The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story by Lily Koppel

The Astronaut Wives Club gives you a glimpse into history and our race to be the first to the moon.  The behind the scenes stories are intriguing and rather intimate.

These women were essentially thrown into the frying pan and had to find a way to navigate their lives around the challenges that being an astronaut wife caused them. They had to be the "perfect" wife  and have the "perfect" marriage in order for their husbands to "ride". The success or failure of their husbands career rested on their shoulders.

This novel, is about several different groups of astronaut wives and their husbands. Each group dealt with different obstacles and despite being in similar circumstances they could never bond with one another for a variety of reasons.

The walk on the moon happened decades before, I was born but the stories told easily bring me into that period of time. This "dark" side of the space program will keep you turning the pages and hoping for a sequel.

This book is full of triumph, joy, sadness and heartbreak. Be prepared for an emotional roller coaster.

Grade: A