Six years ago, Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti spent 200 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.