Review: Rocket Men: The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man's First Journey to the Moon by Robert Kurson

Title: Rocket Men: The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man's First Journey to the Moon
Author: Robert Kurson
Publisher: Random House
Publication Date: April 3, 2019
Edition: Kindle (357 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• Biography
• History
• Science
• Space Exploration
• Space Travel

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rocket Men: The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man's First Journey to the Moon chronicles the personal stories of the three astronauts who flew the Apollo 8 mission in December 1968. The risks. The unknowns. The culture of the day. The space race with the Soviets. The audacity of going to the moon. The expectations. The possibility of the Astronauts not returning. All of this at a time of political and cultural change and uncertainty.

To date, this is one of the best books I have read chronicling this space journey. It captures not only the personalities of many involved, but also the mood of the country and the world in December of 1968. I was a young girl then, and this book brings me back to that time. When you read this book, you will see, from the window of history, what was happening from several perspectives, and, if you're like me, you will find yourself caught up in the magic, awe and reverence of the universe and the men and women who choose to explore it. Many can write the details of this journey, but Robert Kurson captures the very essence of it, the times and the men who undertook the journey to the moon. With the fiftieth anniversary of the moon landing approaching, I highly recommend this book because it captures our journey to the moon which Apollo 8 began.