the calculating stars – Cannonball Read 17

Breaking the Glass Ceiling to Space

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

January 5, 2020 by Jen K 1 Comment

Elma York and her husband Nathaniel are on a long deserved vacation in the Poconos after a very busy time at work, when an world altering event happens: a meteor strikes DC and the eastern seaboard, leading to massive destruction, earthquakes and tidal waves. If Elma and Nathaniel had been home, they never would have survived, and it’s a miracle they make it out of the Poconos alive, using their unique expertise from working in the space program to predict some of the immediate after […]

If only we had started tackling climate change 60 years ago

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

October 5, 2019 by ingres77 Leave a Comment

CBR11 Bingo: Award Winner I read almost no alternate history – but I absolutely love the thought experiments. I read this book for two reasons: I don’t think I read enough award winners, and I know I don’t read enough books written by women. Most of my reading is for pleasure. I’m not necessarily trying to challenge myself, or expand my horizons. I’ve tried reading books held in high esteem by people much smarter than I, and I even tried reading more literature a couple […]

As I sat there with my eyes squeezed shut, the light faded.

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

September 4, 2019 by vel veeter Leave a Comment

This alternate history novel starts in 1952 with a meteor hitting the Atlantic Ocean and wiping out a significant portion on the eastern US coast. We see the event through the eyes of Dr. Elma York, a mathematician married to a rocket engineer. They begin to understand the implications of the event. Elma becomes prominent for calculating the size and basic shape of the meteor while her husband begins work for designing rockets. What has become clear is we have witnessed an event that will […]

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Emmalita on “It came to something when you found yourself hoping that the footsteps you heard were ghosts.”I loved the ending! I don’t think it’s been out long enough to talk about why though.
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Roland of Gilead on How can you give us the gift of a crazy character named Rando Thoughtful and then just as suddenly take that gift away? We need to talk, Uncle Stevie.I came across this randomly years after it was written because I was searching "Random Thoughtful. But I have the...
Emmalita on “Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would have a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.”Oh my goodness, Gallifrey was beautiful. I’m sure her mittens were gloriously murdery.

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