The New Guys

“Astronauts are the ultimate high achievers. This remarkable class of space men and women had to be–and do–even more than most. They had to change our very notion of what an astronaut looks like, our collective ideas about who gets to put on a flight suit. They brought us the groundbreaking achievement of Sally Ride, endured the heartbreaking tragedies of the Challenger and Columbia disasters, engineered the triumph of the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station. As we embark on a new era of space travel, The New Guys rockets readers back into the not-so-distant past, telling the propulsive story of a brave and competitive community of explorers–men and women who changed space, and Earth, forever.” – Liza Mundy, New York Times bestselling author of Code Girls

“The New Guys is a riveting page-turner that chronicles the first American astronauts to fly the space shuttle, including the first American women and people of color who broke barriers to journey to the stars. Meredith Bagby’s thoroughly researched and finely crafted account captures the highs and lows of life as an astronaut–the grueling training, wild partying, cut-throat competition, and tragic losses of the Challenger and Columbia crews–all with spine-tingling thrills and genuine pathos.” – Kyra Sedgwick, actor, director, and producer

“Exciting…An immersive narrative [and] propulsive ride.” – Publishers Weekly

“An enthusiastic account of the NASA astronaut class of 1978…The author has done her homework, writing a gripping account of America’s mature manned space program.” – Kirkus Reviews

“The New Guys will go a long way in telling the story of this historic astronaut class. I hope it will drive more kids to dream of becoming astronauts or of participating in the space program.” – Major General Charles Bolden, Jr., Shuttle Astronaut and NASA’s first African American Administrator

Meredith Bagby is a nonfiction writer as well as film and TV producer. Her previous books include: We’ve Got Issues, Rational Exuberance, and an ongoing series, The Annual Report of the USA. She produces with actress Kyra Sedgwick under the shingle, Big Swing Productions. Previously she was a senior film development executive at DreamWorks SKG. Bagby was a political reporter and producer for CNN and a teaching fellow at Harvard’s Institute of Politics. Her education includes Columbia Law School and Harvard College.