First published 2011
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, tell their story of love, service, and survival after a devastating attack. On January 8, 2011, Giffords was shot in the head during a constituent meeting in Tucson, Arizona. Six people died and thirteen were wounded in the assassination attempt. Doctors called her survival miraculous. The book follows their journey through the painstaking recovery process as Giffords relearns basic communication skills while Kelly prepares for his final space shuttle mission as commander of Endeavour. Told from both perspectives, the narrative reveals their individual paths to public service, their long-distance marriage, and their shared commitment to healing. They address the political climate surrounding the shooting with unvarnished honesty and reflect on the responsibilities of public life. The couple takes readers into previously private spaces, from shuttle flight decks to congressional cloakrooms to hospital rooms where medical teams worked to help Giffords reclaim her abilities. Their account demonstrates how determination and partnership can overcome seemingly impossible obstacles.
Genres: history, politics, social-issues, non-fiction, biography-memoir, current-affairs
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: determination, partnership, survival
Setting: Arizona, Tucson
Period: 2011
320 pages · Hardcover · Scribner
Content warnings: violence