This book tells the fascinating stories of the valiant women who broke down barriers to join the space program. Beginning with the orbital flight of USSR cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova in 1963, they became players in the greatest adventure of our time. The author contextualizes their accomplishments in light of the political and cultural climate, from the Cold War in the background to the changing status of women in society at large during the Seventies.
The book includes the biographies of, and in some cases interviews with, the sixty women who flew in space in the first half century of space history. It reports their achievements and some little known details. The result is a gallery of pioneering women who reached for the stars: women who, with exceptional skill, hard work, and dedication, reached impressive careers as accomplished pilots, researchers, and engineers; many are now in high level managerial positions both at NASA or in public and private organizations, and all left a legacy of strength.
"As an interesting point of curiosity, Cavallaro also includes among the back matter a table of 17 women spacefarers who married other astronauts, either before, after, or during their respective spaceflight careers. Having all of this information in one place makes Women Spacefarers a reference book that will be useful to those in the space field for years to come. . Cavallaro's account of women spacefarers remains a helpful reference." (Margaret A. Weitekamp, Quest, Vol. 27 (1), 2020)
"The book is well written, the amount and depth of detail is constant, and each chapter is tastefully illustrated with at least one astronautical stamp ... . The book certainly deserves a place in libraries of history of science, popular science, and gender studies, or in one's private collection; there is ample high-quality reading for everyone." (Elizabeth Griffin, The Observatory, Vol. 137 (1261), December, 2017)
"The book consists of short chapters on female spacefarers, along with several photographs. . This work serves as a strong examination of females' evolving roles during the eras of space exploration. Summing Up: Recommended. All readers." (J. Z. Kiss, Choice, Vol. 55 (2), October, 2017)
"If you've ever been interested in what kind of background women astronauts have, then this is the book to read. Cavallaro present short biographies of sixty women who have flown in space. . The book also serves as a good introduction to the history of women spacefarers - what were the reasons for keeping women out of space missions in the first place and what changed in the attitudes of different space programs and culture." (AstroMadness.com, August, 2017)
