eBook, 384 pages
English language
Published April 29, 2018 by Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom.
On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to Earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington, DC. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render Earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process.
Elma York's experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition's attempts to put man on the moon, as a computer. But with so many skilled and experience women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn't take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can't go into space, too.
Elma's drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly …
On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to Earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington, DC. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render Earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process.
Elma York's experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition's attempts to put man on the moon, as a computer. But with so many skilled and experience women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn't take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can't go into space, too.
Elma's drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.
This description comes from the publisher.
Libraco, me ha encantado, disfrutando de una trama que engancha para hablar de un tema profundamente feminista, mezclando novela histórica sobre el espacio con ciencia ficción.
¿Por qué no se conoce más este libro? Deseando leer el siguiente
This is amazing. Read it. It will infuriate and inspire. It’ll bring light on what was hidden by the early us space program as well. It’s one of the best works of fiction based on reality that I’ve read in the last decade.
This is amazing. Read it. It will infuriate and inspire. It’ll bring light on what was hidden by the early us space program as well. It’s one of the best works of fiction based on reality that I’ve read in the last decade.
I wonder if this is another story where curmudgeony dudes whine about women in SF, and where's the hard science?
Well, tough shit, there's hard science here in this alternative history of manned space exploration in the 1950s. The difference between their Artemis and our Apollo program: space exploration is more important because in 1952 a meteorite crashes into the ocean just off the coast from DC, obliterating the East Coast, and starting a chain reaction that would cause Earth to heat up. An extinction event.
At the forefront of it all is our first-person protagonist Elma, who is a mathematician. Her husband is assigned as lead engineer of the American space program, which later becomes an International Program. Elma works as a computer, doing all the calculations required by hand, a job done by women. Female mathematicians become computers, dudes become engineers, you see.
Elma was also a pilot …
I wonder if this is another story where curmudgeony dudes whine about women in SF, and where's the hard science?
Well, tough shit, there's hard science here in this alternative history of manned space exploration in the 1950s. The difference between their Artemis and our Apollo program: space exploration is more important because in 1952 a meteorite crashes into the ocean just off the coast from DC, obliterating the East Coast, and starting a chain reaction that would cause Earth to heat up. An extinction event.
At the forefront of it all is our first-person protagonist Elma, who is a mathematician. Her husband is assigned as lead engineer of the American space program, which later becomes an International Program. Elma works as a computer, doing all the calculations required by hand, a job done by women. Female mathematicians become computers, dudes become engineers, you see.
Elma was also a pilot during WWII, and longs to go to the stars. Throughout the books she pushes for the inclusion of women in the program, despite opposition, especially from 'star' astronaut Stetson Parker.
Have to say, the rampant sexism was hard to bear at times, but it's an accurate reflection of how it was, or would have been if women had already been included so much earlier, and not just as computers.
One thing I really hope for with the next book: less sexy times between Elma and Nathaniel using rocket metaphors, because sheesh. It gold old real fast for me.
All in all, very enjoyable.
I loved this! Alternate history science fiction where a meteorite destroys most of the east coast of the US in 1952, starting the space race and colonization of the Moon & Mars a few decades early. Despite the scifi setting, the book mostly focuses on the social and cultural ramifications, especially around having white women and people of color as astronauts (or, more to the point, not having them), though the science is solid too. I really liked the relationship between Elma & her husband, as well as the myriad of interesting relationships she has with other astronauts, pilots and computers. Looking forward to the next one.
