'The sun is setting, signalling the end of my first orbital day. I catch a glimpse of the Milky Way; I recognize Cassiopeia. There is something so poignant about contemplating it from up here, from inside this metal box, this not particularly cutting-edge bundle of technology that allows us to be here where no human being should ever be.'

Six years ago, Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti spent two hundred days orbiting around Earth on the International Space Station. In this riveting memoir, she tells the story of her extraordinary journey- from gruelling years of training to daily life in space, from great events to small discoveries, from old rituals to jokes about the meaning of life. With honesty and warmth, Cristoforetti chronicles her journey to becoming an astronaut -- the many years spent travelling around the world, from Star City to Houston, always between languages and cultures, technology and nature.

Candid and inspiring, Diary of an Apprentice Astronaut is an enthralling story about what it takes to pursue your dreams.