Wally Funk's Race for Space cover art

Wally Funk's Race for Space

The Extraordinary Story of a Female Aviation Pioneer

 Preview
Try Premium Plus free
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Wally Funk's Race for Space

By: Sue Nelson
Narrated by: Sue Nelson
Try Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

In 1961, Wally Funk was among the Mercury 13, the first group of American pilots to pass the ‘Women in Space’ programme. Wally sailed through a series of rigorous physical and mental tests, her scores beating many of the male candidates, including those of John Glenn, the first American in orbit. But just one week before she was due to enter the final phase of training, the programme was abruptly cancelled. A combination of politics and prejudice meant that none of the women ever flew into space. Undeterred, Wally went on to become one of America’s first female aviation inspectors and civilian flight instructors, though her dream of being an astronaut never dimmed.

In this offbeat odyssey, journalist and fellow space buff Sue Nelson travels with Wally, now approaching her 80th birthday, as she races to make her giant leap - before it’s too late. Covering their travels across the United States and Europe - taking in NASA’s mission control in Houston and Spaceport America in New Mexico, where Wally’s ride to space awaits - this is a uniquely intimate and entertaining portrait of a true aviation trailblazer.

©2018 Sue Nelson (P)2018 Audible, Ltd Professionals & Academics Science & Technology Women Aviation US Air Force Air Force

Listeners also enjoyed...

 The Ordinary Spaceman cover art
In the Shadow of the Moon cover art
Friend for Life cover art
Finding Hildasay cover art
The Demon-Haunted World cover art
Botanical Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland cover art
Alien Agenda cover art
Sonic Wind cover art
Into the Unknown: Recklessly Following the Call of God cover art
Defying Limits cover art
Dopesick cover art
Concorde cover art
Chasing Space cover art
What Just Happened?! cover art
Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8 cover art
Journeys to Impossible Places cover art
All stars
Most relevant  
One of the best audio books about one of my heroines. clearly read and thoroughly captivating.

Wally Funk! Amazing woman

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The book puts you in places and make you feel the moments....I always looked forward to pick up my phone and listen...

what a book! amazing

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A really interesting book, recounting the achievements of a wonderful female aviation pioneer. Sue is an excellent author and narrator, sharing both Wally's story and their adventures together, set in the context of other women's experiences in aviation and space flight. Highly recommended.

Fascinating true story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Wonderfully inspiring Sue Nelson tells of the amazing Wally Funk. You have my daughter hooked!

Brilliant! Just that...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Wally Funk could have been the first woman on the moon. We’re reminded of this often by author and science journalist Sue Nelson in this inspiring, and also intimate, audiobook. Hearing about Wally’s achievements and escapades over the years, along with other women in space science, is a wonderful thing, but what made this book so fabulous for me was the relationship between Sue and Wally: one clearly very talented woman documenting the life and ambitions of another, on a series of a adventures and road trips, all with the backdrop of Wally striving to get her rightful place in space. I want to travel with them always.

A road trip with two brilliant women

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I love anything to do with space and Iwould have loved to meet Wally and Sue. Gripping, funny, sad, interesting, beautfully read what else can I say? I met Helen Sharman when she came to officially open my technology centre at my school when I was the head of the department, she was the most down to earth, humble and interesting person I have ever met. I’m not surprised she was upset with the way the press treated her. She deserves, like Wally much higher praise and standing in our technological society.

Outstanding good book best this year so far

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Where does she get her energy? Found myself really liking Wally Funk, hoping so much that she gets to experience her dream of going into space and wanting to meet her! Great insights into a fascinating world of space exploration and well read. Loved it.

A brilliant book about a brilliant woman

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A wonderful tale, sympathetic and inspiring. Affectionately told, comprehensive and entertaining. Wally is a legend.

Inspiring

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Very interesting story and great history of women in the space sector but spoilt by poor narration. Would have been greatly Improved by a professional narrator.

Great story dreadful narration

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.