Hidden Figures (a review)

As a writer of historical fiction, I know how time consuming research can be. The degree of detail Margot Lee Shetterly wove into Hidden Figures is nothing short of phenomenal. Even better is that she did it without ever tripping up the story. Another plus is the way she treats the subject matter. Other books I've read of this type tend to try too hard. It's hard to explain, but you often feel that you are being beaten over the head with an "unhidden" agenda. (Yes, that's a made-up word, but it works.) Despite writing a story that would easily lend itself to such a thing, Ms. Shetterly gracefully and mercifully avoids that trap. At the same time, the moral of the story could not be clearer...we are all God's children. And racism is stupid. Best of all, Ms. Shetterly introduced us all to genuine American heroes whose lives made us all better. I don't know if I'll ever tackle a non-fiction topic but if I do, I hope I can do it at least half as well as Ms. Shetterly.