Three Books Worth Reading
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Three books about space flight
“Dear Neil Armstrong: Letters to the First Man from All Mankind,” James R Hansen, 2019.
From the deeply philosophical to the flippant and goofy, reactions to Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon were as varied as the people who followed the historic mission. The amount of unwanted advice and requests for gifts the Apollo 11 commander received is breathtaking and revealing, foreshadowing the fame that was to chase him for the rest of his life. More touching are the many letters from people who wanted instead to do something for him, as a way of expressing their deep admiration and respect.
I once chaperoned Neil Armstrong for a day, including at a VIP evening event. No autographs were allowed, and guests were polite and respectful. And yet, the sheer crush of people wanting to just say hello to him, the endless flashes of the cameras, the inability to move without people stepping in front of him to say a quick hello – it was exhausting being next to him for a few hours. I cannot imagine how he did it for so many decades. For each person, it was their moment to meet him – and then they were done. For him, it was never-ending.
The trove of correspondence shared in this book reveals a fascinating human response to humankind’s greatest exploration. From self-important politicians, to ordinary families in the Soviet Union, to soldiers fighting in the jungles of Vietnam, it seems everyone wanted to do something never before possible in history – to write to a lunar explorer. Some wanted to show gratitude with gifts of hand-made jewelry and specially-composed music. Others simply shared their wonder at what they felt in those hours watching the mission on television. These letters show that no matter what immense technological achievements take place, human nature, in all its quirky glory, will remain entertaining and unpredictable.
“Sky Walking: An Astronaut’s Memoir,” Tom Jones, 2006.
This book is a wonderful read. The first thing I noticed was how generous the author was to all who worked with him – there are not too many astronaut autobiographies where you get a sense of the astronaut working as a team with hundreds of people who never see the limelight. This book gives a clear and accurate impression of that. I’m guessing Jones was well-liked by pretty much everyone he worked with, and it feels like he’s put as much dedication into this marvelous tale as he did into any flight.
This generosity also means that when Jones does criticize, such as his lucid, candid descriptions of what went wrong with developing the space station, with cost and time overruns, you trust and believe him.
What I find most powerful about this book – and what will grab and hold the non-space reader – is the dynamic, exciting immediacy of the descriptions of launch, landing, life in space, and particularly the space walks. Many astronaut books suffer, I think, from waiting years for the stories to be told – they lose their immediate memories and can be a little stale. This book, drawing on inflight taped diaries and written not too long after the events, put me right there in space, in the moment.
Most readers may not care about this as much, but accuracy is vital in these kinds of books to keep my attention, and I noticed it here. Who else would have correctly remembered that 24 people went to the moon, but only 23 of them launched from a particular launch pad? That kind of subtle background detail made me trust the book and keep reading.
With the change of focus at NASA when the space shuttle was retired, I think this book is only going to grow in importance as a vivid account of a dynamic, vitally important moment in space exploration, by a key participant.
“Guidebook for the Scientific Traveler: Visiting Astronomy and Space Exploration Sites Across America,” Duane Nickell, 2008.
What a fascinating concept. When you think about a book listing the different space places to visit in the USA, you might imagine it to be a list of space centers, museums, and telescopes. But this book goes deeper, giving insightful information about some of the observatories of the 19th century that can still be visited. As such, the book also serves as a guide to the history of space knowledge in this country.
But that’s not where the book begins. Going back into the pre-Columbian era, before Europeans turned up on this continent, the author showcases many of the fascinating astronomical sites of that time too. It’s a fascinating insight into the astronomical understanding of many civilizations, and a reminder that studies of the stars and planets began long ago.
Nickell’s relaxed and intimate writing style brings the reader along on fascinating personal journeys to a wide variety of ancient and modern science-related sites. You don’t have to be a science enthusiast to enjoy visiting this intriguing cross-section of diverse destinations.