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My Dream of Stars: From Daughter of Iran to Space Pioneer
In her heartwarming and empowering memoir, space pioneer Anousheh Ansari tells the story of her childhood in Iran and her family's exodus to America after the Islamic Revolution. After settling down in Texas, Anousheh built a computer technology firm from the ground up, which eventually realized a net worth of $750 million and ultimately allowed her to achieve her childhood dream of spaceflight. In her groundbreaking role as the first-ever female commercial spaceflight participant, her story became politicized and fraught with the prejudices and obstacles she had to overcome as an Iranian woman, culminating in a debate over whether she would be allowed to display both the American and Iranian flags on the sleeve of her spacesuit. After her return to Earth, Anousheh started The Ansari Foundation, a quickly growing nonprofit which supports social entrepreneurship, and is especially committed to ensuring the freedom of women around the world and supporting female entrepreneurs. Ultimately, this evocative story shows the triumph of a woman who has become a role model to people around the globe struggling to overcome economic and cultural barriers, as well as those dreamers who look upon the stars and wish to soar among them.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
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507 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
February 8, 2010
Who says money can't buy... anything? Yes, even a trip into space. Ansari left a turbulent Iran as a teenager and came to the United States and made a name and a fortune for herself. She took that fortune and went to Russia where she participated in Space Adventures and went into space. The press branded her a "space tourist" and the people of Iran have criticized her for having spent 20 million dollars on her dream. It wasn't just her 20 million dollars that got her into space tho, but also her determination. Ansari spent six months undergoing medical test after medical test and undertaking one training procedure after another and showed she had a bit more grit than a camera toting tourist.
This is her story. I liked it and I learned a lot of things I didn't know before picking this up. I didn't know anything about special seat molds, underwater tests, or what 8 Gs of force feels like. Now I do. However, part two really bored me as it was about her business making and being a CEO. I'm not a business minded person and I just wanted to get to the space stuff. That came in the last half. Thus, four stars.
This is her story. I liked it and I learned a lot of things I didn't know before picking this up. I didn't know anything about special seat molds, underwater tests, or what 8 Gs of force feels like. Now I do. However, part two really bored me as it was about her business making and being a CEO. I'm not a business minded person and I just wanted to get to the space stuff. That came in the last half. Thus, four stars.
March 23, 2014
"In her heartwarming and empowering memoir, space pioneer Anousheh Ansari tells the story of her childhood in Iran and her family's exodus to America after the Islamic Revolution. After settling down in Texas, Anousheh built a computer technology firm from the ground up, which eventually realized a net worth of $750 million and ultimately allowed her to achieve her childhood dream of spaceflight. In her groundbreaking role as the first-ever female commercial spaceflight participant, her story became politicized and fraught with the prejudices and obstacles she had to overcome as an Iranian woman, culminating in a debate over whether she would be allowed to display both the American and Iranian flags on the sleeve of her spacesuit.
After her return to Earth, Anousheh started The Ansari Foundation, a quickly growing nonprofit which supports social entrepreneurship, and is especially committed to ensuring the freedom of women around the world and supporting female entrepreneurs. Ultimately, this evocative story shows the triumph of a woman who has become a role model to people around the globe struggling to overcome economic and cultural barriers, as well as those dreamers who look upon the stars and wish to soar among them."
The book brings up several points to think about:
Should space travel be through governments or private organizations or both?
Who should control and regulate space travel?
Page 208-"I argued that the only way to take great strides in space exploration was to make it more affordable. Governments wouldn't do it because they had no incentive."
The author brought up several times how one's past effects our prospective of the present and the future:
Page 1--"When I was in space, I felt free of all the trivial details that can preoccupy the minds of humanity daily. I had been blessed to not only dream of the stars but also to be visiting them. But even in space, I was aware that the light of our tomorrows is sometimes threatened by the darkness of our yesterdays."
Page1--"...I did not enjoy seeing the sun draw a deep shadow across the planet, snuffing out continents and seas alike. As far as I was concerned, that encroaching darkness represented yesterday. Although some say that one's past is the primary predictor of one's future, I firmly believe this not the case-our yesterdays are gone, done, and finished. Only what we do now to make our tomorrows better is important."
Page 5: "Mom explained that people who are blessed with abundance have a duty to help those who are less fortunate. As good, Muslims, my grandparents had a duty to share their blessings with those in need. I liked that of my grandparents. I have never forgotten their example, either. Everything I have, I worked very hard to attain, but I still recognize the need to give back in every way I can."
Author speaking about growing up in Iran:
"Little Prince (The Book): " The snake claims to be all-powerful despite the fact that he is small and doesn't have legs or feet. When asks him why he talks in riddles, the snake cunningly replies, 'I solve them all.' He does, indeed, with his bite. In the new Iran, the boys with guns were like that poisonous snake.
Page 15-- Her Uncle explained the American dream to her: " American kids didn't take full advantage of all the opportunities but that people from other countries who were not born with such freedom figured out quickly that the only barriers were those they created themselves."
Page 36--Very astute observation by the author-that I strongly agree with--many girls are held back from their potential because of this:
"It also seemed to me that the presence of boys in the school made the girl students more self-conscious about their looks. Don't get me wrong-teenage girls in Iran are interested in boys and looks too, but I don't think they are as consumed by these things as American high school girls. By their dress and makeup, they looked to me like they were in their mid-twenties."
Page 53- The Persian expression--Nan va piaz--"Risk complete failure"
Page 64-"Failure is not an option." True enough on that mission, but expect lots of failures on their way to success. That's not all bad because failure teaches valuable lessons. What's most important is not to five up until the end goal is achieved!"
Page 67-"But as we discovered on September 11, 2001, sometimes it takes a tragedy to discover the way people actually fell about you."
The author realized her dream and was able to go to Russian to catch a flight (Soyz) to the Russian space station in 2006 when she was in her 40's.
It was interesting to read her thoughts and observations about training for space flight, space flight and her time in space:
The Sokol suit proved much heavier than I imagine, also required a couple of technician to help me get zipped up...
Even the basics have to be approached differently in space: how to wash my hair and clean myself in space, and, of course, the use of space toilet ...
Fires in space are one of the worst things can happen. There had been a fire on the Old Russian space station Mir that raged for hours and nearly suffocated the crew.
Author's blog: www.anoushehansari.com
... it's not always the high things that kill you in spaceflight. Rather, it's often the little things that go unnoticed, like that little valve aboard Soyuz 11, or the rubber O-ring on the Challenger's solid rocket boosters, made too stiff by an unexpected cold snap in Florida. But at that moment, past failures didn't matter. I had told many people I was willing to die for my dream of venturing in space.
It take the International Space Station about 90 minutes to circle the globe and, as a result, there are 16 beautiful sunrises and 16 glorious sunsets over the course of every day, each one different and spectacular in its own way.
The best part was at night when I could see the stars. They were simply unbelievable. It was asa if someone had spread diamond dust over a black velvet blanket.
Because of the close quarters on space station:
Pg 212 " After several days of observation, I was amazed at how well everyone got along aboard the station. Much of that was due to good manners and simple courtesy. For instance, I observed that when a cosmonaut asked a question in English, his astronaut counterpart would often answer in Russian. The reverse was also true. It was done out of mutual respect. If only we had more people practice such courtesy on Earth, we would surely have a much more peaceful place to live. Of course, threw were times when one of the crew would have a bad day and wouldn't be able to stand being around others. The grumpy persons would try to mask his feelings, and the others, who weren't really fooled, would do what they could to give him a little more space.It was remarkable when I really thought about it. There we were, six of us, in a place about the size of an average three-room house, filled with tons of equipment and with nowhere to go, yet enjoyed being together."
Pg 217--To use the IP phone line on board the ISS required us to pay quite a lot of money to NASA
The pressure of the G's upon re-entry: "It felt as though an elephant had entered the capsule and was sitting on my chest."
Pg. 228: "Recently, I traveled to Jerusalem on behalf of an organization dedicated to peace. My first morning there, the city was alive with sounds-cars honking, a drill at a nearby construction site, birds chirping, and the Azan calling the Muslims to their midmorning prayer. I was enchanted. But when I visited both sides of the city, Palestininan and Israeli, reality set in. Aong the border, it looked like a big prison, a prison where both sides were prisoners in different ways. One thing I learned during my years in Iran is that where there is not peace of mind, life is a prison."
After her return to Earth, Anousheh started The Ansari Foundation, a quickly growing nonprofit which supports social entrepreneurship, and is especially committed to ensuring the freedom of women around the world and supporting female entrepreneurs. Ultimately, this evocative story shows the triumph of a woman who has become a role model to people around the globe struggling to overcome economic and cultural barriers, as well as those dreamers who look upon the stars and wish to soar among them."
The book brings up several points to think about:
Should space travel be through governments or private organizations or both?
Who should control and regulate space travel?
Page 208-"I argued that the only way to take great strides in space exploration was to make it more affordable. Governments wouldn't do it because they had no incentive."
The author brought up several times how one's past effects our prospective of the present and the future:
Page 1--"When I was in space, I felt free of all the trivial details that can preoccupy the minds of humanity daily. I had been blessed to not only dream of the stars but also to be visiting them. But even in space, I was aware that the light of our tomorrows is sometimes threatened by the darkness of our yesterdays."
Page1--"...I did not enjoy seeing the sun draw a deep shadow across the planet, snuffing out continents and seas alike. As far as I was concerned, that encroaching darkness represented yesterday. Although some say that one's past is the primary predictor of one's future, I firmly believe this not the case-our yesterdays are gone, done, and finished. Only what we do now to make our tomorrows better is important."
Page 5: "Mom explained that people who are blessed with abundance have a duty to help those who are less fortunate. As good, Muslims, my grandparents had a duty to share their blessings with those in need. I liked that of my grandparents. I have never forgotten their example, either. Everything I have, I worked very hard to attain, but I still recognize the need to give back in every way I can."
Author speaking about growing up in Iran:
"Little Prince (The Book): " The snake claims to be all-powerful despite the fact that he is small and doesn't have legs or feet. When asks him why he talks in riddles, the snake cunningly replies, 'I solve them all.' He does, indeed, with his bite. In the new Iran, the boys with guns were like that poisonous snake.
Page 15-- Her Uncle explained the American dream to her: " American kids didn't take full advantage of all the opportunities but that people from other countries who were not born with such freedom figured out quickly that the only barriers were those they created themselves."
Page 36--Very astute observation by the author-that I strongly agree with--many girls are held back from their potential because of this:
"It also seemed to me that the presence of boys in the school made the girl students more self-conscious about their looks. Don't get me wrong-teenage girls in Iran are interested in boys and looks too, but I don't think they are as consumed by these things as American high school girls. By their dress and makeup, they looked to me like they were in their mid-twenties."
Page 53- The Persian expression--Nan va piaz--"Risk complete failure"
Page 64-"Failure is not an option." True enough on that mission, but expect lots of failures on their way to success. That's not all bad because failure teaches valuable lessons. What's most important is not to five up until the end goal is achieved!"
Page 67-"But as we discovered on September 11, 2001, sometimes it takes a tragedy to discover the way people actually fell about you."
The author realized her dream and was able to go to Russian to catch a flight (Soyz) to the Russian space station in 2006 when she was in her 40's.
It was interesting to read her thoughts and observations about training for space flight, space flight and her time in space:
The Sokol suit proved much heavier than I imagine, also required a couple of technician to help me get zipped up...
Even the basics have to be approached differently in space: how to wash my hair and clean myself in space, and, of course, the use of space toilet ...
Fires in space are one of the worst things can happen. There had been a fire on the Old Russian space station Mir that raged for hours and nearly suffocated the crew.
Author's blog: www.anoushehansari.com
... it's not always the high things that kill you in spaceflight. Rather, it's often the little things that go unnoticed, like that little valve aboard Soyuz 11, or the rubber O-ring on the Challenger's solid rocket boosters, made too stiff by an unexpected cold snap in Florida. But at that moment, past failures didn't matter. I had told many people I was willing to die for my dream of venturing in space.
It take the International Space Station about 90 minutes to circle the globe and, as a result, there are 16 beautiful sunrises and 16 glorious sunsets over the course of every day, each one different and spectacular in its own way.
The best part was at night when I could see the stars. They were simply unbelievable. It was asa if someone had spread diamond dust over a black velvet blanket.
Because of the close quarters on space station:
Pg 212 " After several days of observation, I was amazed at how well everyone got along aboard the station. Much of that was due to good manners and simple courtesy. For instance, I observed that when a cosmonaut asked a question in English, his astronaut counterpart would often answer in Russian. The reverse was also true. It was done out of mutual respect. If only we had more people practice such courtesy on Earth, we would surely have a much more peaceful place to live. Of course, threw were times when one of the crew would have a bad day and wouldn't be able to stand being around others. The grumpy persons would try to mask his feelings, and the others, who weren't really fooled, would do what they could to give him a little more space.It was remarkable when I really thought about it. There we were, six of us, in a place about the size of an average three-room house, filled with tons of equipment and with nowhere to go, yet enjoyed being together."
Pg 217--To use the IP phone line on board the ISS required us to pay quite a lot of money to NASA
The pressure of the G's upon re-entry: "It felt as though an elephant had entered the capsule and was sitting on my chest."
Pg. 228: "Recently, I traveled to Jerusalem on behalf of an organization dedicated to peace. My first morning there, the city was alive with sounds-cars honking, a drill at a nearby construction site, birds chirping, and the Azan calling the Muslims to their midmorning prayer. I was enchanted. But when I visited both sides of the city, Palestininan and Israeli, reality set in. Aong the border, it looked like a big prison, a prison where both sides were prisoners in different ways. One thing I learned during my years in Iran is that where there is not peace of mind, life is a prison."
May 1, 2019
How do you put a price on your Dream? Is it worth one month's salary? Is it worth one year's salary?...What is the right price for a dream?
I don't have an answer for it. But I believe it is different for every person. For me, I was ready, and still am, to give my life for my dream...
Born in Iran, leaving to US when Khomeini comes to power, Anousheh Ansari has always dreamed of visiting the stars. She ends up studying electrical engineering and goes on to start a very successful tech company with her husband. Later on she invests in a private space exploration company after which there is no stopping her to acquire her childhood dream.
I will have to admit the first half of the book may have felt a little insincere and a tad braggadocios. But that's not to take away from her perseverance and determination. Going into space is harder than we imagine it to be and Anousheh explains that very well. It was the part I enjoyed the most. I couldn't help but feel giddy for her when the spacecraft finally takes off and of her voyage to International Space Station (ISS). She is the first Iranian woman to go to space and also the first female "space-tourist". Apart from six months of intense training, she talks about the innate sexism, the micro aggressions of being a rich woman with means to self fund her space travel, the ridiculous uproar caused by her wanting to put Iran flag on her spacesuit, the bathroom situation in space and so much more.
On introspection I had a few questions: Should common people be allowed to go to space if they have the means to? Would that be considered frivolous or educational? Or should that disposable income be spent in other "meaningful ways"? The answers may very much be subjective.
I don't have an answer for it. But I believe it is different for every person. For me, I was ready, and still am, to give my life for my dream...
Born in Iran, leaving to US when Khomeini comes to power, Anousheh Ansari has always dreamed of visiting the stars. She ends up studying electrical engineering and goes on to start a very successful tech company with her husband. Later on she invests in a private space exploration company after which there is no stopping her to acquire her childhood dream.
I will have to admit the first half of the book may have felt a little insincere and a tad braggadocios. But that's not to take away from her perseverance and determination. Going into space is harder than we imagine it to be and Anousheh explains that very well. It was the part I enjoyed the most. I couldn't help but feel giddy for her when the spacecraft finally takes off and of her voyage to International Space Station (ISS). She is the first Iranian woman to go to space and also the first female "space-tourist". Apart from six months of intense training, she talks about the innate sexism, the micro aggressions of being a rich woman with means to self fund her space travel, the ridiculous uproar caused by her wanting to put Iran flag on her spacesuit, the bathroom situation in space and so much more.
On introspection I had a few questions: Should common people be allowed to go to space if they have the means to? Would that be considered frivolous or educational? Or should that disposable income be spent in other "meaningful ways"? The answers may very much be subjective.
October 20, 2010
Anousheh Ansari made more money than I can really comprehend in the telecom industry in the 90s (literally just down the street from where I was going to college at the time), and used it to fund the X Prize for commercial spaceflight, and then to pursue her lifelong dream of going into space.
This memoir is a quick read - she doesn't go into great depth on any difficult issues, but her stories of childhood in Iran and learning to live in the United States are interesting. As a fan myself, it made me happy to see someone from an entirely different background and economic class than myself who also loves Star Trek and the Princess Bride (one fun moment was reading of how happy she and her husband were when William Shatner was at the test flight for the X Prize winner). She covers the particulars of Russian training to go into space in fascinating detail, and when she finally gets to the International Space Station, it's truly moving. I'm glad she shared her perspective on life up there and her memories of how beautiful the Earth looks from space.
This memoir is a quick read - she doesn't go into great depth on any difficult issues, but her stories of childhood in Iran and learning to live in the United States are interesting. As a fan myself, it made me happy to see someone from an entirely different background and economic class than myself who also loves Star Trek and the Princess Bride (one fun moment was reading of how happy she and her husband were when William Shatner was at the test flight for the X Prize winner). She covers the particulars of Russian training to go into space in fascinating detail, and when she finally gets to the International Space Station, it's truly moving. I'm glad she shared her perspective on life up there and her memories of how beautiful the Earth looks from space.
July 2, 2016
Anousheh Ansari has led a fascinating life. Unfortunately this book skips over many of the parts I'd have found most interesting (her childhood in Iran, the difficulties of moving to America, how she started her own company and made it so successful etc). Instead it concentrates on her week as a space tourist. This has been covered in a far more interesting/comprehensive way by books such as An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield. Overall it was OK, but I wouldn't rush to recommend it to anyone.
September 22, 2013
پشتکار و اراده انوشه انصاری ستودنی است.
July 7, 2013
This is the common read for UVU this coming fall. I was not overly impressed with the book. It was written okay, but it's hard for me to get excited about someone achieving their dream of flying to space because they can pay their own way. A lot of it is good, but in my opinion, this is nowhere near as good as "The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind" that was last year's common read. Maybe I'm a bit harsh on this one because last year's was so inspiring.
July 29, 2013
I am usually a fiction person. I generally only read memoirs written by celebrities I am familiar with, I found this book to be an excellent read. Iranian girl comes to America with her family. They strike it rich in the telecom industry. She sponsors a "space race" and pays money to go to the international space station as a participant in a joint Soviet/U.S. business deal. Well told inspiring story.
January 10, 2020
This is one of those memoirs that made me go, "Wow, this is why I love reading people's memoirs!"...especially ones that were written after the author returned to Earth. This is the story of an Iranian woman who spends her whole life wishing she could leave the planet and then she leaves the planet. Like, I often wish that I could leave the planet, but you don't see me doing it, do you? Anousheh Ansari just goes right ahead and does it, and in this book she tells you what happened in her life and how hard she worked to be able to do it, what it was like out there, and how things are going now that she's back. I may be stuck on earth the rest of my life, but I'm glad at least I get to read books like this while I'm here.
January 27, 2015
Anousheh Ansari has lived a spectacular life and in her way paved the way for the future of space. As someone with a keen interest in space this book was really fascinating. The story and the details about her experience were fun to read and I learned a lot about the tourist space program. However, her writing was basic and I never felt connected to her turmoil and difficulty. But I enjoyed the book and think others will too, though it may be a little slow for someone without an interest in the space industry and manned spaceflight. Anousheh's greatest achievement was working with the X-prize and funding a huge portion of it. Her trip to space was an amazing adventure for her and really interesting to read about. I never really understood how the Russian space program operated and some of the nuances surrounding it. It is hard to imagine that two wildly different space programs (NASA and ROSCOSMOS) could both be so successful and even be partners. Overall a fun read but I wouldn't recommend it as highly to the non-space enthusiast.
July 7, 2013
This is the common read for UVU this coming fall. I was not overly impressed with the book. It was written okay, but it's hard for me to get excited about someone achieving their dream of flying to space because they can pay their own way. A lot of it is good, but in my opinion, this is nowhere near as good as "The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind" that was last year's common read. Maybe I'm a bit harsh on this one because last year's was so inspiring.
May 12, 2014
I had a dream of going to the stars as well when I was little, I no-doubtbly believed that something extrodanary would happen when I grow up ... say by year 2000 ;-) clearly I don't dream that dream anymore and I am happy Anousheh did make it. it is truely a beautiful story
March 14, 2011
I found this story interesting and want to check out her blog...but in general I don't really like her style of writing. It seemed very me-centric. I wonder what she is up to now that it's been 5 years since her space travels. I wonder if she started a family or has any inclination toward that.
August 22, 2013
Had to read as a freshman requirement at UVU. I really liked her story, but there were definitely some things that irked me. But it made me love the ISS even more, and although I never want to go into space, I love appreciating it from here on earth.
August 20, 2012
So, I was almost done with this book, and then it was just annoying me. I don't know what it was, but I didn't really like the tone of it...
April 5, 2018
I liked it. I didn't love it. I liked Anousheh, who is obviously a delightful person, but I just wans't riveted by the story.
December 3, 2018
1. This book is about a young refugee from Iran who wants to be an astronaut so she does everything she can to achieve her goal. The central idea of this book is to chase your dreams. This is shown throughout the whole book. Throughout the book, Anousheh is talking about her journey to becoming an astronaut for NASA. Anousheh talks about how dreams can come true if we are willing to work for them.
2. The phrase that I chose that I thought fit the book well was “ The only place where success comes before work, is in the dictionary”. To put into simple terms, if you don’t work hard you will never be able to get where you want to be in life. I thought this phrase fit the book very well because in the book it shows Anousheh’s struggles that she went through to be able to achieve her goal. This is very well shown in this book because the whole book is about Anousheh’s life and how she had to work hard to be successful.
3. This book was really good. I think that it is a good book because it is very inspiring. This book is very personal and it shows the reader that they can do anything they set their mind to. This book is also very motivational especially because of the storyline and the circumstances that Anousheh was in. This book was specifically inspiring to me because I’m still deciding if I should work for NASA.
2. The phrase that I chose that I thought fit the book well was “ The only place where success comes before work, is in the dictionary”. To put into simple terms, if you don’t work hard you will never be able to get where you want to be in life. I thought this phrase fit the book very well because in the book it shows Anousheh’s struggles that she went through to be able to achieve her goal. This is very well shown in this book because the whole book is about Anousheh’s life and how she had to work hard to be successful.
3. This book was really good. I think that it is a good book because it is very inspiring. This book is very personal and it shows the reader that they can do anything they set their mind to. This book is also very motivational especially because of the storyline and the circumstances that Anousheh was in. This book was specifically inspiring to me because I’m still deciding if I should work for NASA.
April 7, 2022
"My Dream of Stars" is a book about the struggle of becoming a astronaut. The majority of the book leans on all of the political issues with the protagonist riding a space ship. For starters, the main character is an Iranian woman, and for whatever reason people are upset by that. They also touch on how she even got enough money to get to space in the first place, but they more so focus on the racist and sexist policies and politics Anousheh Ansari went through. This is indeed a major issue that needs fixing, as our current society can't seem to accept people who are different but are doing better than them. Luckily, Anousheh Ansari did end up in space, even wearing the Iran flag along with the American on her suit. It's pretty good and makes you think about the flaws in our society. 8/10.
April 14, 2022
I first read My Dream of Stars: From Daughter of Iran to Space Pioneer because it was one of the freshman reading selections for Utah Valley University, but I didn’t like it as much as I wanted to. The book is about Anousheh Ansari, a refugee from Iran who strives to become an astronaut. It explains her journey to space and the different challenges she had to go through. Although it sounds interesting, I hated Ansari’s writing style and I felt disconnected from the story. Something I did like though was the theme of chasing your dreams and if you work for it, you’ll be able to get it. My favorite part of the book was when Ansari describes Iran and how it was to grow up there. Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who likes space and space travel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2018
It started out cheesy, but got better. It won't win any awards for writing, but it's the very unique perspective of a woman who grew up around the Iranian Revolution, moved to the US, founded a successful company with her family, and went on to be one of the few private citizens to buy their way into space.
I would have liked a bit more about her life before the 10 days in space... It only spends a page or two going from just starting the company, to having hundreds of employees and getting bought out for hundreds of millions of dollars. But of course the ISS stuff is the meaty part, and it doesn't disappoint.
I would have liked a bit more about her life before the 10 days in space... It only spends a page or two going from just starting the company, to having hundreds of employees and getting bought out for hundreds of millions of dollars. But of course the ISS stuff is the meaty part, and it doesn't disappoint.
April 1, 2022
My Dream of Stars was a fun read. Ansari describes her journey from Iran to America, and then space. I enjoyed the writing, but it wasn't any more than good. Although, some of her descriptions of what she saw in space were so vivid. While the book is about her journey to space, I would've loved to read more about her experience as a child and young adult. I'm sure she has a lot to say many of us could learn from. Overall, I enjoyed the book. I love to read empowering, bottom to the top stories. I would recommend this book to a friend.
May 22, 2018
Personally very nostalgic for teens like me who followed her blogging in 2006 flight. Great book for manned space flights fans from vies of a space tourist (she hates calling her a tourist), could have more details from her preparation and her residency at ISS. Very engaging flow of reading, I was listening to Russian folk music while reading it and that made it even more exciting. Good job Anousheh jan!
April 13, 2024
Anousheh Ansari is the first female commercial space flight participant and first Muslim woman to travel to space. From the beginning of her book she gratefully attributes the free and prosperous United States of America as the basis for making her dreams a reality.
I enjoyed her story. She worked hard to make her dream come true.
I enjoyed her story. She worked hard to make her dream come true.
February 28, 2023
This book was selected by the freshman reading committee at UVU to be read by all incoming freshmen at UVU and contains an introduction by then-President Matthew Holland.
Anousheh Ansari's story is uplifting and inspiring.
Anousheh Ansari's story is uplifting and inspiring.
September 10, 2020
If you like space travel and how to prepare for space travel, then I recommend this book. If you don't, skip it. The writing is dry, disconnected, and detached.
Read
September 14, 2020I love space and one of my dreams is to become an astronaut and I will do my best to achieve my dream one day and reading this book will increase my hope and motivation.
Read
April 2, 2021به نظرم سرعت کتاب یکدست نبود. دوران کودکی بهتر پرداخته شده بود،انگار که سر فرصت تهیه و تدوین شده. اما انگار بخش های بعدی کتاب با عجله نوشته شده بود.
January 20, 2024
Imagine,
Be the change,
and Inspire.🌠😍
Be the change,
and Inspire.🌠😍
April 28, 2023
I went looking for a college-recommended book, thought this one looked interesting; it appears that I was correct. I like how this book wasn’t just ‘I went to space,’ it tells the story of how she got there and everyone that helped her along the way. It’s much more fulfilling to see people try their very best to get what they want; I don’t think anyone can read this book and think that she didn’t work hard and deserve the fulfillment she got for her dream. I also appreciate how she mentions that things keep going after dreams are done, the world moves on and so can we. The representation for minority groups is also key, it reminds people who don’t match the general picture society paints that they can achieve what they want; everyone deserves a chance to make their own mark on the world. I would recommend this book to just about anyone, it’s not that long, and the message is wonderful. This book was an amazing read, and I hope to read it again.
August 11, 2012
This auto/biography of Anousheh Ansari is a lovely tale of her trip to space and the life that motivated it. This is a very personal, affectionate tale, but not without sadness and other upsetting truths along the way. What really comes across is how much of herself and her personality that Ansari puts into everything she does, and how she put her mind to accomplishing things, whether or not they were what she set out to do herself. The tales of the family's time in Iran are very illuminating, and her unabashed enthusiasm for space and all things to do with it are contagious. Reading this book, and hearing her optimistic perspective on nearly everything, it would be very difficult not to come away at least a little inspired.
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