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Author
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Topic: What's the strangest space book you've read?
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mikepf
Member Posts: 441
From: San Jose, California, USA
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 09-19-2003 01:33 PM
   
Hi,
A few weeks ago I picked up an old paperback copy of FIRE ON THE MOON by Norman Mailer at a garage sale. I'm about 2/3 into it now. I must say, this is the strangest non-fiction space book I've ever read. The first half of the book seems to be a sort of stream-of-conciousness ramble that uses his experiences as a member of the press covering the Apollo 11 mission as a springboard to go off on variuous tangents exploring the nature of society, the economy, politics, psychology, religion and a host of other topics. At just the points in the book that I decide to give up on it, he gets back on subject, or hooks me into reading a bit more by bringing up some comprehensible and interesting comment or fact. This is a very frustrating read. Mixed in with this body of barely coherent (to me, anyway) babble, there is some nuggets of interesting facts and experiences that make it all endurable. About half way into the book, it suddenly becomes a more conventional telling of the events of the mission. It changes perspective from himself to the flight. I have been alternating between the desire to tear the book up into little pieces, and not wanting to put the darned thing down so I can see what the heck he's going to write on the next page. I am not familiar with Mailer's other works, but was wondering if anyone else has read this book (or other of his works) and what you thought of it? I was also wondering if you've come across other strange books on the subject to either commend or warn us of.
Regards,
Mike |
Cliff Lentz
Member Posts: 655
From: Philadelphia, PA USA
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 09-19-2003 02:12 PM
You got it! That's the strangest, the story of Apollo 11 featuring Armstrong, Aldrin, Mailer and Collins. It's so much about Norman I wondered how they could squeeze a little Moon flight into the story. I remember reading it when it first came out. I still have it in my collection, but never considered trying to get it signed or even displaying it in my bookcase. Apollo 11 bored Norman and it's all about Norman, isn't it? |
Kevmac
Member Posts: 267
From: College Station, TX
Registered: Apr 2003
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posted 09-19-2003 03:08 PM
I don't know if it qualifies as a "space book", but Ed Mitchell's "The Way of the Explorer" was way over my state of consciousness. I still can't get thru the whole book without my eyes glazing over.
Kevin------------------
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John K. Rochester
Member Posts: 1292
From: Rochester, NY, USA
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 09-19-2003 03:09 PM
.. I must third that sentiment, "Of a Fire on the Moon" is the strangest space book ever written.. ( the strangest by an astronaut has to be Gordo's book..) |
Rizz
Member Posts: 1208
From: Upcountry, Maui, Hawaii
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 09-19-2003 03:25 PM
Our Ancestors Came From Outer Space, by Maurice Chatelain. Remember him? He built radio equipment for the French Resistance during WWII and went to the United States in 1955 as an aerospace electronics engineer. He was one of the scientists who concieved and designed the Apollo Spacecrafts. His story is strange to say the least, but he had raised my eyebrows many times during reading it. It's worth a look at considering his background... If interested, you can find a used copy on the net. Rizz |
Jurg Bolli
Member Posts: 977
From: Albuquerque, NM
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 09-19-2003 03:48 PM
I agree, I tried Mailer and hated all of it, I guess I didn't have the patience to read 2/3 of it. Lately I read "The Right Stuff", and while I enjoyed most of it I thought that the writing was rather pompous (spelling?), he uses the word "ziggurat" 1000 times, and I am not into fancy words. As far as the astros goes, no comment here, but there sure are some strange books out there...
Jurg |
Matt T
Member Posts: 1368
From: Chester, Cheshire, UK
Registered: May 2001
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posted 09-19-2003 05:39 PM
Hi Jurg,
I'd have to agree with you about Wolfe and his ziggurats, once he gets his teeth into a metaphor he doesn't like to let it go. Still an enjoyable book though I thought.
Cheers,
Matt |
randy
Member Posts: 2176
From: West Jordan, Utah USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 09-19-2003 08:15 PM
THE strangest book on space I've read is definitely 'Of a Fire On the Moon', with 'Return to Earth' and 'Leap of Faith' both running a very close second. |
Richard Jackson
Member Posts: 132
From: Palm Harbor, FL 34684
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 09-19-2003 08:46 PM
SEX AND ROCKETS: THE OCCULT WORLD OF JACK PARSON by John Carter, Robert Anton Wilson
Part of it was very interesting on early work on solid propulsion and von Karman et al. But part was so way out I could not understand and did not read.
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SRB
Member Posts: 258
From:
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 09-19-2003 10:55 PM
I also recently finished reading Of A Fire On The Moon and I had similar mixed emotions as Mike. The many parts about Mailer himself are almost unreadable. However his straight reporting is, at times, excellent. For example, I've never read a more exhilarating account of a Saturn V launch. His contemporaneous evaluation of the personalities and psyches of Armstong, Aldrin and Collins is unlike any other I've read. Mailer was no hero worshiper and told it like it was. His lack of enthusiasium for the space program was not far different from many other people. He could not relate, even up close, to the dry, conformist, unemotional approach of NASA to this great adventure. Apollo 11 was, in his mind, a triumph of white corporate males, not all of America. Harsh stuff, but with thirty years of hindsight, he more accurately evaluated how America would lose interest in space exploration than all those who predicted that Apollo would lead to a real ongoing effort of human exploration of the moon, Mars and beyond. But, you have to look for this interesting material among the unreadable ego driven stories about himself. Many times I didn't think it was worth the effort, but now I think it was.Steve |
derek
Member Posts: 297
From: N.Ireland.
Registered: Jul 2002
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posted 09-22-2003 04:37 PM
Mailer's book has been in my top ten since I got it in 1971; it does record the sentiments of the time,not all were pro-Apollo."Ice" is the strangest space story I've recently read.------------------
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