{"id":18038,"date":"2019-05-27T18:04:01","date_gmt":"2019-05-27T10:04:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/50-years-after-first-lunar-landing-apollo-moonshots-inspire-a-new-blast-of-books\/"},"modified":"2019-05-27T18:04:01","modified_gmt":"2019-05-27T10:04:01","slug":"50-years-after-first-lunar-landing-apollo-moonshots-inspire-a-new-blast-of-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/50-years-after-first-lunar-landing-apollo-moonshots-inspire-a-new-blast-of-books\/","title":{"rendered":"50 years after first lunar landing, Apollo moonshots inspire a new blast of books"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Moon
Books about the moon can help get you in the proper mood to see the \u201cDestination Moon\u201d exhibit at Seattle\u2019s Museum of Flight. (GeekWire Photo \/ Alan Boyle)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the 50 years since Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong left humanity\u2019s first bootprint on the moon, that \u201cone small step\u201d has launched one giant load of books.<\/p>\n

Basketfuls of books about space are now hitting store shelves \u2014 not only to mark the golden anniversary of that first moon landing, but also to provide the context for a renewed focus on lunar exploration.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re looking for an Apollo book you can read to your kids, an award-winning sci-fi novel about alternate space history, or up-to-date management tips gleaned from the early space effort, we\u2019ve got you covered. Here are 18 recently published (or updated) books that are well-suited for this year\u2019s summer of space, plus a couple of bonus picks.<\/p>\n

All about Apollo<\/h3>\n

Nonfiction authors have been recounting the tale of America\u2019s moonshots since \u201cOf a Fire on the Moon\u201d and \u201cThe Right Stuff,\u201d but these books bring fresh perspective to the decades-old saga. We\u2019ve also included a couple of classics that are getting fresh exposure for the 50th anniversary.<\/em><\/p>\n

American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race:<\/strong> Why did we choose to go to the moon? Historian Douglas Brinkley tells the story of the space race with President Kennedy at its center. The focus isn\u2019t so much on the astronauts\u2019 \u201cright stuff,\u201d but on the politics that motivated the moonshots \u2014 yielding insights that could apply to the current space policy debate as well.<\/p>\n

\"Apollo
\u201cApollo: A Graphic Guide to Mankind\u2019s Greatest Mission.\u201d (Abrams Image)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Apollo: A Graphic Guide to Mankind\u2019s Greatest Mission:<\/strong> In this compact volume, designer Zack Scott provides a visual tour of the Apollo missions in muted shades of brown and blue, black and gray. It\u2019s chock-full of facts and figures, plus infographics that give you a better sense of where America\u2019s moon explorers went, and how they got there. Bonus pick: There\u2019s also a graphic novel about the first moon mission, titled \u201cApollo.\u201d<\/p>\n

First on the Moon: The Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Experience:<\/strong> Looking for an Apollo coffee-table book that\u2019s more than just pretty pictures? Rod Pyle combines the iconic images of the Space Age with facsimiles of historic documents (including the statement that President Richard Nixon would have issued if the Apollo 11 astronauts didn\u2019t survive). Pyle weaves a narrative that takes the Apollo 11 story up to the present, supplemented by moonwalker Buzz Aldrin\u2019s foreword.<\/p>\n

One Giant Leap: The Impossible Mission That Flew Us to the Moon:<\/strong> Charles Fishman\u2019s take on the Apollo tale devotes a healthy share of the spotlight to the social context for the first mission to the moon, and the folks behind the scenes who made the \u201cimpossible mission\u201d possible. Fishman will talk about his book and Apollo 11 at Town Hall Seattle at 7:30 p.m. June 28.<\/p>\n

Rocket Men: The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man\u2019s First Journey to the Moon:<\/strong> We\u2019re already past the 50th anniversary of 1968\u2019s round-the-moon voyage, but it\u2019s still worth taking note of Robert Kurson\u2019s book, which has just come out in paperback. Apollo 8 was arguably the mission that put America on track to win the Space Race. The tale isn\u2019t as well-known as the Apollo 11 saga, however, and that unfamiliarity adds to the novelistic appeal of \u201cRocket Men.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shoot for the Moon: The Space Race and the Extraordinary Voyage of Apollo 11:<\/strong> If you\u2019re looking for inside stories about the buildup and execution of the Apollo 11 mission, Wild West historian James Donovan brings the goods. \u201cShoot for the Moon\u201d scored a priceless book blurb from none other than Apollo 11 command module pilot Mike Collins, who said, \u201cThis is the best book on Apollo that I have ever read.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut\u2019s Journeys:<\/strong> I\u2019m assuming that Collins was too modest to tout his Apollo-centric autobiography, \u201cCarrying the Fire,\u201d which was first published in 1974 and is being reissued with an updated preface for Apollo 11\u2019s 50th anniversary. Bonus picks: For previously published perspectives on Apollo, check out \u201cFirst Man,\u201d James R. Hansen\u2019s biography of Neil Armstrong; \u201cNo Dream Is Too High,\u201d Buzz Aldrin\u2019s latest memoir; and \u201cA Man on the Moon,\u201d Andrew Chaikin\u2019s classic history of Project Apollo (with a new 50th-anniversary afterword).<\/p>\n

Mostly about the moon<\/h3>\n

These books that take a wider-angle view of the moon itself, while touching more tangentially on the Apollo effort.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"
\u201cMoon: An Illustrated History.\u201d (Sterling)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Moon: An Illustrated History:<\/strong> Astrobiologist David Warmflash organizes his review of 100 milestones in lunar history based on chronology, page by page, starting 4.5 million years ago with the moon\u2019s formation and ending in anticipation of a \u201cMoon Village\u201d by 2044. With 100 illustrations, the book would fit right in on a coffee table but is compact enough to sit on a nightstand.<\/p>\n

The Book of the Moon: A Guide to Our Closest Neighbor:<\/strong> After laying out the basic facts about the moon in astronomy and geology, this handbook by British space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock focuses on observing the moon and understanding its place in the world\u2019s cultures \u2014 including art, poems and folk tales about the moon.<\/p>\n

To the moon and beyond<\/h3>\n

Learn how the Apollo legacy lives on through new space initiatives.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"
\u201cSpace 2.0: How Private Spaceflight, a Resurgent NASA and International Partners Are Creating a New Space Age.\u201d (BenBella Books)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Space 2.0: How Private Spaceflight, a Resurgent NASA and International Partners Are Creating a New Space Age:<\/strong> In this survey of the new space frontier, Rod Pyle turns his attention to the leaders of the commercial space industry, including billionaires Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson and Elon Musk. \u201cSpace 2.0\u201d also tracks the resurgence of White House interest in missions to the moon, as well as China\u2019s moon ambitions and the thorny question of space property rights.<\/p>\n

The Case for Space: How the Revolution in Spaceflight Opens Up a Future of Limitless Possibility:<\/strong> Rocket scientist Robert Zubrin is the president of the Mars Society, but he has a plan for exploring and settling the moon as well as a plan for the Red Planet. In fact, it seems that he has a plan for everything \u2014 including mining asteroids, colonizing the outer solar system and sending \u201cNoah\u2019s Ark Eggs\u201d to other star systems. The last 85 pages serve as a manifesto of sorts, answering the question \u201cWhy go to space?\u201d<\/p>\n

Moon Rush: The New Space Race:<\/strong> Award-winning space journalist Leonard David covers lunar science as well as the other motivations to go to the moon. He also surveys past and future moon missions, including SpaceX\u2019s plan for a round-the-moon mission and Blue Origin\u2019s vision for lunar settlement. In addition to a foreword by Buzz Aldrin, there\u2019s an afterword by Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt, the last person alive to set foot on the moon. David will be giving a lecture and signing books at the Museum of Flight at 2 p.m. June 1.<\/p>\n

Space tales for kids<\/h3>\n

The past, present and future of space exploration, told in terms that kids can understand. Age recommendations are provided by the publishers.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"
\u201cMoonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11.\u201d (Simon & Schuster)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11:<\/strong> On one level, Brian Floca\u2019s \u201cMoonshot\u201d is a picture book suitable for reading to the little one on your lap. But there aren\u2019t many books for 4-year-olds with detailed diagrams showing how a Saturn V rocket is put together. As children grow, they\u2019re likely to get more out of the story. This 50th-anniversary edition of a book originally published in 2009 has been expanded to include more about the astronauts\u2019 experiences during the mission, and about the people behind the scenes who helped make Apollo a success. (Ages 4 and up.)<\/p>\n

The Space Race: The Journey to the Moon and Beyond:<\/strong> Science journalist Sarah Cruddas leaves no stone unturned in this survey of the world\u2019s space efforts. There are special shoutouts to the space program\u2019s women trailblazers, and you\u2019ll even find a spread about the billionaire rivalry between SpaceX\u2019s Elon Musk and Blue Origin\u2019s Jeff Bezos. Cruddas has scheduled an appearance at the Museum of Flight on June 23. (Ages 6 to 9.)<\/p>\n

Hey-ho, to Mars We\u2019ll Go: A Space-Age Version of \u2018The Farmer in the Dell\u2019: <\/strong>A sing-along book about Mars exploration? Believe it! Author Susan Lendroth teams up with illustrator Bob Kolar on a colorful book that offers new verses to the classic \u201cFarmer in the Dell,\u201d starting with \u201cThe rocket\u2019s on the pad.\u201d But wait, there\u2019s more: Each page has a snippet of prose that explains the science behind the children\u2019s verse in kid-friendly language. (Ages 4 to 8.)<\/p>\n

Space with a twist<\/h3>\n

Out of this world, and out of the ordinary.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"
\u201cThe Calculating Stars.\u201d (Tor)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Calculating Stars:<\/strong> The first book in Mary Robinette Kowal\u2019s \u201cLady Astronaut\u201d trilogy starts with the science-fiction premise that a catastrophic cosmic impact forces humanity to make the leap into space, starting in the 1950s \u2014 with a woman emerging as a leading light. This month the novel won a Nebula Award.<\/p>\n

Heroes of the Space Age: <\/strong>The third book on this list by overachieving author Rod Pyle serves as a \u201cProfiles in Courage\u201d for the space set, focusing on the life stories of eight American and Russian pioneers. Yuri Gagarin, John Glenn, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are on the list, along with legendary flight director Gene Kranz, but there are also lesser-known figures such as Apollo 12\u2019s Pete Conrad, Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova and computer scientist Margaret Hamilton.<\/p>\n

Moonshot: What Landing a Man on the Moon Teaches Us About Collaboration, Creativity and the Mind-set for Success:<\/strong> Psychologist Richard Wiseman turns the lessons of Project Apollo into a personal development manual, complete with quizzes and exercises. (Spoiler alert: Failure is an option.) If you\u2019re a space fan in the startup world, this one\u2019s for you.<\/p>\n

Do you have favorites to add to an Apollo reading list? Feel free to pass along your recommendations as comments below.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Books about the moon can help get you in the proper mood to see the \u201cDestination Moon\u201d exhibit at Seattle\u2019s Museum of Flight. (GeekWire Photo \/ Alan Boyle) In the 50 years since Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong left humanity\u2019s first bootprint on the moon, that \u201cone small step\u201d has launched one giant load of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1651,1758,4418,4029],"class_list":["post-18038","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-apollo","tag-apollo-11","tag-books","tag-space-history"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18038"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18038"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18038\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18038"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18038"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18038"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}