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Atmosphere

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Atmosphere

By: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Narrated by: Kristen Dimercurio, Julia Whelan, Taylor Jenkins Reid
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

AN EPIC NOVEL SET AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF THE 1980S SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM ABOUT THE EXTRAORDINARY LENGTHS WE GO TO LIVE AND LOVE BEYOND OUR LIMITS.


In the summer of 1980, astrophysics professor Joan Goodwin begins training to be an astronaut at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond; mission specialists John Griffin and Lydia Danes; warmhearted Donna Fitzgerald; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer. As the new astronauts prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined and begins to question everything she believes about her place in the observable universe.

Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, everything changes in an instant.

Atmosphere is Taylor Jenkins Reid at her best: transporting listeners to iconic times and places, creating complex protagonists, and telling a passionate and soaring story about the transformative power of love – this time among the stars.

'Tipped to be this summer's big read' Sunday Times

'Quite possibly our favourite TJR novel yet...Even if you're not a big space fan, you can't help but fall for this cosmic tale.' Cosmopolitan

'An ambitious novel that explores human limitation, sacrifice and the essence of love itself.' Woman & Home

©2025 Taylor Jenkins Reid (P)2025 Penguin Audio
Editors Select Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Heartfelt Thought-Provoking Aviation

Editorial Review

You can’t deny the gravitational pull
Taylor Jenkins Reid’s talent is awe-inducing: both her ability to tell deeply human stories, and the research and detail that she pours into her novels, effortlessly orienting the listener in time and place. In Atmosphere, we are in Houston in the 1980s, embarking on NASA’s space exploration program with its first wave of women scientists and pilots. Joan, an astronomer, is eager to become one of the first women in space, but she’s also enjoying the ride of discovering her own capabilities and growing her relationships with her fellow candidates. We jump between Joan’s early time in the program and December 29, 1984, when Joan is on the ground in Houston serving as capcom on a space mission, and something goes horribly wrong. The alternating timelines drive the suspense, as does the blossoming relationship between Joan and fellow candidate Vanessa, who is on the shuttle in 1984. Performed by Julia Whelan and Kristen DiMercurio, this book won’t let you go once you’ve entered its orbit. —Katie O., Audible Editor

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Wow, I love this story and can't stop thinking about it now. The characters are incredibly inspirational. The author has given so much depth to the characters that you feel the emotions with them. Best book of the year for me.

Superbly inspirational

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I'm a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid. A superb writer, expertly exploring everyday human emotions against the most exciting and exclusive backdrops - taking me to worlds I'll never experience in real life, but evoke something of what it must be like to live in those worlds. I've felt the highs and lows of movie stars, rock stars, tennis players, surf babes and now astronauts. All these stories are amazing, but Atmosphere was the purest and simplest love story and I wept and rejoiced throughout all of it. Simply brilliant.

Love, courage and inspirational people

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What an amazing book! Great story and great narration. The end is a proper tear jerker though so have the tissues ready! A believable and gripping story

Superb!

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A really intriguing story. A plot with somewhat similar lines to the Seven Husbands book. Which I did absolutely enjoy but I was not as enthralled in this one as that piece. Listened to this very quickly however. I loved the connection the main character and her niece this was a really great subplot! Would highly recommend.

Brilliant brilliant read!

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That is all you need to know from my review - very emotional indeed. I never cry at books!

I cried

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Excellent performance of a gripping , emotional story. I had to keep listening. Ending maybe a bit weak.

Portrayal of emotion

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Loved the angle of astronauts, the heartbreak and the heartwarming moments! TJR has smashed it again.

What a love story

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Wow - TJR really knows how to break a girl’s heart. So beautifully written and performed to perfection

An absolute heartbreaker

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Fantastic romantic story based around the early shuttle program. I am a hairy pretty solid guy who thought this would be a typical gung ho adventure but this book had so much more and it had me in bits emotionally. The voice actors were super conveying all those emotions and intensity. I felt I was actually there in the shuttle and in Mission Control. They have got to make this into a movie but as always in will never be as good as this book. Excellent listen.

very emotional

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So sweet and tender… and clap clap to the narrators. To our beloved Julia Wheelan in particular. She is always soooo good!

Beautiful love story

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