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Author Topic:   Living in Space
MCroft04
Member

Posts: 1634
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 10-16-2005 01:40 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for MCroft04   Click Here to Email MCroft04     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I just finished reading Robert Zimmerman's book titled "Leaving Earth". The book read well and has lots of details about the Skylab, Salut, and Mir space stations. I strongly recommend the book. I don't know much about Mr. Zimmerman, other than he coauthored the book "Apollo 8" with Frank Borman, but he seems like a reputable author. Mr. Zimmerman makes a number of intersting observations in his book.
1) The Americans seem to handle long term space flight better that the cosmonauts (psycologically anyway), 2) Bill Clinton drove the joint efforts with the Russians becasue he wanted to funnel aid to the Russians, 3) The Russians and Americans have swapped roles in space; now they Russians have more control over what they do in space, whereas the Americans have a very rigid structure where they are told exactly what to do, and 4) NASA provided very weak support of our astronauts while they were on Mir. Anyone out there agree or disagree with these observations?

FFrench
Member

Posts: 3161
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 10-16-2005 07:46 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for FFrench     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I agree, "Leaving Earth" was an extremely interesting book.

I know that Zimmerman also wrote "Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8," drawing on many interviews with all 3 Apollo 8 astronauts. I was intrigued by your statement "he coauthored the book with Frank Borman" - do you know something we don't about how much input Borman had into the book?

Thanks,

FF.

sts205cdr
Member

Posts: 649
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Jun 2001

posted 10-17-2005 11:15 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for sts205cdr   Click Here to Email sts205cdr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Another excellent book on the subject is _Dragonfly: NASA and the Crisis Aboard Mir_ (1998) by Bryan Burrough. I believe all of these topics are covered.

--John

MCroft04
Member

Posts: 1634
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 10-17-2005 11:39 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for MCroft04   Click Here to Email MCroft04     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
"I was intrigued by your statement "he coauthored the book with Frank Borman" - do you know something we don't about how much input Borman had into the book?"

No I don't know anything beyond what I read in the book. I was just trying to be nice. I suspect you know much more about the book and Frank than I do, but it brings up another interesting question; most of the books about the astro's have 2 authors-the astronaut and someone else. How much writing do the astronauts really do?

FFrench
Member

Posts: 3161
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 10-17-2005 12:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for FFrench     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by MCroft04:
[Bit brings up another interesting question; most of the books about the astro's have 2 authors-the astronaut and someone else. How much writing do the astronauts really do?[/B]

Well, there's something I do know a little about... in some cases (naming no names) the astronaut who is listed as the primary author was the originator of the personal insights, but the co-author did the bulk of the writing. In some cases, this is a very good thing, as a good writer can assemble the thoughts into a great story, and the book is all the better for it.

In other cases, the astronaut did almost all, or all of the writing themselves. Many of these are considered amongst the best astronaut books.

One thing I find interesting is the difference between books written immediately after their NASA careers, such as in the early 70s, and then ones written later on. It seems that many of the strongest books (Collins, Cunningham, Irwin) were written right afterwards when memories were still very fresh.

FF

MCroft04
Member

Posts: 1634
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 10-18-2005 06:21 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for MCroft04   Click Here to Email MCroft04     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
FF, you've piqued my interest. I've read almost all the astronaut books, and have always wondered who did the writing. I assume that the following astronauts did their own writing;

-The All American Boys;Walt Cunningham-great book & great guy
-Schira's Space
-Moonshot; Slayton and Shepard
-First on the Moon; Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins
-Carryng the Fire; Collins
-Two Sides of the Moon; Scott and Leonov

Not sure about these with multiple authors
-Lost Moon
-To Rule the Night
-Moonwalker
-John Glenn
-Last Man on the Moon
-Deke
-Leap of Faith
-Men From Earth
-Return to Earth
-We Have Capture

I loved these books no matter who did the writing, but I'm interested in knowing "the real story"

FFrench
Member

Posts: 3161
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 10-18-2005 06:59 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for FFrench     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Hello,

Can't comment on them all for various reasons, but I can say:

Moonshot was written almost entirely by the two journalist co-authors - it's highly likely Slayton never even read a copy of "his" book...

"First On the Moon" - almost entirely by journalists, but based on some very close access and interviews.

Moonwalker was spoken orally by Charlie Duke, and transcribed by Dotty. I think this is part of why it reads so energetically and enthusiastically - it's a spoken piece, on paper.

FF

MCroft04
Member

Posts: 1634
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 10-18-2005 07:52 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for MCroft04   Click Here to Email MCroft04     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks FF for the comments. I've always had an interest in space exploration, but only recently really bitten by the bug of learning more about space exploration (thanks to the CollectSpace site). I've seen your name before, and I'm interested in your background, if I'm not being too forward.

FFrench
Member

Posts: 3161
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 10-18-2005 08:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for FFrench     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Not at all!

A couple of things by me here that might interest you:
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-052102a.html
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-100402a.html
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-022202a.html
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-052604a.html
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-120502a.html

http://suzymchale.com/krikalyov/eo9_links.html (bottom link)

MCroft04
Member

Posts: 1634
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 10-20-2005 11:49 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for MCroft04   Click Here to Email MCroft04     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks for the references Francis. I had read the Apollo 9 article before, but not the other pieces. Very well written!! Must have been a blast interviewing these folks. I'll be more than happy to help you next time; I could sharpen pencils.

FFrench
Member

Posts: 3161
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 10-20-2005 12:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for FFrench     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Indeed, they were fun to do, and a great way to get to meet these people and spend some in-depth time with them. It's led to some good friendships and professional contacts.

Most of those articles are 3-4 years old now, though... have been working on a book project - more on that soon enough!

Thanks - glad you enjoyed them!

Francis.

MCroft04
Member

Posts: 1634
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 10-20-2005 05:59 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for MCroft04   Click Here to Email MCroft04     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
If your book is space related, save a copy for my. I'll buy it.

FFrench
Member

Posts: 3161
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 10-20-2005 06:01 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for FFrench     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It's about as space-related as it gets... and thanks for being first in line for a book sale! Your words are greatly appreciated and mean a lot.

Francis.

DavidH
Member

Posts: 1217
From: Huntsville, AL, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted 10-21-2005 09:25 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for DavidH   Click Here to Email DavidH     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Oh, darn, I didn't realize the line was forming already.
I daresay I'm even more eager to see what you've written.

------------------
http://allthese worlds.hatbag.net/space.php
"America's challenge of today has forged man's destiny of tomorrow." - Commander Eugene Cernan, Apollo 17 Mission, 11 December 1972

FFrench
Member

Posts: 3161
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 10-21-2005 10:57 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for FFrench     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I'll trade you, David!!!!

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