Moondust

Description

In time for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing comes this edition of journalist Andrew Smith’s Moondust, now updated with a new Afterword, that tells the fascinating story of twelve astronauts who ventured to space, and his interviews with nine of the surviving men.The Apollo lunar missions of the 1960s and 1970s have been called the last optimistic acts of the twentieth century. Twelve astronauts made this greatest of all journeys and were indelibly marked by it, for better or for worse. Journalist Andrew Smith tracks down the nine surviving members of this elite group to find their answers to the question “Where do you go after you’ve been to the Moon?”

A thrilling blend of history, reportage, and memoir, Moondust rekindles the hopeful excitement of an incandescent hour in America’s past when anything seemed possible as it captures the bittersweet heroism of those who risked everything to hurl themselves out of the known world—and who were never again quite able to accept its familiar bounds.

The Apollo lunar missions of the 1960s and 1970s have been called the last optimistic acts of the twentieth century. Twelve astronauts made this greatest of all journeys and were indelibly marked by it, for better or for worse. Journalist Andrew Smith tracks down the nine surviving members of this elite group to find their answers to the question “Where do you go after you’ve been to the Moon?”

A thrilling blend of history, reportage, and memoir, Moondust rekindles the hopeful excitement of an incandescent hour in America’s past and captures the bittersweet heroism of those who risked everything to hurl themselves out of the known world — and who were never again quite able to accept its familiar bounds.

“Splendid!” “Wonderful… Smith examines [the questions] not just in the political context of the times but, refereshingly, with regard to the popular culture and the mood of the moment… A fascinating book, often poignant… but funny too.” “Smith’s book is an engrossing read, full of humor, insight, and appreciation for the vision and outright zaniness that marked the only human mission to another world.” “Smith’s mix of reporting and meditation is highly entertaining, and his superb book is a fitting tribute to a unique band of 20th-century heroes.” “Moondust is an inspired idea, immaculately executed: witty, affectionate, completely captivating.” “Fascinating…We know what happened inside the Apollo, but what went on inside the astronauts’ minds? Extremely thought-provoking.” “[A] fascinating book… [Smith’s] humour is underpinned by a sense of extreme danger.” “A rich mix of cultural history, reportage and personal reflection.” “Forget flower power, the Beatles and Beach Boys…what made the 1960s an unforgettable decade was the conquest of space.” “A crisply dramatic account.” “An extraordinary book…as profoundly as any work of philosophy.” “Smith is a graceful, easy-going writer, and this beguiling tale is replete with joyful wonder … Moondust belongs to the same “New Journalism” tradition as Tom Wolfe’s The Right Stuff.“ “A wonderful collective biography written with deftness, compassion and humour.” ‘Utterly gripping. Smith is both sympathetic and bracingly unsentimental.” ‘Enthralling…Smith is an ideal narrator: sharp-eyed yet increasingly affectionate about his subjects.” “Riveting…so vivid you can almost smell the suburban lawns.” “In an artful blend of memoir and popular history, Smith makes flesh-and-blood people out of icons and reveals the tenderness of his own heart.” “Spellbinding…a provocative meditation on lunar travel and humanity’s relation to space.” “A wild ride swerving between then and now.” “Smith’s book succeeds…because he bungee-cords together so many intriguing digressions.”

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