Apollo 11 Box [Box set] [Hardcover]

Smithsonian Institution (Author), Bob Craddock (Author), Smithsonian Institution The National Air and Space Museum (Contributor), National Air (Author), Space Museum Smithsonian Institution (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2003

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." These were the words heard around the world on July 20, 1969, as American astronauts accomplished the first manned lunar landing. People everywhere watched and waited as Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins embarked on a daring eight-day space voyage to a place where no one had gone before. This "museum in a box" features 16 meticulously reproduced artifacts from the Apollo 11 mission, from its heart-pounding launch to its triumphant splashdown.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Beautifully designed by Laura Lovett, Chronicle Books's latest clever gift box brings together reproductions of 16 artifacts from man's first trip to the moon. Among the goodies are a copy of the front page of the Washington Post dated Monday, July 21, 1969, an iron-on Apollo 11 mission badge and a government handout about the in-flight menu ("a typical dinner includes beef and potatoes, butterscotch pudding, brownies and grape punch"). Each of the original astronauts also contributed personal effects for facsimile in this "museum in a box." Neil Armstrong offered a humorously matter-of-fact travel voucher listing his trip as "Houston, Texas to Cape Kennedy, Fla., Moon, Pacific Ocean, Hawaii, and return." Buzz Aldrin gave the little snapshots of his children that he carried with him on the voyage. Michael Collins provided maps, star charts and the "Solo Book" he wrote in during the flight. The box also includes a small paperback book by planetary geologist Craddock, which chronicles the main events of each day of the mission. Though readers who have little previous knowledge of the landmark flight may have trouble piecing these artifacts together into a coherent record, this mini-museum, which is published in collaboration with the Smithsonian, makes a great gift for those already interested in astronomy and space exploration.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (October 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811837343
• ISBN-13: 978-0811837347
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.6 x 2.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,015,999 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Interesting Retrospective of Apollo 11, November 5, 2003

By 

Robert I. Hedges - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Apollo 11 Box (Hardcover)

This is one of the most unique items available to Apollo enthusiasts. It is basically a box full of souvenirs from Apollo 11. It contains replicas of several artifacts from the Apollo 11 mission contributed by the Astronauts (and from the Smithsonian). Sample contents are a replica of a page from Collins' 'solo book' he kept in the CM while Armstrong and Aldrin were on the moon, copies of photos of Aldrin's children left on the moon, and most amusingly a copy of Armstrong's travel voucher claiming as destination "moon."

There is also a brief and interesting short paperback book (more a pamphlet, actually) recounting highlights of the Apollo 11 mission. It doesn't contain any new revelations, but is a good general treatment of the mission.

I rated this as 5 stars for it's uniqueness and originality. Serious Apollo historians will not find any new information in the box set, but it IS an interesting compendium for anyone. This would also be perfect for someone just becoming interested in space flight, and could be handled by any reader from approximately ninth grade level.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review of Apollo 11 Box, February 23, 2006

By 

Binding Thread - See all my reviews

This review is from: Apollo 11 Box (Hardcover)

This was an excellent amount of artifacts from the Apollo 11 mission. The items chosen to be in the box were incredible, informative and of a high quality.