Spacewalker

Mr. Smith has spent decades training as an astronaut and has logged nearly 4,000 hours in space. During this time he has broken into a Space Station with a Swiss army knife, disposed of a live snake while piloting a plane, been temporarily blinded while clinging to the exterior of an orbiting spacecraft, and become a YouTube sensation with his performance of David's 'Space Oddity' in space. The secret to Smith's success – and survival – is an unconventional philosophy he learned at NASA: prepare for the worst – and enjoy every moment of it. In his book, An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth, Smith takes readers deep into his years of training and space exploration to show how to make the impossible possible. Through eye-opening, entertaining stories filled with the adrenaline of launch, the mesmerizing wonder of spacewalks and the measured, calm responses mandated by crises, he explains how conventional wisdom can get in the way of achievement – and happiness. His own extraordinary education in space has taught him some counter-intuitive lessons: don't visualize success, do care what others think, and always sweat the small stuff. You might never be able to build a robot, pilot a spacecraft, make a music video or perform basic surgery in zero gravity like Smith. But his vivid and refreshing insights in this book will teach you how to think like an astronaut, and will change, completely, the way you view life on Earth – especially your own.

Superheroes are real. Year 2030: the Seven were revered. Able to bend light to their will, dominate fire with ease, and control the very gravity that kept everyone rooted to Earth. The Seven were the world's first superheroes. It was practically everyone's dream to join their ranks. In 2032, Felix Hale was the youngest astronaut to brave space at 20. As he was about to complete one of his final spacewalks, disaster struck. Disconnected from his ship, his destiny was to drift off into space, utterly alone. Desperate for a chance to change it all, he travels back in time to before he left the ship, becoming a superhuman in his own right. Now back on Earth, Felix has to not only learn how to control his own powers, but how to navigate a world in which droves of people suddenly arise with abilities of their own. With villains seeking to utilize their gifts for their own gain, Felix will be tested again and again. And if he breaks, it means letting down those who need him most. A tough ask for a college junior.

In the distant future, Commander Alex Rey, a seasoned astral explorer, finds herself on a solitary mission at the edge of known space. Tasked with pushing the boundaries of human exploration, she embarks on what should have been a routine spacewalk. But when a critical failure severs her tether, Alex is cast adrift in the unforgiving vacuum of space, with her spacecraft fading into a distant speck. As she struggles to survive, battling fear and the cold reality of her impending death, Alex's mind begins to unravel. Memories of her past—her sacrifices, lost loves, and the ambitions that drove her to the stars—flood her thoughts. Alone and with oxygen running out, she resigns herself to the inevitable. But just as all hope seems lost, Alex picks up an impossible transmission on an alien frequency. A voice, strange and otherworldly, reaches out to her, guiding her through the vastness of space. Drawn by the enigmatic messages, Alex is led beyond the edge of known reality, into a realm where the familiar laws of the universe no longer apply. Is this voice a lifeline or a final trick of a dying mind? As she drifts further from the world she knows, Alex must confront the ultimate question: Is there life—intelligent, compassionate life—beyond the stars? And if there is, what does it want with her?