Title: Hidden Figures 

Author: Margot Lee Shetterly

Publisher: William Morrow 2016

Genre: U.S. History

Pages: 349

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (Nonfiction Adventure); Mount TBR

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.

We watched the movie a few months back and I've been itching to read the book. I heard it included much more information and I wasn't disappointed. In this deceptively slim volume, Shetterly packs in so much information. We trace the careers and lives for four women but also learn about social movements, the space race, court cases, and the inner workings of Langley through a very tumultuous time in our nation's history. I was completely entranced by the stories from page one although I will admit to taking a few breaks to allow my brain to absorb the information. The movie did a great job taking very complicated stories and distilling it down to something that could be enjoyed in two hours. But after reading the book, I'm a little disappointed that we didn't get to see more of Mary Jackson's story. Hers was the journey that really stood out for me. Her passion for engineering, helping her neighbors, and promoting education was fascinating. Definitely a must read! This one will most likely end up on my Top 10 Reads of 2017 list!

Next up on the TBR pile: