Gr. 4^-6. What American spent 188 days on a Russian space station 250 miles above Earth, flying at a speed of 17,300 miles per hour? Who conducted experiments studying plants and animals in space? Who stashed M&Ms and Twinkies aboard Mir and joked that she hadn't showered or washed her clothes for six months? Shannon Lucid, America's most experienced astronaut. When Atlantis returned from Mir to the Kennedy Space Center on September 26, 1996, Lucid walked out unaided, a feat in itself. According to her husband, gravity has never stopped her. In this informative biography, which is part of the Gateway Biography series, Bredeson depicts both Lucid's accomplishments and her delightful personality, demonstrating that the astronaut clearly knows no boundaries. Her early life in Oklahoma, her marriage, the birth of her children, her acceptance and training in the space program, and her five missions, which totaled 223 days in space, present an inspiring model for women and for humankind. Full-color photographs are a bonus, as are fun facts about life in space. A chronology and a bibliography are also included. Shelley Townsend-Hudson • Shannon Lucid Books

In this portrait, veteran sportswriter Phil Berger recounts Mantle's stardom and the high price he paid to attain it. His father's sole passion was baseball, and he fervently dreamed that his first son would grow up to play in the majors. Under his father's relentless pressure, Mickey became a switch-hitter and refined his skills in all aspects of the game.

In 1949, Mantle signed with the Yankees' minor league team in Independence, Kansas. It was a difficult transition for the temperamental ball player. Despite his powerful hitting, Mantle's quick temper plagued him, making his performance erratic and his future uncertain. • Mickey Mantle Books

Signing with MCA Nashville Records, McEntire took creative control over her second MCA album, My Kind of Country (1984), which had a more traditional country sound and produced two number one singles: "How Blue" and "Somebody Should Leave". The album brought her breakthrough success, bringing her a series of successful albums and number one singles in the 1980s and 1990s. McEntire has since released 25 studio albums, acquired 22 #1 singles, and 28 albums have been certified Gold, Platinum or Multi-Platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America. • Reba McEntire Books • Reba McEntire Films • Reba McEntire Discography

Norris is a devout Christian and politically conservative. He has written several books on Christianity and donated to a number of Republican candidates and causes. In 2007 and 2008, he campaigned for former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who was running for the Republican nomination for President in 2008. Norris also writes a column for the conservative website WorldNetDaily.

Norris was born in Ryan, Oklahoma, the son of Wilma (nιe Scarberry) and Ray Norris, who was a mechanic, bus driver, and truck driver. Norris' paternal grandfather (an immigrant) and maternal grandmother were of Irish descent, while his paternal grandmother and maternal grandfather were Cherokee Native Americans." • Chuck Norris Books • Chuck Norris Movies

Page signed with Mercury Records in 1947, and became their first successful female artist, starting with 1948's "Confess." In 1950, she had her first million-selling single with "With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming," and would eventually have 14 additional million-selling singles between 1950 and 1965.

Page's signature song, "Tennessee Waltz," recorded in 1950, was one of the biggest-selling singles of the twentieth century, and is also one of the two official state songs of Tennessee. "Tennessee Waltz" spent 13 weeks atop the Billboard magazine's Best-Sellers List in 1950. Page had three additional #1 hit singles between 1950 and 1953, with "All My Love (Bolero)", "I Went to Your Wedding," and "(How Much Is That) Doggie in the Window."

Unlike most pop music singers, Page blended the styles of country music into many of her most popular songs • Patti Page Books • Patti Page DVD's

Pitt began his acting career with television guest appearances which included a role on the CBS soap opera Dallas in 1987; later gaining recognition as the cowboy hitchhiker who seduces Geena Davis's character in the 1991 road movie Thelma & Louise. Pitt's first leading roles in big-budget productions came with A River Runs Through It (1992) and Interview with the Vampire (1994). He was cast opposite Anthony Hopkins in the 1994 drama Legends of the Fall which earned him his first Golden Globe nomination. In 1995, he gave critically acclaimed performances in the crime thriller Seven and the science fiction film Twelve Monkeys, the latter earning him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor and an Academy Award nomination. Four years later in 1999, Pitt starred in the cult hit Fight Club. Subsequently in 2001, he starred in the major international hit Ocean's Eleven and its sequels Ocean's Twelve (2004) and Ocean's Thirteen (2007). He has had his biggest commercial successes with Troy (2004) and Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005). Pitt received his second Academy Award nomination for his performance in the title role in the 2008 film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Pitt was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Along with his siblings Doug (born 1966) and Julie Neal (born 1969), he grew up in Springfield, Missouri, where the family moved soon after his birth. He was raised as a conservative Southern Baptist throughout his childhood. • Brad Pitt Books • Brad Pitt Movies

Randall was born Arthur Leonard Rosenberg in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of Julia (nιe Finston) and Mogscha Rosenberg, who was an art and antiques dealer.[3] He attended Tulsa Central High School.

Randall then attended Northwestern University for a year before traveling to New York City to study at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. He studied under Sanford Meisner and choreographer Martha Graham around 1935. Under the name Anthony Randall, he worked onstage opposite stars Jane Cowl in George Bernard Shaw's Candida and Ethel Barrymore in Emlyn William's The Corn Is Green. Randall then served for four years with the United States Army Signal Corps in World War II, refusing an entertainment assignment with Special Services. Then he worked at the Olney Theatre in Montgomery County, Maryland before heading back to New York City. • Tony Randall Books • Tony Randall Films

Dayle Lamoine Robertson began his acting career by chance during World War II, when he was in the United States Army. Stationed at San Luis Obispo, California, Robertson decided to have a photograph taken for his mother; so he and several other soldiers went to Hollywood to find a photographer. A large copy of his photo was later displayed in the photographer's shop window

Eventually serving in the South Pacific, Robertson found himself receiving letters from film agents who wished to represent him. After the war, Robertson stayed in California. Hollywood actor Will Rogers, Jr., gave him this advice: "Don't ever take a dramatic lesson. They will try to put your voice in a dinner jacket, and people like their hominy and grits in everyday clothes." Robertson thereafter avoided formal acting lessons. • Dale Robertson Books • Dale Robertson Movies

Known as Oklahoma's favorite son, Rogers was born to a prominent Indian Territory family. He traveled around the world three times, made 71 movies (50 silent films and 21 "talkies"), wrote more than 4,000 nationally-syndicated newspaper columns, and became a world-famous figure.

By the mid-1930s, Rogers was adored by the American people, and was the top-paid movie star in Hollywood at the time. Rogers died in 1935 with aviator Wiley Post, when their small airplane crashed near Barrow, Alaska Territory. • Will Rogers Books • Will Rogers Films

Born on a carnival train near the small town of Beggs, Oklahoma, under the name of “Daniel Hale David”, Rowan toured with his parents, Oscar and Nellie David, who performed a singing and dancing act with the carnival. He was orphaned at age 11, spent four years at the McClelland Home in Pueblo, Colorado, then was taken in by a foster family at age 16 and enrolled in Central High School (Pueblo, Colorado). After graduating from high school, he hitchhiked to Los Angeles, California, in 1940 and found a job in the mailroom at Paramount Pictures; quickly ingratiating himself with studio head Buddy DeSylva. A year later he became Paramount's youngest staff writer. • Dan Rowan Books • Dan Rowan Films

His second and third albums, 2003's The Dreamer (his first for Warner Bros. proper) and 2004's Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill, were each certified gold as well. Shelton's fourth album, Pure BS, was issued in 2007, and re-issued in 2008 with a cover of Michael Bublι's pop hit "Home" as one of the bonus tracks. This cover was also that album's third single. A fifth album, Startin' Fires, was released in November 2008.

Overall, Shelton has charted sixteen singles on the country charts, including five Number One hits: "Austin" (2001), "The Baby" (2003), "Some Beach" (2004-2005), "Home" (2008) and "She Wouldn't Be Gone" (2009). Besides these, three more of his singles have reached Top Ten: a cover version of Conway Twitty's "Goodbye Time", "Nobody but Me", and "I'll Just Hold On". • Blake Shelton Books • Blake Shelton Discography