Nonfiction Book Club: Challenger

Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space by Adam Higginbotham
Monday February 23
On January 28, 1986, just seventy-three seconds into flight, the space shuttle Challenger broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean, killing all seven people on board. Millions of Americans witnessed the tragic deaths of the crew, which included New Hampshire schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe. Like the assassination of JFK, the Challenger disaster is a defining moment in 20th-century history – one that forever changed the way America thought of itself and its optimistic view of the future. Yet the full story of what happened, and why, has never been told. Based on extensive archival research and metic­ulous, original reporting, Challenger follows a handful of central protagonists – including each of the seven members of the doomed crew – through the years leading up to the accident, and offers a detailed account of the tragedy itself and the inves­tigation afterward. A masterful blend of riveting human drama and fascinating and absorbing science, Challenger identifies a turning point in history – and brings to life an even more complex and astonishing story than we remember.