Fighting for Space: Two Pilots and Their Historic Battle for Female Spaceflight

by Amy Shira Teitel

Spaceflight historian Amy Shira Teitel tells the riveting story of the female pilots who each dreamed of being the first American woman in space.

When the space age dawned in the late 1950s, Jackie Cochran held more propeller and jet flying records than any pilot of the twentieth century—man or woman. She had led the Women's Auxiliary Service Pilots during the Second World War, was the first woman to break the sound barrier, ran her own luxury cosmetics company, and counted multiple presidents among her personal friends. She was more qualified than any woman in the world to make the leap from atmosphere to orbit. Yet it was Jerrie Cobb, twenty-five years Jackie's junior and a record-holding pilot in her own right, who finagled her way into taking the same medical tests as the Mercury astronauts. The prospect of flying in space quickly became her obsession.

While the American and international media spun the shocking story of a "woman astronaut" program, Jackie and Jerrie struggled to gain control of the narrative, each hoping to turn the rumored program into their own ideal reality—an issue that ultimately went all the way to Congress.

This dual biography of audacious trailblazers Jackie Cochran and Jerrie Cobb presents these fascinating and fearless women in all their glory and grit, using their stories as guides through the shifting social, political, and technical landscape of the time.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Space, Feminism, Science, Biography, Womens

426 pages, Hardcover

First published February 18, 2020

About the author

Amy Shira Teitel is an American-Canadian author, popular science writer, spaceflight historian, YouTuber, and podcaster, best known for writing the books Breaking the Chains of Gravity and Fighting for Space. She's also hosts the popular YouTube channel The Vintage Space (previously Vintage Space).

Reviews

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

March is Women’s History Month, and I’m a day early to ring it in with this special book. Fighting for Space is about the female pilots “who each dreamed of being the first American woman in space” in the 1950s. You simply have to meet Jackie Cochran and Jerrie Cobb, the two strong women who vied for that top spot. Finding their way into space would not be easy and eventually Congress was involved as well. Fighting for Space is exciting, inspiring, and memorable nonfiction, another previously untold story.

I received a gifted copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Many of my reviews can also be found on instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

As biographies go, this one seems to be decently researched (with 40 pages of small print given to the bibliography) and written for "everyperson." However, better titles might have been "Fighting for Themselves" or "Battle *over* Female Spaceflight." By the time the reader reaches the end of the book, it's mainly a description of long distance cat fights between its two subjects with two presidents, a good chunk of Congress, and some of NASA's leadership drawn into the fray. In my opinion this takes away from the remarkable accomplishments of the women profiled in the book, leaving one wondering if they were worried more about their egos than about spaceflight itself and whether they did their causes more harm than good in the process. It also becomes less of a double biography and more of a straight history book, to the point where I'm torn as to where to shelve it.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another interesting nonfiction read about super strong women way ahead of their time! Always the underestimated gender, Teitel tells the story of two female pilots who dreamed of going into space. The book is about Jackie Cochran and Jerrie Cobb—who were accomplished aviatrixes and dreamed of being the first woman in space. Teitel relates the story of how their egos, their expectations, and ultimately the patriarchal society kept them from the stars.

These were extremely fascinating and fearless women, who were ahead of their time, making this a great read.

5 stars

Happy Reading!

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the age of flight arrived, women were as eager to take to the skies as men. Fighting for Space is a joint biography of two women, pioneers from different generations, who created extraordinary lives for themselves in the air, and then – as rockets began rising above airplanes – wondered if they might not be able to push the envelope further, and help put women in space. Amy Shira Teitel (host of the uber-cool and always interesting space history channel, Vintage Space) here introduces readers to Jackie Cochrane, an entrepreneur who flew with Amalia Earhart and Chuck Yeager; and Jerrie Cobb, who arranged to have herself subjected to the same battery of tests as the Mercury 7, leading the way for another twelve women to do the same – funded by Cochrane. It’s an expanding story of early aviation, growing opportunities for women in World War 2, and the determination of two women to surpass the expectations of their sex and beat the Russians to sending a woman into space. The subjects are admirable, their combined story compelling – but where Teitel really triumphs is creating a history that tells of their struggle without reducing it to a predictable propaganda piece. Instead, our two heroines have flaws, and even actively resent the other – and the men who ultimately frustrate their ambitions, LBJ and Jim Webb, are presented not as villains but as men beset with responsibilities, working to fulfill them with the limited resources at hand as best they could.

Although both of the subjects of this book are remarkable, if I had to choose one over the other, it would have to be Jackie Cochrane. Growing up in poverty, forced to drop out of school and join the workforce before she was a proper teenager, let alone an adult, Cochrane kept her eyes open for opportunities and created a successful salon business for herself. From an early age, she had a forceful self-confidence and was unafraid to confront those who tried to take advantage of her, and business would only get better after she attracted the attention of a business tycoon, who encouraged her to pursue flying to help her grow her market. Flying became more of a joy and a challenge in itself, and she pushed herself to become not only good, but The Best — racing in airshows at a time when flying was far more dangerous than it is now, even when pilots weren’t trying to cross the country as quickly as possible under adverse conditions. Jackie’s prominence as an aviator and interest in creating an American version of the Air Transport Auxiliary (a program in England in which female pilots were used to transport planes from base to base, freeing up men for combat) made her an instrumental part of creating and directing what became the Womens Airforce Service Pilots program, better known as WASPS. After the war, she continued pushing herself as an aviator, enlisting her friend Chuck Yeager’s help to train her to fly the new jet aircraft becoming more popular. Meanwhile, a young Jerrie Cobb fell in love with flying as a teenager, and beat bushes looking for opportunities to work with planes for a living — a hard ask in the postwar years, as the market was glutted with cashiered airmen looking for jobs that could get them back in the air. When the International Geophysical Year and Sputnik propelled the United States toward creating a manned rocket program, Cobb was aggressively interested in seeing if women couldn’t make the cut, either. As it happened, the Lovelace lab was interested in the data generated from women taking the same tests as men: even if NASA wasn’t currently looking for female astronauts, it presumably would eventually. Cobb’s relentless promotion of inclusion for female pilots saw her named (by LBJ, who had made the space program his baby) as a consultant to NASA. With funding from Cochrane, other women were invited t to take the same panel of physical and psychological tests as Glenn, Grissom, and the rest of the Mercury men — though NASA was under such stress at the time to catch up and surpass the Russians that it wanted to focus on astronauts of known quantities, hence the Mercury pioneers being drawn exclusively from test pilots. After the biggest incentive for sending a woman into space — being the first to do it — was removed courtesy of Russia sending up Valentina Tereshkova — Cobb and Cochrane realized that women in space was a lost cause for now, and Cobb switched her flying zeal to doing missionary work. The United States wouldn’t send a woman into space until 1983, when Sally Ride was named to an early space shuttle mission: a year later, Kathryn Sullivan became the first woman to do a spacewalk.

Fighting for Space was the most fun I’ve had reading history in a while: admittedly, early aviation and the Mercury-Apollo era are two of those subjects I can’t read enough about, but Teitel’s research and professionalism made the book a must-recommend. The women are not made inviolate icons despite their dogged triumphs, and the men are not demonized: instead, we get a full, even history that doubles as a great story.

[Meg - A Bookish Affair · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. "Fighting for Space" is a fantastic non-fiction story about two intrepid female pilots in a race to become the first female astronaut. Jackie Cochran came from nothing and pushed herself to make a name as a pilot. She pushed to get female pilots to become part of the war effort during World War II. She wants to continue to push for what she wants even if the world is against her. Jerrie Cobb has been flying since she was a little girl. With a lot of support from her family, she feels like there's nothing she can't accomplish. She too wants to be an astronaut, no matter how it seems to anyone else. This is a story of perseverance and bravery. I loved it!

It's one thing to read a history book about things you already know about. It's another to read a book that covers the little known parts of history. This book made me wonder why I had never come across any books that cover Jackie Cochran or Jerrie Cobb before. Both women were truly phenomenal and so far ahead of their time. They made for really fantastic subjects of a biography like this one!

The author is a deft storyteller. I love how she's able to bring the story of Jackie and Jerrie to life! The historical detail is wonderful and we get a lot of insight into not only what makes both of these women tick but also what they are up against when it comes to trying to break into a world filled with men. The way that the story flows between the two women was really great. Both Jackie and Jerrie ran with some pretty phenomenal personalities that make an appearance in the book. Jackie was a close, personal friend of Amelia Earhart (one of my favorite people to read about). This was a great book and I really liked it! I would love to read more by this author!

[Erin Cataldi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shira Teitel, Amy. Fighting for Space: Two Pilots and Their Historic Battle for Female Spaceflight. 9CDs. unabridged. 11hrs. Hachette Audio. ISBN 9781549121005. $35.00.



Spaceflight historian Amy Shira Teitel tells the empowering true story of two female pilots who fought to be the first women in space. This dual biography captures the brilliant lives of Jackie Cochran and Jerrie Cobb as they trailblazed their way into the cockpit and into the hearts of millions of Americans. Both became pilots at a time in America when women should be barefoot and pregnant - certainly not setting flying records or breaking the space barrier. They fought against sexism and proved to men time and again they they belonged in the air. The dawn of the space age brought new dreams and both women longed to get into space. Jerrie Cobb took all the same tests as America's first astronauts and refused to let the matter lie. She had already proved she could be a pilot, she could prove that she was astronaut material as well. Passionately narrated by the author; who gives both young women vim and vigor; causing them to leap from the page right into the listener's imagination. This inspiring story highlights two women that challenged the social norms and used their grit and determination to prove themselves the equal of any man in the air or the the atmosphere. An impressive and awe inducing biography that space junkies, feminists, and historians will eat up! - Erin Cataldi, Johnson Co. Public Library, Franklin, IN

[Whitney Pergram · Rating 5 out of 5]

A BIG THANK YOU to Grand Central Publishing for the copy of Fighting for Space: Two Pilots and Their Historic Battle for Female Spaceflight by Amy Shira Teitel, published on February 16th, 2021. The dazzling, detailed dual biography of Jackie Cochran and Jerrie Cobb, two pilots of indomitable spirit, in the twentieth century—and their pursuit to become astronauts at a time when women were expected to be homemakers rather than trailblazers. This well-researched account brings their stories to life and explores these two pioneering figures as the dynamic women with the force of character needed to move the dial on future female spaceflight. ★★★★★

From the publisher: Spaceflight historian Amy Shira Teitel tells the riveting story of the female pilots who each dreamed of being the first American woman in space. When the space age dawned in the late 1950s, Jackie Cochran held more propeller and jet flying records than any pilot of the twentieth century—man or woman. She had led the Women's Auxiliary Service Pilots during the Second World War, was the first woman to break the sound barrier, ran her own luxury cosmetics company, and counted multiple presidents among her personal friends. She was more qualified than any woman in the world to make the leap from atmosphere to orbit. Yet it was Jerrie Cobb, twenty-five years Jackie's junior and a record-holding pilot in her own right, who finagled her way into taking the same medical tests as the Mercury astronauts. The prospect of flying in space quickly became her obsession.

While the American and international media spun the shocking story of a "woman astronaut" program, Jackie and Jerrie struggled to gain control of the narrative, each hoping to turn the rumored program into their own ideal reality—an issue that ultimately went all the way to Congress. This dual biography of audacious trailblazers Jackie Cochran and Jerrie Cobb presents these fascinating and fearless women in all their glory and grit, using their stories as guides through the shifting social, political, and technical landscape of the time.

I received this book free from Grand Central Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 16 Feb 2021
#FightingforSpace #GrandCentralPublishing

[Emily (emily.m.reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much that I’m almost speechless for this review, which is insane if you know me. This is the story of Jackie Cochran and Jerrie Cobb, two badass pilots who fought for women’s participation in spaceflight during the twentieth century. Teitel did an incredible job creating complex and relatable characters in this nonfiction piece. It reads like an epic novel, not a dry history book. Her research process is fantastic. She truly embodies what it means to be a science writer and inspires me to enter the field. If you want to know more about space history, I highly recommend Amy’s YouTube channel, The Vintage Space!

[R.J. Southworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly readable account of how two women, Jackie Cochran and Jerrie Cobb, worked to pursue their shared passion for flying at a time when such opportunities did not come easily for women, and how what began as some unofficial medical research was escalated and distorted by the media into a non-existent plan to put American women into space. Cochran and Cobb are presented as dedicated but deeply flawed figures, and the author presents their differing perspectives without offering personal judgement (except in the Q&A). From both the author's note and the Q&A, however, not everything in the book can be taken at face value, due to a combination of conflicting sources, some unreliability in Cochran and Cobb's own accounts, and how the author chose to tell the story; if this is the case, I would have liked the less certain parts to have been highlighted a bit more.

[CatReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting dual biography of two important women in aviation who aren't nearly as recognized in current times as the likes of Amelia Earhart and Sally Ride! I appreciated the author's depth of research into both the well-substantiated and less-well-substantiated portions of both Jacqueline Cochran's and Jerrie Cobb's stories. It's interesting and also unfortunate that the two women evolved to have a rather antagonistic relationship -- the author is careful to note which parts of each woman's story ring true, have conflicting interpretations or are poorly supported in the fullness of all available evidence.

[Emmie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a big space or plane buff, so I read this more as an interest in the history of women. And boy, nothing can get you fired up more than hearing how women lived back then and the bullshit they had to deal with on a daily basis. On more than one occasion I was completely incensed with the bullshit double standards men imposed on women back then without applying it to themselves.

Regardless, these women were brave and determined and I know that in the face of that sort of society, I would have crumbled. There's no way I could have the moxie to blaze my own trail through that muck of bullshit. Even though they were strong women, I don't think I would have cared for them personally. They were both petty in their own rights and it sounds like despite all they did, the end of their lives were left to obscurity.

[Owlseyes]

“THE MORE WE TRY TO FORCE EQUALITY, THE MORE WE’RE CREATING A DIVIDE.”
Amy Shira Teitel


https://www.inverse.com/science/billi...

[Isaac Romsdahl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jackie Cochran is a criminally underappreciated character in the history of aviation. The conflict between her, Jerri Cobb and the early initiators of the space race is a difficult and complex topic. This book has the details, and provides an exhaustive rundown. Worth the read.

[Matt Heavner · Rating 4 out of 5]

good story and description of important history (and crazy pilots!)

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written in a readable, engaging way, and told the life stories of two women who kept on fighting for what they believed in. The book frustrated me, and left me unsatisfied, but that is the risk one takes when reading nonfiction: If only these women had succeeded in achieving what they were determined to achieve. Overall, though, a positive reading experience.

[Jeana Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

These two women were so amazing in their own right and learning about their journeys to help pave the way for future female pilots and astronauts is really inspiring. A great read and addition to any collection or list about women’s history.

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating characters and story. The book is double biography/history hybrid with a sprinkle of crazy LBJ stories.

Purchased at 2020 Savannah Book Festival after hearing the author speak.

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amy Shira Teitel's Fighting for Space: Two Pilots and their Historical Battle for Female Spaceflight, is a superb read and I give it 4.5 of 5 stars. Nonetheless, I find this oddly one of the more difficult reviews that I have come to write.
The tale revolves around two women's parallel life journeys as they fight to become and succeed as pilots (albeit a generation apart) and that collide over differing perceptions around the role for women in the space programme. The story is both gripping and engaging. The author does a masterful job of finding intersection points between these women's lives and ethos'.
The nature of a dual biography has challenged many historians. It often comes off as contrived or forced. Shira Teitel's offering suffers neither of these. It is a measured and colourful telling of the lives of Jackie Cochran, and Jerrie Cobb (Jackie and Jerrie) skilfully related alongside a more comprehensive narrative. The book boldly demonstrates the constant challenges these women faced in male-dominated pursuits. As a very early aviator and eventual and repeated world record holder over decades, Cochran's upbringing was particularly harsh. Her eventual successes, both personal and professional, are a testament to an amazing individual. Her close friendship with luminaries such as Amelia Earhart and Lyndon Johnson reinforces that she travelled in both exciting times but that she also was a woman who rose above adversity to control her destiny. She took control of her life and seemed to have sought every opportunity to help shape other's futures. It is a tribute to her clear and focused perseverance and strong will that she mastered many professions and lived a life of constant self-challenge. She enjoyed the beneficial happenstance of marrying a man that made her dreams financially possible. That he was able and willing to use his connections to the most powerful men in government, military and private enterprise is raised by the author as contributing to Cochran's success. Their's must have been a unique marriage, but this is not the subject of this book.
The other protagonist (I am not convinced that you do have to pick teams) Jerrie Cobb, had a somewhat less challenging upbringing. Despite having an opportunity to similarly ally herself with a life partner that may have made her journey easier, Cobb makes a decision not to. These life choices make for an intriguing contrast, but this point of similarity is more eluded to by the author than explicitly explored. Cobb's similarly dogged personality is vividly painted. With both protagonists, you genuinely feel you get to know them. I have read fiction where I have not found the characterisation as well-executed, so again much credit to Shira Teitel.
The author contextualises the broader history of flight and women's role through these combined biographies and the introduction of a variety of other characters vital to the history and the narrative. As a reader you do have a sense that you come to know many of them - seemingly personally.
And in this, the author freely admits she wanted to create an engaging rather than purely informative work. She succeeds in this, and I heartily enjoyed reading this. It was particularly informative, and the choice to verge on history as fiction rather than fact is often indulged in as a means to so do. The author is upfront about this, and as mentioned, it does not feel contrived in the slightest.
However, this does raise questions over how one comes to judge this superb book. The author has been transparent and open in stating that she is attempting to right a perceived wrong - the fact that women were, and continue to be, denied opportunities that are open to males. In this Shira Teitel delivers her message and transcends gendered reading biases.
If you sense some hesitation in my writing, it is because one of the stylistic editorial decisions made - and one that troubled my reading of it. My criticism here is subjective and personal and slightly professional. I expect that to make the book (I keep wanting to write novel) more engaging and more of a story than a drier recitation of facts Shira Teitel decided to jettison surnames and relate the tale through first names. The challenge this posed to me is that it implies a first name basis in relationships and thus, something that often wasn't there. Although Cobb met President Kennedy once I don't suspect Jerrie wrote to Jack. Writing that Jerrie wrote to President Kennedy is both informative, appropriate and I don't think it detracts from the personalisation of the tale. At times the singular use of first names just becomes confusing. This stylistic decision evoked personal foibles with me professionally. I suppose I struggle with the line between writing scholarship and writing from the heart myself - and am probably struggling with this right now. Maybe these writing styles are reconcilable. However, many aspects of scholarly presentation exist to respond to some of these subjectively conscious or unconscious implications of style. When my students complete a literature review or recount history, many less experienced writers may write "Winston (Churchill) made a speech in the house and then spoke to his buddy Clement (Atlee) as mentioned by Tony (Burton - author) in his book". They are gently reminded that it is proper to use surnames unless you actually know a person and it also gives proper respect. In the choice to refer to all characters in this novel by their first names, I am sometimes left confused and often troubled. Jack is President Kennedy. Lyndon is President Johnson. Jim is Nasa Director Jim Webb and Randy is the founder of the Lovelace Clinic. Although Jackie Cochrane saved LBJ's life and I suspect may well have called him Lyndon, I am pretty sure that the author met neither. Moreover, the use of surnames would aid clarity in so many places that I occasionally tried reading passages by replacing these first names with titles and surnames. For me, this would have improved clarity - and not implied familiarity that may not have existed between the characters, let alone with the author.
Although I suspect - as I cannot find any other mentions of this choice - it was done to make the story more engaging. I found it an odd and distracting choice - mainly because my befuddled mind was confused but also because of implicit relationship signalling that we have come to rely on when reading history especially. I wonder about the editorial discussion between the author and her editor in this regard. It could be argued that referring to the two protagonists by their first names would have personalised the tale sufficiently. I feel that this limitation would have made it equally engaging, more readable and less confusing at times - at least for me. I thoroughly enjoyed her previous work which adhered to this more conventional practise. It may well be just fine for others, and I absolutely applaud pushing the envelope and embracing experimentation - it just didn't work for me. I was frustrated with myself in reading, to have been so troubled. I am equally frustrated in dwelling on it in this review - but in writing, I tease it out for myself.
Does Shira Teitel find herself in Cochran I wonder? I have a sense that she does find many parallels in Cochran's triumphs. I come to this book, as a fan of her VintageSpace YouTube videos (and also of her previous book, Breaking the Chains of Gravity). She is a talented raconteur both on screen and in print. She has a unique talent for making the complex understandable and also boldly broaching subjects that deserve attention in her own quirky and personal way. She is passionate about both spaceflight, science and feminism - feelings that she demonstrably shares with Cochran and I wonder how much of herself she writes into the Cochran story. How much do you write out of the story around supporting characters and their roles in your own life?
Additionally, I am curious about the omission of the role of religion in Cobb's life. There are mere hints at her religious devotion in the story. One senses from her eventual career as a missionary pilot and in her letters to Cochran that this was a strong driving force in her life. Yet this observation occurs late in the relating of her life story. The literary exchanges between Cochran and Cobb suggest that this is a substantial part of her person. There are editorial choices made to fashion the tale, but this does strike one as a merely hinted at but left unexplored aspect of her life and character.
The depth of the challenges faced by both Jerrie Cobb and Jackie Cochran in their quests to control their destinies and to fight the bonds that prevented them from achieving their dreams is brilliantly recounted in Fighting for Space. It's a great title, and the author is mostly transparent throughout in sharing her intentions in writing. She makes every effort to flag any liberties she takes in recounting what is a historical and real tale told in a slightly experimental fashion. Amy Shira Teitel succeeds in delivering an engaging and intensely impassioned story. It informs and quite possibly allows herself the opportunity to influence the future for women in space and in other future endeavours. More power to her and I look forward to her next writing and broadcasting.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This narrative non-fiction focuses on the lives of two female pilots, Jackie Cochran and Jerrie Cobb, who were intent on becoming the first females in space. They both made names for themselves, fighting for each of their accomplishments. For example, Jackie was the first woman to break the sound barrier. While neither achieved their ultimate goal, they both made incredible contributions to the field of flight in the U.S. and inspired other women to pursue their own goals. Though the book focuses primarily on Jackie and Jerrie, the broader history of the space race and other female flight pioneers was also woven into the text. I found this to be an incredibly fascinating read from start to finish. Jackie and Jerrie were clearly forces to be reckoned with and did not let the times in which they lived or any man saying "no" stop them.

This was one of my book clubs' picks for May 2021. We all enjoyed learning more about these women and this part of U.S. flight and space history. However, we also felt that Jackie's and Jerrie's own ambitions may have hindered not only their own paths to get to space but also the other women who were pursuing similar goals at the time. Had they joined forces and worked towards a broader, singular goal, you can't help but wonder if the U.S. would have launched a woman into space sooner. As a side note, one of the women featured in this book, Wally Funk, was the woman who was aboard the inaugural Blue Horizon space flight, becoming the oldest woman to travel to space!

I really liked the "Main Figures" list at the beginning of the book, the visual cues within each chapter about what aspect of flight history (early airplanes, jets, rockets) was being discussed -- one book club member listened to the audio version and found it difficult to keep the transitions straight, whereas the images I saw in the physical book made it very easy to follow along, and the photos and copies of letters, documents, etc. that were included. The bibliography and notes were meticulous and helpful, too.

One note going into this. While the author covers this in the Author's Note at the end, some of the chapters are based on Jackie's and Jerrie's own accounts, which means some of the information may have been embellished. I knew this going in and wasn't bothered by that but the other book club members didn't and mentioned this when we discussed the book. The author did a tremendous amount of research and incorporated a variety of sources, and I appreciated her explanation about why she had opted to use Jackie's and Jerrie's personal accounts in some places. If men can boast and embellish without being questioned, why not a couple of gutsy women?

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me say before I begin that I am grateful to Libro.fm for the advanced review audio copy. I was delighted by Amy Shira Teitel's narration. This is a fascinating story told with passion and enthusiasm. It will have large popular appeal due to the creative non-fiction approach.

My only issues with this well-researched and well-presented book are as follows:
a) The narrative is incredibly heteronormative. There are so many examples of "women do this, men do that" logic that perpetuate an outdated binary approach to gender. While I appreciate the historical context, I would have preferred some discussion of the ways in which such an approach is limiting in both social and medical contexts.

b) I would have preferred the author's note appear at the beginning, instead of the end of the audiobook. I cannot speak to where it occurs in the print version. Teitel writes that she did not want to influence the reader. Unfortunately, I would have preferred that note precede my reading experience since I did question the number of times feelings, or thoughts were communicated. It made me doubt what turned out to be a very well-researched story and I really appreciated Teitel's candor at the end.

c) Unlike the publisher's summary, this book is not actually a dual narrative. It is much more focused on Jackie than Jerrie. In fact, there are moments in which it seems to valorize Jackie, who can do not wrong. Jerrie is not afforded the same praise and is subject to much more criticism throughout the book. Certainly, that makes for a good story with conflict; it is just not one that is balanced between two subjects treated equally throughout the text.

All that said, this is a very interesting and enjoyable read that will no doubt be very popular. I will definitely recommend it.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic book depicting two tough as nails women who fought so hard for the one thing they loved. Reads more like creative non-fiction than a history text which makes it very readable. Highly recommend!

[Barbara (Bobby) Title · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were parts of this book that I found very interesting, but I felt that the time span of events was way too long , it was hard to keep track of all the women , way too many arguments of various people and agencies, and in other words, a bit to messy for me. The book is probably a good book for the historical records it details, but the relationships have the feeling of a catfight.

I stopped reading in the middle of it, and then when I ran out of other books, I went back to it. It was a much quicker read than my figures appear to show

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was barely up to "3 star" standing. When will I learn that the gimmick of mashing two biographies together seldom does justice to either life being depicted?

[Barry Davidoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the movie the Man Who Killed Liberty Valance the most memorable line was "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." Printing the legend is exactly what Amy Teital does rather than demonstrating that the Mercury 13 is a myth of women in the Space Race.
In 1960-61 a group of women submitted to medical evaluation at the Lovelace Clinic in New Mexico. The tests were completely private and had never been sponsored by NASA. The thirteen women later became the false legend of Mercury 13 as compared to the Mercury 7 astronauts.
When the Mercury 7 astronauts were selected in 1958, Randy Lovelace was a consultant to NASA and developed a series of medical tests at his clinic. The critical criteria that was used was that in choosing astronauts, NASA wanted test pilots of high performance and experimental aircraft with at least 1500-2000 flight hours. NASA needed pilots who were able to make split second decisions and who could provide engineering evaluations.Many of their flight hours were in combat. NASA did not select any women until 1978 when several women were selected as mission specialists.
As the noted space historian James Oberg points out in his article at https://www.thespacereview.com/articl...
NASA never had any plans to recruit or examine anyone besides military test pilots during the Mercury program. Although the thirteen women were pilots almost all their hours were in light civilian aircraft. Purely objectively both the quality and quantity of hours was insufficient.
Jerrie Cobb became the spokeswoman for the group. Life magazine and other publications ran stories on the POSSIBILITY of women going into space and used photos of Cobb undergoing testing.
The real struggle for NASA was not whether women should be astronauts but rather going into space and thence the moon.
The Mercury 13 would have been a footnote but in the 1990's a few female journalists began looking for heroines and found the Mercury 13 which spun into the legend. In 2007 Oshkosh University gave honorary PhD's to the Mercury 13 who were still alive.
The testing of the 13 women never was secret not was it anyway related to NASA. Rather Lovelace used private funds for a few medical tests some of which had rather prurient intent There was a second round of testing consisting of floating nude in an isolation tank. According to Teital, Jerrie Cobb floated for over 9 hours while being observed.
Jerrrie Cobb on her own initiative became the spearhead of the group. Jackie Cochran who had headed the WASP program during World War II desired to gain control. She was a significant contributor to the Lovelace clinic. Cochran was a close friend and political supporter of Vice President Lyndon Johnson .
Teital makes the Mercury 13 into another "twitter tale". The facts are mostly there but Teital provides backspin to increase the myth.
As a historian Teital does not substantiate many of the claims. She refused to provided footnotes or end notes in her book. Rather she provides sources for her chapters. For example there are questionable claims about statements by Lyndon Johnson. Teital lists as a source the four volume Robert Caro biography rather than a page or a specific source. Similarly she lists large numbers of letters which she obtained from archives rather than a specific letter or group of letters.
She also fails to provide any index, which is required in any historical work but not for Teital in telling "twitter tales".
Teital does provide copies of documents when she wants to make a point. However the documents are barely legible. Almost all readers will skip or skim over them.
There are outstanding errors of fact that should have been caught. For example on page 281, Teital states that John Glenn was brought back to earth FOUR orbits earlier than planned. Glenn only was scheduled to fly THREE orbits. Glenn flew the entire mission and completed all three orbits. When obvious facts are missed for the America's first man orbital flight, credibility in Teital's research is lost in an ocean of error.
Another difficulty is that for some obscure reason Teital chooses to use almost everyone's first name. President Kennedy become Jack and Vice President Johnson is Lyndon. She writes of an important call from Jack to Jim. It takes a while to translate that it is a letter between the President of the United States to James Webb the Administrator of NASA.
Teital also does not provide any analysis of the historography of the Mercury 13 legend which took a off on a life of its own. Teital provides few conclusions or analysis of whether the Mercury 13 is fact fiction or merely Teital telling a "twitter tale".

[Matthew Kresal · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was the dawn of the Space Age. The United States and the Soviet Union raced headlong into space, extending the frontiers of science into the heavens in the name of attaining Cold War glory. In the midst of that, another story was taking place. One that, in a different world, might have seen NASA engaged in an effort to make an American the first woman in space. It wasn't to be, however. It's a tale that has been of interest to generations of space historians and enthusiasts, including the historian and host of The Vintage Space over on YouTube, Amy Shira Teitel. Her latest book Fighting for Space illuminates the overlooked story of the women who might have been America's first female astronauts.

There's a decent chance going into this book that you might know the basics of the story. The "Mercury 13," as they came to be known later, were a group of women who passed the same tests as NASA's Mercury 7 astronauts did. Despite that, they never flew in space, despite a public campaign led by one of their number, Jerrie Cobb, that led to Congressional hearings. It was there the idea was shot down, in no small part due to the testimony of Jackie Cochran, a record-holding pilot and one-time leader of the Second World War-era Woman’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs). Cochran, then in her fifties, swept in like something of a Wicked Witch, wrecking the hopes and dreams of Cobb, her fellow pilots, and a generation of would-be female astronauts.

Or so the story goes.

In Fighting for Space, Teitel challenges much of that narrative. Like with her videos on YouTube's The Vintage Space channel, she proves to have both a knack for research while putting across both a compelling and informative narrative. In this case, she goes back to basics and takes apart much of the myths around the FLATs (First Lady Astronaut Trainees). Something which ranges from her examining NASA's involvement (or lack thereof) to how Cochran, rather than being the proverbial Wicked Witch, helped finance much of the medical testing that helped make the venture possible. The book also explores John Glenn, arguably the most famous of the Mercury 7 and whose testimony in those hearings has been seen as helping seal the women's fate, and asks how much influence it had. In doing so, Teitel reveals a much different narrative, one that presents more complexities. Ones involving the political fortunes of Lyndon Johnson, the direction of NASA's future after President Kennedy pointed them toward the Moon, and questions of media hype that are relevant nearly sixty years after the events she explores.

It's also a more complex tale because of its protagonists. As she does with the overall story, Teitel also strips away some of the myth around the two women at the heart of this historical tale: Jackie Cochran and Jerrie Cobb. A generation apart in terms of age but many ways similar: self-made women who flew at a time when the field was predominately male, setting records while also pushing against bureaucracy and sexism. Both also had secrets in their pasts, ones which they did their best not to acknowledge. Yet, in the end, perhaps, it was how similar they were that brought them into conflict with Cochran's WASPs of the war era being an analog of Cobb's FLATs two decades later, but in a different atmosphere. Perhaps it's the latter, and the clash of visions between them, more than anything else, that kept the dreams women astronauts precisely that. Either woman would be an ideal lead character for a novel, and, through her tenacious research and prose, Teitel brings both of these remarkable women to life once more.

The story of Cochran, Cobb, and the dream of American women going into space in the 1960s is a story that isn't as well known as it ought to be. And, as it turns out, what we do know isn't the full story, either. Thanks to Teitel's excellent book, their story has now been explored in new depth, revealing new layers and brushing away the myths around them. In doing so, she offers a tale that is even more fascinating and complex than one might ever have imagined, and which should enthrall readers every bit as much as The Vintage Space videos do.

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amy Shira Teitel is a Canadian native and lifelong space enthusiast who earned a master's degree in Science and Technology Studies before pursuing popular science writing. Here she has examined the lives of two women who were instrumental in bringing the possibility of women flying in space to public attention. Jackie Cochran overcame many challenges in her early life in Florida, including a divorce and the death of her young son. She then moved to New York, changed her name, and became one of the most decorated pilots of the 20th century. Jerrie Cobb was an Oklahoma native born a generation later who fell in love with flying at a young age. In 1960, she managed to travel to Albuquerque, New Mexico to take many of the medical tests the Mercury astronauts had recently taken at the Lovelace Clinic. Cochran agreed to provide funding as a group of women who became known as the "Mercury Thirteen" took the Lovelace tests. The two of them became the subject of a media frenzy concerning the potential opening of the astronaut corps to women. Cobb even testified before Congress in 1962 and conferred with Lyndon Johnson about the matter during his vice presidency and presidency, but she proved unable to make that opening happen. Fortunately, she did live long enough to see women fly in space.

I consider this book valuable because Teitel is an engaging writer and gives the reader a great sense of what Cochran and Cobb accomplished as well as the challenges they faced. They had to contend with a male dominated aerospace community and political community in trying to make their voices heard. They also disagreed with each other, as Cobb wanted to see the U.S. beat the Soviet Union to launching a woman into space while Cochran felt "It's better to be sound than quick." Teitel went to numerous archival facilities to find the documents that supported all of this and I commend her for a very successful book.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fighting for Space is an inspiring and engaging read that shines a much-needed light on to trailblazing women in aviation: Jackie Cochran and Jerrie Cobb. The book dives deep into their contrasting lives--Jackie rising from humble beginnings and carving out a name for herself in a male dominated world, while Jerrie, inspired by her father's military career, learned to fly as a child and proved herself through hard work and perseverance.

The author does a great job bringing their stories to life, showing the challenges they faced as women pilots and how they pushed past limitations society placed on them. I loved learning about the history of women in aviation and how both Jackie and Jerrie had to work tirelessly to gain recognition. It was eye opening to see how their love of flying brought them to and through life and death situations with them coming out stronger on the other side. Their ambition truly shaped shaped space flight today--even though neither of them got the chance to participate in the space program.

Reading this book has allowed me to reflect on how much passion has been lost in modern exploration, which often seems more driven by profit than curiosity. I appreciated the author's use of primary sources and images; they put the reader into the time period and made the story come to life. It was sad to see how hard women had to push to prove themselves during this time to receive half of the recognition that men won.

Overall, this book was both informative and moving. It reminded me why space and aviation history matter and left me feeling encouraged to pursue my own goals.

[Bob Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two Extraordinary Women Ahead Of Their Times

Amy Shira Teitel has taken a deep, very honest dive into the lives of two extraordinary female aviators - both, as we all are, very flawed human beings - who accomplished much yet fell short of their ultimate goals.
Growing up in Southern California in the 1950s and 60s, aerospace was big news and most of my neighbors worked in aerospace. We all waited anxiously for every NASA launch or X-15 flight at Edwards and the pilots were my heroes.
Concurrently, I watched my Mom, who had a lucrative career, put on the shelf as a housewife by my Dad, who thought he was protecting her.
Such was the landscape that Cochran and Cobb had to battle.
As a woman and author, Teitel could have become just a cheerleader for the memories of these exceptional flyers. Instead, she told their true stories.
Jackie Cochran was among the world’s best pilots of either sex, but she craved control and didn’t like to share the spotlight. And thanks to own business acumen and that of a rich husband, she had the ears of power.
Jerrie Cobb was also highly talented as a flyer and also driven, so much so that she lost perspective and hurt her own cause.
To reveal these thing far from tarnishes their legacy. It makes the human.
This is a great read for those who like airplanes, space and the truth.

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting bit of history that I did not know about. Outside of Amelia Earhart and Sally Ride, I was not at all familiar with any early female aviation/space pilots/travelers.

I admire what they accomplished - a lot of first in flight (for women) and they had to find ways to get what the wanted in a male dominated field. Creativity was the name of the game, but having a rich husband as Jackie Cochran did, certainly helped open doors for her.

I only gave it 3 stars, because I really didn't like either Jackie or Jerrie Cobb very much. While I understand they made it to where they did due to their drive and ego, I still would not have wanted to be friends with either one of them. Jackie disavowed her family - told people she was an orphan and the people who raised her were her foster family (they were her birth family). Jerrie ignored that the "love of her life" (for a time) was married to the woman who partnered with him in their aviation business. She never mentioned the wife in any of her memoirs - makes you wonder what else she didn't acknowledge.

What really brought a smile to my face was Wally Funk. She was one of the pilots in the 1960s space testing program with Jerrie and she's the only one who finally got to go to space - on a Jeff Bezos Blue Origin flight in 2021 and is the oldest woman to go into space as of today.

[Javier Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. Shira-Teitel does her homework to highlight the lives, loves, and times of two often overlooked aviatrices as they both broke and tried to push the boundaries of what free women were expected and could be expected to do in 20th Century America. While Jackie Cochran and Jerrie Cobb came from different backgrounds, both nonetheless drew inner strength to become professional and accomplished female pilots in their own right. One (Jackie) thoroughly reinvented herself (literally) while also launching a national cosmetics chain in the process, the other (Jerrie) learning to deliver military aircraft and also break several endurance records of her own. The tragedy of the story stems from both the oversized ego (from my interpretation) of Jackie, along with the still stifling culture of post-war America which kept Cobb, and 12 other eminently qualified female pilots from joining the space program. Today, such an oversight would be met with overwhelming criticism as well as widespread condemnation. And while a better history of each of these ladies is certainly due, the book I think shows how their efforts largely help launch the second feminist wave of the late 60's and early 70's. Women the world today, stand on the shoulders of the giants such as these. Ms. Shira-Teitel has done them both justice.