The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story

Written by Lily Koppel

Narrated by Orlagh Cassidy

Discover the true story of the women who stood beside some of the greatest heroes of American space travel in this New York Times bestseller that delivers "a truly great snapshot of the times" (Publishers Weekly) that inspired a limited TV series on ABC!

As America's Mercury Seven astronauts were launched on death-defying missions, television cameras focused on the brave smiles of their young wives. Overnight, these women were transformed from military spouses into American royalty. They had tea with Jackie Kennedy, appeared on the cover of Life magazine, and quickly grew into fashion icons.

Annie Glenn, with her picture-perfect marriage, was the envy of the other wives; JFK made it clear that platinum-blonde Rene Carpenter was his favorite; and licensed pilot Trudy Cooper arrived with a secret that needed to stay hidden from NASA. Together with the other wives they formed the Astronaut Wives Club, providing one another with support and friendship, coffee and cocktails.

As their celebrity rose--and as divorce and tragedy began to touch their lives--the wives continued to rally together, forming bonds that would withstand the test of time, and they have stayed friends for over half a century.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hachette Audio
• Release date: Jun 11, 2013
• ISBN: 9781619696464

Lily Koppel

Lily Koppel is the bestselling author of The Red Leather Diary. She has written for the New York Times, the New York Times Magazine, Huffington Post, and Glamour.

Reviews for The Astronaut Wives Club

[Dedos de Dedalo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It could perfectly be the script of a Hollywood production. May wakes up billions of kilometers from Earth after an unexpected failure in her mission to Europa (the moon, not the planet) and with the help of her AI and all the assistance she can get from her acquaintances, she must avoid the plots that prevent her from returning home. The story isn't bad, but it stops there. The protagonist's humor is perhaps what makes it more enjoyable, but that's it. The story is filled with frustrated characters who only scream and hit, despite how understandable it is to act that way in their situations; every three chapters (of those chapters that last six pages) there is some kind of fight. The plot twists are very forced, and it's the only thing that gives it movement, although it generates no tension at any point and a critique that only resembles a tantrum. Nevertheless, it's a book to pass the time if that's what you're looking for, but nothing more. (Translated from Spanish)

[Pamela Murphy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Just when I thought my readings from 2020 wouldn't be worth it, this incredible book came into my hands. You have no idea about the gripping story I found between these pages, a story full of emotions, suspense, and many, many difficulties. Although I admit that the beginning seemed a bit slow to me, that is resolved after the first chapter, so you don't have to wait long to dive into the action. And if the wonderful plot has captivated me, the characters are not far behind, especially the protagonist, who has an incredible emotional strength to cope with her horrible situation. But if there is one character even more impressive than the protagonist herself, it is the artificial intelligence "Eve," who captured my heart with her unique personality, and believe me when I say she lightened and enriched an otherwise tense story. It is worth mentioning that this book is narrated in the present tense and also through flashbacks that tell us about May's life before she immerses herself in the space mission. I have to say that the flashbacks were a bit of a challenge for me, as I was anxious to know what had happened to the crew, how May would get to Earth, etc., and all that was interrupted by those memories of the past, which was somewhat frustrating. I would also like to mention that this book reminded me quite a bit of "The Martian." While I haven't read that book, I have seen the movie, and the situations are very similar, and I clarify similar because they are not the same at all. I hope you take the time to read such an incredible story; it is definitely a story that deserves to be told. That is my opinion, but as I always say, read the book and judge for yourselves. (Translated from Spanish)