A Challenging Journey to Tranquility, 1965-1969
Francis French and Colin Burgess
Published 2007

A fascinating account of the race to the moon in the mid-1960’s, In the Shadow of the Moon features many first-hand, eye-witness accounts of the early Apollo missions to the momentous Apollo 11 landing on the moon.

The book gives a glimpse into the lives of many Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo astronauts, including Neil Armstrong, Gus Grissom, Wally Shirra, Frank Borman, Walt Cunningham, Buzz Aldrin, Charlie Duke, and more. A few chapters are also dedicated to the Russian’s space race.

Caviar: A must-read for a space fan, but is easy enough to read for any biography lover. The book’s casual, friendly, and non-technical feel allowed me to get lost in the pages as I learned more about the inner-workings of the Astronaut Office and the legendary corridors of Mission Control. The book features many direct quotes from key persons involved in the space program, giving the reader a first-hand look at the United States’ momentous journey to the moon in the 1960 decade.

Caveats: As mentioned, the book contains first-hand accounts from astronauts and NASA workers, which have not been edited for profanity. It is by no means prevalent throughout the book, but something to take into account before reading this fascinating volume.

I also thought that the pace of the book seemed rush as the story led up to the momentous Apollo 11 flight and then ended abruptly only seven pages after quoting Neil Armstrong saying, “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.”

Overall Grade: three stars out of four

In the Shadow of the Moon can be purchased from Amazon.com or wherever books are sold.

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