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Atmosphere: A GMA Book Club Pick: A Love Story
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ā¢ GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK ā¢ From the author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six comes an epic new novel set against the backdrop of the 1980s space shuttle program about the extraordinary lengths we go to live and love beyond our limits.
The stunning hardcover of Atmosphere features beautiful endpapers and a premium dust jacket!
āThrilling . . . heartbreaking . . . uplifting . . . the fast-paced, emotionally charged story of one ambitious young woman, finding both her voice and her passion.āāKristin Hannah, author of The Women
āNASA? Space missions? The ā80s? This is a collection of all the things I love.āāAndy Weir, author of Project Hail Mary and The Martian
Joan Goodwin has been obsessed with the stars for as long as she can remember. Thoughtful and reserved, Joan is content with her life as a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University and as aunt to her precocious niece, Frances. That is, until she comes across an advertisement seeking the first women scientists to join NASAās space shuttle program. Suddenly, Joan burns to be one of the few people to go to space.
Selected from a pool of thousands of applicants in the summer of 1980, Joan begins training at Houstonās Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond and scientist John Griffin, who are kind and easygoing even when the stakes are highest; mission specialist Lydia Danes, who has worked too hard to play nice; warmhearted Donna Fitzgerald, who is navigating her own secrets; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer, who can fix any engine and fly any plane.
As the new astronauts become unlikely friends and prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined. In this new light, Joan begins to question everything she thinks she knows about her place in the observable universe.
Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, it all changes in an instant.
Fast-paced, thrilling, and emotional, Atmosphere is Taylor Jenkins Reid at her best: transporting readers to iconic times and places, creating complex protagonists, and telling a passionate and soaring story about the transformative power of loveāthis time among the stars.
The stunning hardcover of Atmosphere features beautiful endpapers and a premium dust jacket!
āThrilling . . . heartbreaking . . . uplifting . . . the fast-paced, emotionally charged story of one ambitious young woman, finding both her voice and her passion.āāKristin Hannah, author of The Women
āNASA? Space missions? The ā80s? This is a collection of all the things I love.āāAndy Weir, author of Project Hail Mary and The Martian
Joan Goodwin has been obsessed with the stars for as long as she can remember. Thoughtful and reserved, Joan is content with her life as a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University and as aunt to her precocious niece, Frances. That is, until she comes across an advertisement seeking the first women scientists to join NASAās space shuttle program. Suddenly, Joan burns to be one of the few people to go to space.
Selected from a pool of thousands of applicants in the summer of 1980, Joan begins training at Houstonās Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond and scientist John Griffin, who are kind and easygoing even when the stakes are highest; mission specialist Lydia Danes, who has worked too hard to play nice; warmhearted Donna Fitzgerald, who is navigating her own secrets; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer, who can fix any engine and fly any plane.
As the new astronauts become unlikely friends and prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined. In this new light, Joan begins to question everything she thinks she knows about her place in the observable universe.
Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, it all changes in an instant.
Fast-paced, thrilling, and emotional, Atmosphere is Taylor Jenkins Reid at her best: transporting readers to iconic times and places, creating complex protagonists, and telling a passionate and soaring story about the transformative power of loveāthis time among the stars.
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Community Reviews
Whatās it about?
Joan Goodwin is a solitary, young, astrophysics professor when she applies to join NASA. Women are finally being admitted to the space program, but it is still a manās profession. When she is chosen from thousands of applicants she can hardly believe it. She finds a full life among the other astronauts, and in the process Joan discovers herself.
What did it make me think about?
Space exploration and also how far women have come since 1980.
Should I read it?
Well, I am on vacation with a limited number of books so when I discovered that this story was about space exploration, and also a queer love story, I was not as excited as I should have been. I am so very glad that I did not have any other choices. I am sure I would have gotten to it sooner or later- but this was a great vacation book! The space part was fascinating and I had no trouble rooting for the love story. I have always been a ālove is loveā believer, but wasnāt too sure I would relate to their love story. I was wrong!
This is a page turner so if you are looking for a book that teaches you a few things and also is just a good story- look no further. I have read a few novels from Taylor Jenkins Reid and this is my favorite by far. I highly recommend this!
Quote-
āIt would be easy to make the case that humans are ill-equipped to be in space. Whatever led to our design, it was not meant for this. But Joan sees it as the exact opposite.
Human intelligence and curiosity , our persistence and resilience, our capacity for long-term planning, and our ability to collaborate have led the human race her.
In Joanās estimation, we are not ill-suited at all. We are exactly who should be out there. We are the only intelligent life-form that we know of in our galaxy who has become aware of the universe and worked to understand it.ā
Joan Goodwin is a solitary, young, astrophysics professor when she applies to join NASA. Women are finally being admitted to the space program, but it is still a manās profession. When she is chosen from thousands of applicants she can hardly believe it. She finds a full life among the other astronauts, and in the process Joan discovers herself.
What did it make me think about?
Space exploration and also how far women have come since 1980.
Should I read it?
Well, I am on vacation with a limited number of books so when I discovered that this story was about space exploration, and also a queer love story, I was not as excited as I should have been. I am so very glad that I did not have any other choices. I am sure I would have gotten to it sooner or later- but this was a great vacation book! The space part was fascinating and I had no trouble rooting for the love story. I have always been a ālove is loveā believer, but wasnāt too sure I would relate to their love story. I was wrong!
This is a page turner so if you are looking for a book that teaches you a few things and also is just a good story- look no further. I have read a few novels from Taylor Jenkins Reid and this is my favorite by far. I highly recommend this!
Quote-
āIt would be easy to make the case that humans are ill-equipped to be in space. Whatever led to our design, it was not meant for this. But Joan sees it as the exact opposite.
Human intelligence and curiosity , our persistence and resilience, our capacity for long-term planning, and our ability to collaborate have led the human race her.
In Joanās estimation, we are not ill-suited at all. We are exactly who should be out there. We are the only intelligent life-form that we know of in our galaxy who has become aware of the universe and worked to understand it.ā
In Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid takes readers on a journey into the vastness of space and the complexities of human connection. The novel follows an astronaut who finds unexpected love in the most isolated of placesāat NASA, with a fellow astronaut. As the two navigate the intensity of their connection, their relationship deepens, pushing them to confront their own identities, desires, and the powerful, sometimes painful, consequences of being in a career that has many observers, and dominated by years of male ego.
Reid beautifully captures the tension of working in such a high-stakes environment while exploring themes of secrecy, self-discovery, and the fragility of human connection in a setting that feels both infinite and confining. The romance between the two characters is tender and raw, with the isolation of space adding an emotional weight that makes their bond feel even more profound.
While the plot could be considered a bit more niche compared to Reidās previous works, her trademark character development shines through. For fans of stories that combine emotional depth with a unique setting, Atmosphere is a must-readābut be prepared for a slower burn as the relationship slowly unfurls under the pressure of both their professional duties and their evolving feelings.
Well this broke me in a million piecesā¦ I donāt think Iāve ever sobbed so much for a bookā¦ the last 10%.. my goodnessā¦
āAtmosphereā is a compelling character-driven romantic story with an emotional ending. The dual timelines provide insights into Joan's journey as she joins NASA, showcasing the challenges women faced in a male-dominated field. Themes of family, belonging, and identity are intricately woven into the narrative. While the love story is central, it also highlights Joan's deep connections to her family and friends.
The convergence of timelines at the end heightens the emotional stakes, especially in the last 300 pages. TJR's characters are complex, and the exploration of space and personal yearning adds depth. The extensive research behind the writing shines through, making this book a worthwhile read.
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