Two Paths to Heavens Gate

Nan Dieter Conklin's memoir of a life in astronomy is a compelling combination of the personal, the scientific, and the historical (both of the history of women in science and the history of radio astronomy). The reader quickly learns to follow the descriptions of astronomy research, and Conklin is matter of fact and informative about how research gets done, offering guides such as fit the research to the instrument. She opens the scientific door to the lay reader with summaries like "In my experience there are two ways in which real discoveries are made: stumbling on something totally unexpected while looking at something else, and searching for something because you think it might be there." As a working parent with MS, her personal story enlarges the significance of "Two Paths." I wanted to buy a number of copies for friends, and I would use it in women and science courses as one of the more personal and approachable sources available. And the only one so far on radio astronomy, a post WWII field that has been more open to women that most astrophysics.