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Summary: Inspiring portrait of the Apollo program's human side
Review: Andrew Chaikin's "A Man on the Moon" is an authoritative and inspiring portrait of the Apollo program's human side. While other accounts focus tightly on technical or scientific detail, where most astronaut biographies offer only the perspective of a single individual, this book reaches for the big picture, the grand historical and spiritual implications of the manned lunar landings.Amidst the cultural earthquakes of the 60's, the Vietnam War and the din of protest, the author claims, we have never fully come to grips with the fact that Man has walked on another world, that we became a people without limits. Chaikin sets out to recount the story of the lunar voyages that the astronauts never wrote, and to bridge the gap between the high-tech realm of spaceflight and everyday experience. Based on extensive interviews with all surviving moon voyagers, "A Man on the Moon" is an important historical document as much as it is a great read. Setting the tone, a short prologue mixes Kennedy's famous "before this decade is out" challenge with the story of how Pete Conrad, naval test pilot at Miramar and future moonwalker, learned of his selection as an astronaut in 1962. Throughout the book, Chaikin strives to blend the historical and the human dimensions of the space program. Where some of the lesser astronaut biographies stay on the surface and resort to "fighter jock" clichés, he succeeds at capturing the full spirit and emotional depth, be it the tragic Apollo 1 fire and subsequent recovery, the pompous triumph of Apollos 8 and 11, the drama and narrow escape of Apollo 13. Every landing mission is assigned its own chapter and unique tone. The close comradeship of the Apollo 12 crew, "Sailors on the Ocean of Storms". The personal exorcism that Apollo 14 was to Commander Al Shepard, who had been grounded for many years. The glorious journey of scientific exploration undertaken by Apollo 15, first of the longer lunar rover missions. Naturally, some flights and astronauts receive more attention than others; but while Apollo 7, 9 and 10 are passed over quickly in comparison, even they or the Mercury and Gemini programs are treated more thoroughly than in some lesser accounts. On the whole, "A Man on the Moon" offers excellent detail for such an all-encompassing work. Hundreds of superbly chosen photographs and diagrams, biographical astronaut information and a thoughtful epilogue round out the book. The writing is rich and captivating throughout. While there is better technical or scientific information to be found in other, more specialised works, Chaikin's book was intended to portray the man inside the space suit, to make us feel what they felt. At that it succeeds as brilliantly as the written word possibly can, without ever over-simplifying or fictionalising the story of this great adventure. Therein lies the achievement of "A Man on the Moon". As a guide for the casually interested reader, or an introduction for the budding specialist, this is the definite book on the Apollo program.
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Summary: I was there
Review: Chaikan made me feel like I was right there with the astronauts, from the violence of liftoff to the exhilaration of touchdown on the lunar surface. If you are interested in what went on behind the scenes of the Apollo missions, get this book.
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Summary: Like Stephen Ambrose Writing about Space Instead of War!
Review: Chaiken is a superb writer who brings to life in layman's terms the entire Apollo project, and never do his descriptions of the missions seem repetitive. The author conducted interviews with the major figures of the space program during the Apollo missions, and as a historian he is as much interested in the often quirky personalities of the astronauts and the technicians in mission control as he is in the science of space exploration itself. A must-read not only for anyone interested in the history of space exploration, but in recent U.S. history in general. Chaiken does for the U.S. space program what Stephen Ambrose did for World War II -- he brings it to life in personal terms that virtually any reader can understand.
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Summary: The most comprehensive book available on the lunar program!
Review: Chaikin takes you on what will feel like your own personal voyage to the surface of the moon with this book. I have read so many others including "Moon Shot" by Al Sheperd & Deke Slayton and "Lost Moon" by Jim Lovell & Jeffrey Kluger (Both of those great in their own right). But "A Man on the Moon" without a doubt makes you feel like you've actually experienced the voyage first hand. Through interviews with the ground crews, engineers of the spacecraft & equipment as well as the men who made those bold first steps themselves, Chaikin guides his readers through the vacuum of space right to the "magnificent desolation" that is our sister a quarter of a million miles away. If you're ever going to read about man's "giant leap", you must start with "A Man on the Moon". It leaves every other book on the subject in the (lunar) dust!!
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Summary: Great book! This is what got me interested in space flight!
Review: I would have to say that this is my all-time favourite book! Chaikin takes you through each of the Apollo missions that went around the moon. He has interviewed almost all of the Apollo astronauts, so his story is as close as the real thing as you can get. Also, to add excitement to his book he has included several pages of pictures of the humans on the moon, plus the crews and ships involved in getting them there. Chaikin has also used a map of the moon to show you where each of the lunar missions landed. The text is easy to read and exciting. Compared with James A. Michener's "Space" and Jim Lovell's "Lost Moon", this book is the best
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Summary: Flawless
Review: It's hard to believe that a historical record could read as grippingly as a thriller, but that is the success of Chaiken's book. The excitement of the missions, the disappointments of the occasional failures are all brought to life in exciting and stylish prose. I look forward to re-reading this excellent book again.
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Summary: Masterpiece
Review: Mr. Chaikin has written the best book yet on the unique adventure that was Apollo. Instead of techno-babble we get the human side, the internecine politics, the cutthroat competition. I've read it several times over and have come to see qualities in the Apollo astronauts that went beyond the "roger a-ok we're go". It's interesting that only now, over thirty years since the last great voyage to the moon, is the American public beginning to understand how truly special the Apollo program was. America is beginning to see the 1960's as more than just Vietnam and hippies. Apollo has returned to the mantlepiece of Amercian history and Mr. Chaikin's book has helped put it there.
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Summary: Been there...
Review: My review is of the sumptuous three-volume slipcased Time-Life edition of Chaikin's original work. On the jacket of these volumes that describe the amount of work that went into them, the editors wrote concerning the photographs: "The result, published here, is hundreds of compelling, often lyrical images assembled into a collection that may well never be equaled." After enjoying hours of reading Chaikin's text and viewing the wonderful photographs compliled to complement it, I would have to agree that this will remain the definitive history of the Apollo program. It certainly would mean most to those who were old enough to witness the first landing on the Moon, as I was. On July 20, 1969, I was in the lobby of the Seaview Hotel in Ocean City, New Jersey with other guests watching the most momentous event of the 20th century unfold. Our eyes were riveted to a television set and we were watching Neil Armstrong leave the lunar module and work his way down the ladder to the surface of the Moon. No one could say a word; we could only watch in wonder as Armstrong placed his boot on the lunar surface and spoke those immortal words. This three volume set was published 1999 by Time-Life on the 30th anniversary of that first lunar landing. Chaikin's original book was published five years before; the entire text is included and the Time-Life editors compiled hundreds of the best photos from their own vast collection as well as those from NASA and other sources to complement the text. The result was too big for one or even two volumes, so it was published in three volumes and slipcased. What a treasure this set is! After an appropriate introduction covering the Mercury and Gemini programs that were necessary stepping stones to reaching the Moon, the books cover each Apollo mission, including the diastrous Apollo 1 pad fire. Each manned mission to the Moon is covered--from Apollo 8 to Apollo 17--in engaging text and memorable photographs. However, much of what was done on Earth in preparation for reaching the Moon is also covered, the training as well as the engineering, written in an understandable style. This multi-volume set is out of print but can be found through online auctions and used booksellers for a very reasonable price. When you find it, buy two sets--one for yourself and one for a friend would can appreciate it as much as you. We probably will never see another opportunity to go to the Moon in our lifetime. This multi-volume set is the best published record that we actually went there and is a wonderful tribute to the countless dedicated men and women who worked to make it happen.
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Summary: A dream for many, a reality for a few
Review: Space flight - the dream of so many youngsters, is the topic of Andrew Chaikin's book "A Man on the Moon". Chaikin has given us the story of the Apollo space program - the only program launched by NASA that has landed humans on another world. Chaikin launches the book with the story of the tragic fire that claimed the lives of three astronauts - the first three austronauts to die either in preparation for or during a mission for NASA. The loss of Grissom, White, and Chaffee would pave the way to significant improvements in the Apollo program and probably helped to save the crew of Apollo 13 a few years later. The book races through the thrills of the Apollo 11 mission and the first humans to set foot on another world - Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, as they landed on the moon. Chaikin captures the tribulations of the Apollo 13 mission where Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise were nearly the first space casualties and the heroic efforts of the NASA staff to return them safely to Earth. He continues through the remaining Apollo missions, concluding with Apollo 17, the final moon landing. Chaikin has taken terrific interviews and conversations with the astronauts and other members of the Apollo program into account when writin this book. The book covers every topic from the exhiliration of launch to the post-recovery doldrums experienced by some of the astronauts. He explains how space flight changed some of the men, and merely enhanced traits seen in others. This book is a tremendous piece of literature that belong in every space afficinado's library, and any historian of space travel must read this to understand how the Apollo missions paved the way for the Space Shuttle program and any upcoming manned missions that humans may have planned for the Moon, Mars, or beyond. I highly recommend this book to anyone with any interest in the history of space travel. It is easy to read, and very enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: A dream for many, a reality for a few
Review: Space flight - the dream of so many youngsters, is the topic of Andrew Chaikin's book "A Man on the Moon". Chaikin has given us the story of the Apollo space program - the only program launched by NASA that has landed humans on another world. Chaikin launches the book with the story of the tragic fire that claimed the lives of three astronauts - the first three austronauts to die either in preparation for or during a mission for NASA. The loss of Grissom, White, and Chaffee would pave the way to significant improvements in the Apollo program and probably helped to save the crew of Apollo 13 a few years later. The book races through the thrills of the Apollo 11 mission and the first humans to set foot on another world - Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, as they landed on the moon. Chaikin captures the tribulations of the Apollo 13 mission where Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise were nearly the first space casualties and the heroic efforts of the NASA staff to return them safely to Earth. He continues through the remaining Apollo missions, concluding with Apollo 17, the final moon landing. Chaikin has taken terrific interviews and conversations with the astronauts and other members of the Apollo program into account when writin this book. The book covers every topic from the exhiliration of launch to the post-recovery doldrums experienced by some of the astronauts. He explains how space flight changed some of the men, and merely enhanced traits seen in others. This book is a tremendous piece of literature that belong in every space afficinado's library, and any historian of space travel must read this to understand how the Apollo missions paved the way for the Space Shuttle program and any upcoming manned missions that humans may have planned for the Moon, Mars, or beyond. I highly recommend this book to anyone with any interest in the history of space travel. It is easy to read, and very enjoyable.
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