{"product_id":"9781982176624","title":"Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in Nonfiction • Winner of the Kirkus Nonfiction Prize • Shortlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction • A \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003eNotable Book\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNEW YORK TIMES \u003c\/i\u003eBESTSELLER • “Stunning…A heart-pounding thriller…\u003ci\u003eChallenger \u003c\/i\u003eis a remarkable book.” —\u003ci\u003eThe Atlantic\u003c\/i\u003e • “Devastating…A universal story that transcends time.” —\u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e • “Dramatic…a moving narrative.” —\u003ci\u003eThe Wall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFrom the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003ebestselling author of \u003ci\u003eMidnight in Chernobyl \u003c\/i\u003ecomes the definitive, “compelling, and exhaustively researched” (\u003ci\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c\/i\u003e) minute-by-minute account of the \u003ci\u003eChallenger \u003c\/i\u003edisaster, based on fascinating and new archival research—a riveting history that reads like a thriller.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOn January 28, 1986, just seventy-three seconds into flight, the space shuttle \u003ci\u003eChallenger \u003c\/i\u003ebroke 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 \u003ci\u003eChallenger \u003c\/i\u003edisaster 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.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eBased on extensive archival research and metic­ulous, original reporting, \u003ci\u003eChallenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space \u003c\/i\u003efollows 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. It’s a compelling tale of ambition and ingenuity undermined by political cynicism and cost-cutting in the interests of burnishing national prestige; of hubris and heroism; and of an investigation driven by leakers and whistleblowers determined to bring the truth to light. Throughout, there are the ominous warning signs of a tragedy to come, recognized but then ignored, and later hidden from the public.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eHigginbotham reveals the history of the shuttle program and the lives of men and women whose stories have been overshadowed by the disaster, as well as the designers, engineers, and test pilots who struggled against the odds to get the first shuttle into space. A masterful blend of riveting human drama and fascinating and absorbing science, \u003ci\u003eChallenger \u003c\/i\u003eidentifies a turning point in history—and brings to life an even more complex and astonishing story than we remember.","brand":"Avid Reader Press \/ Simon \u0026 Schuster","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42929890623549,"sku":"9781982176624","price":22.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0603\/0838\/9949\/files\/9781982176624_p0.jpg?v=1771589956","url":"https:\/\/www.tatteredcover.com\/products\/9781982176624","provider":"Tattered Cover","version":"1.0","type":"link"}