Author
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Topic: Space shuttle crew member biographies
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Bluebird Mike New Member Posts: From: Registered:
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posted 11-20-2012 11:12 AM
I have Mike Mullane's sublime "Riding Rockets" and Tom Jones' "Sky Walking," and I'm aware of Jerry Ross' book that's coming out next year, but what other shuttle astronaut biographies are out there that are in a similar vein? Am I missing anything good? |
328KF Member Posts: 1234 From: Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 11-20-2012 01:03 PM
John Young's new book has been discussed in another thread... I'm in the middle of it and have found it to be a great read despite the few inaccuracies in the first couple of pages. Some good technical discussions on shuttle safety and his missions, but definitely a different presentation from Riding Rockets.I haven't read Story Musgrave's autobiography, but his large format photo book on flying NASA's T-38 is one of my favorites. Going back, Joe Allen's Entering Space was another coffee table type book with great photos. While not written by an astronaut, I just recently read Before Liftoff, which an insider's look at the training a space shuttle crew (in this case, the crew of STS-41G) goes through. While slightly dry, I don't think anyone else has come close to giving you an appreciation for the rigors of astronaut training. Jerry Linenger wrote Off the Planet about his experiences in training and flying his Mir mission, including the onboard fire that occurred while he was there. Those are a few suggestions to start with. I'm still waiting for Joe Engle or Bob Crippen to decide to write their memoirs! |
fredtrav Member Posts: 1673 From: Birmingham AL Registered: Aug 2010
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posted 11-20-2012 01:17 PM
You also have Seize the Moment by Helen Sharman, a decent read and Mae Jemison's Find Where the Wind Goes. |
GoesTo11 Member Posts: 1309 From: Denver, CO Registered: Jun 2004
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posted 11-20-2012 01:39 PM
Publication is a little ways off, but you might also want to keep an eye out here for updates on the two upcoming Shuttle-dedicated volumes in the Ouward Odyssey series, Bold They Rise and Wheels Stop. Previous volumes in the (outstanding) series have been chock-full of first-person anecdotes and observations. |
p51 Member Posts: 1642 From: Olympia, WA Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 11-20-2012 01:50 PM
quote: Originally posted by 328KF: While not written by an astronaut, I just recently read Before Liftoff, which an insider's look at the training a space shuttle crew (in this case, the crew of STS-41G) goes through. While slightly dry, I don't think anyone else has come close to giving you an appreciation for the rigors of astronaut training.
I second this. I read it a few months ago and got a great deal out of it. |
Bluebird Mike New Member Posts: From: Registered:
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posted 11-20-2012 02:04 PM
Thanks for the suggestions everyone! |
Tykeanaut Member Posts: 2212 From: Worcestershire, England, UK. Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 11-20-2012 03:42 PM
As well as those already mentioned, I also enjoyed "Mission: An American Congressman's voyage to space. By U.S. Congressman Bill Nelson with Jamie Buckingham. Published in 1988 by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. |
onesmallstep Member Posts: 1310 From: Staten Island, New York USA Registered: Nov 2007
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posted 11-21-2012 09:53 AM
If we're including both biographies and autobiographies, then 'High Calling', written by the widow of Columbia commander Rick Husband, Evelyn, comes to mind. Inspiring and touching. Also, 'Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope' a joint memoir by shuttle commander Mark Kelly and his wife Gabby Giffords, now out in a revised paperback edition. Both recommended. |
AJ Member Posts: 511 From: Plattsburgh, NY, United States Registered: Feb 2009
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posted 11-21-2012 05:28 PM
I second the recommendation of "High Calling". I am not especially religious or even spiritual, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book very much. It's a great read. |
Jay Chladek Member Posts: 2272 From: Bellevue, NE, USA Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 11-21-2012 11:43 PM
One book that might be worth reading is "Reflections from Earth Orbit" by Winston Scott. It is published by Apogee and a bit thin compared to Riding Rockets or Sky Walking, but I picked up a copy a few years ago and it is a rather good narrative.The target audience for the book I gather seems to be young adults as it tends to go for more of the inspirational angle rather than the nitty gritty nuts and bolts stuff. But one bit I did appreciate was Scott talking a bit about growing up as a black person in Florida to a family who was middle class, yet a bit on the poor side at a time when schools began to integrate. It is certainly a unique angle you won't find in any of the other books, unless somebody like Guian Bluford or Leland Melvin writes a book (I would love to read a book from Melvin, given his science background and the fact that he actually played a season for an NFL football team). I would say it is a good supplement read for somebody who has read "Sky Walking" to get the idea of NASA's behind the scenes and just wants to learn more about a man like Winston Scott himself. It does contribute an interesting chapter to the overall narrative. I know after reading this book that I would like to some day meet "Winston Scott". And if you ever get a chance to watch the PBS documentary "Astronauts" from about 1997, you can see Winston doing his duties on STS-72 as one of the EVA crewmembers. Putting a face and a voice to a book narrative always helps. |
TLI Member Posts: 31 From: London, UK Registered: Mar 2005
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posted 11-30-2012 07:18 AM
Not strictly an astronaut biography but "Dragonfly" by Bryan Burrough is a good account of the period when the Shuttle was visiting the Mir space station, focusing mainly on the accidents ... |