Recommendations for Reading About the Space Program

[bmhiii]

I have just recently finished reading "Failure is Not an Option" and would like to read more about America's space program especially the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs. Any suggestions on books for me to read?

Thanks in advance,

bmhiii

 

[Rocketmaniac]

Originally posted by bmhiii
Any suggestions on books for me to read?

I would try "Lost Moon" by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger

 

[illini]

Definitely get "A Man on the Moon" by Andrew Chaikin. Then go watch the HBO series based on this book, "From the Earth to the Moon." Both are outstanding.

"The Right Stuff" is also an outstanding read, but is more "stylized" history than it is fact telling.

A really terrific book about Apollo is "Apollo: The Race to the Moon" by Charles Murray and Catherine Bly Cox.

There is a terrific documentary that Nova (the PBS show) did called "To the Moon" that you can rent on DVD.

There's also a terrific series of DVD's put out by Spacecraft Films that focuses on different aspects of the early space program. These are not documentaries, but the actual raw footage of what happened and how it happened. Some people consider these kind of dry, but you can gauge your status as a "true space buff" by your interest in these. I think they're great. Some of the titles are, "Apollo 11," "Apollo 8," "Gemini," "The Mighty Saturns," and more are on the way.

 

[sandman]

"We Seven" by the original 7 astronauts.
"We came in Peace"
"Moon Shot" by Alen Shepard and Deke Slayton

sandman

 

[Chilly]

"Flight" by Chris Kraft. He doesn't pull any punches. It's especially interesting to read his & Gene Kranz's book and compare their views of certain events with those of astronauts like Gene Cernan. Cernan's "Last Man on the Moon" is another great book. Another good one is "Genesis", about the Apollo 8 mission although I can't remember the author. Apollo 8 to me is one of the most interesting missions because it was put together so quickly and was just downright ballsy.

If you read those along with some of the ones previously mentioned ("A Man on the Moon" especially), you'll get a really well-rounded inside view of the whole 60's space program.

 

[Rocketmaniac]

Oh, I forgot to add; "John Glenn, a memoir" by John Glenn and Nick Taylor


I have, but have not read the following books;

"Americans into Orbit; The story of Project Mercuy" by Gene Gurney

"Flight of the Astronauts" by William Roy Shelton

"Space: A New Direction for Mankind" by Edward B. Lindaman

 

[Nighteagle2001]

I know this thread was concening books, but I just want to mention that NASA is releasing a series of DVDs from Spacecraft films on the missions. I read alot of reviews of the series, I'm picking up Apollo 11 Men on the Moon tonight. These DVD are supposed to be light years ahead of all previous NASA documentaries......I'll let you know my opinion tomorrow.

This series covers The Gemini project, The Mighty Saturns , Apollo 8,11 and I think 13 is coming out soon.

 

[sandman]

On videos and DVD.

I recently purchased "The Mighty Saturn" DVD and I gotta say one thing...if you have a surround sound system...PLAY IT REALLY LOUD!!!

It is so cool!

Shakes the whole house! I love it!

I recently pre-ordered the Disney DVD set "Men in Space" I cannot wait to get that one. This series was on TV in the mid fifties and all of the re-released Glencoe plastic models (ex-Stromberg kits) are based on this TV series from the Walt Disney TV show.

Great concept models by Willey Ley and Werner Von Braun.

Man, I was glued to the TV set back then sitting crosslegged on the floor and nothing could distract me.

Nostagia is a wonderful thing.

sandman

 

[Stymye]

I found Rockets of the world a great read And you get all those scale drawings along with it!

 

[cls]

here's another vote for the Spacecraft Film's DVD series.

and another vote for Peter Alway's "Rockets Of The World".

let me suggest "Apollo - The Eipc Journer To The Moon", David West Reynolds. the photographic prints are magnificent and the last chapter of the book includes material I have not seen anywhere else: description of the "lost" Apollo missions, Von Braun's long range plans for space stations, moon colonies, and Mars missions.

with all the discussion in the last couple days about NASA & presidental announcements & What To Do With Ourselves And The Moon etc. I can't help thinking that Von Braun had it right the first time and we ought to pick up his program where we left off!

 

[Nighteagle2001]

Originally posted by cls
I can't help thinking that Von Braun had it right the first time and we ought to pick up his program where we left off!

according to a USA today poll, 73.59 % , myself included, agree with you

 

[JeffS]

An excellent book about America's space program, and Russia's too, is This New Ocean by William Burrows. I bet your library has it. Very detailed.

Another interesting book is The Very First Light written by John C. Mather. Mather was the leader on the COBE satelite that mapped the cosmic microwave background and details the technical and political problems of getting a science package into orbit. Written in a very easy-to-read style.