List your space books

sts205cdr · Post by **sts205cdr** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 1:16 pm

Well, I'm a horribly picky person

, but I will say that I'm glad those books were written, they're still important and worth reading at least once.

--John

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 1:32 pm

Well of the ones you listed as bad ive on;ly read Glenn's Lineangers, and Krafts. Glenn i've always had an intrest in since i did a book report on him in 4th grade. Lineangers book i just enjoyed because of my intrest in the shuttle Mir program. I wish Norm Thaggard would write one on his Mir experiance. And Kraft while i'll admit its a bit one sided and critical of alot of people i've actually met the man and he grew up and worked right here in the area where i live so he holds a certain intrest for me.

sts205cdr · Post by **sts205cdr** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 1:42 pm

Copy that, and my opinion of their book doesn't necessarily reflect how I feel about the person. Other than Linenger, I like and admire all those folks.

--John

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 1:58 pm

Understood. And if you come to visit sometime i can show you alot of the places Kraft mentions in his book.

sts205cdr · Post by **sts205cdr** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 2:07 pm

That will be GREAT, I'm looking forward to it!

Currently reading Scotty Carpenter's new autobiography. I'm enjoying it. Just finished Tom Stafford's _We Have Capture_, which I thought was very interesting and learned a lot, but it could have been better.

Next up is two short books with, strangely enough, the same title, _A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Moon_. One's fiction, one's a collection of funny anecdotes.

And I'll look for that one you guys mentioned, _A Smile as Big as the Moon_. Sounds neat! Anything to do with Camp, y'know. I even have that Mary Kate & Ashley SC episode tape!

--John

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 2:15 pm

I still need to get a copy of A Smile As Big as the Moon. but lately i havent had a chance to read much of anything non school related this semester.

sts205cdr · Post by **sts205cdr** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 2:22 pm

Just ordered _A Smile..._ from the university library, should have it in a day or so. Thanks for the heads up, y'all!

--John

sts205cdr · Post by **sts205cdr** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 9:32 pm

Let me add a couple more to my favorites list that I HIGHLY recommend to all Campers:

_Before Lift-Off: The Making of a Space Shuttle Crew_ by Henry S.F. Cooper, Jr. (1987) The Johns Hopkins University Press [ISBN 0-8018-3524-0] Forward by Dave Leestma. Detailed account of the crew training for STS-41G. Crip and Sally battle the Evil SimSups!

_Flying the Edge: The Making of Navy Test Pilots_ by George C. Wilson (1992) Naval Institute Press [ISBN 1-55750-925-5] Detailed account of the training of the 100th Class of the Navy Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, MD. Among the class was future astronaut Robert Curbeam!

--John

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 11:08 pm

Well 2 more books i recomend one space and one aviation are.

Space Shuttle the first 20 Years_This is an excelant book told in the astronauts own words talking about everything from life on orbit, to training, launch, reentry, and landing as well as great photographs and info on flights STS-1 through STS-102.

The second is an amazing aviation resource. "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft." It covers american and international aircraft from WW1 through the present day with photos and illustrations as well as the basic stats on each aircraft ranging from fighters, bombers, reconaisance, trainers, and seaplanes, as well as military cargo planes.

sts205cdr · Post by **sts205cdr** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 11:25 pm

I second your recommendation for _Space Shuttle: The First 20 Years_ (2002) Smithsonian Institution/DK Publishing, Inc. [ISBN 0-7894-84425-0] Forward by James A. Lovell. A new favorite piece for autograph collectors. My favorite entry is page 281.

-John

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 11:41 pm

Well i hasve to say my 2 favorite stories from the book aere on page 161 and page 250. The stories about the back ached crews have in space and the hair memo. The quote from Judy Resnik on 161 is classic.

sts205cdr · Post by **sts205cdr** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 11:55 pm

Heh heh, copy that! Judy was special. Here's the book on her:

_Judith Resnik: Challenger Astronaut_ by Joanne E. Bernstein and Rose Blue with Alan Jay Gerber (1990) Lodestar Books [ISBN 0-525-67305-9] Funny you should bring up hair, Judy got her hair snagged in an IMAX camera on orbit once and it pulled out some hair!

--John

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 11:59 pm

Thanks for the info i'd never heard of that book before and i'd never heard the story either.

Benji · Post by **Benji** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 3:03 pm

I've been reading A Smile as Big As the Moon. It is a great book so far. I couldn't put it down. For those of you who haven't read it, it is about a group of special ed students who go to camp in the 80s. It is a remarkable acheivement, and it is dedicated people like Mike who really make a difference in the world. I really think that if you haven't read it, you definetly should. Many things have changed since then, but a lot is the same and it really brings back memories.

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 3:06 pm

Well since ill be ordering another book this weekend i guess i shpould go ahead and pick that one up as well.

Benji · Post by **Benji** » Sat Jun 28, 2003 5:37 pm

I liked Gene Cernan's book, The Last Man On The Moon. Here's an excerpt:

Gene Cernan wrote:Me: "Gosh it's beautiful out here." Jack: "[The soil looks] like a vesicular, very light-colored porphyry of some kind; it's about ten or fifteen percent vesicles." That meant the sparkles on the ground were tiny specks of glass reflecting Sunlight. The Odd Couple goes to the Moon.

The main reason we will venture back into deep space is simply that we must. It is a necessity, not a frivolous whim, and a lust for science is not enough of an explanation, for we really don't know what we will learn on Mars. We will go because it's logical to do so, and our curiosity as a species will not allow us to remain locked to our home planet much longer. Humankind must explore, for we want to learn what lies over the hill or around the corner. Inspiration, sweat, challenges, and dreams got us to the Moon and they will get us to Mars and beyond. It is our destiny.

stargazer0105 · Post by **stargazer0105** » Tue Jul 08, 2003 11:02 am

I love that book.

Benji · Post by **Benji** » Tue Jul 08, 2003 11:17 am

I agree, it's great.

ApolloXI · Post by **ApolloXI** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 6:44 pm

On offical website for Homer Hickam is says that Hallmark is thinking buying the rights to make a movie of his thrid memoir Sky of Stone. Has lots of idea but they don't always go on from there.

http://www.homerhickam.com/new1.htm

Benji · Post by **Benji** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 7:31 pm

I'd never heard of it until now, but I just put it on hold. I hope it's as good as Rocket Boys.

I also put We Are Not Afraid on hold.

List your space books

3rd Rocket Boys book