Michener has always been one of my favorite authors. His works have had a profound impact on me. When he passed away, I was truly devastated. I mourned the loss of any potential future books that he might have written.

Coincidentally, I worked in dialysis during the time when he was also on dialysis. Sadly, he made the decision to stop the treatments. It was a very sad day for all of his fans. However, my only consolation was that death from renal failure is not a painful experience.

I have always found his books to be extremely informative and utterly spellbinding. I first read "Caravans" in the early 70s and then spent many years devouring his older works, eagerly looking forward to each new release. I'm not entirely sure why I didn't read this particular book when it came out.

While reading this book recently, it made me wonder if Musk has read it. It has the power to spark interest in the space program in anyone who picks it up. It has even inspired me to start watching the stars more closely, to look up at the vastness of the universe and imagine all the possibilities that lie beyond.

Great parallel to the drama of the real space race.

The narrative whips through the years in the span of paragraphs, all in the name of rushing to the ultimate triumph of the moon landings. It vividly描绘s the excitement and challenges of the space exploration era.

The book’s latter theme of scientific knowledge vs. religion is just as contemporary now as it was 28 years ago. With the current state of NASA, the retirement of the Shuttle and the uncertainty of the Constellation program, the fate of Michener’s fictional space program might actually become our reality. This makes us reflect on the future of space exploration and the role of science and religion in it.

A must read for anyone who grew up staring up at the night sky. It will take you on a journey through the history of space exploration and make you think about the possibilities of the future.

I have spent the past few days in Space :). What a trip!

It has been an absolutely astonishing experience. I am truly mind boggled at the incredible amount of knowledge and skills that the scientists, politicians, and astronauts had to acquire and put into practice for our space program.

Their dedication and hard work are truly humbling. To think about all the challenges they faced and overcame in order to make space exploration possible is simply amazing.

I feel so privileged to have had this opportunity to witness the wonders of space firsthand. It has opened my eyes to a whole new world and made me appreciate the efforts of those who came before me.

This trip has been a life-changing experience, and I will never forget it. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for space exploration and being a part of it in any way I can.

Always remember, John,

that you and I inhabit a relatively insignificant planet. This planet is attached to a rather unremarkable star,

which is located at the distant edge of a not-so-prominent galaxy.

Our time here is fleeting and brief.

And when we pass away, we will soon be forgotten by the world around us.

Moreover, one day, even the galaxies themselves will cease to exist.

Given this reality, the only moral principle that holds any real meaning and sense is to make the most of the short time that has been allotted to us.

We should strive to do something useful, something that will have a positive impact and leave a lasting legacy.

This way, we can make our brief existence on this minor planet truly worthwhile.

Like the trip to the moon itself, my odyssey with Space has finally been concluded...and it only took three years to complete!

I'm truly, deeply torn on how to rate this book. There were certain parts that I definitely got immersed in and was, quite frankly, fascinated by. Those segments were solid 4-star, bordering on 5. But then there were slower parts, and the historical inaccuracies unfortunately doomed this to a three for me.

The nuts and bolts of it is that this is a fictionalized look at the Space program through the eyes of 4 people (a Washington senator, a test pilot turned astronaut, a NASA scientist, and a German rocket expert). The book claims to also be about their wives, but with the exception of Penny Pope, it's pretty much just filler. The story kicks off in World War II and continues through the 80s, reviewing questions about the future of NASA. Along the way, we learn of the above individuals' involvement and philosophical differences. Some spoilers follow.

The structure and storylines are ripe for a re-telling, and for the most part, Michener gets it right. The different perspectives give a voice to some of the different arguments (manned flight vs. machine-only exploration, etc.). He also simplifies enough of the scientific aspects to keep the average non-techie interested. On the flip side, there are some parts that feel forced. Michener's strength lies in the long historical scales, told as vignettes with generations and a locale tying a story together. Take a place and a span of 300 or 1000 or 3000 years and use the evolving generations to link together a series of tales about history and mundane life. There are some famous folk, but mostly, we're dealing with ordinary people living ordinary lives. In contrast, Tales of the South Pacific has a similar feel of short stories, although over a shorter time window and in a shorter package.

Space, spanning 40 years, doesn't have that same feel. It feels more like a retelling. And the "normal" life routine doesn't work as well because of the well-known nature of almost all the ancillary characters (Von Braun, LBJ, Neil Armstrong, etc.). The day-to-day affairs of Rachel Mott don't hold the interest as they should. Where in Texas they might provide a 70 - 100 page summary of a cattle ranch in 1740, here it's just some fluff about the schooling of her kids without the weight of a real "tale" behind it. They do provide context for Stanley's philosophical musings, but that's about it. More robustly, I could have done without the Dr. Strabismus nonsense in every capacity. I can see the inclusion as the Science/Religion debate was a big part of the second half of the book. But the debate seemed unnecessary in the story, except for some argument about the expenditures being debated in the future of NASA towards the end of the book. It just felt like an angle that could have been dropped entirely.

It might sound all bad, but it's not. Parts were really good. The WWII escape from Germany for the rocket scientists was compelling and very interesting. Most of the test pilot stuff and the Korean War was also great. The actual space flight stuff from page 300 - 600 or so was also solid (I also appreciate the detail Michener went to describe the difficulties of making these processes work and the exact timing of the flights). Where I got lost was in the 1950 - 1960 period of inaction and the post-Moon speculation on the future of the program. It was at once slightly boring but did benefit from 30 years of history to be added to the speculation. In 1980, this might have caused serious debate among readers. In my opinion, the book should have ended in 1969 with a footnote about the shuttle and voyagers.

What really killed this book for me was the fabrications. I'm smart enough to know that Historical Fiction needs to be taken with a fairly large grain of salt. However, I give the author the benefit of the doubt that they're not taking too many liberties. Hence the use of fictional characters and not following Buzz Aldin directly. But the inclusion of Apollo 18, frankly, made me angry. To completely create a mission to add to the story took away too much from the rest of the story. It raised questions about everything else I've read regarding what is/isn't true. I later discovered that one of the Gemini missions focused on was also fabricated. I find this extremely frustrating. In the age of the internet, it's easy to verify what is fictional and what is not. But in 1983, when a trip to the library was required, I find it somewhat irresponsible on Michener's part. It's offensive to his readers and the memory of the space program. Having read 90% of his books, it makes me question the validity of everything I read. Take a book like Poland, which I loved, but have no other context for. How much of that was complete and thorough fabrication? Just my opinion, of course, but I think it's a disservice to the reader. Side note on this topic. Wikipedia is such a great contextual addendum to this topic. The ability to look up the items discussed and visualize the locations, spacecraft, mission charts, etc. made for a great supplement to the reading.

Now, some of my interpretation could be based on how I read this book. When my daughter was born in 2010, we often found ourselves out and about with her snoozing in the back seat. Rather than waking her up, it seemed a logical time to handle things like food shopping. I was usually relegated to the car since I've been told I'm not good at shopping. Before satellite radio and effective smart phones, I brought Space into my wife's car to read during these intervals. So, the first 300 pages of the book were read in 2 - 5 page bundles while she went into stores. As this became less common, I basically tailed off, picking up in earnest in Sept 2013 and finishing the remaining 500 or so pages. There are two takeaways here. 1. Reading in snippets and over that extended time period takes away from the storyline and the overall context of the characters. 2. There was nothing compelling enough about this book to make me want to bring it inside to finish a chapter or section. Lots of times I start books at night in bed and after a week of 15-minute snippets, it replaces my regular book because it's simply very compelling. This one, not so much.

As for the origin of this one - no idea. It's old and beat up. I suspect I grabbed it from a used bookstore somewhere, but I'm not sure.

This book is truly remarkable and is definitely going on my list of favourite books of all time. I was completely engrossed in all the scientific details it presented. As someone who has a deep love for space, this book was a real treat for me.

There is so much going on in this book. JAM has accurately predicted the far-right/religious-right influence on various aspects such as government, science, books, gender, and schools. It's quite astonishing to see how these predictions have come to fruition in our society.

The question of which is better, manned flight or instrument flight, is an interesting one. There are pros and cons to both. Manned flight allows for human intuition and decision-making in real-time, while instrument flight offers greater precision and reliability. It really depends on the specific circumstances and requirements of the mission.

Overall, this book has provided me with a lot to think about and has further deepened my interest in both science and society. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in these topics.

This is the very first book that I have read by Michener, and I absolutely adored it!

The book leads you through the beginnings of the space age, commencing right from World War 2 and concluding during the shuttle era of the early 1980s.

Although this book is historical fiction, I firmly believe that it offers a realistic outlook on how the intricacies of politics, science, and religion can have an impact on the progress of organizations such as NASA.

I took great pleasure in the characters presented in the book, and I was truly fascinated by learning about the early history of NASA.

The story was engaging and kept me hooked from start to finish. It provided a unique and interesting perspective on a significant era in human history.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in space exploration, history, or simply a good read.

3.6 - An Enjoyable Exploration of the Space Age

The exploration of the space age has been an incredibly exciting and enjoyable journey.

It has opened up new frontiers and expanded our understanding of the universe.

However, it must be admitted that in some aspects, the descriptions and discussions can be a bit long winded.

This might cause some readers to lose interest or feel overwhelmed.

Nevertheless, the overall experience of delving into the space age is still highly rewarding.

The vastness and mystery of space continue to captivate our imaginations.

From the first manned missions to the exploration of distant planets and galaxies, every step has been a remarkable achievement.

Despite the drawbacks of some long-winded sections, the exploration of the space age remains a fascinating and unforgettable adventure.

An amazing read, though it took me a bit to get through it. I have a close friend who dreams of joining NASA in some way. So, I took up this book to imagine those dreams and to gain a kind of background on the space program. Although this is a fictionalized account and not a facts-only driven record, it is a great start. I found its most nefarious character, Leopold Strabismus (his last name is actually the name of an eye disorder in which the eyes are misaligned). He tries to upend the scientific community out of sheer vengeance for his own college having thrown him out.

Really, in today's climate with the ease of the internet, people like him abound and throw more misinformation out there. And people with less education or even less understanding believe that everything they see is true or what they want to see is true. This book was published in 1982, and I think it is a very good book to have in the historical fiction collection. One thing I think it lacks, though, is just a page stating which parts are fictional. Some of the more recent historical books I have read, the author tells what parts were fictional, what characters were fictional or real but just the situation made up.

It's still a hefty read and worth it. The history content, much of which I was familiar with like Operation Paperclip, moon landing, and such. It just touched on wanting to work on a space telescope...we all know that to be the Hubble. The book ends with people arguing on either side of if the Space program is worth it. I've been seeing recent photos of what they are getting now from space, and really, I think all that focus on the stars is worth it.

All 832 pages were well worth the effort.

This is truly an American story that offers deep insights into the families of the USA Space Program and its remarkable growth.

The astronauts, test pilots, politicians, and others are all presented as real human beings with their own aspirations, disappointments, and achievements.

What makes this book very different from Michener's other works is that it contains less history and focuses more on current events.

It features many strong characters, but also many very weak ones.

This diverse cast of characters adds to the richness and complexity of the story, making it a captivating read that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish.

Whether you are interested in the space program, American history, or just a good story, this book is definitely worth checking out.

The sheer length of this book is truly rather daunting.

Moreover, the pace of Michener's novels is typically slow.

I have delved into non-fiction books regarding the space race and the moon missions as well.

I am willing to give this book a try, yet I highly doubt that I will be able to persevere through all of it.

Additionally, I discovered the mini-series based on this book on YouTube.

Let's拭目以待 and see just how good that turns out to be.

Perhaps the mini-series will offer a more engaging and accessible way to experience the story compared to the rather lengthy and slow-paced book.

It will be interesting to compare and contrast the two and see which one manages to capture the essence of the subject matter more effectively.

Only time will tell.

While it is true that the text is long and has its fair share of typos, these do not detract from the fact that this is an extraordinary story, masterfully told. Michener's style is clear and precise, and it is astonishing that, given the length of his books, he wastes not a single word.

The story of the US space programme is told through the eyes of four men and their families, spanning from the last year of World War 2 to the maiden and continuing voyages of the space shuttle. It takes a friendly yet critical look at the proceedings, even inventing a few events (but not to the extent of distorting recorded history) to make its points more salient.

I absolutely love it. It is filled with heart and love for all the characters and their diverse approaches to life. It celebrates competence, integrity, and honesty as virtues without ever crossing into the realm of preaching. Even the so-called villain of the piece is an exemplary and hardworking individual in his own field.

But this novel of recent history also makes a few predictions. It correctly posits the idea that there would be a revolt against the successes of the space programme and the associated scientific fields. Even more presciently, in the time that I am reading this, it predicts the rise of the anti-science crowd disguised as evangelical/fundamentalist religious charlatans.

It is a great read and a celebration of what we can achieve when given enough space and a large enough lever to use. Also, I am not ashamed to admit that there was a point in this novel where I shed manly tears.