IN PRAISE OF SHARING SPACE
“Colonel Catherine Coleman is a born storyteller and raconteur, it turns out, and this fascinating insight into her world of space exploits and beyond are both a delight and a revelation. The detail and background to the great adventure profession of all time are gripping and often a little scary. But with both feet firmly on the ground, Catherine — OK, I will call her Cady just this once — brings us all to the cutting edge where technology meets humanity.
Once an astronaut, always an astronaut rings out clearly in every chapter. I am sure that a little piece of Cady’s heavenly soul still passes over us sixteen times a day, 250 miles above our relatively mundane and humdrum lives.”
IAN ANDERSON
Flautist and Vocalist, Jethro Tull
“Sharing Space offers a rare glimpse into the heart of a pioneer, as Cady Coleman shares the wisdom gleaned from her journeys beyond our planet. With each page, she challenges us to look beyond the horizon of our own experiences, to question the impossible, and to redefine what it means to lead in an era of unprecedented change. This is not just a story about space exploration; it's a roadmap for navigating the frontiers of our lives and careers.”
BARBARA BARRETT
25th Secretary of the US Air Force
“Astronaut Cady Coleman — a brave, thoughtful, funny person — has had more extraordinary experiences than most of us could in three lifetimes. In this delightfully entertaining book she tells her fascinating story, and shares the priceless wisdom she’s gained along the way.”
DAVE BARRY
Columnist and Author of many books including Peter and the Starcatchers
"This book is so much more than an astronaut’s memoir. It’s a gift to all of us, a study in determination as Cady defies low expectations at every turn to become ‘the unexpected astronaut.’ Even as she becomes a three-time space flier and the first mom to spend six months aboard the International Space Station, she navigates complex human terrain with perseverance and grace.
Sharing Space glows with her hard-earned wisdom, presented with a wonderful blend of open-hearted generosity, candid self-reflection, and self-deprecating humor that left me feeling enlightened, enriched, and empowered."
ANDREW CHAIKIN
Author of A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts
“Cady Coleman reveals not just the extraordinary thrill of living and working in space, but shares practical and inspiring advice on how to overturn other’s expectations in order to succeed. By showing how she stayed positive despite the obstacles to earning her spot as an astronaut, and sharing the tools she’s learned about team building and how and when to speak up for change, Cady’s story is a unique roadmap for leaders everywhere.”
SECRETARY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
Secretary of State and US Senator
“Cady is inspirational, energetic, compassionate, and honest — a strong role model for all people aspiring to make big choices to explore, invent, or discover. A wonderful read to calm our everyday-world anxieties down here on Earth with optimism for our future.”
EILEEN M. COLLINS
Former Space Shuttle Pilot and Commander and Colonel, US Air Force, Retired
“I met Cady in 2014 when she acted as a consultant to Halle Berry for a television series I created, called EXTANT. With this book, she takes us along on an incredible adventure as she overcomes enormous obstacles, both internal and external, to achieve liftoff on her career. Like a good blockbuster, there is action, romance, heartbreak, suspense, and humor. By the end, she gives us the extraordinary gift of showing us what we can achieve as fellow crew members aboard Spaceship Earth.”
MICKEY FISHER
Screenwriter and Creator of the CBS science fiction series Extant
“Cady Coleman's appropriately named book, Sharing Space brings the awe and wonder of life in space down to Earth. Cady masterfully weaves stories that not only lift the spirit but also provide key life lessons. The wisdom and perspective shared in this book can not only change the direction of readers' lives but it can shift the trajectory of our world toward a more positive and restorative future for all.”
RON GARAN
Former Astronaut and Author of The Orbital Perspective: Lessons in Seeing the Big Picture from a Journey of 71 Million Miles
“An inspiring, insightful read about how to overcome insecurities, build bonds, and break barriers. There’s no bigger childhood dream than becoming an astronaut, and there’s no bigger adult aspiration than becoming more like Cady Coleman. This is an inside look at what it’s like to be in outer space — and a guide to leading a meaningful life.”
ADAM GRANT
#1 New York Times bestselling Author of HIDDEN POTENTIAL and THINK AGAIN
“Cady does a marvellous job of sharing the joys, worries and realities of spaceflight - and the complex road to get there. No matter what you dream of accomplishing in life, this book will help you get there. For anyone who has felt life’s obstacles are insurmountable, Cady’s path and ideas will help show the way.”
CHRIS HADFIELD
New York Times bestselling Author of An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth
“I lived aboard the ISS for several months with Cady. Her descriptions of life in space brought me back to that magical place. But what I liked more about, Sharing Space, and what makes it different from other astronaut memoirs is that it’s a celebration of the people she met along the way. Which is the thing I miss most about my time at NASA and my life in general. The people, not the job.”
SCOTT KELLY
Former NASA Astronaut and Author of Endurance
"Cady Coleman makes me want to go to space. She makes me want everyone to be able to go to space and experience the wonder that she shares. And she makes me think that it's possible."
MARY ROBINETTE KOWAL
Hugo and Nebula Award-Winning Science-Fiction and Fantasy Author, known for The Lady Astronaut Series
“Sharing Space is not just an astronaut memoir; it’s a wise, personal, and inspiring story about how to live a good and purposeful life. Coleman interweaves her narrative of becoming an astronaut and working in space with lessons learned about teamwork, family, confidence in the face of setbacks, courage, and pushing mental and physical limits in service of a mission larger than yourself. Her accomplishments are impressive, but what really shines through is her humanity — especially her commitment to breaking down barriers and using her own position and perspective to expand opportunities for others to achieve their own dreams.
Before I read this book, I already wanted to be an astronaut. After reading it, I want to be a better person.”
KATIE MACK
Author of The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking)
"Cady shares extraordinary wisdom from an extraordinary life."
MARK MANSON
New York Times bestselling author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
"Cady does a stellar job of capturing the human side of the astronaut experience. Through a candid first-hand accounting, she brings us into her personal journey and shares experiences that allow all of us to relate to many similarities in our own lives. Her easygoing delivery style takes the complexity of human space flight, and her tremendous accomplishments, and frames them in the voice of a good friend sharing her life, heart, and soul."
JOHN “DANNY” OLIVAS, PhD, PE
Mission Specialist STS-117, STS-128
“Sharing Space is a delightful and inspiring look into how we can all reimagine the space around us and the people who make it special. A must read for anyone looking to make a positive impact in unexpected ways.”
SIAN PROCTOR
First Woman Commercial Spaceship Pilot and Only Black Woman Mission Pilot; Artist and Author of Space2inspire: The Art of Inspiration
“I knew I was going to get some great stories from one of my favorite people. I did NOT expect the emotional impact that the stories would have on me. This book is inspiring through and through. The moment Cady admits out loud for the first time that she wants to be an astronaut … I cried. Cady Coleman has an indomitably bright spirit that shines on every page this book.”
ADAM SAVAGE
Host of Mythbusters and Spacesuit Maker
“Astronaut Cady Coleman delivers poignant stories that have universal relevance for engaging necessary skills in our lives here on earth — grit, brilliance, ingenuity, teamwork, empathy, imagination, friendship, and more. Sharing Space is warm and approachable, Cady’s grace, humor, and capability shine through, she engages as a friend sharing valuable learnings for all.”
MEGAN SMITH
Entrepreneur, Engineer, Former United States Chief Technology Officer
“Cady Coleman brings the same passion and insight to Sharing Space that she brought to her missions in space. And share she does: from the challenges of the astronaut selection process, to being one of the few women to actually go to space, to raising a family and never losing sight of what really matters back here on planet Earth. Coleman, more than most, understands that she has a special obligation to share her truly extraordinary experiences with others so they might themselves dream big and commit to becoming full-fledged members of the crew of Spaceship Earth.”
DAVID WEAVER
Former NASA Associate Administrator for Communications
“Maybe you'll never ride on the space shuttle, spend six months living on the International Space Station, or camp on the ice in Antarctica to hunt meteorites, but Cady Coleman's generous, wise, and funny book will make you believe you can take on any challenge, no matter the pressure. It's a memoir, a how-to on integrating family and career, a behind-the-scenes on the fascinating science of space travel, and it reminds us how those who don't fit the mold — or the space suit! — are often the best ones to expand the world's sense of what's possible.
KATE ZERNIKE
New York Times Writer and Author of The Exceptions: Nancy Hopkins and the Fight for Women in Science
