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Author
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Topic: The First Soviet Cosmonaut Team: Their Lives and Legacies (Burgess, Hall)
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cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
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posted 05-29-2008 12:02 AM
   
The First Soviet Cosmonaut Team: Their Lives and Legacies (Burgess, Hall)
by Colin Burgess and Rex Hall
Publisher: Springer-Praxis.
Release Date: end of 2008. The book relates the personal stories, triumphs and tragedies of the first 20 cosmonauts selected to fly into space, several of whom were not identified until a quarter of a century after Gagarin's epic flight. Today, only six of these pioneering cosmonauts are still with us. Approximately 400 pages, including in the vicinity of 150 photographs - the majority of which have never appeared in any publication before now. |
nelyubov
Member Posts: 131
From: USA
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 05-29-2008 01:47 PM
If it is great as Colin and Rex's other books this should be a real keeper. I hope there are lots of new photos of the "missing" 8!? As my username indicates I look forward to this book with much anticipation. |
ColinBurgess
Member Posts: 2031
From: Sydney, Australia
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 05-30-2008 07:05 PM
Mark: Thanks for the kind words, and you will definitely not be disappointed with this book. There will be a lot of photos of the unflown eight cosmonauts from this first group (particularly your namesake). And as I told Chris, a whole bunch of these photographs have never been published before. |
davidcwagner
Member Posts: 798
From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 05-30-2008 08:19 PM
Where do we order a signed copy? I had to buy an unsigned copy of In the Shadow of the Moon. |
ColinBurgess
Member Posts: 2031
From: Sydney, Australia
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 05-31-2008 12:21 AM
Steve Hankow at Farthest Reaches did have a number of copies of "In the Shadow of the Moon" and "Into That Silent Sea" that Francis and I both signed (using Wally Schirra's Fisher Space Pen), and some were also signed by space folks such as Dee O'Hara and Wally Funk. I believe he still has a very limited number of copies left.Additionally, both Francis and I will be attending the Spacefest event in San Diego in February, where we'll happily sign copies of both books, and I'll see if I can bring along a few copies of the cosmonauts book if it has been released by then (it should be), which I'll sell and sign. And of course I'd be delighted to sign any of my space books at the function. |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
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posted 09-04-2008 12:15 AM
quote:
Originally posted by cspg:
The First Soviet Cosmonaut Team: Their Lives and Legacies (Burgess, Hall)
Info officially available from Springer US. |
ColinBurgess
Member Posts: 2031
From: Sydney, Australia
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 09-04-2008 04:17 AM
Thanks for that; I didn't know this information had been posted as yet, so it was nice to see your heads-up and check it out. The book is right on schedule; Rex and I will be checking the page proofs over the next few days. |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
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posted 09-13-2008 12:43 AM
Available for pre-order at Amazon.com. |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
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posted 11-20-2008 09:37 AM
And available right now from the publisher (Springer-Europe)! |
ColinBurgess
Member Posts: 2031
From: Sydney, Australia
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 12-06-2008 05:56 AM
This week, Rex and I both received our consignment of this book from the publishers, which means it is now available for sale and delivery through retail and online sellers. I like what they've done with the book, and the majority of the photographs (many never published before) are really nice and clear.Do let me know what you think of it when you can. |
E2M Lem Man
Member Posts: 846
From: Los Angeles CA. USA
Registered: Jan 2005
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posted 12-10-2008 02:15 PM
Colin and Francis - I am foaming at the mouth to read this tantalizing new book of yours guys! |
FFrench
Member Posts: 3161
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 12-10-2008 04:29 PM
quote:
Originally posted by E2M Lem Man:
Colin and Francis - I am foaming at the mouth to read this tantilizing new book of yours, Guys!
I can't take any credit for this one, Jim - this is Colin and Rex Hall - who has probably forgotten more cosmonaut facts than I have ever known in my life, so this should be a good, authoritative read. Especially if it is anything like one of my favorites, his book The Rocket Men. |
gliderpilotuk
Member Posts: 3398
From: London, UK
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 12-11-2008 03:45 PM
I just wish more of these great Springer Praxis book were published in hardback. A bit of reading and a bit of travel leaves them dog-eared. I presume that limited runs mean that costs/prices are too high to justify a hardback printing. |
nelyubov
Member Posts: 131
From: USA
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 12-15-2008 05:22 PM
I ordered mine from Amazon months ago and they are telling me that it has not yet been published and has an anticipated shipping date of February 8th! Any idea what is happening with them? Thanks. |
Rex Hall
Member Posts: 170
From: London, England
Registered: Oct 2001
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posted 12-15-2008 05:53 PM
The book is now available as I have received my copies as have has the reviewers. The book was in a shop in London last week on sale. I am pleased with the book as is Colin. On a separate note Cosmonauts like Gaidukov who died last week opened the door to the unflown guys. I was with him who was ill for many years when he described the fate of colleagues. He cried as did I when he related the stories which are in this book and others I have written. Bert Vis and I have interviewed over 50 unflown guys who have real stories. We do have our flown heroes but the Soviet Union and Russia have people who are scarred by their treatment. One man who I will not name cried for hours describing his treatment and his dismissal. I am honoured to write this book with Colin who told me it had to be told and to meet these guys. It was Colin who led on this book as I was not well during the final stages. We did exclude a few bits as we could not bring ourselves to include pictures of dead cosmonauts or those in the West which now would not be understood. In the new climate of correctness. Leonov did the forward from his hospital bed for which we are honoured. This is a story which needed to be told. Buy this book as these guys not just flew in space but risk there lives so that we have a dream. |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
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posted 12-15-2008 11:25 PM
quote:
Originally posted by nelyubov:
I ordered mine from Amazon months ago and they are telling me that it has not yet been published and has an anticipated shipping date of February 8th!
Same for me. Springer US web site says that the book ships within 3-4 weeks. I've noticed that there is a delay of a few months between the release of the book and its availability from Amazon. My guess is that Springer prefers to make sales at full listed price first, then make the books available at retailers such amazon which offer (not always!) up to 30% discount. I'm wondering also to what extent selling through amazon is profitable, except maybe for large print runs... Just guesses... |
dom
Member Posts: 855
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
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posted 12-16-2008 03:08 PM
Rex, I know you and Colin will have given the unflown cosmonauts the respect and sympathy they most definitely deserve!This is set to be one of those books that comes along very rarely - one which I can't wait to get my hands on... As I've had it on order from Amazon for months now but might not get it before February (!) would you recommend I cancel my order and get it directly from the Springer website or though a good bookshop indeed? |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
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posted 12-20-2008 01:30 AM
quote:
Originally posted by nelyubov:
I ordered mine from Amazon months ago and they are telling me that it has not yet been published and has an anticipated shipping date of February 8th!
The same story could be applied to this book. It's available from Springer Europe (ships in 3 days); no release date from Springer US and Amazon.com has a release date of December 11. |
eurospace
Member Posts: 2610
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Dec 2000
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posted 12-30-2008 06:20 AM
I am having news from Amazon in the UK:Colin Burgess, Rex Hall "The First Soviet Cosmonaut Team (Springer
Praxis Books - Space Exploration)" [Paperback] Estimated arrival date: 13/01/09 - 16/01/09 Well then - two weeks to go! |
ColinBurgess
Member Posts: 2031
From: Sydney, Australia
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 12-30-2008 08:31 PM
Juergen, many thanks for that information. It's a tad disappointing to hear that everyone is still waiting for the actual release of this book when Springer-Praxis took delivery of it several weeks back, as Rex indicated. I guess it takes some time for the shipments to reach Amazon and other outlets, but hopefully copies will be dispatched to those who pre-ordered very soon. As I indicated in an earlier message I'll be more than happy to sign copies of this and any books at SpaceFest in February; Francis French and I will be there for the entirety of this event and we are looking forward to meeting as many of you as possible. Unfortunately due to weight and cost factors I won't be able to fly over any copies of the first cosmonauts book from Australia, but I'm hoping copies will be readily available before then for purchase.This may be the last book I'll be involved in writing for quite a while; I'm taking a well-deserved break to concentrate solely on my duties as series editor for the Outward Odyssey books, and I have to admit I'm fresh out of ideas for any further books at this time. |
MCroft04
Member Posts: 1634
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted 12-30-2008 09:15 PM
Trust me, Colin is working hard on the Footprints in the Dust book, so I can understand why he is taking a timeout! He deserves it! |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
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posted 01-05-2009 11:42 PM
Amazon.com shipped my copy yesterday (1/5). |
hinkler
Member Posts: 573
From: Melbourne, Victoria, AUSTRALIA
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 01-06-2009 02:27 AM
My copy touched down in Australia today from Amazon. I started reading and have not been able to put the book down.Congratulations to Colin and Rex and the others involved on an amazing work that gives credit to the unsung heroes of the Soviet Space Program. Truly a story that needed to be told. |
nelyubov
Member Posts: 131
From: USA
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 01-11-2009 11:33 AM
Colin and Rex, fantastic book to say the least. It was everything I had hoped for. I do have a question that hopefully you can answer.On page 149 there are two photos taken at the pre-flight "gazebo" meeting. In the top photo it appears that Nelyubov is sitting next to Korolev's left. But in the bottom photo is that Nelyubov on the end next to Nikolayev? |
ColinBurgess
Member Posts: 2031
From: Sydney, Australia
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 01-12-2009 05:36 AM
Yes, correct in both cases. Many thanks also for your kind words about the book. |
dom
Member Posts: 855
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
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posted 01-17-2009 09:18 AM
Congratulations to Rex and Colin. I've just finished reading my copy and it was everything I expected of it! As well as being the 'final word' on the subject it's also a real page-turner with many new revelations about unflown cosmonauts such as Bondarenko and Nelyubov... There's a mention in the book of a TV documentary about Nelyubov made recently. Unfortunately although it's in Russian, for anyone who's interested to see him in the flesh, here's the link. |
ColinBurgess
Member Posts: 2031
From: Sydney, Australia
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 01-17-2009 05:13 PM
Thanks Dom, I've always had the greatest admiration for Rex Hall and it was a momentous day when he agreed to co-author what I felt was one of the truly "missing" books about early cosmonautics. I feel privileged to look at a copy of this book and to see our names side-by-side on the cover. It was not an easy time for Rex; he was incredibly busy setting up a new government project while at the same time battling ill-health, but we worked really well together. His personal library of facts and photographs, as well as the resources he could call on, were just invaluable in putting this book together.Many thanks for your kind comments. |
MCroft04
Member Posts: 1634
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted 01-04-2012 04:04 PM
I finally found time to pull this book off my book shelf and begin reading it. I wasn't sure I could get very excited about the early Russian efforts in space, but I figured any book written by Colin and Rex had to be good. Not surprisingly I am not disappointed. I'm halfway through it and can hardly put it down! There are lots of details and wonderful pictures, and I find myself rooting for the Russians to be successful. It's especially fun reading it after reading the more recent marvelous Selecting the Mercury Seven, also written by Colin. If you don't have The First Soviet Team, do yourself a favor and order a copy. |
herranzc
Member Posts: 17
From: Madrid, Spain
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 01-11-2012 06:48 AM
Incidentally, there is a detailed book review by Asif Siddiqi on the last issue of Quest: The History of Spaceflight. |
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