From the Bookshelf of Diversity in All Forms!…

Hidden Figures

Margot Lee Shetterly

Start date: March 1, 2019

Finish date: March 30, 2019

Discussion: Monthly Bonus Reads

Why we're reading this: March Bonus Read- Women's History Month

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Bla…more
[close] March Bonus Read- Women's History Month

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly

Find A Copy At

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 73 topics — 889 comments total

Monthly Bonus Reads

The Autobiography of Malcolm X (February 2023)
By Mariah Roze · 2 posts · 18 views

last updated May 17, 2023 10:35AM

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide (March 2023)
By Mariah Roze · 2 posts · 11 views

last updated Mar 06, 2023 08:42AM

showing 2 of 2 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Jun 14, 2017 Matthew rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017, gr_awards_2016, audio, non-fiction, hoopla, library

How far we have come in the last 100 years! Both scientifically and as people. I know in many ways we still have a long way to go, but this book shows how much has changed for the better through the persistance of those unlikely to be given a chance.

Less than 80 years ago, in many places, people of different colors still couldn't share bathrooms, tables in cafeterias, etc. Women were only given base level positions and pay because that was just how it was. Ask a man leading a department why the ...more

84 likes · Like · see review

Mar 13, 2019 Megan rated it really liked it

Shelves: civil-rights, science, badass-heroine, biography, feminist-historical-commentary

This was a great book. I've read some reviews that complain it was dry, and I can understand why, it's more of an ensemble biography than an historical novel, so the style and pacing are different. I love biographies though, so that was not a problem for me. I saw the movie first, so I've been looking forward to reading the book, as I assumed it would go into more depth. It really does. While the movie conflates things into the time period around the race for the moon, the book covers at least t This was a great book. I've read some reviews that complain it was dry, and I can understand why, it's more of an ensemble biography than an historical novel, so the style and pacing are different. I love biographies though, so that was not a problem for me. I saw the movie first, so I've been looking forward to reading the book, as I assumed it would go into more depth. It really does. While the movie conflates things into the time period around the race for the moon, the book covers at least three decades, and interweaves the life stories of the amazing black women mathematicians, as well as some white co-workers and friends, with the the growing civil rights movement, the technical and scientific innovations of the early 20th century and the women's rights movement.

It was really interesting to see how all these things influenced each other. I had no idea the civil rights movement started so early, although it makes sense that equal rights are something African Americans have been working for since they were forcibly brought to the US as slaves. A Philips Randolph, who basically passed the torch of leadership in the civil rights movement to Dr Martin Luther King Jr is not someone I remember learning about, but he was vitally important, and I'm really glad to know about him now! The book made the horrifying realities of segregation much more real to me. The movie did this too, but the book goes into much more depth about the housing, transportation, purchasing and educational issues segregation created, and how demeaning, stultifying and dangerous such policies were. Frustratingly enough, these are issues we're still dealing with, with underfunded inner city or rural schools offering substandard education to the poor and POC, with the school to prison pipeline basically continuing race based slavery, and the ghetto-ization of neighborhoods making it extremely challenging for residents to fulfill their potential, or even have a safe and decent life.

It was also interesting to see the opportunities wartime created for women and POC, and how important it is to have access to education and think tank environments, where people are valued for their smarts and their ability to problem solve, regardless of their gender or color. And then, even within a more egalitarian science organization, the exterior cast system and prejudices cause problems. NACA was what NASA started out as, and it began on a campus in Virginia, a state violently opposed to de-segregation, despite equal opportunity laws passed in the forties. The strength, intelligence and fortitude of the people who worked for civil rights and women's rights in the face of vile opposition is extremely inspiring. These were normal, albeit brainy people, who helped change the world.

We still have work to do, and sometimes the level of entrenched racism, misogynism and hate feels overwhelming, but these women, these mothers and girl scout troupe leaders who were also brilliant mathematicians, computer programmers, engineers and savvy HR reps helped open up the workplace to women and POC and helped with amazing technological advances, including putting a man on the moon. After reading this, I am hopeful we can muster the intelligence, justice, compassion and empathy to create a better world and save ourselves from extinction. ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Feb 28, 2017 Lisa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, 2017

Amazing story of some extremely smart and hard working black women who never got the credit they deserved.

5 likes · Like · see review

Feb 05, 2017 Toni FGMAMTC rated it liked it

Shelves: government, nonfiction, biographical, poc-cover, woc, history, educational, america, human-rights, womens-rights

I think this book is definitely worth reading. It's important history. It's not what I was expecting though. It's a detailed non-fiction account. The movie previews made me feel excited so I was expecting that feeling from the book. This book doesn't have that personal connection feel that I think the movie probably does. (I haven't watched it yet, but I cannot wait.)
This book tells about issues women and blacks and especially black women had trying to be engineers and work in higher mathematic ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Jul 14, 2021 Kate rated it liked it

This is a non-fiction book that tells the story of black female mathematicians who worked at NACA, the organization that eventually became NASA and who were instrumental in the field of aeronautics and space exploration. It was a bit dry at times.

1 like · Like · see review

Jun 23, 2017 Ashley Jacobson rated it really liked it

I had a hard time rating this book. Some times I thought it was a 3, others a 4 or 5. This is an amazing story that needs to be told. I loved learning not only about the amazing women (and men) who we don't hear about in history class, but also more details about the space race, the Cold War, and the civil rights movement. I love stories in context that make it easier to "see" history come to life. BUT, and it's a big but, the writing was NOT up to par with the story being told. The actual words ...more

Like · see review