Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding
Review: "Dragonfly" provides a dazzling and terrifying account of NASA's involvement with the Russian space program and MIR. NASA's indifference to its MIR crew member and the lack of support raise some serious questions for the ISS program. If nothing else, the book highlights the need for the removal of bureaucrats from NASA and a reengerizing of public support and funding for NASA. A fascinating and ourstanding book. Burrounghs has provided the public with a brilliantly written book which deserves any and all praise it receives.
Rating:
Summary: Riveting
Review: A gem, in a time where space books are far and few in between. Dragonfly is a real eye-opener. The whole Nasa-Mir program, and perhaps even the ISS, is driven by politics first, science second, and safety third. Burroughs gives great insight to both the sad state of the Russian program and to our astronauts. It convinced me that we should forget about Russian participation with us in future space endeavours. Most importantly, when politicians get involved with our space program, especially the usually anti-NASA Clinton administration, few good things happen. A must-read for fans of the space program.
Rating: 
Summary: Read as a cautionary tale...
Review: Burrough does a great job of explaining most of the political, scientific and technical issues behind the crisis on Mir during 1997. It's a pretty balanced, yet engrossing account of the mistakes, blame-shifting and corner-cutting that characterises the world's combined space programs in the late 1990s. It's sobering to realise that you can imagine just about all of the same problems and issues surfacing in virtually *any* industry that deals with intricate complicated technology, logistics, and large quantities of money that have a impact on people's lives (the airline industry and Y2K spring to mind). The fact that it's set 400 kilometers above the Earth is almost incidental.
Rating:
Summary: A page-turner
Review: I think Burrough has done an amazing job of reporting and writing here, fleshing out the drama (and bureaucratic folly) of a story that has existed now for several years on the periphery of our consciousness. It is a fascinating study of the culture clash of the Russian and American space programs, and of the egos, eccentricities and talents of the various astronauts and cosmonauts who have had to work together in closet-sized spaces for months at a time. I was left with an appreciation for the difficulties of living in space that gives me a deep and permanent chill in my bones.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting
Review: Makes you wonder if the decision makers at NASA were totally clueless and didn't know the risks involved (or were willing to ignore them), or whether the astronauts who actually flew on MIR were exaggerating and all the incidents mentioned in the book were blown way out of proportion. (For some reason I have an inclination to believe the former.) Rather negative in its portrayal of what goes on at NASA. Gripping action, however. Definitely worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: A Detailed Account of the US Mir missions
Review: After reading the brief accounts of the fires, collisions, breakdowns, etc. on Mir in the news, I really wanted a more detailed, in depth story. The book did a great job at filling in the story the news accounts glossed over. In addition to a detailed account of the astronauts (mis)adventures in space, he also chronicles the problems on the ground.My only complaint about the book is that he doesn't describe the missions in chronological order. Describing the missions in the order they happened would have made the book easier to read.
Rating:
Summary: A must have for ANY person
Review: We've seen the headlines of the Mir space station and how it is falling apart, but do you know the whole story? Dragonfly is perhaps one of the most interesting books I have ever read about the history of manned space flight. Things that have never been heard of before or seen before jump into focus in the book, and the author uses these, as well as interviews with the people involved, to create a highly effective piece of writing. The book uses many instances of the bad year of 1997 and converts them into something that can make your skin crawl in anxiety and fear. No wonder several of the astronauts that flew to Mir retired after their stays on the station. The book is a MUST HAVE for any person who studies these topics, as well as any person who believes that relations with the US and Russian space programs are stable.....
Rating:
Summary: Interesting non-fiction book on current events
Review: Though the Shuttle-Mir Program is complete, the US is entering another stage of space exploration in a joint program with the Russians. Burrough highlights issues that should concern Americans. Unless addressed, these issues will resurface as the International Space Station is inhabited.
Rating: 
Summary: Why was Lucid so successful?
Review: I enjoyed the book and the insights into the clashing of two cultures. I kept wondering, however, how it was that with all the reported problems, politics, technical glitches, lack of proper training, etc., that Shannon Lucid had such a successful mission. Seems like the author glossed over that to focus on drumming up more of a story than may have really existed. Whatever worked right with Lucid - we need to learn more from that.
Rating: 
Summary: Excessively negative on the space program and astronauts
Review: This is more a story of embellished government incompetence and mud slinging toward brave men and women who fly into space. While the book is interesting enough to finish, it leaves you with a sense that Burroughs had to stick to the rumors and gossip to make this book fly. It was dissapointing in how few facts or science were cited.
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