Women spacefarers : sixty different paths to space /

Since the dawn of the space age, about 550 people have flown in space on American, Russian, and Chinese spacecraft. Of this group, 60 women have served as astronauts. The author commences the work with an introduction that mentions "Mercury 13," the 1960s NASA program for female astronauts. Most of the book consists of short chapters on female spacefarers, along with several photographs. The text highlights topics such as the first females in space, the various challenges of the first group of female astronauts, and the inherent sexism in the early days of NASA and in other international space programs. Interestingly, the book also documents how both the American and Russian space programs had females from other countries fly on their vehicles. In addition, the work details how NASA has had three female pilots and numerous female mission specialists, and the fact that the International Space Station recently had a female commander, Peggy Whitson. This work serves as a strong examination of females' evolving roles during the eras of space exploration. Summing Up: Recommended. All readers. --John Z. Kiss, UNC-Greensboro