On September 18, 2006, Anousheh Ansari became the first astronaut of Iranian descent, the first female private space explorer, and the fourth person ever to purchase a ride into space. Fleeing the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Ansari immigrated to the United States when she was 16 years old. Eventually, as co-founder of Telecom Technologies, she amassed a personal fortune that would fund her way to the International Space Station. The blog she maintained while in space attracted a record 25 million readers; My Dream of the Stars is her account of her groundbreaking journey. More than just an astronaut story, her memoir is a message of hope for people struggling to overcome economic and cultural barriers.

Co-author of My Dream of Stars, Homer Hickam wrote the no. 1 New York Times bestseller Rocket Boys, which was adapted into the major theatrical release, October Sky. He is the author of eight other books, including the 1989 military nonfiction bestseller Torpedo Junction and the New York Times bestseller Back to the Moon.

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