[WT Sharpe]

I just finished the book. I borrowed it as an audiobook from my library and it didn't arrive on my device until three or four days ago. I had reserved both the ebook and audiobook editions, and the audiobook became available first. I'll have to say that I enjoyed it so much that I'll have to buy the ebook for a later reread.

Even though all of this took place in my own backyard, I was unaware of the struggles the women endured. To be sure, I was born in 1950 and was in a segregated elementary school when Alan Shepherd made his historic flight, but I well recall that event. What was hidden from me for all those years was the stories of the black female computers at NASA.

Hampton and Newport News are a part of the Tidewater region in which I live, so the places and streets were all familiar to me. I even learned a little about the history of one of the most familiar streets in Newport News. I'm quite familiar with Mercury Blvd., and don't recall it ever being Military Blvd., but I was quite young when the name was changed. I wasn't aware that it was done in honor of the Mercury program and astronauts, though it makes perfect sense.

On the critical side, I felt there were a couple of times when the author repeated other portions of the book practically verbatim, but overall I found it quite pleasant to read.

Less pleasant were the reminders of the rampant racism of the region; a racism that may have modified its outer form to become more covert but unfortunately still persists.