SWEEPER IN THE SKY The Life of Maria Mitchell

American astronomer Maria Mitchell lived by a single principle most of her life: If a man could achieve success at a venture, so could a woman. The fact that she was born in 1818, when women often were denied any education, makes her intellectual and professional success all the more significant. Karen Commins's narration of this biography is solid and at times intimate. She doesn't try to capture Mitchell's native Nantucket accent. This allows the listener to focus on the richly detailed text, which covers the scientist's early Quaker influences and professional career. Occasionally, it can be hard to distinguish direct quotes from narrative, but this is a small weakness. The audiobook was produced in celebration of the bicentennial of Mitchell's birth. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2018]