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The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best History & Biography (2023)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 1960s and 1970s 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.
When NASA sent astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 1970s 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.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published September 5, 2023
About the author
Loren Grush
2 books53 followersLoren Grush is a space reporter for Bloomberg, where she covers everything from NASA, human spaceflight, and the booming commercial space industry to distant stars and planets. The daughter of two NASA engineers, she grew up surrounded by space shuttles and rocket scientists—literally. Prior to joining Bloomberg, she was a senior science reporter for The Verge, where she covered space and hosted her own online video series called Space Craft, a show the examined what it takes to send people into the cosmos. Loren has also published stories in Popular Science, The New York Times, Nautilus Magazine, Digital Trends, Fox News, and ABC News.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 668 reviews
October 18, 2023
"They didn't have any women [astronaut] role models. They were doing it for the first time. For those of us who followed, we [finally] had those role models. So that made us more comfortable, more confident, and more welcome." -- Colonel Eileen Collins, USAF test pilot / flight instructor (1978-2005) and NASA astronaut (1989-2006), on 'The Six', on page 394
I love a good 'non-fiction novel' that is comprised of equals parts education and entertainment (or perhaps it's more that I enjoy my history presented with a certain amount of flair and edge), and on the surface Grush's The Six - detailing the recruiting of women into NASA's astronaut corps to coincide with the introduction of the Space Shuttle, a then-revolutionary reusable spacecraft - would seem to fit the bill. However, at times the narrative comes across as somewhat sanitized or playing it too safe. Now, with Sally Ride and Judy Resnik no longer with us, and Kathy Sullivan and Anna Fisher having potential book deals in the mix, the author admitted that desired first-hand information was understandably not always available and it had to originate from other sources. (I think a text with direct input from all of these astronauts - even though I fully understand that it was just not possible in reality - would have been an absolute blockbuster.) But I don't want to sound like the book was bad at all, as it also serves a necessary purpose - at a time when role models for youngsters veer towards the questionable types from the sporting and/or entertainment world, here are six very accomplished and educated women - four PhDs (Ride, Resnik, Sullivan, and Shannon Lucid) and two physicians/surgeons (Fisher and Rhea Seddon) - who hungered for knowledge, self-betterment, and even adventure. What they did and how they comported themselves - in a then-male dominated field - is a story that deserves to be told, and it would be great if 'the six' continue to serve as an inspiration. As for me, I remember when Dr. Ride embarked on her first Space Shuttle mission in 1983 (it came right at the conclusion of my 2nd grade year), and as a naive but also open-minded 8-year old I did not quite understand all the attention it garnered in the news media. I mean, it was just common knowledge men and women have always worked together . . . right? ;-)
I love a good 'non-fiction novel' that is comprised of equals parts education and entertainment (or perhaps it's more that I enjoy my history presented with a certain amount of flair and edge), and on the surface Grush's The Six - detailing the recruiting of women into NASA's astronaut corps to coincide with the introduction of the Space Shuttle, a then-revolutionary reusable spacecraft - would seem to fit the bill. However, at times the narrative comes across as somewhat sanitized or playing it too safe. Now, with Sally Ride and Judy Resnik no longer with us, and Kathy Sullivan and Anna Fisher having potential book deals in the mix, the author admitted that desired first-hand information was understandably not always available and it had to originate from other sources. (I think a text with direct input from all of these astronauts - even though I fully understand that it was just not possible in reality - would have been an absolute blockbuster.) But I don't want to sound like the book was bad at all, as it also serves a necessary purpose - at a time when role models for youngsters veer towards the questionable types from the sporting and/or entertainment world, here are six very accomplished and educated women - four PhDs (Ride, Resnik, Sullivan, and Shannon Lucid) and two physicians/surgeons (Fisher and Rhea Seddon) - who hungered for knowledge, self-betterment, and even adventure. What they did and how they comported themselves - in a then-male dominated field - is a story that deserves to be told, and it would be great if 'the six' continue to serve as an inspiration. As for me, I remember when Dr. Ride embarked on her first Space Shuttle mission in 1983 (it came right at the conclusion of my 2nd grade year), and as a naive but also open-minded 8-year old I did not quite understand all the attention it garnered in the news media. I mean, it was just common knowledge men and women have always worked together . . . right? ;-)
September 15, 2023
Back in the early days of NASA, test pilots were deemed the most qualified to become astronauts. It was a strictly boys club until 1978 when 6 women were selected to join the corps. This book explores the lives and careers of Sally Ride, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Judy Resnik, Shannon Lucid and Rhea Seddon.
What an extraordinary group of accomplished women. Under intense media scrutiny they really rose to the occasion. Their hard work and dedication helped pave the way not just for future female astronauts but for others in STEM related fields.
The book covers the backgrounds of the women prior to NASA, the selection process, their trainings and missions, as well as their personal lives. Unfortunately, only 2 of the women were interviewed by the author. Anna Fisher and Kathy Sullivan had contractional obligations that precluded them from being interviewed, Sally Ride passed away in 2012, and Judy Resnik tragically lost her life in the Challenger disaster. But a great deal of research went into the writing of this book as the author talked with many people who worked with or were close with the astronauts so it still manages to be very informative.
Recommend if you enjoy learning about space exploration or reading about women shattering the glass ceiling.
Thank you Book Club Favorites for providing me with an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
What an extraordinary group of accomplished women. Under intense media scrutiny they really rose to the occasion. Their hard work and dedication helped pave the way not just for future female astronauts but for others in STEM related fields.
The book covers the backgrounds of the women prior to NASA, the selection process, their trainings and missions, as well as their personal lives. Unfortunately, only 2 of the women were interviewed by the author. Anna Fisher and Kathy Sullivan had contractional obligations that precluded them from being interviewed, Sally Ride passed away in 2012, and Judy Resnik tragically lost her life in the Challenger disaster. But a great deal of research went into the writing of this book as the author talked with many people who worked with or were close with the astronauts so it still manages to be very informative.
Recommend if you enjoy learning about space exploration or reading about women shattering the glass ceiling.
Thank you Book Club Favorites for providing me with an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
June 25, 2023
If you asked me about women in the space program before I read Loren Grush's, "The Six," all I would be able to tell you was that Sally Ride was the first American woman sent to space and that two women were part of the Challenger disaster. That is to say, Grush nearly had a blank slate on which to school me.
Chronicling the NASA careers for the first six women astronauts to be admitted to the program, Grush writes a wonderful tribute to each of their successful careers. I didn't know they were all part of a class of new astronauts which included the first members of color. Grush adeptly tells the story of each of the six as singular people but also as part of a larger group. At no point in this book was I bored or yearning to get back to a different character. This is a testament to Grush's ability to highlight what made each woman unique to the reader.
Grush also does a great job moving the narrative forward which is no mean feat. She needs to occasionally jump back in time to highlight a different character but it seems seamless in Grush's presentation. I should point out that this is clearly a celebration of these six women as opposed to anything akin to an exposé. Grush focuses on the positives of each of the six and possible character flaws are not detailed extensively. In fact, she treats all the characters, even those not in the six, in the same way (with the exception of Johnny Carson but don't worry about that). This is not to say Grush sweeps anything under the rug, but merely avoids diving into long discussions around things like marital fidelity. The book is better for it.
I did notice that some reviews call this book a "novel" or suggested some of the details may be fiction. My reading of Grush's sources at the end seem to indicate there is nothing fictitious in the book and it is in no way a novel.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Scribner.)
Chronicling the NASA careers for the first six women astronauts to be admitted to the program, Grush writes a wonderful tribute to each of their successful careers. I didn't know they were all part of a class of new astronauts which included the first members of color. Grush adeptly tells the story of each of the six as singular people but also as part of a larger group. At no point in this book was I bored or yearning to get back to a different character. This is a testament to Grush's ability to highlight what made each woman unique to the reader.
Grush also does a great job moving the narrative forward which is no mean feat. She needs to occasionally jump back in time to highlight a different character but it seems seamless in Grush's presentation. I should point out that this is clearly a celebration of these six women as opposed to anything akin to an exposé. Grush focuses on the positives of each of the six and possible character flaws are not detailed extensively. In fact, she treats all the characters, even those not in the six, in the same way (with the exception of Johnny Carson but don't worry about that). This is not to say Grush sweeps anything under the rug, but merely avoids diving into long discussions around things like marital fidelity. The book is better for it.
I did notice that some reviews call this book a "novel" or suggested some of the details may be fiction. My reading of Grush's sources at the end seem to indicate there is nothing fictitious in the book and it is in no way a novel.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Scribner.)
March 14, 2024
Absolutely loved this! One of the most interesting books I’ve read about our female astronauts ever!
October 7, 2023
“It's just a fact, the men go off and fight the wars and fly the airplanes. That women are not in this field is just a fact of our social order.” -John Glenn
In early 1978, NASA announced the names of 35 “astronaut candidates” (ASCANs) selected to train for the new Space Shuttle program. Among the people selected were four men of color and six (white) women. It was an integration that was insufficient but long overdue. The six women would go on to smash NASA’s glass ceiling in the astronaut corps, dismantling barriers and clearing the way for pioneers like Mae Jemison, America’s first female Black astronaut, who would blaze a trail of her own beginning in 1987.
Loren Grush’s The Six is a well written chronicle of the difficulties, challenges, and struggles encountered whenever a Boy’s Club is encroached upon by uterus-bearing brainiacs who are just as capable (sometimes MORE capable) than their testicle-toting antagonists. Remember the names—Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Kathy Sullivan, Anna Fisher, Margaret “Rhea” Seddon, and Shannon Lucid.
In early 1978, NASA announced the names of 35 “astronaut candidates” (ASCANs) selected to train for the new Space Shuttle program. Among the people selected were four men of color and six (white) women. It was an integration that was insufficient but long overdue. The six women would go on to smash NASA’s glass ceiling in the astronaut corps, dismantling barriers and clearing the way for pioneers like Mae Jemison, America’s first female Black astronaut, who would blaze a trail of her own beginning in 1987.
Loren Grush’s The Six is a well written chronicle of the difficulties, challenges, and struggles encountered whenever a Boy’s Club is encroached upon by uterus-bearing brainiacs who are just as capable (sometimes MORE capable) than their testicle-toting antagonists. Remember the names—Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Kathy Sullivan, Anna Fisher, Margaret “Rhea” Seddon, and Shannon Lucid.
February 25, 2024
Fascinating subject, but the execution was mediocre at best. I'm finding that women who write historical accounts about exceptional women seem to stumble. My guess is that it stems from trying to appeal to a male audience. The books are usually professionally written, but a significant portion of the book is spent navel gazing over their home economics. So and so is married and here's how her husband supported her. If Grosh (and others) were writing a memoir or autobiography, then, yes. Otherwise, why?!? Why am treated to a chapter on who is single and who got married and had kids? To be honest, all of that should be a footnote. Before you get too rough on me, this is supposed to be about the space program. Yes there should be some mention, of how they are juggling motherhood etc. But not primarily. After reading this book, I should know more about what Sally Ride did in the program than about why her marriage didn't work. I'm a space travel aficionado. I love books about astronauts and Apollo and shuttle missions etc. The books I have read (though admittedly not that many) discuss briefly the families of the men and their impact, but not chapters upon chapters and mentions upon mentions about their spouses and children. There is a place for this but by the time I finished this book, I felt like I know more about their families and personal lives than I did about what they did in the space program. And I think that is how these young writers are being trained. To minimize the overall accomplishments of these women, while accentuating how effective (or ineffective) they were in their traditional gender roles. I've seen this nudge in the writing of many books that detail women in history in varying degrees of depth.
The concept of this book is grand! I found myself wishing that Jeffry Kluger had taken this on. He has written riveting accounts of the Apollo missions ( ex. Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon) and my goto author for space program books. Grosh is not quite as experienced or accomplished. Clearly my opinions may not result in massive book sales. But if the subject matter is what is selling the books; then why not write about it! Not about how this female astronaut dated a fighter pilot and how that female astronaut didn't get a mission because she was pregnant. What do astronauts do for NASA when they are pregnant? I'm pretty sure it's more than what was written in the book. Fine, tell me about the mission she did get and what she did there. Sigh. Overall, it's a good story, though under told.
3.5ish Stars
Read on kindle
PS: Sometimes I do want to know about the personal lives of astronauts. For example, I do admit to wanting to read the story of the female astronaut who traveled across country in diapers so that she could kill the woman that her astronaut ex-boyfriend preferred (she was a later generation of astronauts than the Six). As a memoir, not a book about the space program...but I'd still totally read it!
The concept of this book is grand! I found myself wishing that Jeffry Kluger had taken this on. He has written riveting accounts of the Apollo missions ( ex. Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon) and my goto author for space program books. Grosh is not quite as experienced or accomplished. Clearly my opinions may not result in massive book sales. But if the subject matter is what is selling the books; then why not write about it! Not about how this female astronaut dated a fighter pilot and how that female astronaut didn't get a mission because she was pregnant. What do astronauts do for NASA when they are pregnant? I'm pretty sure it's more than what was written in the book. Fine, tell me about the mission she did get and what she did there. Sigh. Overall, it's a good story, though under told.
3.5ish Stars
Read on kindle
PS: Sometimes I do want to know about the personal lives of astronauts. For example, I do admit to wanting to read the story of the female astronaut who traveled across country in diapers so that she could kill the woman that her astronaut ex-boyfriend preferred (she was a later generation of astronauts than the Six). As a memoir, not a book about the space program...but I'd still totally read it!
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1645808644i/7494844._UX200_CR0,6,200,200_.jpg)
November 9, 2023
As a longtime lover of all things space, I really enjoyed this.
I definitely knew who Sally Ride was, but the other five women selected alongside her in the first class of astronaut candidates (aka "ascans") (and the first time astronauts had been called astronaut candidates, as part of a you-guessed-it method of moving the goal post for women and BIPOC) were a mystery to me.
I had no idea Judy Resnik, the second American woman in space, had died in the Challenger explosion. Or what a hero she was. Or how funny and driven and brilliant she was.
Or the overall brilliance and dedication of each of the six women who were the first.
Grush does a fantastic job of putting the six into context: within their time of the late 70s and early 80s. Of their lives. Their motivations. And the difficulties and triumphs they faced.
And, holy hell, the general awfulness of being The One to be First into Space.
What an achievement, but also, what a heavy burden to bear.
I definitely knew who Sally Ride was, but the other five women selected alongside her in the first class of astronaut candidates (aka "ascans") (and the first time astronauts had been called astronaut candidates, as part of a you-guessed-it method of moving the goal post for women and BIPOC) were a mystery to me.
I had no idea Judy Resnik, the second American woman in space, had died in the Challenger explosion. Or what a hero she was. Or how funny and driven and brilliant she was.
Or the overall brilliance and dedication of each of the six women who were the first.
Grush does a fantastic job of putting the six into context: within their time of the late 70s and early 80s. Of their lives. Their motivations. And the difficulties and triumphs they faced.
And, holy hell, the general awfulness of being The One to be First into Space.
What an achievement, but also, what a heavy burden to bear.
September 7, 2023
It was many years after the inception of NASA and the space flight program that women were allowed to become astronauts. Though not all of these initial six women are household names today, they all worked to advance both space exploration and women's rights in their own ways.
It rather surprises me that I'm not very interested in space exploration - maybe because I think there's plenty here on Earth to occupy my attention. My mother, on the other hand, is a fanatic whose biggest goal in life is to one day make it to the moon and so I am kept abreast of any advancements in space exploration. However, I am interested in the people who actually made it up into orbit - the whys and hows of it - and so I was excited to read this book about the first six women accepted to NASA as astronauts.
The author devotes equal time to all six women, tracing them from childhood to show us what got them interested in becoming astronauts and how their skills and personalities led to them making it through the grueling selection process. We follow them through training, their missions in space and the advancements through the ranks of astronauts, ending with the tragic death of Judy Resnik and her colleagues in the Challenger disaster, and the investigation afterward. I enjoyed how the author did not show the women as a monolith and let us get to know them all on an individual level.
However, I did wish that the book went into more detail about the scientific aspects of what the women did on their flights to space. We go into their experiences and how the media and the public reacted to the novelty of women in space, but I would have liked to see more about the more routine aspects of their job as well. It also became tricky at times to keep track of the many people in the six's lives, especially their fellow astronauts, so I wished the cast of characters at the start of the book had included them as well.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
It rather surprises me that I'm not very interested in space exploration - maybe because I think there's plenty here on Earth to occupy my attention. My mother, on the other hand, is a fanatic whose biggest goal in life is to one day make it to the moon and so I am kept abreast of any advancements in space exploration. However, I am interested in the people who actually made it up into orbit - the whys and hows of it - and so I was excited to read this book about the first six women accepted to NASA as astronauts.
The author devotes equal time to all six women, tracing them from childhood to show us what got them interested in becoming astronauts and how their skills and personalities led to them making it through the grueling selection process. We follow them through training, their missions in space and the advancements through the ranks of astronauts, ending with the tragic death of Judy Resnik and her colleagues in the Challenger disaster, and the investigation afterward. I enjoyed how the author did not show the women as a monolith and let us get to know them all on an individual level.
However, I did wish that the book went into more detail about the scientific aspects of what the women did on their flights to space. We go into their experiences and how the media and the public reacted to the novelty of women in space, but I would have liked to see more about the more routine aspects of their job as well. It also became tricky at times to keep track of the many people in the six's lives, especially their fellow astronauts, so I wished the cast of characters at the start of the book had included them as well.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
December 20, 2023
I will be staying on the ground, but happy for them!
January 6, 2024
Fascinating accounting of what the female astronauts had to go through to realize their dream of space travel. Their courage & perseverance was remarkable as was their ability to adapt to unforeseen dangerous problems in space.
One minor annoyance for me was the author's fixation on TV late night show host Johnny Carson's snide remarks on the female astronauts because who would pay attention to a guy who has had 4 wives on his views of females?
Overall, excellent and a great companion to Thomas Wolfe's tremendous novel, The Right Stuff.
One minor annoyance for me was the author's fixation on TV late night show host Johnny Carson's snide remarks on the female astronauts because who would pay attention to a guy who has had 4 wives on his views of females?
Overall, excellent and a great companion to Thomas Wolfe's tremendous novel, The Right Stuff.
January 19, 2024
4.5 Stars!
I should probably give it 5 stars but it just feels like a 4.5 star read.
I just noticed that I've read 3 books related to the space program and they all are female centered. I've read The Astronauts Wife Club( think that's the name), Hidden Figures and this one. It's not intentional but I think it's on brand. Obviously this book is about the first 6 women astronauts, the most famous being Sally Ride the first American woman in space( The soviet union was first). I think we all probably read about her or had to write a book report on her in elementary school. But I really haven't given her much thought since.
The Six is a fun, moving and tragic portrait of a group of brave young women who shattered the glass ceiling on their way to outer space. The Six not only tells you the stories of Sally Ride, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Rhea Seddon, Shannon Lucid and Judy Resnik who lost her life on the space shuttle Challenger. But it also introduces you to the women who were fighting to be Astronauts from the earliest days of the space program.
Judy Resnik was my favorite. I just thought she came across as such a fun, smart and cool person. Since I don't read synopsis and the only person usually mentioned in relation to that disaster is school teacher Christa McAuliffe, I was shocked and heartbroken when I read about her death. My sister who is 11 years older than me remembers watching it in school. I do feel like it's important to warn you that the Challenger disaster is described in pretty gruesome detail. Those people did not die instantly and its a rough read.
Despite the space program being over 60 years old, it's been a slow march towards equality. The Six were introduced in 1978 and they were all white women. Only 5 Black women have gone into orbit, only 2 Hispanic women and the first Native American woman only went to space in 2022. It's a sad and pitiful track record. Hopefully things will be different in the future but with the U.S. turning over the space program to Elon and Bezo I fear progress will be halted.
The Six was nominated for the Goodreads awards and I think it deserved its nomination, it doesn't top my pick but had this won I wouldn't have been upset.
A must read!...even if you're not into the space program.
I should probably give it 5 stars but it just feels like a 4.5 star read.
I just noticed that I've read 3 books related to the space program and they all are female centered. I've read The Astronauts Wife Club( think that's the name), Hidden Figures and this one. It's not intentional but I think it's on brand. Obviously this book is about the first 6 women astronauts, the most famous being Sally Ride the first American woman in space( The soviet union was first). I think we all probably read about her or had to write a book report on her in elementary school. But I really haven't given her much thought since.
The Six is a fun, moving and tragic portrait of a group of brave young women who shattered the glass ceiling on their way to outer space. The Six not only tells you the stories of Sally Ride, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Rhea Seddon, Shannon Lucid and Judy Resnik who lost her life on the space shuttle Challenger. But it also introduces you to the women who were fighting to be Astronauts from the earliest days of the space program.
Judy Resnik was my favorite. I just thought she came across as such a fun, smart and cool person. Since I don't read synopsis and the only person usually mentioned in relation to that disaster is school teacher Christa McAuliffe, I was shocked and heartbroken when I read about her death. My sister who is 11 years older than me remembers watching it in school. I do feel like it's important to warn you that the Challenger disaster is described in pretty gruesome detail. Those people did not die instantly and its a rough read.
Despite the space program being over 60 years old, it's been a slow march towards equality. The Six were introduced in 1978 and they were all white women. Only 5 Black women have gone into orbit, only 2 Hispanic women and the first Native American woman only went to space in 2022. It's a sad and pitiful track record. Hopefully things will be different in the future but with the U.S. turning over the space program to Elon and Bezo I fear progress will be halted.
The Six was nominated for the Goodreads awards and I think it deserved its nomination, it doesn't top my pick but had this won I wouldn't have been upset.
A must read!...even if you're not into the space program.
November 29, 2023
Being an avid reader of astronaut-related books, I was excited to see The Six published a few months ago. I give this book 4 stars for scope and readability, 2 stars for taking a very sloppy approach at writing nonfiction. Grush committed the major nonfiction faux pas of speculating what people were thinking and feeling without hard (or any) evidence to back this up practically every few paragraphs. The most egregious instance was speculating as to what Judy Resnik was likely thinking and feeling the day she tragically passed away on the Challenger. This wasn't addressed in the audiobook, but per other reviewers the physical book includes references to Grush only interviewing two of the six first female NASA astronauts for this book, Shannon Lucid and Rhea Seddon (both of whom have already published memoirs, see below), since two others (Sally Ride and Judy Resnik) have passed away and the remaining two have either published their own memoir recently that precluded giving interviews for an overlapping book (Kathy Sullivan's excellent Handprints on Hubble: An Astronaut's Story of Invention) or may be planning to (Anna Fisher).
I would recommend this book for those casually interested in the history of women in spaceflight or the NASA shuttle program, but not for those who would prefer investing more time and reading from the primary sources, the individual astronauts' memoirs or biographies. Here is a list of such books from the shuttle era, all memoirs unless stated otherwise:
The Six and their contemporaries
- Sally Ride - Sally Ride: America's First Woman in Space by Lynn Sherr (the reporter who had a decades-long working relationship with Ride, as mentioned in this book)
- Kathy Sullivan - Handprints on Hubble: An Astronaut's Story of Invention
- Rhea Seddon - Go for Orbit : One of America's First Women Astronauts Finds Her Space
- Shannon Lucid - Tumbleweed: Six Months Living on Mir
- Mike Mullane (a fellow astronaut who was close friends with Judy Resnik) - Riding Rockets
The later shuttle era/international space station era:
- Eileen Collins - Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars: The Story of the First American Woman to Command a Space Mission
- Leland Melvin - Chasing Space: An Astronaut's Story of Grit, Grace, and Second Chances
- Mike Massimino - Spaceman: An Astronaut's Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe
- Chris Hadfield - An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth
- Thomas Jones - Sky Walking: An Astronaut's Memoir
I would recommend this book for those casually interested in the history of women in spaceflight or the NASA shuttle program, but not for those who would prefer investing more time and reading from the primary sources, the individual astronauts' memoirs or biographies. Here is a list of such books from the shuttle era, all memoirs unless stated otherwise:
The Six and their contemporaries
- Sally Ride - Sally Ride: America's First Woman in Space by Lynn Sherr (the reporter who had a decades-long working relationship with Ride, as mentioned in this book)
- Kathy Sullivan - Handprints on Hubble: An Astronaut's Story of Invention
- Rhea Seddon - Go for Orbit : One of America's First Women Astronauts Finds Her Space
- Shannon Lucid - Tumbleweed: Six Months Living on Mir
- Mike Mullane (a fellow astronaut who was close friends with Judy Resnik) - Riding Rockets
The later shuttle era/international space station era:
- Eileen Collins - Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars: The Story of the First American Woman to Command a Space Mission
- Leland Melvin - Chasing Space: An Astronaut's Story of Grit, Grace, and Second Chances
- Mike Massimino - Spaceman: An Astronaut's Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe
- Chris Hadfield - An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth
- Thomas Jones - Sky Walking: An Astronaut's Memoir
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September 8, 2023A solidly researched book on the first American women in space, including some new stories you won't find elsewhere. There were six women out of the 1978 astronaut class of thirty-five, and the women got all the attention, sometimes to the men's disgruntlement. Although some of them must have been grateful when they saw the unrelenting crush of public attention Ride endured when she got back from STS-7. I loved the story of Ride and Svetlana Savitskaya, and that later Ride was the one person on the Challenger Commission trusted enough to leak the test info on the O-rings that failed, because the leaker (to this day unidentified) knew she would do what was right. I remember watching Richard Feynman do that ice water experiment with the O-rings that conclusively proved what caused the Challenger to explode. I never knew the backstory until now.
But these six women were every one extraordinary astronauts who all flew and set records and the whole story is fascinating, including all the outrageous stuff, the casual misogyny, like NASA not letting the women astronauts fly PIC in the training jets, and that time the aviation engineer assumed they all had their licenses and let them fly his test aircraft.
Grush writes
Every single astronaut class since the historic one of 1978 has included women, with more recent selections comprising a nearly equal number of men and women candidates...Eileen Collins made history in 1995 when she became the first woman to pilot the Space Shuttle. She also became the first female commander of a Shuttle mission in 1999.
I was there to watch that 1995 launch in person, and I wept when I heard them say "Go at throttle up." But nowadays, in spite of Challenger and Discovery, we don't even blink when a woman astronaut flies to the ISS.
As it should be.
But these six women were every one extraordinary astronauts who all flew and set records and the whole story is fascinating, including all the outrageous stuff, the casual misogyny, like NASA not letting the women astronauts fly PIC in the training jets, and that time the aviation engineer assumed they all had their licenses and let them fly his test aircraft.
Grush writes
Every single astronaut class since the historic one of 1978 has included women, with more recent selections comprising a nearly equal number of men and women candidates...Eileen Collins made history in 1995 when she became the first woman to pilot the Space Shuttle. She also became the first female commander of a Shuttle mission in 1999.
I was there to watch that 1995 launch in person, and I wept when I heard them say "Go at throttle up." But nowadays, in spite of Challenger and Discovery, we don't even blink when a woman astronaut flies to the ISS.
As it should be.
Read
June 27, 2023I'm glad this story is now told! It wasn't until 1977 that NASA finally accepted women as candidates for astronaut training. Of that class of 35 candidates, six were women. Loren Grush has done a marvelous job telling their stories -- their paths to applying, their application/interview/acceptance process, their intense training while dealing with skepticism and sexism from some (not all) of their colleagues, their first Shuttle missions and the aftermath of each. I was rooting for all the astronauts, men and women, during the descriptions of the actual flights and the work each payload required. 'The Six' are/were inspiring women. I look forward to giving this book to my space-interested granddaughter some day.
January 26, 2024
Being a reporter interested in science, Loren Grush writes ably of how The Six women supported each other to benefit themselves and each other and writes ably of how the women learned how to field the reporters' questions.
However there is a gap. Historians who write competently of women's history of the late 20th century know to reference women's empowerment during WWII and the backlash they received after the military men returned home from the war. That common experience would explain the experience of the Mercury 13 and the surprise of women's hard-earned placement in the Shuttle program. They knew they would have to work together for their common good & for the good of women coming after them. This is a major gap.
I am glad of the experience of reading The Six and hope a better history might be written at a later date. Because this is such important history written here, I am increasing the star rating to 3--for topic importance alone.
However there is a gap. Historians who write competently of women's history of the late 20th century know to reference women's empowerment during WWII and the backlash they received after the military men returned home from the war. That common experience would explain the experience of the Mercury 13 and the surprise of women's hard-earned placement in the Shuttle program. They knew they would have to work together for their common good & for the good of women coming after them. This is a major gap.
I am glad of the experience of reading The Six and hope a better history might be written at a later date. Because this is such important history written here, I am increasing the star rating to 3--for topic importance alone.
February 4, 2024
This is my favorite kind of nonfiction with its mix of biographical details and background information about science, society, culture, etc. I enjoyed learning about each woman's background and how varied they were. The information about the selection process and training is also fascinating! It's remarkable how they dealt with the sexism rampant at that time in NASA, journalism, and society as a whole. As a parent, I identified with the astronauts experiences with balancing family and careers.
Highly recommended! So glad I read this book and learned about this important stage of history.
Highly recommended! So glad I read this book and learned about this important stage of history.
October 1, 2023
4.5
Thank you @simon.audio for the complimentary audiobook.
A fascinating look at the first SIX women who were astronauts. We see their childhood, education, advanced education, and careers that lead them into the space program.
They paved the way in a difficult time for women to be seen as serious in the working world. Many obstacles were handled by them with such civility and grace towards their counterparts (men).
Done very well in audiobook format. I found myself looking up details and the women online to get a deeper sense.
Thank you @simon.audio for the complimentary audiobook.
A fascinating look at the first SIX women who were astronauts. We see their childhood, education, advanced education, and careers that lead them into the space program.
They paved the way in a difficult time for women to be seen as serious in the working world. Many obstacles were handled by them with such civility and grace towards their counterparts (men).
Done very well in audiobook format. I found myself looking up details and the women online to get a deeper sense.
May 1, 2024
It was so interesting to me to compare the timeline of this book to my own life and to opportunities available for women. The Six were recruited in 1978, when I was a junior at Princeton. Sally Ride’s first flight was in 1983, the year I graduated from law school, where my class was still largely male and where there were men who didn’t think women should be there.
There are some interesting facts about the beginning of the program to recruit women as astronauts.
Speculation that a woman could better withstand the radiation filled space environment, and research from the 1950s backed up the idea that women performed better in isolation experiments. They also were typically smaller and weighed less and didn’t need as much rocket fuel to get them off the ground.
There was still rampant sexism, however. Newspapers and magazines ran stories about the “astronette” calling out her 36 26-34 figure, the 7 pounds she lost during her stay at the Lovelace test clinic and the fact that she was scared of grasshoppers. One headline proclaimed “No. 1 space gal seems a little astronaughty.”
But women persevered, and excelled. For example, the women went longer than nine hours in the isolation tank, whereas the Mercury astronauts had only been required to last three hours in a dark soundproof room.
The move to the space shuttle, with pilots and mission specialists, allowed broadening the pool of applicants before the astronaut selection board.
Sally Ride was picked first in part because she was an introvert!
Judy Resnik read Carrying the Fire by Michael Collins to prepare to become an astronaut and even met him while he was Director of the National Air and Space Museum in DC by walking into his office and introducing herself!
Anna Fisher moved her wedding date to accommodate the interview schedule, even though the families would not be able to attend and her husband, also an applicant, was not chosen for an interview until three months later.
Going to space is actually just a small part of the job.
It took the Shuttle only 8 1/2 minutes to cross the Atlantic Ocean!
Fascinating and inspiring story. I learned a lot, most notably in the section about the recovery of the bodies of the Challenger astronauts, who did not die instantly, but survived long enough to show evidence of helping one another.
June 27, 2024
Libby app, Overdrive was better
June 19, 2023
I received a free copy of, The Six,by Loren Grush, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The six are: Anna Fisher, Shannon Lucid, Rhea Seddon, Kathy Sullivan, Judy Resnick, and Sally Ride, they are America's first women astronauts. I thought this book was good but I wish it had Christa McAuliffe in it, who died on the Challenger.
November 6, 2023
1978. The first women were selected to be astronauts for NASA, and history was made. Certainly, we're all familiar with Sally Ride, at least in part, and this book showcases each of the six women - Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon - and highlights their careers and the paths that led them there.
Journalist Loren Grush shows how these women persevered in making an impact despite facing misogyny in the workplace and media.
Well written, solid read, interesting stories and trajectories of the women, and a book that I'll recommend heartily to friends and family.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
Journalist Loren Grush shows how these women persevered in making an impact despite facing misogyny in the workplace and media.
Well written, solid read, interesting stories and trajectories of the women, and a book that I'll recommend heartily to friends and family.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
March 30, 2023
*Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review*
This book is about the first female astronauts, both their lives and their experiences working for NASA. A few of these ladies I had never really heard of before, so it was interesting to learn about their stories. A lot of books about NASA and space exploration don't really give a lot of attention to the female crewmembers (both in space and on the ground) and their contributions. The author focuses on six different woman, all of whom have a fascinating story to tell, and interweaves a discussion of how deeply sexist NASA and media coverage at the time was. My biggest complaint about the book is the narration style, it often felt more like reading a novel and the author would often speculate scenes from the pov of the women she was discussing. It was jarring at times, especially when switching from these types of scenes to a more straightforward, factual narration when filling in details.
This book is about the first female astronauts, both their lives and their experiences working for NASA. A few of these ladies I had never really heard of before, so it was interesting to learn about their stories. A lot of books about NASA and space exploration don't really give a lot of attention to the female crewmembers (both in space and on the ground) and their contributions. The author focuses on six different woman, all of whom have a fascinating story to tell, and interweaves a discussion of how deeply sexist NASA and media coverage at the time was. My biggest complaint about the book is the narration style, it often felt more like reading a novel and the author would often speculate scenes from the pov of the women she was discussing. It was jarring at times, especially when switching from these types of scenes to a more straightforward, factual narration when filling in details.
June 20, 2024
This book chronicles the flights of the first six American women to go to space: Sally Ride, Judy Resnick, Kathy Sullivan, Anna Fisher, Rhea Seddon, and Shannon Lucid. All went to space during the early 1980s, on shuttle missions.
I really enjoyed learning more about space exploration during this time; the brand-new shuttle program was a big step in scientific discovery. The scientists aboard the shuttle were not just pilots, as they'd been during the Mercury and Apollo programs; these women astronauts were diversely brilliant, as engineers, physicists, oceanographers, and medical doctors. Their skills in surgery, in tennis, and in piano translated to the hand-eye coordination needed to operate the shuttle's giant robotic arm, maneuvering payloads like satellites into orbit. They would perform spacewalks they'd trained for -- and even an emergency spacewalk they hadn't trained for.
Besides learning shuttle history, this book recounts the media attention surrounding the first women astronauts. Sally Ride, as the first American woman in space, received by far the most press attention. But reporters would also clamor around the first mother in space (Anna Fisher), scrutinizing the way she juggled parenthood and career in a way that has never been a concern for all the fathers who had gone to space.
The book concludes with the space shuttle Challenger's tragic explosion, in which Judy Resnick would lose her life. Sally Ride was involved in the investigation afterwards, marking a shift in her career, back to academia. But others of the Six would continue their careers at NASA. Shannon Lucid would go on to claim the record for most consecutive days in space (that record has since been broken). Kathy Sullivan, who was the first woman to walk in space, went on to become the only person to both go to space and descend to the deepest known part of the ocean.
These women were truly incredible, and the author does a good job of highlighting their careers, explaining the complicated science and politics, and driving the story forward in such an engaging way. I've already shared what I've been learning with my family while reading this book -- I highly recommend it!
I really enjoyed learning more about space exploration during this time; the brand-new shuttle program was a big step in scientific discovery. The scientists aboard the shuttle were not just pilots, as they'd been during the Mercury and Apollo programs; these women astronauts were diversely brilliant, as engineers, physicists, oceanographers, and medical doctors. Their skills in surgery, in tennis, and in piano translated to the hand-eye coordination needed to operate the shuttle's giant robotic arm, maneuvering payloads like satellites into orbit. They would perform spacewalks they'd trained for -- and even an emergency spacewalk they hadn't trained for.
Besides learning shuttle history, this book recounts the media attention surrounding the first women astronauts. Sally Ride, as the first American woman in space, received by far the most press attention. But reporters would also clamor around the first mother in space (Anna Fisher), scrutinizing the way she juggled parenthood and career in a way that has never been a concern for all the fathers who had gone to space.
The book concludes with the space shuttle Challenger's tragic explosion, in which Judy Resnick would lose her life. Sally Ride was involved in the investigation afterwards, marking a shift in her career, back to academia. But others of the Six would continue their careers at NASA. Shannon Lucid would go on to claim the record for most consecutive days in space (that record has since been broken). Kathy Sullivan, who was the first woman to walk in space, went on to become the only person to both go to space and descend to the deepest known part of the ocean.
These women were truly incredible, and the author does a good job of highlighting their careers, explaining the complicated science and politics, and driving the story forward in such an engaging way. I've already shared what I've been learning with my family while reading this book -- I highly recommend it!
March 24, 2024
5 stars easily and thanks to Margaret for the rec. Here are some things I found interesting:
- The guy who was running early astronaut training for women, one of the earliest supporters of women in space, was only doing it because he thought future space stations would need secretaries and assistants
- The o-ring data that proved the cause of the Challenger disaster was leaked to Sally Ride, who was on the committee investigating, by someone whose identity was never revealed
- TFNG meaning Thirty Five New Guys and also The Fucking New Guy is pretty funny
- The Soviets intentionally beating us to first woman in space, first female spacewalk etc.
- I liked the parts about the shuttle’s payload bay and robotic arm, as a builder of the Lego space shuttle model including those details
- Sally Ride being introverted and not very into publicity compared to some of the other women, and ultimately getting very tired of the media tour she had to do. She didn’t even want to visit Sally Ride Elementary School!
- I did not know Sally Ride was LGBT (and neither did the public until her death)
- The guy who was running early astronaut training for women, one of the earliest supporters of women in space, was only doing it because he thought future space stations would need secretaries and assistants
- The o-ring data that proved the cause of the Challenger disaster was leaked to Sally Ride, who was on the committee investigating, by someone whose identity was never revealed
- TFNG meaning Thirty Five New Guys and also The Fucking New Guy is pretty funny
- The Soviets intentionally beating us to first woman in space, first female spacewalk etc.
- I liked the parts about the shuttle’s payload bay and robotic arm, as a builder of the Lego space shuttle model including those details
- Sally Ride being introverted and not very into publicity compared to some of the other women, and ultimately getting very tired of the media tour she had to do. She didn’t even want to visit Sally Ride Elementary School!
- I did not know Sally Ride was LGBT (and neither did the public until her death)
August 29, 2023
Loren Grush's The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts is one I will be keeping on my forever shelves! I am unfamiliar with this story and history, and I enjoyed the way it was told in this book. I know sometimes nonfiction is hard to get into for some but when it's well written I am able to jump right in, and I was able to immerse myself in this one. Grush tells us all about the first six women who won places in the program. I found myself captivated by this story and wishing I dreamed this big when I was younger while also reminding me to keep dreaming and star gazing. I would love for my kids to read this when they are old enough to read. This was an absolutely remarkable tribute.
Thank you, Scribner, for my gifted copy and the chance to read and review it honestly.
Happy reading
Thank you, Scribner, for my gifted copy and the chance to read and review it honestly.
Happy reading
May 5, 2024
This was one of the most inspiring books I have ever read. The first women in space are people worth talking about!! I love reading about powerful women who have overcome discrimination and setbacks.
I originally wanted to read this so I could flex on Goodreads that I’m “related” to the first mother in space (Anna Fisher married my dad’s cousin), but it ended up meaning so much more to me. I met her as a teenager and now I wish that I could meet her all over again.
I originally wanted to read this so I could flex on Goodreads that I’m “related” to the first mother in space (Anna Fisher married my dad’s cousin), but it ended up meaning so much more to me. I met her as a teenager and now I wish that I could meet her all over again.
November 26, 2023
I am in awe of these women. This is a fascinating book. It’s not something I would aspire to, but I loved learning about them and the way they fought to earn their spots. They endured sexism with grace and proved themselves just as capable as the men. I found myself near tears during the descriptions of the Challenger disaster. Great read!
4.25/5 ⭐️
4.25/5 ⭐️
April 16, 2024
Absolute chills during so many moments of this book. My space-nerd, feminist heart loved this book so so much. These women are incredible!
November 2, 2023
I have mixed feelings about this book. It was important to put these six stories in one place. And it made me very nostalgic for the shuttle program. And the stories of the first six women astronauts is always inspiring. But it also felt like a puff piece. It oversimplified the astronauts personal stories, coupled with endearing anecdotes, making complex characters sound perfect in every way. It also didn’t feel deeply revealing - almost all this information in the book has been written about in other sources, it was just being compiled in this book. In other words it felt more like “all the previously told stories collected in one place” rather than an “untold story.” (With the notable exception that this appears to the the first fulsome accounting of Sally Ride’s relationship history, but even then it did not dive into her LGBTQ identity beyond the superficial reporting of the previously unreported facts of her relationships.)
I think it also described the astronauts’ contributions to their missions in isolation from the greater team - as if the astronauts planned their entire mission, developed satellite grappling hardware, etc on their own - given my own experience with the space program, the teams of engineers and mission controllers were key players in designing and engineering the solutions that the book implies the astronauts some how came up with how to execute their missions all by themselves. This leaves out from the story the many men and women who devoted their careers to making these missions happen.
I think it also described the astronauts’ contributions to their missions in isolation from the greater team - as if the astronauts planned their entire mission, developed satellite grappling hardware, etc on their own - given my own experience with the space program, the teams of engineers and mission controllers were key players in designing and engineering the solutions that the book implies the astronauts some how came up with how to execute their missions all by themselves. This leaves out from the story the many men and women who devoted their careers to making these missions happen.
June 12, 2023
I REALLY wanted to love this book, the topic of the first female astronauts had me at the title and book cover.
It might just be me, but the writing style seemed all over the place and ended up just not being a good read for me. Bummer
It might just be me, but the writing style seemed all over the place and ended up just not being a good read for me. Bummer
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