The Astronaut Wives Club

A True Story

By: Lily Koppel

Narrated by: Orlagh Cassidy

Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

As America's Mercury Seven astronauts were launched on death-defying missions, television cameras focused on the brave smiles of their young wives. Overnight, these women were transformed from military spouses into American royalty. They had tea with Jackie Kennedy, appeared on the cover of Life magazine, and quickly grew into fashion icons.

Annie Glenn, with her picture-perfect marriage, was the envy of the other wives; platinum-blonde Rene Carpenter was proclaimed JFK's favorite; and licensed pilot Trudy Cooper arrived on base with a secret. Together with the other wives they formed the Astronaut Wives Club, meeting regularly to provide support and friendship. Many became next-door neighbors and helped to raise each other's children by day, while going to glam parties at night as the country raced to land a man on the Moon.

As their celebrity rose - and as divorce and tragic death began to touch their lives - they continued to rally together, and the wives have now been friends for more than fifty years. The Astronaut Wives Club tells the real story of the women who stood beside some of the biggest heroes in American history.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2013 Lily Koppel (P)2013 Hachette Audio

good overall. not super intense. a little sad

stats out a little slow but keep going the background makes the second 2/3s better. great reader

Awesome

Very interesting. Nice historical lesson and very funny. Ladies are definitely characters. Make you wish we had known them

Space race from the Wives perspective

Kind of an interesting perspective on the space race from the point of view of of the wives of the astronauts. These women became very tight knit as they supported themselves not only through the obvious stress and strains of husbands who have dangerous jobs, but also the press obsession with them and how they had to present themselves as the perfect 1950's housewives or their husbands wouldn't be allowed to go. It's a quick read, and I think worth it. I listened to the audible version and it was a good performance.

Depressing

I was expecting something inspirational. My bad... It was quite depressing. The wives had each other and that's pretty much it. I'd never want to be one. Hopefully, things have changed. The book was basically about how hard it was. Quite depressing.

Loved It

Told a great story without sugar coating it. Loved the show based on the book as well.

Sea of Tranquility Ocean of Storms

I am a huge fan of Sheryl Sandberg's "Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead" (2013). I thought Lily Koppel's "The Astronaut Wives Club" (2013) would be the antithesis of "Lean In", but I was intrigued by a great review on NPR's Morning Edition. One of my earliest memories is of the January 27, 1967 fire that killed three astronauts on the launch pad, and I suddenly wondered how those wives had handled that.

Curious, and bolstered by Audible's no questions asked return policy in case I didn't like the AWC (as the members of "The Astronaut Wives Club" refer to the group) I decided to listen.

The AWC is a fascinating study of a place (Texas) and time (late 1950's and the 1960's) where NASA created what appeared to be the perfect community to nurture astronauts into space and eventually to the moon. The wives, followed by Life magazine and hoards of hungry press, presented a convincing facade of suburban living , cooking streak-and-eggs breakfasts, wearing exquisite dresses, with carefully coifed hair. The wives were expected to be rocks of support, not letting their own families or the rest of the world know how frightening what their husbands were doing was.

The facade was just that - a mask, and the members of the AWC joined together to support each other and mortar the cracks that inevitably formed. While their husbands competed on making history in space (and sometimes on the ground with the number of 'Cape Cookies' they could bag), the AWC supported each other with ham loaf, tuna casseroles, jello molds, and chats over plenty of coffee and cigarettes.

Most of the AWC didn't work outside the home, but most middle and upper class women didn't at the time. Being an astronaut's wife was like being an unwilling star of an unrelenting reality show.

I had initially held the members of the AWC in disdain because they seemed to derive their identities from their husbands, but like other women of that era, they did not have the options we do half a century later.

The AWC was and is a space pioneer "Lean In" group.

The narration was a bit off - not everyone could have had a Texas accent - but the pace was good.

Audible, you're safe. I won't be returning this one.

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Fascinating! The other side of the story...

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I highly recommend this book to anyone who grew up in the age of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo and is a fan of space exploration, "The Right Stuff", "Apollo 13" , "Last Man on the Moon", and other true to life stories about what really went on behind the scenes of the race to beat the Russian's to the Moon! To hear these true stories from the prospective of the wives, is to hear the "real deal", about what went on during those heady years of getting racing to get a man on the Moon!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Astronaut Wives Club?

What was most amazing to me was how NASA wanted these women to confirm to some unrealistic ideal of the American housewife to maintain an "image", of their squeaky clean Astronaut husbands, and the " perfect" All-American family, while turning the other cheek while many, not all, of these same "American Hero's", were blatantly screwing every thing that walked by on two legs; yet the wives were expected to "maintain an even strain", no matter what with little to now thought or effort to support the wives and families through these uncharted waters.

Have you listened to any of Orlagh Cassidy’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

Great book! Highly recommend it to anyone interested in America's Space program or who grew up during the 60's and experienced the thrill of watching rockets launch into space, or man walk on the Moon, while collectively holding their breath with the rest of the world each time that candle was lit and men blasted off into the unknown. Hearing the story of the women who supported, sacrificed and loved them and seeing how they equally served the country in their silent service is a remarkable tale of courage and strength that everyone should hear.

Beautifully written

I'm so very happy that this book is being made into a series, we are looking forward to it! Lovely writing from the perspective of women in the space era!

Need photos to keep things straight

Any additional comments?

This is another book where photos might have helped to keep things straight. If you did not grow up in this era or studied the astronaut program you might be a little lost. Loved hearing about it from the wives perspective. I have seen the documentary but was unable to locate it to re-watch it

Great Book, Terrible Narrator.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Since I grew up around Clear Lake & Houston, this book is near to my heart. Koppel has received mixed reviews for this book but I thought she delved into what the women really went thru while their husbands were in space. I loved the descriptions of the houses in El Lago because I just did a 5k race thru that neighborhood with signs that marked each astronauts house. Great read and I will probably listen to it again.

What didn’t you like about Orlagh Cassidy’s performance?

Her voice was very robotic and reminded me of Siri from Apple Iphone. The only reason I finished it was that I grew up in Houston and loved the NASA history. I WILL NOT listen to another book done by Orlagh Cassidy.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The housewives El Lago