Rating: 
Summary: The great American novel -- except that it's true
Review: For a very long time "The Right Stuff" was my favorite book (excluding the Bible, which is unique). Even after reading Dante's "Divine Comedy," I'm not sure Wolfe's book has been dislodged from its position.Wolfe begins to work his literary magic on the first page. A young, beautiful woman is worried about her husband, a Navy test pilot, having heard that there has been a plane crash. Space buffs like me reading the book are fascinated to realize that the woman is Jane Conrad, wife of Pete Conrad (which, incidentally, tells us that the bad news that day won't be about her husband). If this scene appeared in a different book about the space program, even one as superb as Andrew Chaikin's "A Man on the Moon" or Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger's "Apollo 13," the account of events, while exciting and suspenseful, would remain on a somewhat mundane plane of everyday reality. Wolfe's glittering, idiosyncratic literary style lifts events into a world of super-reality. We experience Jane Conrad's concern and dread as if we were Jane Conrad. Perhaps more than any other book I have read, "The Right Stuff" has caused me to remember the events it relates as if I lived through them rather than reading about them. One noteworthy feature of Wolfe's style in this book is his nearly Wagnerian use of verbal "leitmotiven," key phrases which pop up over and over in the book and come to convey far more than the simple content of the words. Anyone who has read the book will remember for a long time Wolfe's use of such phrases as "bad streak," "Flying and Drinking and Drinking and Driving," "the Integral," "our rockets always blow up," "the Presbyterian Pilot," "single combat warrior," "ziggurat," and, of course, "the right stuff." The book also contains the funniest set-piece in any book I have ever read, the description of the celebration when the astronauts and their families first visit Houston, including the fan dance by the ancient Sally Rand. Interestingly, in the excellent film version of the book this scene was transformed from a hilarious comedy sequence into something elegiac, intercut with the sequence of Chuck Yeager bailing out of a plane (which happened on a different day in reality and in the book) to create drama and suspense. In this radically different form the two sequences are just as effective in the movie as they are in the book. "The Right Stuff" has sometimes been criticized for being overly fictionalized, or at least speculative. These criticisms probably have a great deal of validity, but they do not alter the fact that "The Right Stuff" is the definitive evocation of that brief era around 1960 when almost anything, good or bad, seemed possible. It is an unforgettable literary achievement.
Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable, but I expected much more.
Review: This was the latest of the selections that my Reading Group picked out to read and I think that the overwhelming feeling was that we were left wondering what all the hype was about. Indeed, the book touched on a topic that is of interest to nearly everyone. Who doesn't like to think of shooting through space in a spacecraft? But, in reality, I think I am a generation too young to have experienced the fervor and fury the American people experienced. Tom Wolfe's narrative was entertaining in the beginning with the story of a pilot who doesn't get picked for Project Mercury, but then the middle section of the book gets quite dry and dreary. All I kept wondering was "When the heck are they going to get launched into space?" Finally, after 100 pages of tedium, we get to the actual individual space flights of the 7 astronauts and the ordeals their wives went through. This was entertaining and interesting reading which I enjoyed quite a bit. The chapters on Gus Grissom and Scott Carpenter I found fascintating since they hardly received the hero's welcome compared to John Glenn and Alan Shepard. Unfortunately, John Glenn received the lions share of the chapter when more could have been devoted to the foibles of those fellows whose flights were problematic. Overall, it was a book I am sure glad I read for its place in American history despite the problems I encountered.
Rating:
Summary: one of our greatest writers
Review: As to just what this ineffable quality was. . .well, it obviously involved bravery. But it was not bravery in the simple sense of being willing to risk your life. . .any fool could do that. . . . No, the idea. . .seemed to be that a man should have the ability to go up in a hurtling piece of machinery and put his hide on the line and then have the moxie, the reflexes, the experience, the coolness, to pull it back in the last yawning moment--and then to go up again the next day, and the next day, and every next day. . . . There was a seemingly infinite series of tests. . .a dizzy progression of steps and ledges. . .a pyramid extraordinarily high and steep; and the idea was to prove at every foot of the way up that pyramid that you were one of the elected and anointed ones who had the right stuff and could move higher and higher and even--ultimately, God willing, one day--that you might be able to join that special few at the very top, that elite who had the capacity to bring tears to men's eyes, the very Brotherhood of the Right Stuff itself. -Tom Wolfe, The Right Stuff I don't know whether Tom Wolfe invented New Journalism or merely noticed that it was aborning, even he would probably credit Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, but he's certainly one of the greatest practitioners and The Right Stuff one of his greatest achievements. The essence of this "new" writing style was that non-fiction writers would write with a distinct authorial voice and would utilize the techniques of the novel. Most importantly, rather than having the story exist solely to convey facts, the facts were to serve the story. This allowed the writer some license to play with reality a little, as long as the story remained "true" and it allowed the writer to aim for telling big truths, those which would frequently lie beyond the perspective of a conventional story. All of these innovations are brilliantly on display here. Every paragraph of the book reeks of Tom Wolfe, from the capitalization of certain concepts (it not just the right stuff, it's The Right Stuff) to the snarky jabs at myriad puffed up targets. By using the structure of a novel, he gives the story a conceptual coherence that straight reportage might not have offered--thus, he starts with Yeager and the first supersonic jets, then presents the story of the Mercury program, then returns to Yeager and the end of the effort to build jets that would actually have traveled into space. All of this seems uniquely suited to satire or parody or simply viscious attack, indeed, Wolfe has used the stylistic conventions of New Journalism for just these purposes in books like "Radical Chic" and "Bauhaus to Our House" to brilliant effect. But an interesting thing happens in The Right Stuff. Even though we hear that snide voice trying to speak out periodically, Wolfe is so smitten by the jet pilots and astronauts and their wives that he writes about, that these devices are turned on their collective head and they become the accouterments of a kind of conscious, but unabashed, myth making. In the end, the book becomes a sort of American Ring of the Nibelungen or Iliad. I remember when Philip Kaufman's movie version came out, people were a little disconcerted by the stylized story-telling, but it seemed to me that he had handled the material exactly right, like the libretto for a Grand Opera. As a newish country and a fairly secular one, we don't have many myths or fables (with the notable exception of the Western), but what Tom Wolfe serves up here, is a quintessential American epic, complete with archetypes and leitmotifs and the lot. By looking back at the "real" events through the lens of his book, we can actually penetrate to truths about our culture and our national character that would not have been apparent in a straightforward history of the Space Program. This is a great book and Wolfe is one of our greatest writers. GRADE: A+
Rating:
Summary: This is not the Movie - Thankfully
Review: Don't get me wrong, the movie was terrifically fun, but the level of detail is necessarily much lower than in the book. Whole portions are left out (flights between John Glenn's and Gordo Cooper's for instance) and others are treated lightly (the astronaut selection process). Reading this book in 1999, I was able to glance into another seemingly more innocent and black & white time. To read about the naivete of the pilots prior to joining the Mercury program is a nice change from the everpresent cynicism of our modern era. This book is patriotic, yes, but it is also an historical work, and a gripping one at that. If you think you know it all from the movie, guess again. Go buy it.
Rating: 
Summary: non-fiction as a novel
Review: Tom Wolfe who definitely ranks as one of my favourite authors wrote this brilliant book about the Mercury Space Program. He illustrates perfectly how and why these seven astronauts were hailed as heroes, the setting for the story and what made these men tick. It's also very funny and can only really be described as Intellectual Top Gun. The one criticism I have about the book is that Tom Wolfe could have concluded the book by telling us what happened to these men and how the space program developped, even if he does it in a small epilogue. Nonetheless, it's hugely entertaining. You'll enjoy it.
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Summary: A Stunning Portrait of the First Pioneers of Space
Review: The Right Stuff is a facinating and accurate depiction of the saga of the Mercury astronauts. Tom Wolfe really does a wonderful job of making both an interesting factual presentation of history as well as a colorful portrayal of the lives of those directly involved. The stress on the wives of the pilots for example gives one the untainted look at these incredible ladies composure and character that is seldon captured in other historical novels. The astronauts and pilots themselves who were regarded as more than human by the press of the period, are also portrayed very artfully in this often candid expose' on their often carefree regard for the dangerous jobs they constantly undertook. These men and women truly had the 'Right Stuff' at a very unpredictable period in US history: the dawn of the space race. High pressure situations continually kept all those involved on constant edge. This book carries you from the testing flight testing years at Edwards airforce base where Yeager is the king, through the Sputnik challenge and the American failed rocket testing early on, and finally arriving at the eventual successful space flights themselves. Throughout the book is the ongoing weave of eager and relentless reporters, a clamoring nation of people demanding immediate success, as well as the political pressure through three presidential administrations all piled on the shoulders of those connected with the program. The pressure cooker builds as the story progresses, and the explosion of success takes everyone involved by surprise including the astronauts themselves. This is an incredibly unique period in US history depicting the first astronauts who were idolized in a time when the nation truly needed heroes for its own personal pride. These men restored patriotism at a time when the feeling was considered lost. Additionally Wolfe covers the early years of the space programs development, including the Air Forces success with the X-15 project which was over-shadowed by the popularity of the Mercury program. The Mercury program's success sparked the later Apollo and Gemini programs almost immediately after the first flight with Alan Shepard. The sudden success of the NASA space program created a silent upheaval in the national brotherhood of pilots that is brilliantly detailed by the author giving a a full picture to the reader. One really gets the full practical viewpoint and daredevil gallantry of the test pilots in this book that is seldom touched elsewhere. In addition to that the author describes the beginning of the space program and the early positioning of power within that reveals an almost complete upheaval at times by its early architects (scientists, engineers, pilots, and all) and finally settling into a sensable orderly structure in the later years. This book truly sheds light on the early years of the NASA space program and gives one the candid look behind all the fanfare showing what really was happening outside of the public eye. Tom Wolfe completes a very tasteful coverage of the lives of the people involved and the evolution of the exploration of the new frontier with this exciting work. I found the later movie that followed the book to be very much in keeping, however there are many details that are left out of the movie that are covered in the book. This alone makes it a must to read. parts of the story that were unable to make it to the big screen was the flight of Wally Shirra and Scott Carpenter. These two flights alone had a great deal to do with setting the future direction of the space program. This is one you will enjoy as it will capture you interest from the beginning and leave you with a sense of national pride at the bravery and true pioneer spirit of all the people involved. You will be amazed as I was at the out-pouring of affection these men generated on America during this period. A stunning portrayal of a unique period in American history. All in all a great book to read and enjoy. I am very grateful to Tom Wolfe for having written such a novel, as this was a story that needed to be told.
Rating:
Summary: An absolute classic
Review: As good as "The Right Stuff" is as a movie, the book is even better. Thomas Wolfe's account of post war American test pilots and the first American astronauts is frank, amusing, moving and ultimately triumphant. Wolfe humanzies the cocky heroes that made America's space program successful. He punctures the myths that have grown up around such legendary men as Chuck Yeager, John Glenn and Alan Shepard and portrays them honestly, warts and all. The test pilot sequences and the onerous astronaut training are the best parts, but the whole book is utterly fascinating. "The Right Stuff" may very well be the best aviation story ever written.
Rating:
Summary: Subtle criticism of the first American astronauts
Review: Wolfe is (arguably, of course) one of the greatest writers and commentators on popular culture than this country has ever read. And nowhere is this claim better embodied than in the masterful The Right Stuff. Most people remember the movie, which did an able enough job of capturing the most obvious of Wolfe's subtle criticism of the first American astronauts. But it is only through his text that we realize the completeness of his extended comparison of men like John Glenn ("a balding and slightly tougher looking version of the cutest-looking freckle-faced boy you ever saw") to men like Chuck Yeager ("the boondocker, the boy from the back country, with only a high-school education, no credentials, no cachet or polish of any sort, who took off the feed-store overalls and put on a uniform and climbed into an airplane and lit up the skies over Europe"). Whatever your feelings about the space program, this book is a compelling and informative read by a living legend.
Rating:
Summary: It Had To End Somewhere
Review: This is a page turner, par excellence. Most media descriptions of astronauts and space exploration are bland at best. This is history as narrative and you never want it to end. The astronauts themselves come to life as never before or since. Mr. Wolfe captures the era perfectly. It is as if you are right there with the whole cast of characters in the space program. This is exciting stuff, unlike the endless boring coverge of space exploration on television that dominated the era. This is the real stuff. Mr. Wolfe's masterful description of what it is like to land a jet fighter on a aircraft carrier will stay with you forever. Sadly, The Right Stuff has to end, and Mr. Wolfe admits that he could have continued on and on but had to end it somewhere. I am sorry that was true.
Rating:
Summary: Read the book, then go fly a jet
Review: In the early '80s, I was to graduate from school and got interested in flying for the US Navy. My mother sent a copy of T. Wolfe's book hoping to sway my dangerous intent and take a 'real' job. WRONG. About 9 months later I was soloing over Corpus Christi Bay and on my way to flying Navy jets. Wolfe has written an epic that spans from the early days of flight test through the beginning of the US manned space program. It will increase the heart rate of aviators, aviation buffs and armchair pilots/astornauts. I highly recommend that anyone remotely interested in aviation/space read this book. While it may not be accurate to the smallest detail, the overall scope and feel for a era gone by can never be or has ever been captured in the history books. Regarding Gus Grissom, new facts are coming to light that will clear his reputation. Wolfe does hammer Gus in the book about what was known at the time Wolfe wrote "The Right Stuff". However, all the research and reading that I have done, Gus was probably the smartest engineer and best test pilot of the M-7 astronauts . He had a reputation of being a real nuts and bolts engineer and a hard nose pilot. He could handle any situation while flying experitmental aircraft or on the ground discussing craft/engine design with NASA's engineers. If any one has ever seen the old NASA films of the Apollo program, when Gus is doing the radio tests on that fateful day, he really gives the engineers hell from the capsule owing to poor communication on the radios "Jesus Christ, we can't talk between three building, how the hell are we going to talk on the moon." Classic Gus. Ironically, when Apollo One caught fire moments later, the hatch was redesigned not to repeat the same incident that happened to Gus in Liberty Bell 7 - and Gus, Chaffee and White paid the ultimate price. Read this book. It is one of the best books I have ever read and was a real inspiration during my Navy days and beyond. Bondo
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