Hidden Figures

By Margot Lee Shetterly

Hidden Figures - Margot Lee Shetterly
  • Release Date: 2016-09-06
  • Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Score: 4
4
From 335 Ratings

Description

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 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.

Reviews

  • I give it a five because it a black women

    5
    By Jon and his family
    I love it it so cool
  • A must read American history book!

    5
    By NicoleLLeonard
    I cannot express enough how awesome reading this book has been. It has had a profound impact on not only my professional life, but has encouraged me to become an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, inc. as well. This book should be a required reading in middle or high school.
  • 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

    4
    By amandax345
    Amazing book about the untold stories of these wonderful and smart women.
  • Sereeeeeeed was see zzz we Red SS was Ed

    5
    By Bt10kman
    Eer
  • very different - a research document

    1
    By Cathy3cockers
    disappointing! this book doesnt tell a story, all it does is detail background research & mention occasional activities of scattered characters.
  • my thoughs

    3
    By Samantha Pearson
    loved the book but it was a hard read. the book was written for intelligent and good readers which is the opposite of me. i had to read over parts more than once to understand what was happening. other than that amazing book very eye opening!
  • Smart Black Women

    5
    By Bookloverforever64
    What an uplifting book. I will read it forever. Have seen the movie at least 50 times. It mesmerizing to see these outstanding women and see the perseverance. What a heroic group of women. I am truly blessed to have read and seen the movie in my lifetime. I wish my mother could have seen it. Thank you for this wonderful piece of work.
  • Hidden Figures

    5
    By Rexfordd
    Great read.
  • Very boring

    1
    By Tashaww
    Very boring and surprisingly nothing like the movie.
  • Total Fiction

    1
    By cash1130
    Check John Glenns and Chuck Yeagers bios for proof.