Martha Ackmann

Martha Ackmann (born February 11, 1951) is a journalist and author. Her books include The Mercury 13: The True Story of Thirteen Women and the Dream of Space Flight (2003), Curveball: The Remarkable Story of Toni Stone (2010), and These Fevered Days: Ten Pivotal Moments in the Making of Emily Dickinson (2020), and Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: the Life and Times of Dolly Parton (December 2025). Ackmann's essays and columns have appeared in publications including The Atlantic, The New York Times, the Washington Post, and Paris Review. She has been a frequent commentator for New England Public Radio.