Hidden Figures

The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race

By: Margot Lee Shetterly

Narrated by: Robin Miles

Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

The phenomenal true story of the Black female mathematicians at NASA whose calculations helped fuel some of America's greatest achievements in space. Now 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 shots 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 as they faced challenges, forged alliances, and used their intellects to change their own lives - and their country's future.

©2016 Margot Lee Shetterly (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Robin Miles narrates the true story of four Black women whose work as mathematicians helped break the sound barrier, and set the stage for space exploration.... Miles warmly profiles these hard-working women and their significant contributions to a field still dominated by white men.... Miles's inflections, rhythm, and pace move the story forward in a fascinating timeline of events." ( AudioFile)

Good story, poorly written.

This is based on the story of black women mathematicians at NASA and its predecessor agency in the 50s 60s and 70s. It's a really good story, but the writing is full of clichés extended metaphors and and digressions which seem to be random and detract from the overall flow of the narrative. It's a shame.

Time exceptionally well spent

The book provides much greater scope and historical context than movie, as well done as it was.

History often holds great Stories

I got this boom after seeing the movie, wanting the added details I knew the film had to skip or compress. I wasn't disappointed.

I'd recommend this to anyone with an interest in the history of America's technological development, especially as it pertains to our space program or our terrestrial aeronautics industry.

I'd also recommend it to anyone from an underrepresented group that's looking to get into a tech-based career. The people highlighted here had it MUCH harder than we do in 2017, and they succeeded at VERY high levels. But not without a LOT of hard work and perseverance, even in the face of overwhelming odds.

The narrator did an excellent job and never seemed "in the way" of the story being told.

A good editor would have made a big difference

Any additional comments?

This is an important story that needed to be told, and clearly Ms. Shetterly did the research. The book is about racial prejudice in the late 50s, but it's also about black women and their contribution to the space race. While she is a good wordsmith, the story lacked continuity. To me it seemed like a series of unconnected vignettes, and we never see a map as to where we're going. Moreover, I never cared about the characters, i.e. there was no development. What was needed was for someone to edit the book so that Ms. Shetterly's considerable writing talent could be properly presented and appreciated. In this instance, the movie was much better than the book since it told a story, and one could not help rooting for the characters.

An Important Story That Needed To Be Told

What I Liked: The level of detail that goes into this book is pretty phenomenal as it covers a lot of stories throughout the history of pretty much modern aviation and the space program. But instead of focusing on the big heroes in the sky, we're in a building following the lives of women running math computations at desks. And the book manages to make this work sound incredibly exciting without actually going too deep into the math itself.

And the book really does a lot to talk about these women not just as parts of a larger machine but as people. So we come to better appreciate the challenges of their daily commute or the casual discrimination they experienced at the cafeteria and all the other complications of being an African-American woman in that period. Thus the book manages to convey some very important ideas that really need to be talked about more when it comes to racism, the role of women and other things.

What Could Have Been Better: The ebb and flow of this narrative is a rather organic one, especially since it's not focused on the live of just one Human Computer but a good number of them. And the level of detail I spoke about earlier means a lot of different people that you need to keep track of, which can be a little dizzying as an audiobook experience.

The book has a lot to say but a times it feels like they have just a little too much to talk about to manage effectively. The main historical arc about the contribution of these women to the space program is already a very big thing to cover. But so is the civil rights struggle and the fight for equality for women. I'm not saying they should have disregarded these other topics but at times it does feel like not all of these subjects are given the weight and importance of these big ticket items. It's a lot to ask from any author.

Little Black History Facts

This book is full of black history facts that our kids will never learn in k-12. I was so overwhelmed by the stories in this book. Many thanks to the author.

I guess I will rent the movie

I listen to several chapters in their family gave up. I don't know whether it was the reader or maybe this book just does not lend itself well to being read aloud. The story was interesting, but listening to it read in a rather monotone voice bored me until I could listen no more. But I actually think I will enjoy the movie.

Amazing

I really enjoyed this book! I love history and especially Herstory. For too long the contribution to our nation by people of color and women has been overshadowed or ignored. I think everyone should read this book. I am going to have my Girl Scout troop read it and watch the movie. Plus my book group is reading it next month on my suggestion. Listen to it!

Narrative, not a Novel

Very good narrative of the history of black and white women in the history of NASA. Not entertaining enough to keep the listener awake in the car (I had to alternate with a novel). Still, it's worth the listen.

Wonderful insight into history unknown

I thoroughly enjoyed, and, at times, reveled in the memories of our American history while listening to this book. I do, however, have to say, as a woman--and I am a white woman reared in the South, I cheered and was so proud to see the achievements made. I will also honestly say it opened my eyes to some things I am not proud of in my heritage. I came from a different kind of Southern family, very open to others culturally but, unfortunately sensitive to them as well. What I learned on my grandfather's lap was to treat others as I wished to be treated and to help the less fortunate, never forgetting where we came from. Did we always do what was right? I don't think so but that attitude and lesson is still passed on in our family. I do have memories as a small child watching the lunar landings and watching those first moon steps. I am proud to finally have more insight and knowledge into that process and so appreciate the effort and knowledge provided by these women and men. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.