SOLSC 22: Prepping

            This evening is one of my book groups. We’ve read Hidden Figures, on which the movie was based. I’d say that this is one case when seeing the movie first is better than reading the book first, since the movie covers only about the last quarter of the book. But both are excellent and highly recommended.

            The book also has a tiny bit of personal connection for me. The human computers worked at Langley Field, and the book starts during World War II. My father worked at Langley, first as a lab assistant in 1939, and soon as an engineer. I was born down the road in Newport News, and we moved away, to Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, in 1943, just as the first of the women highlighted, Dorothy Vaughan, applied for a job at Langley. Alas, my father died four years ago, so I can’t ask him which computers he knew or worked with. He would have loved this book.

            To prepare for the book group, I usually write a book summary, so I can make sure I make all the points about the book I want to. That needs to be done this afternoon. I also have to bring a dish for our potluck dinner. My contribution today will be a beet salad, with a mustardy vinaigrette, scallions, and pine nuts, and surrounded by sauteed beet greens, the best part. So the beets are cooked, and now it’s time for cutting up and mixing together.

            Looking forward to tonight.