but in this case – like many others – I have to admit to liking the movie better. There was a lot of details and information about Catherine, Mary, Dorothy and the rest, but no real personal story. I found myself thinking that this is one of those instances when the “Teaching something makes it stick better simply being taught” method of learning would have been the real gem – the author, Margot Lee Shetterly, got to do all the cool stuff like interviewing and researching the ladies of the West Computers; we, as the reader, only got to read about a tiny fraction of all that she discovered, and it was presented more like a text book or research paper than an actual story.
None the less, I still enjoyed it and I am very glad that the work has gotten so much press, and I congratulat the author for finding out and sharing what she found. It is well past time that these amazing ladies got their stories told, and I am happy that they are finally getting their dues. I only wish it hasn’t taken 50+ years to do so.
It took too long for these women to get the credit they deserve
Awesome story
Exceptionally good book. Everybody should read it.
These women were fantastic….
Excellent piece of history.