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Summary: Unfortunately, Refund is Not an Option!
Review: I fully understand that Gene Kranz is not a writer, but at the same time, Mr. Kranz should also come to grips with that same fact. This book had the potential to be so much more than the equivalent of a seventh grade account of a summer holiday. If Mr. Kranz would have availed himself of the services of a professional writer or editor this book could of really been a completely different experience. There was only the slightest attempt to translate the technology of the time into terms that can be understood today. After reading this book, the NASA space program of the 1960's and 1970's has all the cachet of a Thursday afternoon at the local Post Office.
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Summary: Great info!
Review: As a "space Junky" I love to learn about the early days of the space program. Its awesome to read about the way NASA started and all the risks and worries of our first space pioneers. Gene Kranz writes in a matter of fact way but provides first hand experience that I doubt you'd ever read anywhere else!
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Summary: A Great Book
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I stumbled across it at an airport bookstore and from then on -- couldn't put it down 'til I was finished.
The story is very interesting and provides insight to the 'other side' of the US Space Program development.
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Summary: Where have the heros gone? They're right here among us.
Review: Fantastic book.
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Summary: Tour de Space
Review: Using his extensive files (over 7 file cabinets) and numerous sources, Gene Kranz reviews each launch and narrates his participation in the space program from Mercury through Apollo. An amazing amount of detail is given for the numerous difficulties that were encountered in each phase of the space program. The recognition of problems, troubleshooting them and quick resolution is the driving force in this text. Readers remember Apollo 13's fuel cell crisis and the excellent job done by both Mission Control and the crew to safely return the space craft home. However, while not as dramatic as Apollo 13's potential for astronauts being lost in space, several other incidents that could have resulted in tragedy are detailed along with the actions taken to overcome each difficulty. The text is an account of Gene Kranz's career from procedure writer to Flight Director and details the history of the development of NASA's Mission Control organization. There being no previous experience, the book outlines how the Mission Control organization was developed from scratch. The text illustrates that in space, team work and training was mandatory to be able to evaluate a problem and initiate action often within 60 seconds. This required a high degree of commitment and competence for all persons involved. Kranz's accounts of training through simulation is fascinating. Malfunctions were programmed into the training without prior knowledge of the persons in the training session. In one case the simulated collapse of the mission doctor was so real that after the training session others had to be told the doctor was fine. Such detailed and stressful training and the actual mission performance required a detailed knowledge of systems by each person for their area of responsibility plus knowledge of adjoining areas. This training frequently revealed problems where such knowledge later paid off in successful missions. The author briefly outlines the background of each person as they appeared in the narration. They were basically a mix of young engineers and aviators some having test pilot experience. All parties had to live by a time line whether it was during planning, training, launch, flight or recovery. The text clearly states that participation in the space program demanded discipline, commitment and risk. Some readers may criticize Gene Kranz for his strict military attitude, discipline and unwavering commitment but the question must be asked what other alternatives would have worked in situations where decisions had to be made in seconds for malfunctions involving life and death? I am reminded of the old saying "A camel is a race horse designed by a committee." As the author clearly illustrates, in space there was no margin for error or time for debate. Also covered are several non-flight activities such as upper management, debriefings and press conferences. Each debriefing was critical to the success of the next mission especially if critical malfunctions had to be addressed. The text states that the space program was covered by a dedicated, well-informed, and highly professional press corps who "....knew the difference between objective reporting of news and hyping things up to entertain the audience...." Kranz notes that "The press conference was almost as much of an ordeal as the mission" and further states "They asked the tough questions, but they respected us and the work we did as long as we didn't try to mislead them." Flight directors worked rotating shifts. Gene Kranz was a flight director for Apollo 11 during the actual first lunar landing and later led the team that developed the program to recover Apollo 13 after it suffered the fuel cell explosion. The text gives much interesting information about both flights. The last moon landing was Apollo 17 where once again Kranz was a flight director. The book concludes with the usual chapter Where They Are giving an update of the history for the major players. The book provides a tremendous amount of information. Readability may be a minor weakness of this work, but a most helpful appendix Glossary of Terms defines the many acronyms used in the text and helps the reader to move ahead. While not difficult to read, at times it is slow reading unless the reader is just skimming. While some may take issue with Gene Kranz's stern, disciplined, military approach to the challenges faced, the results confirm the effectiveness of this approach to life and death situations where decisions must be made in seconds and there is no turning back once a decision was made. A must read for those interested in a time when the United States successfully met a major challenge.
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Summary: THIS BOOK ROCKED
Review: I first learned about this book after I saw Apollo 13. I was inspired by Kranz's (Ed Harris in the movie) zealousness to bring our asronaughts home. I then purchased this book. As I got into it I found that I could not put the book down.. There is NEVER A DULL MOMENT.. somthing always seems to go haywire.. and when it does, The good ol boys at mission control with the skill of the astronaughts do their damnest to fix it. a Truly awe inspireing book not only for space buffs but for any one who needs a good pick er upper. A true tribute to our Space Program. Kranz inspired by Kennedy's words "ask not what your country can do for you .. ask you can do for your country" and "We choose to go to the moon - in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy but because they are hard." A true Patriot Kranz is. I wish there were more people like Gene Kranz out there. I salute you Gene Kranz!
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Summary: Good book by a great American!
Review: Mr. Kranz is a true American hero - and he represents the kind of hard work and dedication that took America to the moon in only 8 short years. Perhaps if today's generation was as focused as Gene Kranz was during the Cold War, we would have fewer inexcusable mistakes - like the kind that destroyed Mars Climate Orbiter, Mars Polar Lander, and the X-33. Mission controllers are an underappreciated group at NASA; Kranz represents the best they have to offer.
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Summary: The Eagle Had Landed!
Review: I loved this book, and if you like well-written, illuminating stories about the space-race, you will too. It sheds some light on the current state of NASA today.
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Summary: Apollo as seen from Flight Operations...
Review: This account from Gene Kranz should be considered one of the comprehensive mission operations viewpoints from Mission Control (the other being Murray/Cox "Apollo, the Race to the Moon")for the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo era...many new "insider" gems are presented here for the casual manned spaceflight reader or the spaceflight buff, all told in "rah-rah" patriotic prose. To say that Kranz's heart was and always will be in Mission Control is an understatement. After reading this, his whole life, it would appear, is centered around his role as Flight Director. And what a life it was! Uncommonly unique details of the mission planning, training and performance abound here...reading of the training for Apollo 11, how the 1201 and 1202 computer alarms while performing powered descent were simulated on the last training day prior to the mission were priceless...nowhere would you get this level of detail (unless another Flight Director [other than Chris Kraft] writes his memoirs) and the unique telling of it. Kranz's opinions of his controllers and Flight Director peers are also unique in that no-one else could submit what it was like working with these people and for this program day-to-day like him. This is a quick and easy read with lots of unique information that should be counted with the many existing accounts that are "required" manned spaceflight reading.
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Summary: Incredibly Boring!
Review: About 30-35 years ago, there was a word used to describe people like Gene Kranz. They were gung-ho on Vietnam, wore crewcuts, were white, protestant and had wives that stayed home and did nothing but have babies. These men were also extremely intolerant of anyone who disagreed with them and saw a communist under every bed. That word was "square" and I thought of that word many times as I wended my way through this surprisingly tedious book. I say surprisingly, as the space program had many many interesting people and events. Kranz is a horrid story-teller, he makes it as stale as week-old bread. Apollo 13 was a wonderful movie, exciting as anything and Kranz' discussion of the flight is dull, dull, dull!! Kranz makes a plea for more space exploration but fails to provide a reason for it beyond giving his fellow engineers and controllers a job. Kranz brags about the long hours he spends, the endless preparation. But he also brags about how many children he has. Heck, why have children if you obviously choose not to spend time raising them. People have asked me why I choose to review some books and not others. It is a good question. After much thought, I have realized that if a book is extremely good, I want to tell the world about it. Or in this case, when I choose a new book, I hate being disappointed. This book disappointed me badly.
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