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To Be Taught if Fortunate - Chambers
4 stars
This novella proposed some interesting speculative twists to fictional deep space exploration. Chambers imagines a space exploration effort that is crowd funded by citizen scientists, a non-profit, non-governmental, exploration effort. Flight Engineer Ariadne is part of a four person crew sent to space on such a mission.

Deep sleep/hibernation is not a new gimmick in fictional space travel, but Chambers adds a new element. While they sleep,her astronauts are genetically altered to aid their function and survival on the moons and planets that they are sent to explore. Thickened skin to withstand radiation at one location; strengthened bones and muscles to withstand increased gravitation at another. Adapt the scientist to the environment they will study. The space agency of this book is not interested in terraforming other worlds. The mission goal is exploration and observation only. Take only pictures, leave few footprints.

This is Ariadne’s mission report to a possibly extinct mission control on Earth. It’s a letter to an unknown audience. It’s a personal journal. It’s philosophical. She asks difficult questions starting with ‘Why ? ”. I enjoyed reading her thoughts. I enjoyed her close supportive relationships with her crewmates. I like what Becky Chambers says about humanity with her speculative fiction.

The Kindle version of this book included author notes that were as interesting as the novella. Becky Chambers has the help of a science consultant who is also her mother. The question and answer addendum to the book was well worth reading.

I thought the book’s title was unusual. It wasn’t until the end of the book that Chambers includes the quote the explains the reason for the title. So this is a bit of a spoiler.

(view spoiler)[ As the Secretary General of the United Nations, an organization of one hundred and forty seven member states who represent almost all of the human inhabitants of the planet Earth, I send greetings on behalf of the people of our planet. We step out of our solar system into the universe seeking only peace and friendship – to teach, if we are called upon; to be taught, if we are fortunate. We know full well that our planet and all its inhabitants are but a small part of this immense universe that surrounds us, and it is with humility and hope that we take this step. – Former UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim, 1977, as recorded on the Voyager Golden Record (hide spoiler)]

It’s perfect.