Mercury 13
Further Information
The Lost Story of Thirteen Women and the Dream of Space Flight
"A fine read that inspires fist-shaking indignation." - Wired
Twenty years before Sally Ride gained fame, the Mercury 13 fought for their dreams in a male-run field. In the early 1960s during the space race and while the first men were flying rockets to the moon, these women pilots trained hard to become the first American female astronauts, often surpassing the test results of male counterparts. Dynamic women who sometimes sacrificed jobs and marriages for a chance to participate in the country's race against the Soviet Union (which sent its first woman into space in 1963), their struggle paved the way for today's women astronauts. While wearing skirts and high heels, they helped open doors for all women in jobs that are viewed as unconventional, improper or dangerous.
The Mercury 13 was awarded the Amelia Earhart Research Medal by Ninety Nines, the international organization of women pilots, and the 2004 Media Prize from The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. In 2003 BookMarks magazine named Mercury 13 one of the top 50 books.
We invite you to learn more about this forgotten part of American history.
Common Reading Books from Previous Years
Book Club Chat
Students, staff and faculty, bring your lunch
and join us for a book club-like discussion of The Mercury 13!
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Tuesday, Oct. 27
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Noon - 1:00pm
- McCain Library Terrace (McCain 211 if it's raining)
Author Lecture
Dr. Martha Ackmann will talk about her book on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009 @ 7:30 p.m. in Gaines Chapel, Presser Hall at Agnes Scott College. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Reception and Book Signing will follow in Rebekah Hall, Woltz Reception Room. Need more info? Call 404-471-5277.
McCain Library gratefully acknowldeges the support of the Georgia Humanities Council, the Minter Family Foundation, the Mount Holyoke College Alumnae Association and the Georgia Center for the Book.
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