Review of
Instaread Summary, Analysis & Review of Margot Lee
Shetterly's Hidden Figures The American
Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the
Space Race
Five out of five stars
I open this
review by stating that I am a long-time math professor and reviewer of over 100
math books, so I have a natural affinity for books in the area. This also means
that I have a great deal of experience and can quickly spot a dud.
It is a rare occasion
when I read a review or a summary of a book and then absolutely have to read
it. This is such a book, the summary describes very well the situation for African-American
people in mathematics and science and how they faced discrimination, even by
agencies and a nation that was in dire need of their talents. The book is
clearly as much about the struggles of blacks for recognition and advancement
as it is about their achievements.
The story of
Kathleen Goble Johnson is particularly enlightening, astronaut John Glenn gave
her the highest possible praise when he told the engineers, ““get the girl to
check the numbers.” When his life was on the line as he was about to embark on
the first orbital flight by an American, Glenn was not comfortable until
Johnson confirmed that the numbers that were to get him safely back to Earth
were correct.
This is the
best Instaread summary that I have read so far.
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