Book Reviews
Book Reviews and Recommended Reading
More than 400 Nonfiction, Fiction, & Children’s Books Reviewed
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Opinions expressed are those of the reviewers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Space Society. To get a book reviewed by NSS: send query with book description to [email protected] Do NOT send attached files with your query. Do NOT mail books to the NSS address. We usually respond to queries within 10 days. Note: review copies must be provided free. They can be electronic, but books must also be available in print. We are ONLY interested in books about human exploration and settlement of space.
Book Review: Beyond
This is a riveting biography of the first astronaut, Soviet Lt. Yuri Gagarin, to orbit the Earth in 1961. The author has an exceptional ability to portray events, many of which are not well known. For example, Chief designer Sergei Korolev couldn’t sleep the night before the mission as he knew of the many weak and potentially fatal aspects of the spacecraft and its booster.
Book Review: Escaping Gravity
A former Executive Director of NSS and Deputy Administrator of NASA, Garver has been a pivotal force in modern spaceflight, and the ups and downs of that journey are well related in this no-holds-barred book.
Book Review: Holdout
Category: Fiction Reviewed by: John J. Vester Title: Holdout Author: Jeffrey Kluger NSS Amazon link for this book Format: Hardcover, paperback, Kindle Pages: 352 Publisher: Dutton Date: August 2022 Retail Price: $26.00/$17.00/$11.99 ISBN: 978-0593184714 In Holdout,...
Book Review: The Apollo Murders
An alternate-history thriller about an Apollo 18 mission involving murder as Americans and Soviets simultaneously compete and cooperate with each other.
‘How We Got To The Moon’ Illustrates, Illuminates First Moon Journey, and Beyond
This Space Available, By Emily Carney. A recent addition to the Apollo library, John Rocco’s How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity’s Greatest Adventure, is exceptional in that while it may seem geared towards middle grade students, it beautifully illustrates – and illuminates – the role of unsung heroes throughout the space program.
Book Review: Welcome to the Moon
If the goal is to inspire and inform a younger generation to be involved in space, including lunar settlement in particular, Dyson’s book accomplishes this in spades. I highly recommend it for students, teachers and parents.
Anyone wanting to get a Giant Moon Map and a set of copies of this book for their favorite school can apply at aldrinfoundation.org/giant-moon-map.