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Astronaut
On International Women’s Day in 2017, several of the best writers in SF/F today reveal new stories inspired by the phrase “Nevertheless, she persisted”, raising their voice in response to a phrase originally meant to silence.
7 pages, ebook
First published March 8, 2017
1 person is currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Maria Dahvana Headley
77 books1,610 followersMaria Dahvana Headley is the New York Times-bestselling author of, most recently, THE MERE WIFE (out July 17, 2018 from MCD/FSG). Upcoming in 2019 is a new translation of BEOWULF, also from FSG. As well, she is the author of the young adult skyship novels MAGONIA and AERIE from HarperCollins, the dark fantasy/alt-history novel QUEEN OF KINGS, the internationally bestselling memoir THE YEAR OF YES, and THE END OF THE SENTENCE, a novella co-written with Kat Howard, from Subterranean. With Neil Gaiman, she is the New York Times-bestselling co-editor of the monster anthology UNNATURAL CREATURES, benefitting 826DC.
Her Nebula,Shirley Jackson and World Fantasy award-nominated short fiction has appeared on Tor.com, and in The Toast, Clarkesworld, Lightspeed, Nightmare, Apex, The Journal of Unlikely Entomology, Subterranean Online, Glitter & Mayhem and Jurassic London's The Lowest Heaven and The Book of the Dead, Uncanny, Shimmer, and more. It's anthologized in Best American Fantasy and Science Fiction, as well as the 2013 and 2014 editions of Rich Horton's The Year's Best Fantasy & Science Fiction, & Paula Guran's 2013 The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, in The Year's Best Weird Volume 1, ed. Laird Barron, and in Wastelands, Vol 2, among others. She's also a playwright and essayist.
She grew up in rural Idaho on a sled-dog ranch, spent part of her 20's as a pirate negotiator and ship marketer in the maritime industry, and now lives in Brooklyn in an apartment shared with a seven-foot-long stuffed crocodile.
Her Nebula,Shirley Jackson and World Fantasy award-nominated short fiction has appeared on Tor.com, and in The Toast, Clarkesworld, Lightspeed, Nightmare, Apex, The Journal of Unlikely Entomology, Subterranean Online, Glitter & Mayhem and Jurassic London's The Lowest Heaven and The Book of the Dead, Uncanny, Shimmer, and more. It's anthologized in Best American Fantasy and Science Fiction, as well as the 2013 and 2014 editions of Rich Horton's The Year's Best Fantasy & Science Fiction, & Paula Guran's 2013 The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, in The Year's Best Weird Volume 1, ed. Laird Barron, and in Wastelands, Vol 2, among others. She's also a playwright and essayist.
She grew up in rural Idaho on a sled-dog ranch, spent part of her 20's as a pirate negotiator and ship marketer in the maritime industry, and now lives in Brooklyn in an apartment shared with a seven-foot-long stuffed crocodile.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 17, 2017
In 1984, on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the day Miss Baker slipped the bonds of gravity, the Navy gave her a rubber duck as a retirement gift.
more excellent work by tor! this is a linked-theme story project where eleven authors took the now-immortalized sentences regarding elizabeth warren’s senate-floor bouncing: She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted and each structured a story around them. the stories themselves are really short, so i’m not going to write a proper review around them, but you should definitely check them out, and i’ve even left a load of links at the bottom to make it really easy for you. BOOM!
read more about the project here:
http://www.tor.com/2017/03/06/neverth...
links:
Our Faces, Radiant Sisters, Our Faces Full of Light! by Kameron Hurley
God Product by Alyssa Wong
Alchemy by Carrie Vaughn
Persephone by Seanan McGuire
Margot and Rosalind by Charlie Jane Anders
Astronaut by Maria Dahvana Headley
More than Nothing by Nisi Shawl
The Last of the Minotaur Wives by Brooke Bolander
The Jump Rope Rhyme by Jo Walton
Anabasis by Amal El-Mohtar
The Ordinary Woman and the Unquiet Emperor by Catherynne M. Valente
March 28, 2017
4.5 stars, because this is too stinking fun for words! This Tor short story (free online here) is part of the "Nevertheless, She Persisted" set of flash fiction published March 8, 2017 on Tor.com.* Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:
It’s 1959, and one Miss Baker is on a mission to defy gravity. Her thirteen male competitors at the academy try to dissuade or intimidate her.
I loved the twist in this one! It totally blindsided me.
*On March 8, 2017, Tor published on its website eleven short speculative works (ten flash fiction stories and one poem) by various women, all notable authors. These works are based on the theme “Nevertheless, she persisted,” part of a comment made by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell defending use of a little-known rule against impugning the motives or conduct of a senator, to cut off a speech by Senator Elizabeth Warren in February, in which she was criticizing Jeff Sessions’ nomination for attorney general (“Senator Warren was giving a lengthy speech. She had appeared to violate the rule. She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.”). The phrase was quickly taken up and transformed into a rallying cry, in recognition of women who have persisted in voicing their opinions and taking action despite establishment opposition.
It’s 1959, and one Miss Baker is on a mission to defy gravity. Her thirteen male competitors at the academy try to dissuade or intimidate her.
“No one likes a girl who tries to climb over everyone else.”But Miss Baker ignores them and devotes herself to her training, gradually leaving them all in her dust.
I loved the twist in this one! It totally blindsided me.
*On March 8, 2017, Tor published on its website eleven short speculative works (ten flash fiction stories and one poem) by various women, all notable authors. These works are based on the theme “Nevertheless, she persisted,” part of a comment made by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell defending use of a little-known rule against impugning the motives or conduct of a senator, to cut off a speech by Senator Elizabeth Warren in February, in which she was criticizing Jeff Sessions’ nomination for attorney general (“Senator Warren was giving a lengthy speech. She had appeared to violate the rule. She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.”). The phrase was quickly taken up and transformed into a rallying cry, in recognition of women who have persisted in voicing their opinions and taking action despite establishment opposition.
March 28, 2017
Another one of the short stories posted on tor.com for International Women's Day under the motto "Nevertheless, she persisted" (which was originally meant to silence women). You'll find the story
*here*
.
This one was slightly longer than most of the others, but still a short story (as intended). It's also slightly different. Despite that, like all the others as well, it managed to draw a very realistic picture of the world it meant to teach us about.
"If you keep trying to rise," one of them whispered to Miss Baker during training, "no one will ever want to marry you."
Don't I know sentences like this (only "rising" is "reading" in my family).
It's 1959 and the protagonist wants to get on a shuttle to space, training in the Navy for it. So she pretty much doesn't give a shit about other people's opinions.
It's an empowering story, showing that a strong will and perseverance (combined with ruthless physical training in this case) can get you there. There is a twist to this that, in retrospect, was hinted at at one point, but I have to admit I didn't get it until shortly before the end. *lol* Really fun (though, thinking about it, one could also interpret it in a less than feminist way?).
This one was slightly longer than most of the others, but still a short story (as intended). It's also slightly different. Despite that, like all the others as well, it managed to draw a very realistic picture of the world it meant to teach us about.
"If you keep trying to rise," one of them whispered to Miss Baker during training, "no one will ever want to marry you."
Don't I know sentences like this (only "rising" is "reading" in my family).
It's 1959 and the protagonist wants to get on a shuttle to space, training in the Navy for it. So she pretty much doesn't give a shit about other people's opinions.
It's an empowering story, showing that a strong will and perseverance (combined with ruthless physical training in this case) can get you there. There is a twist to this that, in retrospect, was hinted at at one point, but I have to admit I didn't get it until shortly before the end. *lol* Really fun (though, thinking about it, one could also interpret it in a less than feminist way?).
March 30, 2017
Astronaut.
Now she was that bright thing.
GREAT little five minute short from Tor, part of a collection celebrating International Women's Day. It was originally published March 8th, but I since I am lazy and often won't know something exists unless you put it under my nose, I just now found it.
It was a story worth finding. Read it here.
Now she was that bright thing.
GREAT little five minute short from Tor, part of a collection celebrating International Women's Day. It was originally published March 8th, but I since I am lazy and often won't know something exists unless you put it under my nose, I just now found it.
It was a story worth finding. Read it here.
February 2, 2022
Short stories are lovely for introducing us to new authors. The 2017 feminist initiative at Tor.com acquainted me with eleven creative women, whose varied styles and perspectives have enriched me. I seldom give past three stars because it is a feat to conjure much emotion or background to root for in the few scenes vignettes contain. All of them are memorable and make us keen for a full story around the kernels they served as samples. Welsh-Canadian Jo Walton’s is a skipping poem and this one, “Astronaut”, is tenderly unique. If I understand correctly, it is a clever retelling of a piece of real history. At this, I marvel, given the surprise protagonist’s perspective.
I will be honest that another use of briefly worded stories that I appreciate, is when having spent a week on the same book and wanting to pump up the progress of my annual reading goal, especially in December. I review everything with 300 words no matter the length of the literature. Website text from authors I do not know is hardest for me to derive something to talk about. Maria Dahvana Headley made it easier to discuss.
For her message of female power, she chose Cape Canaveral space shuttle training in 1959. The candidacy pared down 13 trainees, some of whose prowess petered out, others who died in test launches. They were males in the main and taunted the heroine, Miss Baker. Our protagonist ignored their insults, vaulted overtop of their rude gestures, succeeded in her own right, and achieved that spaceflight. The photograph at the end of how this tiny astronaut looked is precious.
To my pleasant surprise, I had heard of major oeuvres by Amal El-Mohtar, Seanan McGuire, and Maria like “The Year Of Yes”. My book wish list is ever more colourful.
I will be honest that another use of briefly worded stories that I appreciate, is when having spent a week on the same book and wanting to pump up the progress of my annual reading goal, especially in December. I review everything with 300 words no matter the length of the literature. Website text from authors I do not know is hardest for me to derive something to talk about. Maria Dahvana Headley made it easier to discuss.
For her message of female power, she chose Cape Canaveral space shuttle training in 1959. The candidacy pared down 13 trainees, some of whose prowess petered out, others who died in test launches. They were males in the main and taunted the heroine, Miss Baker. Our protagonist ignored their insults, vaulted overtop of their rude gestures, succeeded in her own right, and achieved that spaceflight. The photograph at the end of how this tiny astronaut looked is precious.
To my pleasant surprise, I had heard of major oeuvres by Amal El-Mohtar, Seanan McGuire, and Maria like “The Year Of Yes”. My book wish list is ever more colourful.
February 21, 2018
Humorous short story.
March 29, 2017
This short is among my favorites for the "Nevertheless" stories on tor. In 1959, Miss Baker defied the times by besting 13 male competitors to become an astronaut, defying gravity, and breaking through the glass ceiling of an industry in which women were just not a presence at the time. Despite everyone around her rooting for her failure, and telling her she would never succeed, and telling her she should focus on marriage and children and the things females were supposed to do.
But nevertheless, she persisted.
And made history.
This was a good 'un. Very well-written, cohesive, and had a lovely fun twist at the end.
4 stars.
This is the sixth story I've read for the "Nevertheless she persisted" project for International Women's Day on tor.com
But nevertheless, she persisted.
And made history.
This was a good 'un. Very well-written, cohesive, and had a lovely fun twist at the end.
4 stars.
This is the sixth story I've read for the "Nevertheless she persisted" project for International Women's Day on tor.com
May 10, 2017
This short story is about a woman who wanted to become an astronaut in the sixties. When one is determined, goal-oriented and self-confidence, everything is possible, even getting just a traditionally male job at those times, when it even sounded completely inconceivable.
May 19, 2022
A cute story about an early space pioneer, Miss Baker.
October 14, 2021
Một trong 11 truyện ngắn tham gia sự kiện chúc mừng 8/3 của Tor. Tất cả đều do cây bút nữ viết, có nhân vật chính là nữ, và lấy cảm hứng từ 3 câu "She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted." (Cô đã được cảnh báo. Cô đã được giải thích. Tuy vậy, cô vẫn dấn thân." Các truyện này đều quá ngắn (hoàn toàn có thể đọc xong trong 5p) để giới thiệu mà không spoil mất nội dung.
Độc giả nghĩ mình đang đọc một câu chuyện nữ quyền văn hoa đặc trưng cho đến tận lúc cuối, khi họ ngã chỏng vó vì giẫm phải cái vỏ chuối mà tác giả cố tình ném ra đó. Chắc chắn là cú twist đầy trêu ngươi cuối truyện sẽ đảo ngược toàn bộ trải nghiệm đọc của mọi người. Mình đã phải bật cười trước sự tếu táo của tác giả :)) Khuyến khích các bạn tự nguyện trượt vỏ chuối. Hehe!
Độc giả nghĩ mình đang đọc một câu chuyện nữ quyền văn hoa đặc trưng cho đến tận lúc cuối, khi họ ngã chỏng vó vì giẫm phải cái vỏ chuối mà tác giả cố tình ném ra đó. Chắc chắn là cú twist đầy trêu ngươi cuối truyện sẽ đảo ngược toàn bộ trải nghiệm đọc của mọi người. Mình đã phải bật cười trước sự tếu táo của tác giả :)) Khuyến khích các bạn tự nguyện trượt vỏ chuối. Hehe!
May 31, 2019
It was 1959. The world was pencil skirts and kitten heels, stenographers following scientists in suits, and it was no different in Florida. Miss Baker had thirteen competitors for the single spot on the voyage, and they were all male.
This was a great story from Tor.com's "Nevertheless She Persisted" writing competition in 2017. Deftly written, with a nice twist at the end (unless, of course, you know your history of the space race, then you will recognize Ms. Baker quickly).
This was a great story from Tor.com's "Nevertheless She Persisted" writing competition in 2017. Deftly written, with a nice twist at the end (unless, of course, you know your history of the space race, then you will recognize Ms. Baker quickly).
May 17, 2020
"If you keep trying to rise, one of them whispered to Miss Baker during training, no one will ever want to marry you. No one likes a girl who tries to climb over everyone else."
Just leaving this beautiful quote here.
March 28, 2017
But Miss Baker was no Albert. She was herself.
This one has a surprise ending (to some) and a much different feel from the others.
This one has a surprise ending (to some) and a much different feel from the others.
October 17, 2020
A wild funny little adventure, bizarre but sharply humorous.
December 12, 2017
''If you keep trying to rise, one of them whispered to Miss Baker during training, no one will ever want to marry you. No one likes a girl who tries to climb over everyone else. To that, she spat in the dust, and went to find herself some lunch, doing stretches all the way. She had no time for their shit.''
March 29, 2017
Oh, I liked this one. It was surprising and ingenious and beautifully evoking the 1950s/60s atmosphere, and the final twist was rather brilliantly introduced.
January 3, 2018
Miss Baker was on a mission to defy gravity.
surprising and delightful!
surprising and delightful!
January 30, 2019
Okay, this was absolutely adorable but also smart and thoughtful. Never the less, she persisted.
January 27, 2021
I love this adorable little tale. When I say I was shocked by the twist at the end, I mean I actually gasped.
None of the women of Miss Baker’s family suffered from nerves. They’d climbed together up the highest volcano and looked into the boiling belly of the earth.
Lighthearted with a great message, it reminded me of an Aesop fable. It has a bit more humor than others in this series.
None of the women of Miss Baker’s family suffered from nerves. They’d climbed together up the highest volcano and looked into the boiling belly of the earth.
Lighthearted with a great message, it reminded me of an Aesop fable. It has a bit more humor than others in this series.
December 21, 2022
Short story advent utilising tordotcom free fiction 20/25
March 28, 2017
wonderful imaginative biography, really more like autobiography, of Miss Baker the squirrel monkey that in 1959 was one of the first animals to be sent into space, come back to earth and be recovered alive -- Russian dogs and US monkeys were the astronauts that led the way into space years before men -- I remember Laika, Russian dog, was also female, think she was first animal to orbit earth -- reminder of how much is owed to the animals and the irony of how much persistence it took for female humans to get into space
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews