Author
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Topic: Gemini: A Personal Account of Man's Venture into Space (Virgil Grissom)
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GrantV Member Posts: 28 From: Winnipeg, Canada Registered: Jan 2014
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posted 03-05-2014 12:10 PM
I am wondering if anyone has actually read Gus Grissom's "Gemini"? I am interested in both Grissom and the Gemini program, and have the opportunity to obtain a copy of this book. I am wondering if it's worth it? Is this a technical account of his work on Gemini, or more of an autobiography? Thanks for your input! |
hermit Member Posts: 186 From: Scotland Registered: Jun 2009
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posted 03-06-2014 12:03 PM
It's more about the Gemini program than about him.
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Fra Mauro Member Posts: 1586 From: Bethpage, N.Y. Registered: Jul 2002
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posted 03-06-2014 01:38 PM
I have a copy — it's a good book, but nothing groundbreaking. |
SleeBaudrons Member Posts: 16 From: Scotland Registered: Sep 2012
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posted 03-06-2014 02:42 PM
It's years since I last read it, but it's quite basic compared to more recent books about Gemini. I had the impression that it may have been intended for a teenage readership. Nevertheless, it's still a great souvenir from the Sixties, so you should grab a copy if you get the chance. |
onesmallstep Member Posts: 1310 From: Staten Island, New York USA Registered: Nov 2007
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posted 03-06-2014 05:26 PM
A good companion book would be "Starfall", written by his widow Betty after the Apollo 1 fire. |
GrantV Member Posts: 28 From: Winnipeg, Canada Registered: Jan 2014
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posted 03-06-2014 09:19 PM
Thanks for the responses! I think I'll take the plunge and purchase it. |
astro-nut Member Posts: 946 From: Washington, IL Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 03-08-2014 10:48 AM
Yes, I, too, have the book and enjoyed reading it. If anyone gets a chance to obtain one they should add it to their collection. |
rjurek349 Member Posts: 1190 From: Northwest Indiana Registered: Jan 2002
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posted 03-09-2014 07:54 AM
I have the book and have read it, too. I enjoyed it, especially knowing that it reflects Gus's personal observations. It's the closest you'll come to having a personal conversation with Grissom (in your head of course!), given the style of writing and personal reflections. After all, as Gus points out in the intro, he is writing the book for an audience of two: his two sons, Mark and Scott. It doesn't get much more personal than that. In that light, I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it. I think the Publisher's Weekly review blurb on the book jacket describes it best: Modestly, smoothly, and with touches of humor and human interest, the late Gus Grissom has written about the Gemini missions and the way they were planned to work into a trip to the moon. The book is lent great poignancy by the author's death with two other astronauts in a simulation of space flight. A very good book for a layman, especially a young person, who wants to understand the procedures of space flights. Grissom is clear and keeps his approach simple in explaining the technical parts. It is a must have. And, must read. And as you are reading, just remember — it is as if you are dropping in on a conversation between Gus and his kids. |