In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Merryl Tengesdal, has become one of the most interesting and compelling maverick women in aviation.

In this inspirational memoir, retired Colonel Merryl Tengesdal shares her Life Lessons on everything from her career in the military, being the first and only black woman to pilot the U2 aircraft, to marriage and motherhood – and everything in between.

This book is a deep reflection on life in the military, with mesmerizing storytelling. Merryl invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her – from her childhood in the Bronx, to her years deployed in the Middle East, South America, and Asia, to her experience on the hit reality show Tough As Nails. 

With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her life as she lived it – in her own words and on her own terms. 

With wisdom and warmth, Shatter the Sky is the deeply personal story of a woman of substance who has steadily defied expectations – and whose story inspires us to do the same.