Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of racism and gender discrimination.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How does Shetterly’s personal connection to the story (growing up in Hampton with many of these women) affect the way she tells it? Have you read other books where the author’s connection to the subject matter similarly enriches the narrative—for example, Isabel Wilkerson’s The Warmth of Other Suns?

2. What surprised you most about the contributions these women made to America’s space program? How did the book change your perception of NASA’s history?

3. The book’s title plays on the dual meaning of “figures” as both people and numbers. How effective is this metaphor in capturing the essence of these women’s stories?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Dorothy Vaughan recognized early on that electronic computers would revolutionize her field and actively prepared for this change. Have you had to adapt to major technological changes in your own career? If so, how did you handle the shift?

2. Katherine Johnson’s persistence in attending editorial meetings challenged an unwritten rule against women’s attendance.