The Six
The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts
By Loren Grush
Read by Inés del Castillo
Table of Contents
About The Book
“Vivid.” —The Guardian * “Engrossing.” —Booklist * “Suspenseful, meticulously observed, enlightening.” —Margot Lee Shetterly, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Figures
In this account of America’s first women astronauts “Grush skillfully weaves a story that, at its heart, is about desire: not a nation’s desire to conquer space, but the longing of six women to reach heights that were forbidden to them” (The New York Times).
When NASA sent astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 1970s the agency excluded women from the corps, arguing that only military test pilots—a group then made up exclusively of men—had the right stuff. It was an era in which women were steered away from jobs in science and deemed unqualified for space flight. Eventually, though, NASA recognized its blunder and opened the application process to a wider array of hopefuls, regardless of race or gender. From a candidate pool of 8,000 six elite women were selected in 1978—Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon.
In The Six, acclaimed journalist Loren Grush shows these brilliant and courageous women enduring claustrophobic—and sometimes deeply sexist—media attention, undergoing rigorous survival training, and preparing for years to take multi-million-dollar payloads into orbit. Together, the Six helped build the tools that made the space program run. One of the group, Judy Resnik, sacrificed her life when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded at 46,000 feet. Everyone knows of Sally Ride’s history-making first space ride, but each of the Six would make their mark. “A spirited group biography…it’s hard not to feel awe for these women” (The Wall Street Journal).
In this account of America’s first women astronauts “Grush skillfully weaves a story that, at its heart, is about desire: not a nation’s desire to conquer space, but the longing of six women to reach heights that were forbidden to them” (The New York Times).
When NASA sent astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 1970s the agency excluded women from the corps, arguing that only military test pilots—a group then made up exclusively of men—had the right stuff. It was an era in which women were steered away from jobs in science and deemed unqualified for space flight. Eventually, though, NASA recognized its blunder and opened the application process to a wider array of hopefuls, regardless of race or gender. From a candidate pool of 8,000 six elite women were selected in 1978—Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon.
In The Six, acclaimed journalist Loren Grush shows these brilliant and courageous women enduring claustrophobic—and sometimes deeply sexist—media attention, undergoing rigorous survival training, and preparing for years to take multi-million-dollar payloads into orbit. Together, the Six helped build the tools that made the space program run. One of the group, Judy Resnik, sacrificed her life when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded at 46,000 feet. Everyone knows of Sally Ride’s history-making first space ride, but each of the Six would make their mark. “A spirited group biography…it’s hard not to feel awe for these women” (The Wall Street Journal).
Reading Group Guide
This reading group guide for THE SIX includes an introduction, discussion questions, and ideas for enhancing your book club. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.
Introduction
The remarkable true story of America’s first women astronauts—six extraordinary women, each making history going to orbit aboard NASA’s Space Shuttle
When NASA sent astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 1970s the agency excluded women from the corps, arguing that only military test pilots—a group then made up exclusively of men—had the right stuff. It was an era in which women were steered away from jobs in science and deemed unqualified for space flight. Eventually, though, NASA recognized its blunder and opened the application process to a wider array of hopefuls, regardless of race or gender. From a candidate pool of eight thousand, six elite women were selected in 1978—Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon.
In The Six, acclaimed journalist Loren Grush shows these brilliant and courageous women enduring claustrophobic—and sometimes deeply sexist—media attention, undergoing rigorous survival training, and preparing for years to take multimillion-dollar payloads into orbit. Together, the Six helped build the tools that made the space program run. One of the group, Judy Resnik, sacrificed her life when the space shuttle Challenger exploded at forty-six thousand feet. Everyone knows of Sally Ride’s history-making first space ride, but each of the Six would make their mark.
Topics & Questions for Discussion
1. Each of the Six blazed a different path to become an astronaut. Which path did you find the most interesting? Which was the most unlikely?
2. The Six had to endure many difficult, tedious, and at times seemingly random trials in their preparation to become astronauts—everything from mental math to flying fighter jets. Which trials were the most interesting or surprising to you? What would you have struggled with?
3. The story of the Six is filled with rich side characters, including Nichelle Nichols, Jerrie Cobb, George Abbey, Carolyn Huntoon, Bob Crippen, and so many more. Who stuck out to you as endearing? Who added the most to your personal experience with this book?
4. How did you feel reading about the sexism the Six faced? Did any instances of sexism particularly surprise or anger you?
5. At the July 1962 House subcommittee hearings on qualifications for astronauts, astronaut John Glenn said, “Let me preface my remarks by one statement: I am not ‘anti’ any particular group. I’m just pro-space.” Discuss the parallels with cultural discourse today. How much do you agree with this statement?
6. A lot has changed since the era of the Six—but maybe not as much as we thought. What is the same and what is different about attitudes surrounding representation and diversity in the 1970s and ’80s versus now?
7. For Americans especially, the Challenger explosion was one of the most significant events of the twentieth century. How did the knowledge of Judy Resnik’s death shape your reading experience? How did the context of the Challenger explosion influence what you took away from the other missions, which were generally celebratory occasions?
Enhance Your Book Club
1. Sally struggled with the media attention that came with being the first American woman to fly to space. Would you have wanted to be the first? If so, how would you have approached it? What would you gave struggled with the most? What would your hopes and fears be?
2. Throughout the book, the astronauts emphasize that, above all, they just want to fly—and sooner rather than later. Can you relate to this feeling regarding anything in your own life?
3. Think about strong female leads in other books and movies. Do any of the Six remind you of them? In what way?
4. What job would you have wanted in preparation for the Space Shuttle launch? What tasks would you have wanted to carry out aboard the Shuttle?
5. Have you ever wanted to go to space? Why or why not?
Introduction
The remarkable true story of America’s first women astronauts—six extraordinary women, each making history going to orbit aboard NASA’s Space Shuttle
When NASA sent astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 1970s the agency excluded women from the corps, arguing that only military test pilots—a group then made up exclusively of men—had the right stuff. It was an era in which women were steered away from jobs in science and deemed unqualified for space flight. Eventually, though, NASA recognized its blunder and opened the application process to a wider array of hopefuls, regardless of race or gender. From a candidate pool of eight thousand, six elite women were selected in 1978—Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon.
In The Six, acclaimed journalist Loren Grush shows these brilliant and courageous women enduring claustrophobic—and sometimes deeply sexist—media attention, undergoing rigorous survival training, and preparing for years to take multimillion-dollar payloads into orbit. Together, the Six helped build the tools that made the space program run. One of the group, Judy Resnik, sacrificed her life when the space shuttle Challenger exploded at forty-six thousand feet. Everyone knows of Sally Ride’s history-making first space ride, but each of the Six would make their mark.
Topics & Questions for Discussion
1. Each of the Six blazed a different path to become an astronaut. Which path did you find the most interesting? Which was the most unlikely?
2. The Six had to endure many difficult, tedious, and at times seemingly random trials in their preparation to become astronauts—everything from mental math to flying fighter jets. Which trials were the most interesting or surprising to you? What would you have struggled with?
3. The story of the Six is filled with rich side characters, including Nichelle Nichols, Jerrie Cobb, George Abbey, Carolyn Huntoon, Bob Crippen, and so many more. Who stuck out to you as endearing? Who added the most to your personal experience with this book?
4. How did you feel reading about the sexism the Six faced? Did any instances of sexism particularly surprise or anger you?
5. At the July 1962 House subcommittee hearings on qualifications for astronauts, astronaut John Glenn said, “Let me preface my remarks by one statement: I am not ‘anti’ any particular group. I’m just pro-space.” Discuss the parallels with cultural discourse today. How much do you agree with this statement?
6. A lot has changed since the era of the Six—but maybe not as much as we thought. What is the same and what is different about attitudes surrounding representation and diversity in the 1970s and ’80s versus now?
7. For Americans especially, the Challenger explosion was one of the most significant events of the twentieth century. How did the knowledge of Judy Resnik’s death shape your reading experience? How did the context of the Challenger explosion influence what you took away from the other missions, which were generally celebratory occasions?
Enhance Your Book Club
1. Sally struggled with the media attention that came with being the first American woman to fly to space. Would you have wanted to be the first? If so, how would you have approached it? What would you gave struggled with the most? What would your hopes and fears be?
2. Throughout the book, the astronauts emphasize that, above all, they just want to fly—and sooner rather than later. Can you relate to this feeling regarding anything in your own life?
3. Think about strong female leads in other books and movies. Do any of the Six remind you of them? In what way?
4. What job would you have wanted in preparation for the Space Shuttle launch? What tasks would you have wanted to carry out aboard the Shuttle?
5. Have you ever wanted to go to space? Why or why not?
About The Author
Photograph by Christopher White
Loren Grush
Loren Grush is a space reporter for Bloomberg, where she covers everything from NASA, human spaceflight, and the booming commercial space industry to distant stars and planets. The daughter of two NASA engineers, she grew up surrounded by space shuttles and rocket scientists—literally. Prior to joining Bloomberg, she was a senior science reporter for The Verge, where she covered space and hosted her own online video series called Space Craft, a show that examined what it takes to send people into the cosmos. Loren has also published stories in Popular Science, The New York Times, Nautilus magazine, Digital Trends, and more.
About The Reader
Inés del Castillo
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (September 12, 2023)
- Runtime: 11 hours and 41 minutes
- ISBN13: 9781797160610
Raves and Reviews
"Journalist Loren Grush's compelling history of the first women selected for NASA’s astronaut corps is perfectly paired with Inés del Castillo’s conversational and sensitively attuned narration. While these women’s lives became inextricably bound through their historic service, this engaging audio production explores their individual experiences, both personal and professional."
– AudioFile Magazine
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): The Six Unabridged Audio Download 9781797160610
- Author Photo (jpg): Loren Grush Photograph by Christopher White(0.1 MB)
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