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Rocket Men The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man's First Journey to the Moon
Robert Kurson
Random House Trade Paperback Edition, 2018 ISBN: 9780812988710 |
Unlike the Apollo 11 or 13 journeys, the story of Apollo 8 is less well known by the average reader, and this book aims to remedy that deficit. And what a wonderful job it does. Part movie script and part biography, we quickly get to know Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders and before we know it we start to empathize with their triumphs and failures. Indeed, the reader will marvel at a time not too long ago when it was more acceptable to risk life and glory for the sake of a magnificent adventure.
As an added bonus, this book is most relevant in today's sociopolitical environment (2020) as it recounts a story that happened in 1968, a year that resembles our present in so many ways as to almost be spooky. In one sense, it is sad to see history repeat itself, but in another, perhaps there is hope in being able to learn from past mistakes. Readers will definitely their money's worth as they not only get to enjoy a grand tale from the safety of their reading chairs, but also get to ponder about the beauty and ugliness of the human race, and just maybe be inspired to make a change.
