This is a series of stories selected to tell the story of how the author became an astronaut and in the process discovered what her particular gifts were. I originally learned about this through Adam Savage's YouTube channel. It follows a chronological order describing how she became a PhD chemist, joined the Air Force, was accepted into the astronaut program, trained for Space Shuttle missions, worked for NASA in various roles, qualified to live in the International Space Station for a nearly six month stint. All of it was accomplished despite casual and pervasive sexism, a committed long distance family arrangement, and conquering the many physical challenges going along with the job. There are three appendices covering frequently asked questions astronauts need to field. It all seems so orderly a march a goal, studded with perfectly crafted anecdotes along the way which lead to lessons the author wants to share with everyone. This book is an easy sell to space nuts but also tries hard to be relevant to everyone who can appreciate an upbeat story of persistence winning out over obstacles also featuring nicely drawn personality descriptions.

I listened to the author reading her work which also has an additional musical bonus excerpting the flute duet she organized and played with Ian Anderson of the band Jethro Tull in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of space exploration. I enjoyed hearing her describe the rigors of centrifuge high-G training, practicing shuttle maneuvers in a NASA neutral buoyancy tank, and the years parenting and sustaining a marriage while "geographically single," all in her own words. There wasn't a great deal of suspense as to whether every challenge would be conquered in the end, and rather few lasting scars and regrets to dwell upon.