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Promised the Moon: The Untold Story of the First Women in the Space Race
In 1959, the doctor who supervised NASA's astronaut selection concluded that women might fare better in space than men. His testing of 25 top female pilots for reactions to isolation, centrifuge, and weightlessness proved him right, and 13 exceptional candidates were identified. Despite countless personal and professional sacrifices, these women joined NASA's clandestine new program -- which, after two intensive years, was suddenly, and mysteriously, canceled. Promised the Moon chronicles the dramatic story of the rise and fall of these pioneering female astronauts, patriots betrayed by men like John Glenn, who opposed women astronauts, and by someone from their own ranks. The first writer to track down the surviving Fellow Lady Astronaut Trainees, Stephanie Nolen vividly brings this fascinating and timely tale to life. Historical photographs are included in this riveting account.
356 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 22, 2008
It's slow going in parts, but if you let your anger at the injustice of sexism burn through, you'll make it to the good parts.
August 22, 2019
Definitely worth reading! Fascinating history of the women who were recruited to be astronauts (before Apollo!!). Starting from the aviatrixes of the 1920s, the pages are filled with incredible stories of the most fascinating individuals. One of the ladies used to dance the Charleston on the wingtips (WOW!)
February 17, 2011
In the early days of space exploration, well before the first moon landing, a small group of female pilots took (and passed) the same physical evaluations as the Mercury astronauts as part of a privately-funded research program on women in space. Jerrie Cobb, the first woman to finish the tests, went on to successfully complete the other two phases of astronaut testing, but her fellow candidates were turned away at the last minute. This book tells the story of Cobb, her "Fellow Lady Astronaut Trainees," and the clash of politics and personality that surrounded their dream of spaceflight.
It begins with a general overview of the history of women in aviation. There was a special focus on Jackie Cochran's Women Airforce Service Pilots during WWII, because of the role Cochran would play in the female astronaut research. Then we get the story of the aspiring astronauts, the process of their testing, and the aftermath of the program's cancellation. Finally, there's an update on the lives and later careers of the group.
The subject was really interesting, but despite that, the book was sometimes an awkward, slow read. Only a few of the women profiled really stood out, because many of them were introduced in such quick succession that I had a difficult time remembering which name went with which bio.
Constant repetition made some sections feel too drawn out. To be fair, part of this was because the stories of early female pilots have a lot of similarities (such as being denied access to the best planes unless a company decided on a "so easy that a woman can fly it" marketing strategy), but it was also partly because the author seemed to pick up on the same larger points over and over again each time an example of them is raised.
I found the portrayal of some of the interpersonal struggles a little disappointing, the book occasionally took on an unnecessarily gossipy tone. The author acknowledges that these aspects of the story play into unfortunate stereotypes, but I felt like she could have handled the infighting more evenly and with a little more detachment.
Between much more recent examples of sexism at NASA and the continuing aspirations (as well as the odd stories) of two of the women, things end on a bit of a depressing note. This book did make me really interested in reading more about earlier stories of female aviation pioneers.
It begins with a general overview of the history of women in aviation. There was a special focus on Jackie Cochran's Women Airforce Service Pilots during WWII, because of the role Cochran would play in the female astronaut research. Then we get the story of the aspiring astronauts, the process of their testing, and the aftermath of the program's cancellation. Finally, there's an update on the lives and later careers of the group.
The subject was really interesting, but despite that, the book was sometimes an awkward, slow read. Only a few of the women profiled really stood out, because many of them were introduced in such quick succession that I had a difficult time remembering which name went with which bio.
Constant repetition made some sections feel too drawn out. To be fair, part of this was because the stories of early female pilots have a lot of similarities (such as being denied access to the best planes unless a company decided on a "so easy that a woman can fly it" marketing strategy), but it was also partly because the author seemed to pick up on the same larger points over and over again each time an example of them is raised.
I found the portrayal of some of the interpersonal struggles a little disappointing, the book occasionally took on an unnecessarily gossipy tone. The author acknowledges that these aspects of the story play into unfortunate stereotypes, but I felt like she could have handled the infighting more evenly and with a little more detachment.
Between much more recent examples of sexism at NASA and the continuing aspirations (as well as the odd stories) of two of the women, things end on a bit of a depressing note. This book did make me really interested in reading more about earlier stories of female aviation pioneers.
December 30, 2016
THERE MIGHT ME SOME SPOILERS IN HERE, BUT HONESTLY, HOW DO YOU SPOIL A NON-FICTION BOOK.
Promised the Moon is supposedly about the Untold Story of the First Women in the Space Race. Well, if that's what you think when you pick up this book, you will be sorely disappointed.
That part of the book only starts at the chapter Fellow Lady Astronaut Trainees. The 7 or so chapters before are just random facts, useless background info, and occasionallyshocking really important information.
Summaries of Chapters
Chapter 1.
Starts out interesting with Jerrie Cobb learning that she will be able to undergo astronaut testing! Then there is a long background history on the space race thatstartlingly isn't awful.
Chapters 2-7.
Here is some useless background info on aviation, Jerrie Cobb, Jackie Cochran, the WASPs in WW2, the female astronauts who underwent astronaut training, all of which just really blended together. A tiny portion on how Jerrie went through astronaut training, the part I think was the only important part.
Chapters 8-11
Like I said before, where the book actually started getting interesting. Here you can finally see the different females reactions to the astronaut tests they went through in Fellow Lady Astronaut Trainees. The next chapter is basically about the fight to get them back into the testing program they got kicked out of, mostly composed of a hearing. Afterwards, the aftermath.
So in conclusion, Stephanie Nolen should have condensed everything before Chapter 8 into one and started the book then.
Read this if you do not mind sifting through miles of other unrelated information.
Promised the Moon is supposedly about the Untold Story of the First Women in the Space Race. Well, if that's what you think when you pick up this book, you will be sorely disappointed.
That part of the book only starts at the chapter Fellow Lady Astronaut Trainees. The 7 or so chapters before are just random facts, useless background info, and occasionally
Summaries of Chapters
Chapter 1.
Starts out interesting with Jerrie Cobb learning that she will be able to undergo astronaut testing! Then there is a long background history on the space race that
Chapters 2-7.
Here is some useless background info on aviation, Jerrie Cobb, Jackie Cochran, the WASPs in WW2, the female astronauts who underwent astronaut training, all of which just really blended together. A tiny portion on how Jerrie went through astronaut training, the part I think was the only important part.
Chapters 8-11
Like I said before, where the book actually started getting interesting. Here you can finally see the different females reactions to the astronaut tests they went through in Fellow Lady Astronaut Trainees. The next chapter is basically about the fight to get them back into the testing program they got kicked out of, mostly composed of a hearing. Afterwards, the aftermath.
So in conclusion, Stephanie Nolen should have condensed everything before Chapter 8 into one and started the book then.
Read this if you do not mind sifting through miles of other unrelated information.
February 28, 2015
I had to read this book for school, but it was one of a list of several books, and I made the conscious decision to pick this book, as I was intrigued by the description.
I want to go back in time and just punch myself in the face.
This story should have been absolutely amazing, and yet Stephanie Nolan somehow found a way to make it one of the worst books I've ever read. Some people may have liked this, but for me and for several other people I know who have read the book, it was just terrible. The author goes off on random tangents regarding topics that have little to no relevancy whatsoever to the plot, and probably could have been summed up in brief, informative paragraphs rather than droll, interminable pages that made up at least one third of the book. I mean seriously- what does the Lavender Scare and the biographies of every aviatrix who has ever lived have anything to do with these women and their battle for equality?
It's depressing to me that this story, chock-full of amazing potential, was ruined by irrelevancy and poor writing. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and burn my book in the backyard.
I want to go back in time and just punch myself in the face.
This story should have been absolutely amazing, and yet Stephanie Nolan somehow found a way to make it one of the worst books I've ever read. Some people may have liked this, but for me and for several other people I know who have read the book, it was just terrible. The author goes off on random tangents regarding topics that have little to no relevancy whatsoever to the plot, and probably could have been summed up in brief, informative paragraphs rather than droll, interminable pages that made up at least one third of the book. I mean seriously- what does the Lavender Scare and the biographies of every aviatrix who has ever lived have anything to do with these women and their battle for equality?
It's depressing to me that this story, chock-full of amazing potential, was ruined by irrelevancy and poor writing. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and burn my book in the backyard.
March 1, 2017
I want to start out by saying that I enjoyed reading this book. It helped to fill in some of the gaps that were left after reading Martha Ackmann's THE MERCURY 13. That being said..... I have no idea what was fact & what was speculation on the author's part, because there were no footnotes--just a bibliography at the end of the book. How is the reader supposed to know where these quotes come from when they aren't sourced? (Back when I was in HS, if I handed in a term paper without attributing quoted text to where/who it came from, I'd get an F..... How did this book get past an Editor?!?) According to her profile on Amazon, the author states that she writes non-fiction, but reads fiction--and it shows. It's too bad too, because this book has a story that needs to be told.
October 3, 2008
Book club
I'd say similar things to this one as The Mercury 13: The True Story of Thirteen Women and the Dream of Space Flight by Martha Ackmann and Lynn Sherr. This one seemed to provide a bit more detail about the group in general (especially after the cancelling of the Pensacola tests), and there was sufficiently different information in this vs. the one above to make both worthwhile to read.
I'd say similar things to this one as The Mercury 13: The True Story of Thirteen Women and the Dream of Space Flight by Martha Ackmann and Lynn Sherr. This one seemed to provide a bit more detail about the group in general (especially after the cancelling of the Pensacola tests), and there was sufficiently different information in this vs. the one above to make both worthwhile to read.
September 28, 2019
OPI tried very hard to like this book. As someone who has read extensively on the manned spaceflight program, met astronauts and spent a career in the U.S. Air Force, the subject of this book intrigued me. I had never heard of the "Mercury 13" before and was surprised that I had not heard of them before. This should have been an intriguing and eye opening book.
Instead, it was badly misnamed. First, there was no promise, explicit or implied, that any one of the 13 would get a spaceflight. What was promised by Dr. Randy Lovelace was that they could take the medical qualification tests. Period.
Second, the author tells us in the epilogue how many times this story had been told, from Life magazine and newspaper articles to the books that they wrote, this story has been told. It may not have been told well or correctly, but it has been told.
Also, there was one major error in fact (Apollo 11 landed July 20, 1969, not July 12 as noted in the book), along with grammatical errors and a few chronic spelling errors. For instance, Air Force, as used in this book, should have been capitalized as it was referring to the United States Air Force, a proper name, and not a more generalized term. These errors, some major, most slight detracted from the read.
Mostly, however, what this book lacked was a coherent focus. What IS this book really about?
Was it about the medical tests that Dr. Lovelace conducted? Was it a biography of Jerrie Cobb? Was it a biography of Jackie Cochran? Or was it about the Congressional hearings in 1962?
What the author tries to do is use this story to show how women were discriminated against during the early days of spaceflight, but acknowledges in the last chapter and epilogue that Eisenhower made the criteria for astronaut qualification standards, Kennedy made going to the moon the goal, and that NASA selected all the astronauts they needed. In other words, women were not excluded because of their sex, but rather because of the social constructs that existed at the time (no women test pilots = no woman astronauts).
Furthermore, unlike Tom Wolfe's Right Stuff, this is not written about a fraternity of female pilots. Other than Cobb, the remaining 12 act as a supporting cast. We hear more about Janey Hart because of her political connections, but of the others we learn every little, almost as if they are afterthoughts. More was presented about Jackie Cochran and her background than the others who took the tests.
The author was presented with a wonderful opportunity to tell an intriguing story but failed. Instead we are left with impressions that may or may not be true - that Jerrie Cobb was a naive woman who felt scorned because she didn't get a spaceflight; that Jackie Cochran was a miserable selfish bitch; that Janey Hart is a heroine because she was an original co-founder of NOW; that LBJ was a philandering sexist who could have approved the Navy tests but didn't do so; and that John Glenn and upper management at NASA was part of the good ol boys club that intentionally wanted women excluded. The author's political bias and agenda detracted from the heart of the story - that 13 female pilots were all qualified for the medical tests at Dr. Lovelace's clinic. Not focusing on that is the most disappointing of all.
Instead, it was badly misnamed. First, there was no promise, explicit or implied, that any one of the 13 would get a spaceflight. What was promised by Dr. Randy Lovelace was that they could take the medical qualification tests. Period.
Second, the author tells us in the epilogue how many times this story had been told, from Life magazine and newspaper articles to the books that they wrote, this story has been told. It may not have been told well or correctly, but it has been told.
Also, there was one major error in fact (Apollo 11 landed July 20, 1969, not July 12 as noted in the book), along with grammatical errors and a few chronic spelling errors. For instance, Air Force, as used in this book, should have been capitalized as it was referring to the United States Air Force, a proper name, and not a more generalized term. These errors, some major, most slight detracted from the read.
Mostly, however, what this book lacked was a coherent focus. What IS this book really about?
Was it about the medical tests that Dr. Lovelace conducted? Was it a biography of Jerrie Cobb? Was it a biography of Jackie Cochran? Or was it about the Congressional hearings in 1962?
What the author tries to do is use this story to show how women were discriminated against during the early days of spaceflight, but acknowledges in the last chapter and epilogue that Eisenhower made the criteria for astronaut qualification standards, Kennedy made going to the moon the goal, and that NASA selected all the astronauts they needed. In other words, women were not excluded because of their sex, but rather because of the social constructs that existed at the time (no women test pilots = no woman astronauts).
Furthermore, unlike Tom Wolfe's Right Stuff, this is not written about a fraternity of female pilots. Other than Cobb, the remaining 12 act as a supporting cast. We hear more about Janey Hart because of her political connections, but of the others we learn every little, almost as if they are afterthoughts. More was presented about Jackie Cochran and her background than the others who took the tests.
The author was presented with a wonderful opportunity to tell an intriguing story but failed. Instead we are left with impressions that may or may not be true - that Jerrie Cobb was a naive woman who felt scorned because she didn't get a spaceflight; that Jackie Cochran was a miserable selfish bitch; that Janey Hart is a heroine because she was an original co-founder of NOW; that LBJ was a philandering sexist who could have approved the Navy tests but didn't do so; and that John Glenn and upper management at NASA was part of the good ol boys club that intentionally wanted women excluded. The author's political bias and agenda detracted from the heart of the story - that 13 female pilots were all qualified for the medical tests at Dr. Lovelace's clinic. Not focusing on that is the most disappointing of all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2017
As you might expect, the end of the book is a bit depressing. (Spoiler: the women in this book do not get into space. James Webb and John Glenn, you were pigs.)
But what I really like about this book is the first half or so, which is a fascinating tour of early aviation and the women who were barnstorming, racing, testing new planes, and flying into the wildest parts of the South American jungle. There's enough adventure here for half a dozen pulp-era novels, and it's a blast to read.
But what I really like about this book is the first half or so, which is a fascinating tour of early aviation and the women who were barnstorming, racing, testing new planes, and flying into the wildest parts of the South American jungle. There's enough adventure here for half a dozen pulp-era novels, and it's a blast to read.
April 6, 2019
I wish I would have put little sticky tabs in this book where I thought something was amazing. I imagine my book would be filled at least 2 a page.
These women who trained as scientific proof women could endure the solitude & intensity of space the same as if not better than men. Went through test after test putting their lives in hold just to get the opportunity to work for NASA & to help America achieve the beyond.
The Mercury 13 story is one of heroism, courage & sexism.
These women who trained as scientific proof women could endure the solitude & intensity of space the same as if not better than men. Went through test after test putting their lives in hold just to get the opportunity to work for NASA & to help America achieve the beyond.
The Mercury 13 story is one of heroism, courage & sexism.
June 21, 2019
As necessary a book on the early space program (if not more so) as Tom Wolff's The Right Stuff, this follows the stories of the women pilots who were selected to test as potential astronauts at the same time the Mercury program was going on, only to have the program suddenly cancelled without explanation. With such a large cast of people to draw upon, the author mainly focuses on the two strongest personalities, Jerrie Cobb and Jackie Cochran, particularly Jackie's testing and training since all the women were tested in isolation and didn't know who the others were at the beginning. Still, she does a great job of weaving together the stories of all the dozen astronaut candidates and their struggles both proving themselves as women aviators in a man's world as well as their individual reactions when the tests were abruptly cancelled. Well researched, filled with (at times frustrating) drama, and always compelling. If you have any interest in the history of the space program, this is a must read.
August 26, 2019
The book is written like a young adult novel in some places I can’t believe I had to read this for an AP Lang class! Also it’s extremely biased there’s even a part in the third chapter where the author justifies Jacqueline Cochran refusing to hire African American pilots for the WASPs by saying she hired two Asian pilots and by saying "It was perfectly understandable" that she wouldn’t hire them.
October 21, 2021
I thought this book was interesting, but it wasn't particularly well-written. It jumped around chronologically and from one topic to the next, and I had trouble keeping all the women straight, but I learned more about this interesting time period and the people and politics involved in the space race.
April 19, 2025
Excellent review of the very first women that were tested in parallel to the Gemini Astronauts but not officially recognized as "astronauts." These were the women that flew & tested planes for WWII or shortly thereafter, the misfits that wanted more than home & hearth. Well before Sally Ride was heralded as the first American woman in space.
January 11, 2020
Fascinating stories about the lives of women fighting to get into the aviation and space industries. However, details bogged the story down and made it somewhat difficult to follow at times. Sadly, women are still fighting for a level playing field today. 3.5/5
May 16, 2023
What a great read. I became emotionally invested in each of the lady astronauts tales. Couldn't help but look each one up and do further reading on all of them. Such an interesting part of history that is not well known.
June 14, 2023
Overall a good history, but gets a little lost at points when it jumps between being a biography of Jerrie Cobb and then a more general book about the 'Mercury 13'. Either way, good coverage of the politics and personalities that kept women out of the early space flights.
April 29, 2021
Incredible telling of the women who were denied the chance to go to space in favor of the men with "the right stuff"
December 3, 2022
I liked the firdt half of the book when it was going over womens advancements in aviation way more than all of the grobling and slow decent into insanity that happened in the second half
December 20, 2025
wow men hate women and women hate women great thanks!
June 13, 2013
Promise the Moon is a very captivating book. The book talks about all a lot of women and how they started in the aviation field. It was very hard but many were very successful. This success drove them to be part of the space project. Which, would have lead them to go into space. Many people would think that nonfiction is boring; however, Promised the Moon is one of the most interesting book I have ever read. It is fascination to read the life of women that half a century ago were going against the expectations of people. At that time flying “… wasn’t ladylike… [it was] men’s work” (Nolen 15). Just knowing that some of these women still alive, and that they achieve so much in hard times, its inspiring. The book makes you see that it does not matter the situation, we can disprove the critics with a best effort and determination.
I did not feel related to any of the characters. However, I felt inspired by Jackie Cochran. Jackie said she was “… raised in a foster family of sawmill workers in northern Florida…” (Nolen 32). She also sad in her autobiography that her “… bed was usually a pallet on the floor and sometimes just the floor… [Her] dresses were made from cast-off flour sacks” (Nolen 32). It is very impressive that she became one of that most successful women in aviation. She overcame poverty by working hard. Jackie ignored the expectations; who would ever think of women in aviation. That did not stopped her. This shows that as long as we are determine we can accomplish our goals. It does not matter what background we are coming from, by working hard our dreams can come true.
Promised the Moon is a serious book. It is natural that the book is written this way because it is only talking about facts. The book talks about a group of women lives; women that still are alive. Stephanie Nolen wrote the stories of these women in a very respectful way. Which, make as appreciate and value more the effort these women to achieve their dreams. It make us realize that if those women could overcome the greatest disillusion of their lives, we can overcome our problems too.
I did not feel related to any of the characters. However, I felt inspired by Jackie Cochran. Jackie said she was “… raised in a foster family of sawmill workers in northern Florida…” (Nolen 32). She also sad in her autobiography that her “… bed was usually a pallet on the floor and sometimes just the floor… [Her] dresses were made from cast-off flour sacks” (Nolen 32). It is very impressive that she became one of that most successful women in aviation. She overcame poverty by working hard. Jackie ignored the expectations; who would ever think of women in aviation. That did not stopped her. This shows that as long as we are determine we can accomplish our goals. It does not matter what background we are coming from, by working hard our dreams can come true.
Promised the Moon is a serious book. It is natural that the book is written this way because it is only talking about facts. The book talks about a group of women lives; women that still are alive. Stephanie Nolen wrote the stories of these women in a very respectful way. Which, make as appreciate and value more the effort these women to achieve their dreams. It make us realize that if those women could overcome the greatest disillusion of their lives, we can overcome our problems too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2011
Wonderful story! My heart goes out to those amazing women; theirs is truly an incredible story! There is a line at the end of the book that really sums it up... "... we were too good... too soon...".
I am trying not to say too much, and spoil this for others who haven't read, or are currently reading PROMISED THE MOON. I don't think I have read another book that so highlights the inequality of the sexes that was rampant in the mid-20th century. I used to laugh at the phrase "barefoot and pregnant", but that is really how women were expected to be back then, wasn't it?
PROMISED THE MOON is about more than just a handful of women who dared to dream of going into outer-space, or walking on the moon. This book truly is a must-read for anyone remotely interested in the "human condition".
I am trying not to say too much, and spoil this for others who haven't read, or are currently reading PROMISED THE MOON. I don't think I have read another book that so highlights the inequality of the sexes that was rampant in the mid-20th century. I used to laugh at the phrase "barefoot and pregnant", but that is really how women were expected to be back then, wasn't it?
PROMISED THE MOON is about more than just a handful of women who dared to dream of going into outer-space, or walking on the moon. This book truly is a must-read for anyone remotely interested in the "human condition".
June 24, 2007
wow, so... remember john glenn? neil armstrong? buzz aldrin? well, yeah- me too. but i bet you haven't ever heard of Jerrie Cobb, or Jackie Cochran, or Valentina Tereshkova. i certainly never had. this is the story of their space race, or rather, the backstory. it focuses mainly on two women: Cobb and Cochran, and how, despite their unified goal (to put a woman on the moon), they couldn't seem to get along with eachother. there are many other colorful characters in this tale, and it is definitely worth reading if you like to hear the other side of things, or even 'the real story'. i also really enjoyed all of the aviation information in here; i learned a lot about planes, the history of women pilots, and about what it takes to get to space.
June 20, 2012
Terrific account of the Mercury 13, a group of women astronaut trainees who may not have actually been promised the moon, but who were certainly denied their place in history. As a feminist, this story made me shake with anger. As a little girl who wanted to fly, it made my heart leap with joy. As an American citizen, it made me simultaneously proud and ashamed. As a reader, the story moved along at a good pace and the author did a fine job of balancing the personal with the factual to create a compelling history of the women who were over thirty years ahead of their time.
November 12, 2012
I think that the title is a little misleading in that no woman was actually 'promised the moon', but this book gives insight into what life was like for women after WWII. During the war they were needed to work and fly, and after the war men wanted them back in the kitchen. The history of these flying women and their chance to be tested similarly as astronauts is very interesting. It is also a good side ways glance at the men who were in charge and the men who were actually getting to go to the moon.
January 24, 2013
A very clear, concise little-known tale of the effort to include women in the early space program during the 50s and 60s. It provides an interesting look into the sexual stereotypes and limited opportunities for women in airspace during those years. A very cool read!!
Want to read
May 2, 2014Just spied somebody reading this on the train. It caught my eye.
May 18, 2015
Interesting!
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews