Join us for our June book club discussion of The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal. This month’s title is the first in an adult alternate history trilogy about an engineer driven to become the first Lady Astronaut.
From the Publisher:
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.
This discussion is part of our our Ten Years of Girls in Capes Book Club at Main Point Books celebration in 2024. The Calculating Stars was originally part of our 2019 book club lineup.
Meet us in person at Main Point Books on June 15 at 4 p.m. Eastern for this book discussion by RSVPing via Facebook Events. Please visit Main Point Books online to order your copy of The Calculating Stars or other books in the Lady Astronaut series for delivery or in-store pickup.
