Deke!: An Autobiography [Paperback]

Donald K. Slayton (Author), Michael Cassutt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 1995

Deke Slayton was one of the first seven Mercury astronauts--and he might have been the first American in space. Instead, he became the first chief of American Astronaut Corps. It was Deke Slayton who selected the crews who flew the Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab missions. It was Deke Slayton who made Neil Armstrong the first man on the moon.

Deke! is Deke Slayton's' story--told in his own words and in the voices of the men and women who worked with him and knew him best. Deke Slayton's knowledge of how the .S. manned space program worked is the missing piece of every space buff's puzzle. Now, after decades of silence, he tells his priceless stories of those years when American was engaged in the greatest voyage of exploration in human history.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

For 20 years Slayton, one of the original Mercury astronauts, ran the Astronaut Office at the Manned Spacecraft (later Johnson) Space Center in Houston, a position he assumed after being pulled off his Mercury flight for a minor heart ailment. In that capacity, he played a central role in selecting new astronauts and especially in assembling flight crews. In these posthumously published memoirs, he gives his account of those early years of U.S. manned spaceflight. Compared with the recent Moonshot (LJ 4/15/94), which he coauthored, this book allows the reader to get a sense of the man, of how a farm boy from Wisconsin ended up deciding who would be the first man on the moon and who finally, at the age of 51, got his own spaceflight on the Apollo Soyuz mission-the last Apollo flown. As another valuable addition to the recent first-hand accounts of NASA's early days, this book is highly recommended for public and academic libraries.
Thomas J. Frieling, Bainbridge Coll., Ga.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

The autobiography of one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts, this is one of the best additions to the literature of the early American space effort. Slayton, who'd first flown as a World War II bomber pilot, came to the space program by a somewhat circuitous route. He was grounded in 1962 because of a heart murmur, and actually flew as an astronaut only once, in the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz mission. He was head of the astronaut office, however, and as such, one of the key persons involved in selecting crew, a process he describes with an insider's knowledge of detail and considerable frankness about the virtues and limitations of his colleagues. At the same time, Slayton never lost, nor will his readers miss, the sense of wonder with which space was contemplated in the days when it was a high and gallant dream. Roland Green --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books; Reprint edition (June 15, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031285918X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312859183
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #565,091 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book October 11, 2004

By W. Smith

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

A revealing story of the least known of the original mercury astronauts, this book gives great details of Deke's life from the beginning of his childhood to his tragic death. Deke, himself knew of the brain tumor which eventually ended his life. He was worried that it would affect his memory, so we are able to benefit from his detailed recollections. Lucky for us that he was able to complete the book. This is a rare insight into a hero, written at a time in his life were he was very reflective. He obviously wanted to leave an accurate picture of his life (maybe his perceived misjudgment of Gus Grissom in "The Right Stuff" was a motivation). In any event, thanks Deke! I hope to meet you one day!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Details about life in the early astronaut office. February 25, 2005

By Michael Ireland

Format:Paperback

The best insiders book about the early astronaut office. It has so much good stuff about which astronaut was assigned what duties and a good behind the scenes view of each spaceflight. There are also good stories about some of the lesser known astronauts who never flew in space. A great book!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Another must-have memoir January 31, 2002

By Kevin W. Parker VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

It would be hard to pick any one key figure in the race to land men on the moon, but Deke Slayton would have to be on the short list. Grounded from Mercury, he went on to head the Astronaut Office, deciding who would become an astronaut, who would fly and when, and, eventually, who would walk on the moon.

This is his story, from his childhood through to his work with Space Services, trying to establish an independent launch capability from NASA's government rockets.

Of course, the key part is his career with NASA, from being selected as a Mercury astronaut through Gemini and Apollo and finally getting to fly on Apollo-Soyuz. It's a unique inside viewpoint, and he tells it with frank detail. A little more polished than Gene Kranz's book, it ends up coming across as a bit more matter-of-fact and less from the heart, though no less upfront for all that. In particular, the recounting of the Apollo 1 fire is less rending than Kranz's.

Interspersed with the autobiography are interesting bits entitled "Other Voices," as his colleagues and, in a couple of instances, his son give their perspective on a particular incident or situation. It makes for an interesting enhancement to the main text and most worthwhile.

Along with Kranz's book, this is another must-have memoir of the golden age of NASA,