Why Am I Taller?

“The authors’ down-to-earth explanations and vivid descriptions are a treat, and especially enlightening are Williams’s first-person accounts of being in space … This candid survey will delight armchair astronauts.” — Publishers Weekly
“Anecdotes from space flights and astronauts augment Williams’s firsthand experience, including Neil Armstrong’s experiences with Gemini 8 and from recent stents on the International Space Station. These research findings are intriguing and accessible, vivified by an undercurrent of energy and excitement. Why Am I Taller? is a fascinating science text about the effects of space travel on the human body.” — Foreword Reviews
“Space buffs will likely find this an intriguing and informative peek into the various ways that space travel affects the human body.” —Library Journal
“Why Am I Taller? is a fascinating look at living in space, the challenges it offers, and the methods used to keep space travelers healthy in space and after they return to Earth. It is absorbing and informative.” — National Space Society
“Why Am I Taller? is a comprehensive and contemporary romp through the clinical challenges of past and future space flight. It is the kind of book that results when two gifted authors merge their respective talents to bring otherworldly medical discoveries down to earth with insight and clarity. Williams and Howell’s fascination for matters of physiology, physics and future frontiers is clearly evident and serves to impart a sense of wonder throughout the book.” ­­— Robert Thirsk, former Canadian Space Agency astronaut
“Williams and Howell write simply and engagingly, never getting bogged up in excessively dry details and maintaining accessibility of the material throughout. And they sprinkle enough humor to hit the sweet spot and make it very enjoyable.” — books are life blog
“It’s a fascinating look at the challenges of space travel and of living in space, and the methods used to keep space travelers healthy—in space and after they return to Earth.” — The Epoch Times

Dr. Dave Williams is an astronaut, aquanaut, pilot, ER doctor, scientist, CEO, and bestselling author. The former Director of Space & Life Sciences at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, he has flown in space twice. He holds the Canadian spacewalking record and was the first Canadian to live on the world’s only undersea research habitat. He lives in Toronto, ON.

Elizabeth Howell, PhD, is a staff writer for Space.com. She has been a space journalist for 20 years and is one of the few Canadian journalists to focus exclusively on space. After working for The Globe and Mail, the Canadian Medical Association Journal, CTV Ottawa and the Ottawa Business Journal, Howell struck out as a full-time freelance space journalist in 2012. Before shifting to full-time work at Space.com in 2022, she was a frequent contributor to publications for clients such as CBC, SpaceQ, and Space.com. She has seen rocket launches in the United States and Kazakhstan, lived on a simulated Mars base, and interviewed many astronauts. She also teaches technical writing and does consulting work from Ottawa, ON.

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