The Six
The Extraordinary Story of the Grit and Daring of America's First Women Astronauts
Table of Contents
About The Book
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
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
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.
Product Details
- Publisher: Scribner (September 12, 2023)
- Length: 432 pages
- ISBN13: 9781982172824
Raves and Reviews
An Amazon Best History Book of 2023
A September 2023 Indie Next Pick
“Tales of the space race enshrined in American history too often center on white men and elevate machismo…Science journalist Loren Grush reclaims this place as female…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… Like space travel itself, The Six widens our vision of what it means to belong to ‘the whole family of humankind.’”
—New York Times
“A spirited group biography…The Six joins a growing list of books heralding women’s achievements in scientific settings where their presence was unusual or unwelcome. These include Margot Lee Shetterly’s Hidden Figures and Kate Zernike’s The Exceptions, which follows the women scientists who fought for equal opportunity at MIT at the turn of the 21st. It’s hard not to feel awe for these women.”
—Wall Street Journal
“Vivid…Grush paints a compelling picture of the rigors faced by these driven and accomplished women….Grush writes optimistically that the growth of the commercial space industry will bring greater opportunities for female astronauts. Whatever happens next, The Six is an important record of their achievements so far.”
—The Guardian
“Remarkable...Grush has an important story to tell, and she tells it well. An inspiring story of the first American women to go into space, charting their own course for the horizon.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Engrossing…a well-rounded narrative…The Six highlights the contributions of women in science and the challenges they face.”
—Booklist
“[Creates] an intimacy that makes [each astronaut] utterly memorable….Grush makes it thrillingly clear: These six women rose far above such misogyny, smashing our planet’s highest ceilings as they soared.”
—BookPage (starred review)
“Suspenseful, meticulously observed, enlightening…Lifts the curtain on the moment when Neil Armstrong’s ‘one small step for man’ expanded to encompass the talent, ambition, and perseverance of America’s first female astronauts.”
—Margot Lee Shetterly, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Figures
“A dazzling look into the lives of the first U.S. women to venture into space….This is a story that had to be told, and Grush has told it brilliantly.”
—Ashlee Vance, New York Times bestselling author of Elon Musk: Tesla, Space X, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future
“One of the most important stories to come out of the space age….One can't help but cheer for these women of destiny as their journey unfolds…Superb.”
—Homer Hickam, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Rocket Boys, basis of the film October Sky
“A powerful, gripping, and at times heartbreaking tale of human courage in the face of impossible odds. The Six reminds us of the price that women paid to join men in space—and why these women still matter today.”
—Keith O'Brien, New York Times bestselling author of Fly Girls and Paradise Falls
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): The Six eBook 9781982172824
- Author Photo (jpg): Loren Grush Photograph by Christopher White(0.1 MB)
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