Fallen Astronauts: Heroes Who Died Reaching for the Moon (Paperback)

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Review
"This wonderful book, which brought back many fond and sometimes painful memories of a few who sadly never realized their dreams, is a long overdue tribute to fallen comrades from a truly amazing era in American history." Walter M. Schirra Jr., Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo astronaut "In Fallen Astronauts we learn of men who may not have shared in the ultimate triumph but who were nevertheless an indelible part of these unparalleled exertions. By recognizing the prodigious debt we owe them, and their loved ones, in this fine history, Burgess and Doolan have made an important contribution to the history of space flight." Scott Carpenter, Mercury astronaut "Every generation learns the hard lesson yet again: space flight is a risky business; not only the missions themselves, but the arduous training. Fallen Astronauts is a long-overdue tribute to a group of men who paid the ultimate price for their tragically unfulfilled dreams of space flight." Michael Cassutt, author of Who's Who In Space and coauthor of We Have Capture "Though there are many space explorers no longer with us their achievements should not be forgotten. This book goes a long way to preserve the memory of 16 of them."--Spaceflight, March 2004 Emotionally moving, factually detailed portraits... Fallen Astronauts should be on every space enthusiast's reading list." Dr. Rick W. Sturdevant, Air Power History "This book considers both American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts who died in the line of duty prior to 1972. Burgess and Doolan offer a brief biography and personal stories with a focus on the astronauts' passion for their profession... It is well written and will be enjoyed by enthusiasts of the history of spaceflight." Choice "A fascinating, often sad, but uplifting account... Though there are many space explorers no longer with us their achievements should not be forgotten. This book goes a long way to preserve the memory of 16 of them." Dave Shayler, Spaceflight "A compendium of research into the lives, including their tragic deaths, of astronauts who gave their all in pursuit of their personal goal, and that of their country, of reaching the moon." Hazel Brittingham, Cape Gazette

Product Description
Near the end of the Apollo 15 mission, David Scott and fellow moonwalker James Irwin conducted a secret ceremony unsanctioned by NASA: they placed on the lunar soil a small tin figurine called "The Fallen Astronaut," along with a plaque bearing a list of names. This book enriches the saga of mankind's greatest scientific undertaking, Project Apollo, and conveys the human cost of the space race - by telling the stories of those sixteen astronauts and cosmonauts who died reaching for the moon.Many people are aware of the Apollo launch pad disaster in which three men lost their lives, but few know of the other five fallen astronauts whose stories this book tells as well: among them, Ted Freeman and C.C. Williams, who died in the crashes of their 38 jets; the "Gemini Twins," Charlie Bassett and Elliot See, killed when their jet slammed into the building where their Gemini capsule was undergoing final construction; and Ed Givens, whose fatal car crash has until now been obscured by rumors.The extraordinary lives and accomplishments of these and other fallen astronauts - including eight Russian cosmonauts who lost their lives during training - unfold here in intimate and compelling detail, supported by extensive interviews and archival material. Their stories return us to a stirring time in the history of our nation and remind us of the cost of fulfilling our dreams. Colin Burgess is the author of books on space flight, including "Teacher in Space: Christa McAuliffe" and the "Challenger Legacy" (Nebraska 2000). Kate Doolan was a co-author for "Australia Post's 1992 International Space Year Book, Mission to Planet Earth". Bert Vis is a Dutch space analyst who conducts research on the Soviet/CIS Space program. Captain Eugene A. Cernan lives and works in Texas, and is the author of the "The Last Man on the Moon".

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6 Reviews 5 star:  (6) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 5.0 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   50 of 50 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Long overdue, 12 Nov 2003 By  Walter Cunningham - See all my reviews As an astronaut from 1963 to 1971, I was at NASA during the incredible years when mankind went from making short flights in Earth orbit to standing on the surface of the moon. Unfortunately, in those years, we also lost a good number of my astronaut colleagues along the way. This personally affected me most when, as part of the backup crew for Apollo 1, we had to step into their shoes and fly the first manned Apollo flight after their untimely and tragic deaths. The death of Gus Grissom's crew helped make it possible to land a man on the moon on schedule - indeed, it may have saved America's space program - so we cannot consider their deaths to have been in vain. It certainly made our Apollo 7 mission a success. It also reminded the American public that people could and would die in our efforts to explore the heavens. If you have been a jet fighter pilot for any length of time, you have seen your friends get killed - often - and you build up a certain immunity. I flew with such men and knew them well - men frozen in time now like shadows in old group photos. After several flights with Ted Freeman, I was convinced he was one of our better pilots. C.C. Williams, a big, strapping six-footer who wouldn't let you dislike him, had flying skills that couldn't be faulted. What impressed me most about Charlie Bassett was his discipline, dedication, and fine mechanical skills. I once played a great practical joke on Ed Givens. Elliot See was another friend of mine. My children were playmates with their children, and they noticed that some of Daddy's friends sometimes didn't come home from work. This book brings these old colleagues and friends of mine back to life, and it is wonderful to see them finally get the attention they deserve in print. I highly recommend this book for a long overdue insight into my old friends and colleagues, who paid the ultimate price for us all. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   20 of 20 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars I thought I knew it all..., 4 Nov 2003 By A Customer This review is from: Fallen Astronauts: Heroes Who Died Reaching for the Moon (Hardcover) ... until I read this book. With so many books out there about space flight, particularly the 1960s, I thought all the stories were told. But I was wrong. This book tells the previously unknown stories of the men who would have been famous, if they hadn't died in tragic accidents before reaching their career peaks as astronauts and cosmonauts. Many have only been footnotes in the history books, and it is wonderful to see them finally come to life as fleshed-out humans, fascinating personalities whose lives were cut short all too soon. This is an essential book for anyone who thinks they had the whole story - they didn't, until now. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   19 of 19 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Poignant, Moving, Absorbingly Informative., 27 Nov 2003 By  "billmcw" - See all my reviews Poignant, moving, and absorbingly informative, "Fallen Astronauts" is an extraordinary, lasting tribute to America's astronauts and the Soviet Union's cosmonauts who reached for the moon, but tragically lost their lives while pursuing their goal. Equally important, authors Colin Burgess, Kate Doolan, and Bert Vis tell of the wrenching but inspiring effects of the fallen heroes losses on the lives of loved ones left behind, stories seldom told in accounts of the brave and courageous. While readers receive a capsule history of the early, pioneering days in the race to the moon, the book's mini-biographies tell us of the backgrounds, personalities, young lives, and good humor of those who risked so much and dared so magnificently. The depth and breadth of research and writing are evident, making clear to readers that each astronaut contributed greatly to advancing the mission, though their lives were grievously brief. Recollections of them by their wives and children, and the remarkable tributes on the surface of the moon by fellow astronauts, are touching, and bring warmth and balance to stories otherwise forever lost in the sparkling magic of space travel and discovery. "Fallen Astronauts" is a joy to read and adds a memorably eloquent dimension to the spectacular triumphs in space exploration. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 6 customer reviews...		Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent. This is a little-known area of spaceflight - about guys usually remembered for how they died. This book creates a much needed balance by explaining how they lived. Read more Published 19 months ago by D.Salter 5.0 out of 5 stars Clear, fact-filled, impressive. Burgess and Doolan have written a book that was long overdue. Instead of the usual rehash of facts well known, they have brought to the public the story of these heroes as human... Read more Published on 6 Nov 2003 by kcooper102 5.0 out of 5 stars A marvellous, must-read book and fitting tribute. This fascinating book chronicles a group of people who history has overlooked on the whole - the astronauts and cosmonauts who died in the quest to reach the Moon. Read more Published on 17 Oct 2003 Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 6 customer reviews...

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