Astronauts' Daily Life Aboard the International Space Station Explored in Award-Winning Novel
Samantha Harvey’s *Orbital*, which won last year’s Booker Prize, follows six astronauts aboard the International Space Station as they navigate the extraordinary challenges of life in orbit. From Russia, the United States, Japan, Italy, and the UK, the crew members live precariously, having willingly launched into space aboard a vessel propelled by volatile fuel before enduring the crushing forces of re-entry.
Harvey avoids extensive background details on the astronauts, focusing instead on their routines—maintaining their health and keeping their living quarters functional. The novel captures how even the simplest activities, like eating or brushing teeth, become complex in zero gravity: toothpaste foam must be swallowed, and utensils cling to surfaces with magnets.
Despite their constant proximity, the astronauts experience deep isolation. Harvey writes, “They are so together, and so alone, that even their thoughts, their internal mythologies, at times convene.” Yet, their shared existence also creates a temporary escape from earthly divisions, with cooperation becoming essential as they work and breathe the same recycled air.
Narrated by actor Sarah Naudi, the audiobook delivers a poetic and mesmerizing performance that matches its cosmic setting. As the crew circles Earth 16 times a day, they contemplate philosophy, the concept of divinity, and the delicate beauty of human existence. From their unique perspective, “the earth … is like heaven. It flows with colour. A burst of hopeful colour.” The audiobook spans 5 hours and 7 minutes.
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