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Product Description
Product Description
On 20 July 1969, the world stood still to watch 38-year-old astronaut Neil Armstrong become the first person ever to walk on the Moon. Perhaps no words in recent human history became better known than those few he uttered at that historic moment. Upon his return to Earth, Armstrong was honored and celebrated for his achievement. But he was also misunderstood. As authorized biographer James Hansen reveals in this fascinating and important book, it was the act of flying that had driven Armstrong rather than the pull of the destination, from his distinguished career as a fighter pilot in the Korean War right through to his most famous mission. Drawing on flight logs, family and NASA archives and over 125 original interviews with key participants, First Man vividly re-creates Armstrong's life and career in flying, from the heights of honor earned as a naval aviator, test pilot and astronaut, to the dear personal price paid by Armstrong and, even more so, by his wife and children, for his dedication to his vocation. It is a unique portrait of a great but reluctant hero.
About the Author
Dr James R. Hansen is Professor of History at Auburn University, Alabama. He is the author of eight books on the history of aerospace including a study of the Apollo program's lunar landing method.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
My first memory of watching TV (aged 4) was the lunar landing in 1969. Ever since then, I have been interested in the technology (now seemingly primitave) and characters of the people who made this possible - most significantly Neil Armstrong. This book is long overdue, and portrays Armstrong as a down to earth (pardon the pun) person, who probably finds the adulation rightly accorded to him as difficult to understand as he simply would view being the first man on the moon as fulfilling his job. The book deals in detail with Armstrong's painstaking flight training, including combat missions over Korea in the 50s, and also explores the relationship between him and the two other members of Apollo 11 with interesting insights. The story of how Armstrong became first out of the lunar module in preference to Buzz Aldrin is explained in full. The book only increases my admiration for the first man, and given the thoughtful and precise way in which his story has been told I recommend this book to you.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Having looked forward to a 'life of Neil Armstrong book' for most of my life being a real Apollo fan. I did enjoy reading First Man: The Life of Neil Armstrong. This book is well researched, has some good pictures and for the first time the reader can learn about the 'real Neil Armstrong'. There is much more to Mr.Armstrong than being the first man on the moon.
A great read - will be liked by space buffs, maybe a little dry for those who are not!
A great read - will be liked by space buffs, maybe a little dry for those who are not!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a tough book to read and if you are looking for a cosy biography of the great man, forget it. As others have pointed out, there is an incredible amount of detail and for that reason it can be very hard going at times. Some of the information given is such that you read the words but almost immediately forget them because you want to move on to the action.
It does take almost a third of the book to get to the Apollo program as we get to find out about Neil's childhood, his studies, his time in the Navy and then as a test pilot first.
Having said all that there is much to admire here and a phenomenal amount of work clearly went into researching and writing this account of one of the great heroes of the 20th Century. This is not just about Neil though and it tells the tale of all those who helped make that momentous landing possible, the people who Neil met along the way to what he became and his friends and family too.
I enjoyed much of it though because I have a particular fascination for the space race having just missed out on it. 1967 was a little late to appreciate anything of it really.
I have only given it 3 stars because I feel a little less of that detail would have made it better. Not the most accessable of books but, in places, a great insight into a clearly very private man and his incredible story.
It does take almost a third of the book to get to the Apollo program as we get to find out about Neil's childhood, his studies, his time in the Navy and then as a test pilot first.
Having said all that there is much to admire here and a phenomenal amount of work clearly went into researching and writing this account of one of the great heroes of the 20th Century. This is not just about Neil though and it tells the tale of all those who helped make that momentous landing possible, the people who Neil met along the way to what he became and his friends and family too.
I enjoyed much of it though because I have a particular fascination for the space race having just missed out on it. 1967 was a little late to appreciate anything of it really.
I have only given it 3 stars because I feel a little less of that detail would have made it better. Not the most accessable of books but, in places, a great insight into a clearly very private man and his incredible story.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Great bio for space or engineering geeks. You'll learn something...
I found this biography so compelling, I was almost unable to put it down.
This is the first, detailed account of Neil Armstrongs life that I have ever read. Read more
This is the first, detailed account of Neil Armstrongs life that I have ever read. Read more
Published 3 months ago by 24601
Fascinating, but often heavy going
I was 9 years old when Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon and fascinated then, as now, by the whole story. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mark Richard Kidger
Interesting read
This is a great read and a real insight into a very private man. It does go into a little bit too much technical stuff from time to time but overall it is comprehensive. Read more
Published 14 months ago by greig mackenzie
There's a good story in here...somewhere
As a few other people have mentioned, there is an awful lot of of detail in this book. What hasn't been mentioned as much is that the detail is deathly dull and almost entirely... Read more
Published on 30 Sep 2009 by doonjaiasi
Very interesting
Though overall it was a good book. The first half covering his child hood, flight training and being test pilot was very long winded. Read more
Published on 23 Sep 2009 by Mehrdad Nourshargh
A fantastic read
For anyone interested in the space race and also military aviation this is an essential purchase.
In addition to covering the life and personality of Neil Armstrong it... Read more
In addition to covering the life and personality of Neil Armstrong it... Read more
Published on 2 Sep 2009 by Mr. Gareth J. Stringer
another opinion
I found this book utterly fascinating.
I was born in 1971, but it took a decade or two for me to realise that I was born during the moon landing times. Read more
I was born in 1971, but it took a decade or two for me to realise that I was born during the moon landing times. Read more
Published on 12 Aug 2009 by Mr. David Arthur
Fascinating because the subject matter is
Space geeks will adore this book; the non-scientific will sometimes struggle. This is a book packed with scientific, military and aeronautical details that can at times be rather... Read more
Published on 20 April 2009 by Mark Meynell
A Big Book About a Big Man
In two hundred years time very few people now alive will be routinely known and their names and deeds recalled. Read more
Published on 17 Oct 2008 by John G. Millar
This should be a fascinating book...
...but is by far and way the worst written book I have read in years. I cannot fathom how anyone can make the story of travelling and landing on the moon so uninteresting. Read more
Published on 9 Aug 2007 by G. Riley
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