If you liked the movie, this book is definitely worth checking out. The movie was just the tip of the iceberg that is the full true story, which is rich in culture and history.
I was hooked from the first page of the prologue, when the author revealed her own personal connection to the NASA Langley Research Center. Though the movie focused on the space race, the story of black women at NASA actually started during WWII.
As it turns out, Katherine Goble Johnson joined her group during WWII, well before the space race, and in fact, West Computing was disbanded as part of the creation of NASA. Having loved the movie, I must admit to being somewhat disappointed that many of the most memorable parts of the movie were over-dramatizations and simplifications. Still, it was easy to set aside the movie as entertainment in order to focus on the book's steady reveal of fascinating information. From beginning to end, I was constantly calling out to my husband, "Listen to this!" I learned so much about the history of NASA, day-to-day life during WWII, and even a bit about aeronautics. Most importantly, the book described scientific progress alongside social progress for blacks and women, offering context and keen insight into race relations, segregation, and how WWII helped shape the advancement of racial justice and gender equality.
This book introduces to the reader lots of interesting pieces of history all interconnected at Langley, and many notable individuals who helped shape that history, from black computers and white computers to black professors and white engineer allies. Perhaps a bit like the Langley campus, the story is sprawling, but the author deftly ties it all together in a seamless story of talent, perseverance, and inspiration.
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