In the Shadow of the Moon by Francis French
Publisher: Bison Books
Genre: Historical, Non-Fiction
Length: Full Length (464 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by NymphaeaIn the Shadow of the Moon tells the story of the most exciting and challenging years in spaceflight, with two superpowers engaged in a titanic struggle to land one of their own people on the moon. Drawing on interviews with astronauts, cosmonauts, their families, technicians, and scientists, as well as rarely seen Soviet and American government documents, the authors craft a remarkable story of the golden age of spaceflight as both an intimate human experience and a rollicking global adventure. From the Gemini flights to the Soyuz space program to the earliest Apollo missions, including the legendary first moon landing, their book draws a richly detailed picture of the space race as an endeavor equally endowed with personal meaning and political significance.
Spaceflight and the stories of the astronauts right from the men who left the earth.
I’m a sucker for stories about NASA and spaceflight. I’d watched the movie that accompanied this book, but I wanted to get every detail. This book does just that. I learned about flights made by the Russians, flights made by lesser known (to me) astronauts. I had no idea some of the flights were marred by problems, or how some were a little scary. I felt like I was riding with the astronauts and immersed in their world.
I almost can’t put into words how I felt about this book. I enjoyed it and while it’s not easy reading, you have to go back and make sense sometimes of what they’re talking about–especially if you don’t understand some of the terminology–but it’s worth the time. I enjoyed every page and am glad I found this book.
If you’re into anything astronaut and spaceflight, then this might be the book for you.
Give it a try!
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