Hidden Figures
By Margot Lee Shetterly, Charles Fishman & Brian Grazer
The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race. William Morrow, 2016.
Summary of Hidden Figures book by Margot Lee Shetterly, Charles Fishman & Brian Grazer
An inspirational and illuminating story of the brilliant Black women who worked at NASA and helped the United States achieve several landmarks in space exploration, all while facing discrimination and having to be segregated from their white colleagues.
Chapters in Hidden Figures book summary
What do you get from this book? An enlightening view of the Black female mathematicians who helped make the moon landing possible
The door for women and Black scientists, mathematicians, and engineers opened during the second World War
Dorothy Vaughan, like many West Computers, came from the teaching industry to work in aeronautics
The trailblazing women working at Langley faced many difficulties due to their sex and race
During the Cold War, West Computers like Mary Jackson continued to fight for respect and equality
The West Computers displayed dignity and bravery in the face of discrimination and helped change policies at Langley
Female mathematicians acting as human computers made space exploration possible
Katherine Johnson helped John Glenn make history as the Langley Lab evolved to a NASA facility
The four amazing women involved in pioneering space travel accomplished much more than anyone expected
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
Final word
Unlock all 12 chapters of Hidden Figures — Get full access to this book summary and thousands more on Lobab.
Hidden Figures — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read Hidden Figures book
- Space enthusiasts
- mathematicians
- those wanting to learn the unknown stories of some of America’s greatest heroes
About the author of Hidden Figures
Margot Lee Shetterly
Margot Lee Shetterly is a historian, writer, and researcher, who was born and raised in Virginia and knows the people and places featured in her narrative. She is also the founder of an organization dedicated to uncovering and organizing the contributions of women to NACA and NASA, called The Human Computer Project.
Books similar to Hidden Figures
Related books that explore themes found in Hidden Figures
Frank Abagnale
The True Story of a Real Fake. Broadway Books, 2002.
Jessica Bennett
An Office Survival Manual for a Sexist Workplace. Harper Wave, 2016.
Vivek Wadhwa & Farai Chid
The Changing Face of Technology. Diversion Books, 2014.
Suki Kim
Undercover Among the Sons of the North Korean Elite. Crown, 2014
Chris Hadfield
What Going to Space Taught Me About Ingenuity, Determination, and Being Prepared for Anything. Little, Brown and Company, 2013.
Topics related to Hidden Figures book
Explore topics that share themes with Hidden Figures across Lobab's library
Categories Hidden Figures book belongs to
Discover other book summaries in the same categories as Hidden Figures
If you liked Hidden Figures, you might also enjoy
Books on different topics that Lobab readers often explore alongside Hidden Figures
Olivia Campbell
How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine. Park Row Books, 2021.
Jasmine Brown
The Stories of Black Women Who Fought to Become Physicians, from the Civil War to the 21st Century. Beacon Press, 2023.
Isabel Allende
On Impatient Love, Long Life, and Good Witches. Ballantine Books, 2021.
Kavitha A. Davidson
Dilemmas of the Modern Fan. University of Texas Press, 2020.
Kate Moore
The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women. Sourcebooks, 2017.
Ainissa Ramirez
How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another. MIT Press, 2020.
David Leavitt
Alan Turing and the Invention of the Computer. Atlas Books, 2006.
Nikil Saval
A Secret History of the Workplace. Public Doubleday, 2014.
David Goldblatt
A Global History of the Olympics. W.W. Norton & Company, 2016.
Walter Isaacson
An American Life. Simon and Schuster, 2003.
Can't decide where to start?
With thousands of book summaries across multiple categories and topics, there's always something new to discover. Browse the full library to find your next great read.
Your library
All-you-can-read
Categories
15 categories
Topics
120+ topics
Today's free book summary
Every day, one book summary is completely free to read. Subscribe to unlock the entire library — or just enjoy today's pick on us.
The Joy of Missing Out
Tanya Dalton
A guide to clarifying what is important to you, prioritizing your time, and simplifying your tasks, in order to overcome stress and boost productivity in your life.
Library
All-you-can-read
Formats
Text & audio
Free daily
1 book / day
What Lobab readers are saying
Not sure if Lobab book summaries are for you? Here's what our community thinks.
“Lobab is a standout in the world of book summary apps, offering concise, insightful summaries of a wide range of books. Its user-friendly interface and well-crafted summaries allow users to quickly grasp the essence of complex works, making it an invaluable tool for those looking to learn more in less time. Whether for personal growth or professional development, Lobab is a game changer for anyone wanting to expand their knowledge efficiently. Highly recommended!”
Ramogh
Lobab Reader
“Top quality app with plenty of brilliant summaries!”
Benjamin Roche
Lobab Reader
“I found a really great book app that has made reading even more enjoyable ⭐️📚. It is super easy to use, has a lot of books to choose from, gives personalized recommendations, works well with e-readers, has an active community, and is accessible to everyone. I highly recommend it to all book enthusiasts!”
Nedal Ahmed
Lobab Reader