Life on Other Planets
A Memoir of Finding My Place in the Universe
1 of 1 copy available
As a kid, Aomawa Shields was always bumping into things, her neck craned up at the sky, dreaming of becoming an astronaut. A year into an astrophysics PhD program, plagued by self-doubt and discouraged by a white male professor who suggested that she—a young Black woman who also loved fashion, makeup, and the arts—didn’t belong, she left astronomy and pursued acting professionally for a decade, before a day job working for NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope drew her back to the stars. She was the oldest and the only Black student in her PhD cohort. This time, no professor, and no voice in her own head, would stop her. Now an astronomer and astrobiologist at the top of her field, Dr. Shields studies the universe outside our Solar System, researching and uncovering the planets circling distant stars with just the right conditions that could support life—while also using her theater education to communicate the wonder and magic of the universe with those of us here on Earth. But it’s been a journey as winding and complex as the physics she has mastered.
Life on Other Planets is a journey of discovery on this world and on others, a story of creating a life that makes space for joy, love, and wonder while being driven by one of our biggest questions: Is anybody else out there? It is about the possibility of living between multiple worlds and not choosing—but instead charting a new path entirely.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
July 11, 2023 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780593742150
- File size: 308158 KB
- Duration: 10:41:59
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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Starred review from January 1, 2024
What a delight to hear Shields, an astronomer, astrobiologist, and classically trained actor, narrate the audiobook of her inspirational memoir, into which she has gracefully woven fascinating astronomical concepts. Shields says her "first love was the sky," and she laughingly admits she often bumped into things while walking because she couldn't keep her eyes from the heavens. Although few Black women work in STEM fields, Shields's parents, professional musicians, and grandmother, a civil servant at a naval air station, supported her aspirations, sending her to a prestigious prep school with its own observatory. There she received financial aid, but paying the remaining tuition was a struggle, underscoring her alienation from the other predominantly white, wealthy students. While performing in a school play, however, Shields finally experienced a sense of belonging, kindling her second great love, acting. It is moving to hear Shields's genuine joy and sorrow as she relives the past and ultimately learns that she needn't choose between her two passions. VERDICT This lyrical, beautifully performed memoir from a Black woman scientist should inspire listeners to look to the sky and also recommend this outstanding title to young women they know who are interested in STEM fields.--Beth Farrell
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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