First Man

First Man
Author: James R. Hansen
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 755
Release: 2012-11-27
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1476727813

On July 20, 1969, the world stood still to watch American astronaut Neil A. Armstrong become the first person ever to step on the surface of another heavenly body. Upon his return to Earth, Armstrong was celebrated for his monumental achievement. He was also--as NASA historian Hansen reveals in this authorized biography--misunderstood. Armstrong's accomplishments as an engineer, a test pilot, and an astronaut have long been a matter of record, but Hansen's access to private documents and unpublished sources and his interviews with more than 125 subjects (including more than fifty hours with Armstrong himself) yield the first in-depth analysis of this elusive, reluctant hero.

First Steps

First Steps
Author: Jeremy DeSilva
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 389
Release: 2021-04-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0062938517

Winner of the W.W. Howells Book Prize from the American Anthropological Association and named one of the best science books of 2021 by Science News “DeSilva takes us on a brilliant, fun, and scientifically deep stroll through history, anatomy, and evolution, in order to illustrate the powerful story of how a particular mode of movement helped make us one of the most wonderful, dangerous and fascinating species on Earth.”—Agustín Fuentes, Professor of Anthropology, Princeton University and author of Why We Believe: Evolution and the Human Way of Being “Breezy popular science at its best. . . . Makes a compelling case overall.”—Science News Blending history, science, and culture, a stunning and highly engaging evolutionary story exploring how walking on two legs allowed humans to become the planet’s dominant species. Humans are the only mammals to walk on two, rather than four legs—a locomotion known as bipedalism. We strive to be upstanding citizens, honor those who stand tall and proud, and take a stand against injustices. We follow in each other’s footsteps and celebrate a child’s beginning to walk. But why, and how, exactly, did we take our first steps? And at what cost? Bipedalism has its drawbacks: giving birth is more difficult and dangerous; our running speed is much slower than other animals; and we suffer a variety of ailments, from hernias to sinus problems. In First Steps, paleoanthropologist Jeremy DeSilva explores how unusual and extraordinary this seemingly ordinary ability is. A seven-million-year journey to the very origins of the human lineage, First Steps shows how upright walking was a gateway to many of the other attributes that make us human—from our technological abilities, our thirst for exploration, our use of language–and may have laid the foundation for our species’ traits of compassion, empathy, and altruism. Moving from developmental psychology labs to ancient fossil sites throughout Africa and Eurasia, DeSilva brings to life our adventure walking on two legs. Delving deeply into the story of our past and the new discoveries rewriting our understanding of human evolution, First Steps examines how walking upright helped us rise above all over species on this planet. First Steps includes an eight-page color photo insert.

First Man on the Moon

First Man on the Moon
Author: Ben Hubbard
Publisher: Wayland
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2020-07-07
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 9781526310668

A gripping illustrated account of the historic first moon landings in July 1969, celebrating the 50th anniversary of this milestone in space exploration Pacey, accessible text recounts the story of the first moon landing, from its beginnings in the Space Race, to early missions, the successful Apollo 11 voyage, Armstrong's legendary first steps on the moon and the astronauts' heart-stopping return to Earth Fully illustrated throughout, with fresh, modern artwork breathing new life into this famous story. Perfect for readers aged 8 and up.

Rocket Men

Rocket Men
Author: Robert Kurson
Publisher: Random House
Total Pages: 402
Release: 2018-04-03
Genre: History
ISBN: 0812988728

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The riveting inside story of three heroic astronauts who took on the challenge of mankind’s historic first mission to the Moon, from the bestselling author of Shadow Divers. “Robert Kurson tells the tale of Apollo 8 with novelistic detail and immediacy.”—Andy Weir, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Martian and Artemis By August 1968, the American space program was in danger of failing in its two most important objectives: to land a man on the Moon by President Kennedy’s end-of-decade deadline, and to triumph over the Soviets in space. With its back against the wall, NASA made an almost unimaginable leap: It would scrap its usual methodical approach and risk everything on a sudden launch, sending the first men in history to the Moon—in just four months. And it would all happen at Christmas. In a year of historic violence and discord—the Tet Offensive, the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert Kennedy, the riots at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago—the Apollo 8 mission would be the boldest, riskiest test of America’s greatness under pressure. In this gripping insider account, Robert Kurson puts the focus on the three astronauts and their families: the commander, Frank Borman, a conflicted man on his final mission; idealistic Jim Lovell, who’d dreamed since boyhood of riding a rocket to the Moon; and Bill Anders, a young nuclear engineer and hotshot fighter pilot making his first space flight. Drawn from hundreds of hours of one-on-one interviews with the astronauts, their loved ones, NASA personnel, and myriad experts, and filled with vivid and unforgettable detail, Rocket Men is the definitive account of one of America’s finest hours. In this real-life thriller, Kurson reveals the epic dangers involved, and the singular bravery it took, for mankind to leave Earth for the first time—and arrive at a new world. “Rocket Men is a riveting introduction to the [Apollo 8] flight. . . . Kurson details the mission in crisp, suspenseful scenes. . . . [A] gripping book.”—The New York Times Book Review

Magnificent Desolation

Magnificent Desolation
Author: Buzz Aldrin
Publisher: A&C Black
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2009-08-17
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1408807106

_________________________ THE ESSENTIAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE SECOND MAN ON THE MOON _________________________ 'Thrilling ... years on, the raw facts of the adventure remain beguiling and the bravery of the astronauts compelling' - SUNDAY TIMES 'Exciting and moving' - DAILY EXPRESS _________________________ Buzz Aldrin, one of the three men who took part in the first moon landing in 1969, is a true American hero. Magnificent Desolation begins with the story of his voyage into space, which came within seconds of failure, and reveals a fascinating insider's view of the American space programme. But that thrilling adventure was only the beginning, as Aldrin battled with his own desolation in the form of depression and alcoholism. This epic journey encompasses the brutally honest tale of Aldrin's self-destruction, and the redemption that came through finding love when hope seemed lost. _________________________ 'Buzz Aldrin might not have been the first man to walk on the Moon, but of all the astronauts to have been there, none of them has articulated their predicament with quite such wisdom and sensitivity' - MAIL ON SUNDAY

First on the Moon

First on the Moon
Author: Rod Pyle
Publisher: Union Square + ORM
Total Pages: 501
Release: 2019-04-02
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1454932406

“Iconic images of the Space Age . . . a narrative that takes the Apollo 11 story up to the present, supplemented by moonwalker Buzz Aldrin’s foreword.” —GeekWire Acclaimed science author Rod Pyle (Missions to the Moon) returns with a beautiful and insightful book commemorating Apollo 11. First on the Moon offers an exciting behind-the-scenes look at America’s journey to the Moon—from the space race to the landing on the Sea of Tranquility to splashdown on Earth and the aftermath. Pyle spent years combing NASA archives and private collections for memorabilia from the mission, and the book includes everything from accessible explanations of the enormous challenges facing NASA to reproductions of original 1969 documents. It also features a number of specially commissioned photocompositions created from NASA Apollo images released in 2015. Many were parts of photomontages taken by the astronauts, and these compositions have now been carefully restored to their originally intended montage formats. With compelling firsthand accounts and a gripping narrative, this gorgeously designed volume fully immerses readers in the Space Age. Includes a foreword by Buzz Aldrin, and exclusive interviews with the adult children of the Apollo 11 astronauts. “Combines firsthand accounts of the mission, archival photos, reproductions of mission documents and more to tell the story of the Apollo program, the technology created to make it happen and the forces driving it . . . Experienced space writer (and Space.com contributor) Rod Pyle weaves it all together with a deft hand to tell the story of an era.” —Space.com

Save the Cat!(r) Writes for TV

Save the Cat!(r) Writes for TV
Author: Jamie Nash
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2021-03-25
Genre:
ISBN: 9780984157693

Blake Snyder's Save the Cat!®, the world's top-selling story method for filmmakers and novelists, introduces The Last Book on Creating Binge-Worthy Content You'll Ever Need. ​Screenwriter Jamie Nash takes up Snyder's torch to lay out a step-by-step approach using Blake's principles so that both new and experienced writers can learn how to: -Use all the nuances, tricks, and techniques of pilot-writing (The Opening Pitch, The Guided Tour, The Whiff of Change) with examples from today's hottest series -Discover the Super-Secret Keep It On The Downlow TV Pitch Template that combines all the critical points of your amazing TV series into one easy-to-read-over-lunch high-level document -Define the 9 TV Franchise Types -Crack your story using the Save the Cat! beat sheet -Devise high-level series concepts with multi-season potential -Map out and organize TV pilots and multi-season shows -Break down the best and most diverse TV series using examples from Atlanta, Barry, Ozark, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, What We Do in the Shadows, Black-ish, The Mandalorian, Law and Order: SVU and more -Create layered characters who are driven by complex internal struggles It's time for Save the Cat! Writes for TV to help you create your binge-worthy TV series!

Apollo 11

Apollo 11
Author: David Whitehouse
Publisher: Icon Books
Total Pages: 214
Release: 2019-06-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1785785133

'Terrific and enthralling' New Scientist Fifty years ago, in July 1969, Apollo 11 became the first manned mission to land on the Moon, and Neil Armstrong the first man to step on to its surface. He and his crewmates, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, were the latest men to risk their lives in this extraordinary scientific, engineering and human venture that would come to define the era. In Apollo 11: The Inside Story, David Whitehouse reveals the true drama behind the mission, putting it in the context of the wider space race and telling the story in the words of those who took part – based around exclusive interviews with the key players. This enthralling book takes us from the early rocket pioneers to the shock America received from the Soviets' launch of the first satellite, Sputnik; from the race to put the first person into space to the iconic Apollo 11 landing and beyond, to the agonising drama of the Apollo 13 disaster and the eventual winding-up of the Apollo program. Here is the story as told by the crew of Apollo 11 and the many others who shared in their monumental endeavour. Astronauts, engineers, politicians, NASA officials, Soviet rivals – all tell their own story of a great moment of human achievement.

Breaking the Chains of Gravity

Breaking the Chains of Gravity
Author: Amy Shira Teitel
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 313
Release: 2015-10-22
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1472911199

The incredible story of spaceflight before the establishment of NASA. NASA's history is a familiar story, one that typically peaks with Neil Armstrong taking his small step on the Moon in 1969. But America's space agency wasn't created in a vacuum. It was assembled from pre-existing parts, drawing together some of the best minds the non-Soviet world had to offer. In the 1930s, rockets were all the rage in Germany, the focus both of scientists hoping to fly into space and of the German armed forces, looking to circumvent the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles. One of the key figures in this period was Wernher von Braun, an engineer who designed the rockets that became the devastating V-2. As the war came to its chaotic conclusion, von Braun escaped from the ruins of Nazi Germany, and was taken to America where he began developing missiles for the US Army. Meanwhile, the US Air Force was looking ahead to a time when men would fly in space, and test pilots like Neil Armstrong were flying cutting-edge, rocket-powered aircraft in the thin upper atmosphere. Breaking the Chains of Gravity tells the story of America's nascent space program, its scientific advances, its personalities and the rivalries it caused between the various arms of the US military. At this point getting a man in space became a national imperative, leading to the creation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, otherwise known as NASA.

One Small Step?

One Small Step?
Author: Gerhard Wisnewski
Publisher: CLAIRVIEW BOOKS
Total Pages: 632
Release: 2007-01-01
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1905570120

From the very first manned flight into orbit right up to the present day, there have been serious anomalies in the official narrative of the conquest of space. Bestselling author Gerhard Wisnewski dissects the history in minute detailfrom the first Russian missions to the final American moon project of Apollo 17looking at films, photos, radio communications, personal statements, and other available material. Using forensic methods of investigation, he pieces together a complex jigsaw depicting a disturbing picture of falsifications, lies, and fakery in the Cold War struggle for supremacy between the Soviet Union and the United States. The evidence he presents casts serious doubt on the possibility of humans ever having walked on the moon.