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Deke!: An Autobiography
 
 
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Deke!: An Autobiography [Paperback]

Donald K. Slayton (Author), Michael Cassutt (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)

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Book Description

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.

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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.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Forge Books (June 15, 1995)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 031285918X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0312859183
  • Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #225,476 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

39 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, October 11, 2004
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This review is from: Deke!: An Autobiography (Paperback)
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!
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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
This review is from: Deke!: An Autobiography (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!
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A True Hero.. Mercury to Flight Operations to Apollo-Soyuz, December 21, 2002
This review is from: Deke!: An Autobiography (Paperback)
As one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts, Deke Slayton was grounded before his Delta 7 seven flight (the one scheduled after Glenn's first orbital flight). Although disappointed, he overcame this set-back and became Director of Flight Operations which means he was responsible for the astronauts and flight selections. He had the respect of the group and treated them fairly.

DEKE is honest, objective, and written in a matter-of-fact manner. The most interesting part of the book is the "behind the scenes" information on crew selection and rotation. A very interesting fact is that Deke, Kraft, and Gilruth agreed that a Mercury astronaut would make the first landing on the moon if possible. Gus Grissom was unofficially tapped to take the first step on the moon prior to his tragic death on the pad for an Apollo 1 test.

Ten years after being grounded in Mercury, Deke gets clearance to fly in the joint US-Soviet Apollo-Soyuz mission. This was long overdue and add poetic justice for someone responsible, in large part, for NASA's success.

I recommend reading Chris Kraft's Flight book first. It gives a detailed historical perspective while DEKE fills the gaps. My respect for Deke Slayton is even greater than ever after reading this book.

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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
I guess when it comes to space and aviation, I've seen and done a lot in fifty years. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
lunar module flight, manned space business, backup commander, docking adaptor, astronaut office, module pilot, prime crew, flight crew operations, backup crew, new astronauts, translunar injection, fighter test, flying chase, docking module, test pilot school, descent stage, ascent stage, escape tower, command module, orbit test, manned lunar landing, flight director, landing mission, manned spaceflight, first orbit
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Chris Kraft, Dave Scott, North American, Bob Gilruth, John Young, Other Voices, Pete Conrad, Jim Lovell, Tom Stafford, Frank Borman, John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, George Low, United States, Wally Schirra, Gus Grissom, Charlie Duke, Gene Cernan, George Mueller, Mike Collins, Apollo Applications, Scott Carpenter, Gordo Cooper, Jim Webb, Manned Spacecraft Center
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