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A Man on the Moon
A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts | Andrew Chaikin, Tom Hanks
36 posts | 14 read | 3 reading | 6 to read
A celebration of the first moon landing in July 1969 offers an accessible history of the Apollo space program from its less-than-auspicious beginnings, through its greatest triumphs, to its untimely end, based on in-depth interviews with twenty-three of the moon voyagers. Reissue. 35,000 first printing.
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Lou.isab
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"We choose to go to the moon! We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do other things - not because they are easy, but because they are hard." John F. Kennedy.

- Starting a new book while waiting for my flight! -

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barbwire
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Pickpick

Amen to the LA Times quote on the cover of my 1994 Penguin paperback edition: “The authoritative masterpiece.” Unlike many Apollo-era memories and histories, Chaikin hasn‘t limited his research to the astronauts themselves. As the astronauts have always maintained, they were the most public face of a venture that was made possible by hundreds of thousands of like-minded souls. Chaikin gets it, and his narrative conveys it superbly.

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Andrews651

It's almost as if Kennedy grabbed a decade out of the 21st century," Cernan said, "and spliced it into the 1960s."

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Andrews651

Aldrin's first words when he stepped onto the surface of the moon were, "Beautiful view. Magnificent desolation."

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DailanSusie
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Pickpick

Spaceflight is not a solo venture by daring pilots; it is a partnership between the astronauts and mission control, and nothing demonstrated this more than landing on the moon.

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DailanSusie
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“If tomorrow and the next day are like today, we‘ll be safe.”

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DailanSusie
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Although the system was still not perfect, Nasa made The DECISION of taking the risk, under Soviet‘s pressure. Apollo 8 was ready to fire!

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DailanSusie
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“The greatest irony was that Gus Grissom, who had almost drowned after his Mercury mission because of a hatch that opened prematurely, was claimed by a hatch that could not be opened at all.”

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DailanSusie
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“Apollo 8 was more than a successful space mission; it was a bright moment for a nation experiencing its first pangs of self-doubt.”

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DailanSusie
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“Whatever names humans gave their earth, it deserved to be called the Blue Planet, for its dominant aspect was the vivid, deep blue of oceans. In striking contrast were the clouds, brilliant white flecks and streamers that embraced the globe, swirling along coastlines and across oceans. ”

I love this description on Earth!??

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DailanSusie
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“And if you had asked any of them, especially the rookies, whether Slayton's statement was really true —he might as well have said that the moon doesn't go around the earth.”
My Analyze:This irony suggests that the Rookies‘ ignorance and complete trust towards Slayton, which also makes a strong contrast between the Nine and the Fourteens.

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DailanSusie
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“ Just a few days ago, to show his frustration, he'd hung a big Texas lemon on it.”

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DailanSusie
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“It‘s not going to change me”

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DailanSusie
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“Why,” he added without missing a beat, “does Rice play Texas?” This joke infers the difficulty of moon landing, convey their longing towards it. “Not because they are easy, but because they are hard”

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barbwire
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Aaah, this is more like it! Palate cleanser after the train wreck of “Astronaut Wives‘ Club.”

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Casondelahoussaye
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Pickpick

HE GOES TO THE MOOOOOOOOOOON 🚀

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GeekGrl82
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Pickpick

This is not about the scientists, the engineers, or the thousands of people that made Apollo possible. This book is about the personal lives and inner thoughts of the astronauts. And it is fascinating. Chaikin's book served as the basis for the HBO series From the Earth to the Moon. We only have a few Apollo astronauts left living. Getting to the moon was humanity's baby steps. It's time to start walking.

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Chelsey
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#walkingonthemoon #rockinmay @Cinfhen Maybe a bit literal but this one has been on my digital TBR forever thanks to Book Riot. I think specifically the Get Booked podcast.

Cinfhen Such an awesome image 😍it never gets old!!! 7y
23 likes1 stack add1 comment
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skrishna
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Wrote a piece for Paste Magazine today, for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 1 fire that claimed the lives of Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee. If you don't know this story, it's one that's really important to me. https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/01/apollo-1-50-years-later.html

MamaGina Great article 👍🏼 8y
Alfoster Very cool👏👏👏! 8y
rockpools I didn't know the story. Thank you. 8y
56 likes1 stack add3 comments
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ssravp
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Pickpick

I can't recommend this book enough, especially for fans of the space program. I hope I get to see more missions to the moon in my lifetime.

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ssravp
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"The Eagle has landed." #Apollo11

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CaseyMoore
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47 years ago today we landed on the Moon. Time to go back. And this is the book on the Apollo program.

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scottgotplot
Pickpick

A nostalgic look back at the Apollo space program and the men who took part in those missions. I liked the focus on the men during the missions rather than any technical and political aspects of space travel.

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brendanmleonard
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On this day in 1965, Gemini 5 launched into space! Ed White would become the first American to perform a space walk. I am a 60s space/retrofuture nerd, so here are some recommendations! (I've read part of most of these.)I'm actually reading T-Minus right now, too. Links in the comments! Spaaaaaace!

BookishFeminist Have you read Leaving Orbit by Margaret Lazarus Dean? It's SO GOOD. Also Into the Black just came out about the Columbia Shuttle & you'd probably love it. (Space nerd here, too. 🛰) 8y
brendanmleonard No! I need to read those! Thank you! 8y
BookishFeminist Of course! Also this one. Chris Hadfield rocks--he signed my galaxy print shoes, which I have for obvious reasons. 🤘🏼🚀 8y
See All 13 Comments
Riveted_Reader_Melissa I rarely use the words Have to with books, they are so individual. But, you HAVE to read Packing for Mars. It is so informative and hilarious, the history and stories behind trying to test for and send men into space. 8y
brendanmleonard I want to read that - just kept slipping down the pile. 😄 Thanks for the reminder! 8y
Tav How did you hear about Hidden Figures? That one's not on sale until September! 8y
brendanmleonard @Tav I think I read an excerpt of it in the paper? That's actually one I thought I had read when I made my OP and then realized I was confused when I looked it up! 😂 8y
16 likes1 stack add13 comments