Book guide
The Calculating Stars
After a meteorite devastates Earth in 1952, a brilliant pilot-mathematician fights sexism and a ticking climate deadline to help launch humanity into space.
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About The Calculating Stars
A world in crisis, the birth of space flight and a heroine for her time and ours; the acclaimed first novel in the Lady Astronaut series has something for everyone., On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington D.C. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process. Elma York's experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition's attempts to put man on the moon, as a calculator. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn't take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can't go into space, too. Elma's drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.
Reading signals
- Spice
- Light
- Darkness
- Balanced
- Pacing
- Balanced
Series
Lady Astronaut · Book 1 of 4
Content warnings
- meteorite impact
- climate catastrophe
- mass destruction
- sexism
- misogyny
- racism
- alcohol
- bullying
- death
- panic attacks
- anxiety
- antisemitism
- suicide attempt (references)
- death of parent
- sexual content
