Hidden Figures
3 journalers for this copy...
Amazon Editorial Review
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.
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.
A good read, if a little dry in parts. Lots of interesting facts to go along with the story.
Journal Entry 3 by keeta1 at By mail / post / courier, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, January 20, 2018
Released 6 yrs ago (1/20/2018 UTC) at By mail / post / courier, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Happy Birthday :)
Thank you for this book from my wish list and all the other birthday goodies! I think this one will be read by my husband too before it moves along.
Thanks again to keeta1 for sharing this book with me. It covered so much more than the movie -as is usually the case - going back to the West Computers being hired during WWII. It's as much a story of segregation, women's rights and the civil rights era in the American south as it is a story of the individual women. There were times that I could have used a list of "characters" to keep everyone straight; but other than that, I enjoyed it.
This is going in the car for a road trip to Paintsville, KY. It will be released along the way with details added when I have time.
Journal Entry 7 by bethieb at University of Pikeville Bookstore in Pikeville, Kentucky USA on Tuesday, May 22, 2018
Released 5 yrs ago (5/22/2018 UTC) at University of Pikeville Bookstore in Pikeville, Kentucky USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
I'm traveling in the area on a geocaching adventure and am leaving books in counties where I've never left them before. This one takes care of Pike County. I left it on the sill beside the door.
Found the book at the University of Pikeville Bookstore, I will let you know when and where I pass it on ☺️
Hello all. I am so sorry that it’s taken so long, but I loved the book and I’m going to drop it off in a new location today! I will write later and let you know where I leave it!