Margot Lee Shetterly

Margot Lee Shetterly is an American non-fiction writer and researcher best known for her 2016 book "Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race." The book became a #1 New York Times bestseller and was adapted into an Academy Award-nominated film. Shetterly grew up in Hampton, Virginia, where many of the events chronicled in Hidden Figures took place. Her father worked as a research scientist at NASA Langley Research Center, giving her a personal connection to the story of the African American women mathematicians she would later document. The success of Hidden Figures led to widespread recognition of Shetterly's work in uncovering overlooked histories. She founded The Human Computer Project, an organization dedicated to researching the stories of women who worked as mathematicians and computers at NACA and NASA from the 1930s to 1980s. Shetterly has received numerous honors including the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award and was named to Time Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in 2017. She continues to research and write about the intersection of race, gender, science and technology in American history.

Readers praise Shetterly's detailed research and ability to bring the untold stories of NASA's Black female mathematicians to life in Hidden Figures. Many note how the book reveals deeper historical context than the film adaptation, with one Goodreads reviewer stating "the book delves into the complex social dynamics of segregation-era Virginia that the movie couldn't capture." Readers appreciate the technical explanations of the mathematical work while maintaining accessibility for non-scientific audiences. Several reviewers highlight Shetterly's personal connection to the story through her father's NASA career as adding authenticity. Common criticisms focus on the dense writing style and multiple narrative threads that some found hard to follow. Some readers note the book moves slower than expected, with one Amazon reviewer saying "the level of detail occasionally bogs down the pacing." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.97/5 (183,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (5,800+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.4/5 (900+ ratings) The book consistently receives high marks for historical significance and thorough research, despite some readers finding the prose challenging.

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race (2016) Documents the true story of African American female mathematicians who served as human computers at NASA during the Space Race, focusing on Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden.

Hidden Figures Young Readers' Edition (2016) Adapted version of the original Hidden Figures text, modified to be accessible for middle-grade readers while maintaining the core historical narrative about NASA's female mathematicians.

Isabel Wilkerson focuses on untold African American histories through meticulous research and oral histories, as demonstrated in "The Warmth of Other Suns" and "Caste." Her work explores systemic racial dynamics in America through personal narratives and historical documentation, similar to Shetterly's approach.

Rebecca Skloot investigates overlooked stories in science history with "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks," examining racial and ethical issues in medical research. Her narrative style combines scientific explanation with personal stories of the people impacted by scientific advancement.

Dava Sobel writes about the hidden figures in science history, particularly focusing on astronomers and mathematicians in works like "Longitude" and "The Glass Universe." She documents the contributions of overlooked individuals who advanced scientific understanding through detailed archival research.

Katherine Johnson provides firsthand accounts of being a Black female mathematician at NASA in her memoir "Reaching for the Moon." Her personal story overlaps with the events in Hidden Figures and offers direct insight into the challenges and achievements of women in early space program computation.

Richard Holmes chronicles the human stories behind scientific discovery in works like "The Age of Wonder" and "Falling Upwards." His research methodology uncovers connections between science and society while highlighting lesser-known contributors to scientific advancement.