The Genre Reading Group meets on Tuesday, May 26th
at 6:30pm (on Zoom unless otherwise noted) to discuss that final frontier, space! Here are some ebooks, digital audiobooks, streaming
videos, and websites you may enjoy.
NONFICTION, A BRIEF SELECTION
NASA has an ebook collection: https://www.nasa.gov/connect/ebooks/index.html
Women in Space: 23 Stories of First Flights, Scientific Missions,and Gravity-Breaking Adventures by Karen Bush Gibson
Women in Space profiles 23 pioneers, including Eileen
Collins, the first woman to command the space shuttle; Peggy Whitson, who
logged more than a year in orbit aboard the International Space Station; and
Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space; as well as astronauts
from Japan, Canada, Italy, South Korea, France, and more. Their story, and the
stories of the pilots, physicists, and doctors who followed them, demonstrate
the vital role women have played in the quest for scientific understanding.
Red Moon Rising: Sputnik and the Hidden Rivalries that Ignited the Space Age by Matthew Brzezinski
This is the pulse-racing story of a time when two nations
and ideologies were pitted against each other in a quest that laid the
foundations of the modern technological world.
Death by Black Hole: and Other Cosmic Quandaries by Neil
deGrasse Tyson
This collection of his essays from Natural History magazine
explores a myriad of cosmic topics, from astral life at the frontiers of
astrobiology to the movie industry's feeble efforts to get its images of night
skies right. Renowned for his ability to blend content, accessibility, and
humor, Tyson is a natural teacher who simplifies some of the most complex
concepts in astrophysics while sharing his infectious excitement for our
universe.
The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe
Millions of words have poured forth about man's trip to the
moon, but few people have had a sense of the most engrossing side of the
adventure; namely, what went on in the minds of the astronauts themselves - in
space, on the moon, and even during certain odysseys on earth. It is this, the
inner life of the astronauts, that Tom Wolfe describes with his almost uncanny
empathetic powers, that made The Right Stuff a classic.
Hailed by The New York Times for writing “with
wonderful clarity about science . . . that effortlessly teaches as it zips
along,” nationally bestselling author Robert M. Hazen offers a radical new
approach to Earth history in this intertwined tale of the planet’s living and
nonliving spheres. With an astrobiologist’s imagination, a historian’s
perspective, and a naturalist’s eye, Hazen calls upon twenty-first-century
discoveries that have revolutionized geology and enabled scientists to envision
Earth’s many iterations in vivid detail.
Exoplanets: Diamond Worlds, Super Earths, Pulsar Planets,and the New Search for Life Beyond Our Solar System by Michael Summers and
James Trefil
The past few years have seen an incredible explosion in our
knowledge of the universe. Since its 2009 launch, the Kepler satellite has
discovered more than two thousand exoplanets, or planets outside our solar
system. More exoplanets are being discovered all the time, and even more
remarkable than the sheer number of exoplanets is their variety. In Exoplanets,
astronomer Michael Summers and physicist James Trefil explore these remarkable
recent discoveries, revealing the latest discoveries and the incredible
richness and complexity we are finding. In short, we have to change how we
think about the universe and our place in it, because it is stranger and more
interesting than we could have imagined.
The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took the Measure of the Stars by Dava Sobel
In the mid-19th century, the Harvard College Observatory
began employing women as calculators, or “human computers,” to interpret the
observations their male counterparts made via telescope each night. At the
outset this group included the wives, sisters, and daughters of the resident
astronomers, but soon the female corps included graduates of the new women's
colleges—Vassar, Wellesley, and Smith. As photography transformed the practice
of astronomy, the ladies turned from computation to studying the stars captured
nightly on glass photographic plates. The “glass universe” of half a million plates that Harvard amassed over the ensuing decades enabled the women to make
extraordinary discoveries that attracted worldwide acclaim. Elegantly written
and enriched by excerpts from letters, diaries, and memoirs, The Glass
Universe is the hidden history of the women whose contributions to the
burgeoning field of astronomy forever changed our understanding of the stars
and our place in the universe.
Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
Before John Glenn orbited the earth, or Neil Armstrong
walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as “human
computers” used pencils, slide rules and adding machines to calculate the
numbers that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space. Starting in
World War II and moving through to the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement and
the Space Race, Hidden Figures follows the interwoven accounts of
Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson and Christine Darden, four
African American women who participated in some of NASA’s greatest successes.
It chronicles their careers over nearly three decades they faced challenges,
forged alliances and used their intellect to change their own lives, and their
country’s future.
Gene Kranz was present at the creation of America’s manned
space program and was a key player in it for three decades. As a flight
director in NASA’s Mission Control, Kranz witnessed firsthand the making of
history. He participated in the space program from the early days of the
Mercury program to the last Apollo mission, and beyond. He endured the
disastrous first years when rockets blew up and the United States seemed to
fall further behind the Soviet Union in the space race. He helped to launch
Alan Shepard and John Glenn, then assumed the flight director’s role in the
Gemini program, which he guided to fruition. With his teammates, he accepted
the challenge to carry out President John F. Kennedy’s commitment to land a man
on the Moon before the end of the 1960s.
Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon
by Jeffrey Kluger
The full story of Apollo 8 has never been told, and only
Jeffrey Kluger—Jim Lovell’s co-author on their bestselling book about Apollo
13—can do it justice. Here is the tale of a mission that was both a calculated
risk and a wild crapshoot, a stirring account of how three American heroes
forever changed our view of the home planet.
The best-selling author of Stiff and Bonk explores
the irresistibly strange universe of space travel and life without gravity.
From the Space Shuttle training toilet to a crash test of NASA’s new space
capsule, Mary Roach takes us on the surreally entertaining trip into the
science of life in space and space on Earth.
Endurance: A Year in Space, a Lifetime of Discovery by Scott
Kelly
A stunning, personal memoir from the astronaut and
modern-day hero who spent a record-breaking year aboard the International Space
Station—a message of hope for the future that will inspire for generations to
come.
FICTION, A BRIEF SELECTION
Light from Other Stars by Erika Swyler
Eleven-year-old Nedda Papas is obsessed with becoming an
astronaut. In 1986 in Easter, a small Florida Space Coast town, her dreams seem
almost within reach--if she can just grow up fast enough. Theo, the scientist
father she idolizes, is consumed by his own obsessions. Laid off from his job
at NASA and still reeling from the loss of Nedda's newborn brother several
years before, Theo turns to the dangerous dream of extending his daughter's
childhood just a little longer. The result is an invention that alters the
fabric of time.
The Wanderers by Meg Howrey
A brilliantly inventive novel about three astronauts
training for the first-ever mission to Mars, an experience that will push the boundary
between real and unreal, test their relationships, and leave each of them—and
their families—changed forever.
The Martian by Andy Weir
Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first
people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After
a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking
him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even
signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies
would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't
have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment,
or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But
Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering
skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one
seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be
enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
A visionary work that combines speculative fiction with deep
philosophical inquiry, The Sparrow tells the story of a charismatic
Jesuit priest and linguist, Emilio Sandoz, who leads a scientific mission
entrusted with a profound task: to make first contact with intelligent
extraterrestrial life. There is a sequel, Children of God. Strikingly original,
richly plotted, replete with memorable characters and filled with humanity and
humor, Children of God is an unforgettable and uplifting novel that
is a potent successor to The Sparrow and a startlingly imaginative adventure
for newcomers to Mary Doria Russell’s special literary magic.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Chambers (Book 1 of
the Wayfarers series)
Follow a motley crew on an exciting journey through
space—and one adventurous young explorer who discovers the meaning of family in
the far reaches of the universe—in this light-hearted debut space opera from a
rising sci-fi star. Perfect for fans of Firefly!
Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie (Book 1 of the Imperial
Radch series)
Ancillary Justice is Ann Leckie's stunning debut -- the
only novel to ever win the Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke awards -- about a
ship's AI who becomes trapped in a human body and her quest for revenge. A must
read for fans of Ursula K. Le Guin and James S. A. Corey. "There are few who write science fiction like Ann Leckie can. There are
few who ever could." -- John Scalzi
Solaris by Stanislaw Lem
Despite two films made with panache, Solaris remains a book
constantly rediscovered by new generations of readers. The moving story of
contact with alien intelligence serves as a canvas for discussion of our mind’s
limitations and the nature of human cognition. A love story for some readers, a
philosophical treatise for others; Lem’s inspiring masterpiece defies
unambiguous interpretations.
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
The Three-Body Problem is the first chance for
English-speaking readers to experience the Hugo Award-winning phenomenon from
China's most beloved science fiction author, Liu Cixin. Set against the
backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends
signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on
the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth.
Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome
the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to
fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of
enormous scope and vision.
FILMS, A BRIEF SELECTION
(pbs.org) "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking
two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our
planet. Produced in extensive consultation with NASA scientists, NOVA takes
data from earth-observing satellites and transforms it into dazzling visual
sequences, each one exposing the intricate and surprising web of forces that
sustains life on earth. Viewers witness how dust blown from the Sahara
fertilizes the Amazon; how a vast submarine "waterfall" off
Antarctica helps drive ocean currents around the world; and how the Sun's
heating up of the southern Atlantic gives birth to a colossally powerful
hurricane. From the microscopic world of water molecules vaporizing over the
ocean to the magnetic field that is bigger than Earth itself, the show reveals
the astonishing beauty and complexity of our dynamic planet.
Three centuries of engineering have produced telescopes far
beyond Galileo's simple spyglass. Perched on mountaintops, orbiting the Earth,
and even circling other planets, these telescopes are revealing the solar
system in detail Galileo could only dream of. Get up close with today's most
powerful telescopes and embark on a stunning journey to the planets and moons
now being imaged as never before.
For more than 20 years, the Hubble Space Telescope has
been amassing discoveries that rival those of history's greatest scientists and
explorers, making it the most important scientific instrument ever built. This
program is a visual feast of images taken by Hubble. Go on a dazzling
voyage of discovery that will delight your eyes, feed your imagination, and
unlock new secrets of the cosmos.
What happens when the accepted picture of reality is
dramatically overthrown? Watch this happen in the late 20th century, when
scientists suddenly discovered two completely unexpected phenomena: dark
matter and dark energy, which together dwarf the contribution of
ordinary matter to the cosmos.
Launched in 1997, NASA's epic Voyager missions revolutionized our understanding of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and their spectacular moons and rings. In 2012, Voyager 1 left our solar system and ushered humanity into the interstellar age.
All of the necessary technologies required to reach the Moon were first tested during Project Gemini, which comprised ten missions in the mid-1960's.
Moon (streaming free on Crackle with account and check your streaming service subscriptions)
Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is nearing the completion of his
3-year-long contract with Lunar Industries, mining Earth's primary source of
energy on the dark side of the moon. Alone with only the base's vigilant
computer Gerty (voiced by Oscar-Winner Kevin Spacey, 1999 Best Actor, American
Beauty) as his sole companion, Bell's extended isolation has taken its toll.
His only link to the outside world comes from satellite messages from his wife
and young daughter. He longs to return home, but a terrible accident on the
lunar surface leads to a disturbing discovery that contributes to his growing
sense of paranoia and dislocation so many miles away from home. Moon is an
engrossing, intelligent sci-fi thriller that ranks with genre classics like
2001: A Space Odyssey.
Interstellar (
From Director Christopher Nolan (Inception, The Dark Knight
trilogy) comes the story of a team of pioneers undertaking the most important
mission in human history. Acadamy Award winner Matthew McConaughey stars as
ex-pilot-turned-farmer Cooper, who must leave his family and a foundering Earth
behind to lead an expedition traveling beyond this galaxy to discover whether mankind
has a future among the stars.
Contact
Two-time Academy Award-winner Jodie Foster and Matthew
McConaughey shine in this spellbinding drama of a dedicated astronomer's quest
to make first Contact. From Academy Award-winning director Robert Zemeckis and
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sagan's best-seller comes the story of a
visionary scientist's unshakable conviction that somewhere in this boundless
universe an intelligence yearns for Contact.
Solaris
Ground control has been receiving strange transmissions from
the remaining residents of the Solaris space station. When cosmonaut and
psychologist Kris Kelvin is sent to investigate, he experiences the strange
phenomena that afflict the Solaris crew, sending him on a voyage into the
darkest recesses of his own consciousness. In Solaris, the legendary
Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky (Ivan’s Childhood, Andrei Rublev) gives
us a brilliantly original science-fiction epic that challenges our conceptions
about love, truth, and humanity itself.
Spaceballs
Lampooning everything from Star Wars to Star Trek, this
outrageous send-up of epic sci-fi movies is full of cosmic crazies who score
"eight trillion on the laugh-meter" (Gene Shalit, NBC-TV).
Fearless--and clueless--space heroes Lone Starr (Bill Pullman) and his half
man/half dog sidekick Barf (John Candy) wage interstellar warfare to free
Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) from the evil clutches of Dark Helmet (Rick
Moranis). On the way to the rescue--in their Winnebago--they confront the huge,
gooey Pizza the Hutt (voice of Dom DeLuise), sassy robot Dot Matrix (voice of
Joan Rivers) and a wise little creature named Yogurt (Mel Brooks), who teaches
them the mystical power of "The Schwartz" in order to bring
peace--and merchandising rights--to the entire galaxy.
Gravity
Seasoned astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) is on his
final mission in space, while medical engineer Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock)
is making her first outing on the NASA Space Shuttle Explorer. While they are
engaged in extra-vehicular activity, debris collides into the shuttle, damaging
it irreparably. Kowalsky and Stone now find themselves drifting in space with
low oxygen supplies and cut off from all communication on Earth. They work
together in their attempt to survive but will they make it back to solid
ground? The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards and won seven including
Best Cinematography (Emmanuel Lubezki), Best Director (Alfonso Cuarón) and Best
Original Score (Steven Price), and also picked up the Golden Globe for Best
Director and BAFTAs for Best Director and Outstanding British Film.
Event Horizon
Its name: EVENT HORIZON. The high-tech, pioneering research
spacecraft mysteriously vanished, without a trace, on its maiden voyage seven
years earlier. But a weak, persistent signal form the long-missing craft prompts
a rescue team, headed by the intrepid Captain Miller (Laurence Fishburne, THE
MATRIX and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III), to wing its way through the galaxy on a
bold rescue mission. Accompanying Miller is his elite crew and the lost ship’s
designer (Sam Neill, JURASSIC PARK); their mission is to find and salvage the
state-of-the-art interstellar horror.
2001: A Space Odyssey
A four-million-year-old black monolith is discovered on the
moon, and the government sends a team of scientists on a fact-finding mission
while hiding the truth from the public. Later, another team is sent to Jupiter
in a ship controlled by the perfect HAL 9000 computer to further investigate
the giant object--but something goes terribly wrong.
Serenity
A passenger with a deadly secret. Six rebels on the run. An
assassin in pursuit. When the renegade crew of Serenity agrees to hide a
fugitive on their ship, they find themselves in an action-packed battle between
the relentless military might of a totalitarian regime that will destroy
anything — or anyone — to get the girl back and the bloodthirsty creatures who
roam the uncharted areas of space. But, the greatest danger of all may be on
their ship. From the mind of Joss Whedon (The Avengers, Firefly) comes an edge-of-your-seat
adventure loaded with explosive battles, gripping special effects and fantastic
new worlds!
BROAD TOPICS
Click on an author/subject to search JCLC’s digital
holdings.
Stephen Hawking
Carl Sagan
Brian Greene
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Challenger
Apollo missions
Carl Sagan
Brian Greene
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Challenger
Apollo missions
Explore TED Talks on space https://www.ted.com/talks?sort=relevance&q=space
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