Rocket Men (book)
{{short description|Story of the first human mission to the Moon, based on first-hand interviews.}}
{{Infobox book
| italic title =
| name = Rocket Men
| image = Kursonrocketmen.jpg
| caption = Cover design of Rocket Men
| author = Robert Kurson
| country = United States
| language = English
| subject = Apollo 8{{cite web | url = http://wgntv.com/2018/04/03/author-robert-kurson-discusses-his-book-rocket-man/ | title = Author Robert Kurson discusses his book 'Rocket Man' | date = 3 April 2018 | access-date = 9 July 2018 | publisher = WGN }}
| genre = Non-fiction
| publisher = Random House (US)
Scribe (UK)
| release_date = 3 April 2018
| english_release_date =
| media_type = Print, digital
| pages = 336 pp (hardcover)
| isbn = 978-0812988703
| preceded_by = Pirate Hunters
| followed_by =
}}
Rocket Men: The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man's First Journey to the Moon is a 2018 nonfiction book by Robert Kurson recounting NASA's 1968 Apollo 8 mission, which was the first crewed spacecraft to reach the Moon and return safely to Earth.{{cite news | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/15/books/review/robert-kurson-rocket-men.html | title = The Paradoxes and the Glory of Apollo 8's Journey Around the Moon | date = 15 May 2018 | access-date = 9 July 2018 | newspaper = New York Times | author = M. G. Lord }} The book is Kurson's fourth, and it debuted on the New York Times bestseller list.{{cite news | url = https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2018/05/13/science/ | title = Books - Bestsellers - Science | date = 1 May 2018 | access-date = 9 July 2018 | newspaper = New York Times }}
Background
Kurson drew on hundreds of hours of one-on-one interviews with NASA staff, industry experts, astronauts (including all three Apollo 8 astronauts) and their families as source material for the book.{{cite web | url = https://www.milwaukeemag.com/pec-events/nyt-bestselling-author-robert-kurson-rocket-men-the-daring-odyssey-of-apollo-8-and-the-astronauts-who-made-mans-first-journey-to-the-moon/ | title = NYT bestselling author Robert Kurson – Rocket Men: The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man's First Journey to the Moon | date = 9 May 2018 | access-date = 9 July 2018 | publisher = Milwaukee Magazine }}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite news | url = https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2018/05/21/apollo-8-moon-mission-focus-new-book/608628002/ | title = First space mission to the moon recounted in new book | date = 21 May 2018 | access-date = 9 July 2018 | newspaper = Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel }}
Synopsis
Rocket Men is an account of the Apollo 8 mission with focus on Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and William Anders, the three astronauts who flew the mission. The book also places an emphasis on the astronauts' families during the mission.{{cite news | url = http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/la-grange/community/chi-ugc-article-2018-brookfield-reads-to-feature-rocket-men-2018-04-11-story.html | title = 2018 BROOKFIELD READS! to Feature Rocket Men by Robert Kurson | date = 11 April 2018 | access-date = 9 July 2018 | newspaper = Chicago Tribune }}
From The Washington Post:
:"'Rocket Men' opens in summer 1968, with the space race in high gear. The Soviet Union had already put the world’s first satellite, Sputnik, as well as the first human, Yuri Gagarin, into Earth’s orbit. The Soviets were projected to reach the moon by the end of the year, months ahead of the United States."{{cite news | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/why-the-hurried-mission-to-orbit-the-moon-before-the-soviets-was-so-dangerous/2018/04/06/f291f830-216f-11e8-badd-7c9f29a55815_story.html | title = Why the hurried mission to orbit the moon before the Soviets was so dangerous | date = 6 April 2018 | access-date = 9 July 2018 | newspaper = Washington Post | author = Mary Roach }}
The book includes chapters dedicated to each astronaut, the Space Race itself, and background and chronological progress of the mission including critical maneuvers and mission setbacks. It is set against the backdrop of 1968, considered by many to be among the most divisive and violent years in American history.{{cite web | url = http://www.thespacereview.com/article/3472/1 | title = Review: Rocket Men | date = 16 April 2018 | access-date = 9 July 2018 | publisher = Space Review }}
Reception
The book reached #7 on the New York Times bestseller list and has received positive reviews from critics.{{cite web | url = http://www.dailyherald.com/entlife/20180416/rocket-men-author-stops-in-highwood-thursday | title = 'Rocket Men' author stops in Highwood Thursday | date = 17 April 2018 | access-date = 9 July 2018 | publisher = Chicago Daily Herald | author = Michael Hill }} The USA Today called Rocket Men a "first-rate account of this remarkable spaceflight" and added, "There are many pieces to the Apollo 8 story, but Kurson brings them together effortlessly."{{cite news | url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2018/04/13/book-review-rocket-men-robert-kurson-apollo-8-mission-1968/512445002/ | title = Story of Apollo 8's historic 1968 mission soars in Robert Kurson's fine 'Rocket Men' | date = 13 April 2018 | access-date = 9 July 2018 | newspaper = USA Today | author = George Petras }} The New York Times called the book "gripping" and "a riveting introduction to the [Apollo 8] flight" in which "Kurson details the mission in crisp, suspenseful scenes." Writing for The Washington Post, Mary Roach compared the book to Alfred Lansing's 1959 book Endurance and Jon Krakauer's 1997 Into Thin Air, and called Kurson's writing style "as close to a movie as writing gets."
The film rights to Rocket Men were secured by Makeready prior to the book's publication.{{cite magazine | url = https://deadline.com/2017/08/makeready-acquires-rocket-men-book-apollo-8-mission-tv-adaptation-1202142453/ | title = Makeready Acquires 'Rocket Men' Book About Apollo 8 Mission For TV Adaptation | date = 4 August 2017 | access-date = 9 July 2018 | magazine = Deadline | author = Nellie Andreeva }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official|https://www.robertkurson.com/rocketmen}}
- [https://www.c-span.org/video/?443079-2/rocket-men Discussion on Rocket Men with Kurson and astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders, April 5, 2018], C-SPAN
- [https://www.c-span.org/video/?443506-1/qa-robert-kurson Q&A interview with Kurson on Rocket Men, May 6, 2018], C-SPAN
- [https://www.c-span.org/video/?446055-12/rocket-men Presentation by Kurson on Rocket Men, June 10, 2018], C-SPAN
- [https://www.c-span.org/video/?455896-5/washington-journal-robert-kurson-discusses-50th-anniversary-apollo-8-mission-lunar-orbit Washington Journal interview with Kurson on Rocket Men, December 16, 2018], C-SPAN
{{Robert Kurson}}
Category:2018 non-fiction books
Category:Popular science books
Category:Books about the history of science
Category:History books about the United States