Customer Reviews

The Last Man on the Moon: Astronaut Eugene Cernan and America's Race in Space

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Selected with the third group of American astronauts in 1963, Eugene Cernan "walked" in space as the pilot of Gemini 9, went around the Moon on Apollo 10, then returned there as the Commander of Apollo 17, the last lunar landing mission. A successful and interesting career even for astronaut standards. His autobiography, "The Last Man on the Moon", offers a personal account of those glory days of space exploration.

Throughout the book, Cernan portrays himself as a competitive workaholic, and it shows: there are a few introductory chapters on Gene's childhood and career as a naval aviator, and a brief afterthought on life after NASA, but the bulk of "Last Man" is about the space program, the space program, and the space program. Training and mission planning, the mechanics of crew selection, descriptions of his colleagues and anecdotes about their extracurricular activities, it's all there. The flights themselves are recounted in vivid detail, including a nauseatingly dangerous EVA on Gemini 9 and geology trips through the lunar valley of Taurus-Littrow. Overall, as Cernan later reflects, it feels "as if I was getting off one fast-moving express train only to immediately board another", and describes well the hectic and busy pace of the Moon race.

Underlying it all, and well in evidence, is the aggressive "right stuff" attitude usually found with this elite of pilots. It's easy to mistake Gene's self-confidence for arrogance, but he also displays plenty of humour and self-ironic jabs. Cernan was one of the more personable and gregarious astronauts, who clearly enjoyed the social perks that came with the job, and it's this mixture of cocky determination and laid-back charm that make his autobiography a gripping read. Indeed, "Last Man" is a page-turner in the real sense of the word. Particularly enlightening is the episode that saw Geno decline a LM pilot seat on Apollo 16, a gamble that paid off and in the end brought him command of his own mission. So is his relationship with geologist-astronaut Jack Schmitt, whom Cernan only grudgingly accepted on his crew. After some initial macho reservations against the "pebble-pusher", he learned to respect Schmitt as a tireless worker and supremely gifted individual who helped make Apollo 17 the most well rounded team of all. In between, with the lunar module on Apollo 10 spinning out of control for a moment, or a helicopter crash in training, there are enough close calls for several lifetimes.

The human qualities of the book show when Gene talks about his wife, Barbara, and the ordeals she had to go through, with an often absent husband in a dangerous job, while always displaying the brave "Mrs. Astronaut" to the public world. Ultimately, this ordeal led to the disintegration of Cernan's first marriage, and he speaks with a heightened sense of value about his family of today and his grandchildren. Such a sense of deep appreciation and philosophical reflection also shines through when Gene recounts his awe as one of only twelve humans to ever set foot on the Moon, "looking up at the cobalt Earth immersed in infinite blackness", and how the unique experience might have changed him. These are moments that he clearly treasures deeply, that left him with a restless yearning forever after. Cernan seems sad, not selfish, thinking that the accomplishments of the ten years of Apollo would probably take twice as long today, in a much more cautious and conservative age of spacefaring. And he expresses a sense of guilt at feeling unable to truly share what he saw in space with the rest of the world.

Geno needn't have worried there, for "The Last Man on the Moon" is a fabulous book. Well-written and informative, it leaves little to be desired. Perhaps, given the awe-inspiring nature of the subject, some chapters fly by just a tad too quickly, and one could have wished for a little more detail here, or a little deeper thought there. Overall, though, there are few better astronaut biographies. The page-turner qualities, Cernan's unique perspective (here is one of the three guys who went to the Moon twice!) and a subtle, but strong sense of philosophical reflection make for a very worthwhile read, not only for space enthusiasts.

I loved the book! I have had it for ten months and must have read it five times. I was just a young Australian schoolboy when Geno went around the moon with Apollo 10 and yet I remember that flight, and especially the one that followed, as if it was yesterday. Like others, I love the book's personal touch. Gone is the techno fuzz typical of so many books on the space age. Geno tells it like it was: pride, glory, pain, sadness, fun, love, tragedy. The only disappointment - and a small one - is that I wanted to know more. More about him, more about his family, more about 1972-1998, a period that passes in the book like a stolen second. Americans should feel proud of what Geno and his colleagues did. The moon landing (along with the U.S.'s involvement in World War II) was perhaps America's greatest hour. Geno I hope you read this, I hope life gives us an opportunity to meet Down-under sometime.

Who needs Buzz Lightyear for a hero. I had Gene Cernan.

Eugene Cernan was the last man to walk on the moon. When he stepped back into his spacecraft, Apollo 17, in December of 1972, another human would not venture to the moon, much less feel its surface for the remainder of the 20th century, and most likely well into the 21st century.

Cernan tells the story of how he became an astronaut, his three fights into space, and finally his culminating achievement - his 3-day stay on the surface of the moon. It is an intriguing story, which gives insights into the many perils of space exploration, the stringent qualifications and training of the astronauts, the tremendous personal and professional sacrifices made, and finally the unique toughts and feelings of one who has actually cavorted and explored the moon's alien surface. As an amateur sky-watcher, I already had a keen interest in space travel and moon exploration, but I think anyone with even a passing interest in space or science would find this book interesting and a good read.

I learned some things from Cernan's book. I was surprised at the amount of in-fighting that went on between the astronauts in regards to their pecking order for spaceflights, and the clashing of their (well-deserved) egos. I also learned about the many close-calls that several space flights experienced that were buried by NASA and were never made public. I also appreciated the conflicts and tension that being an astronaut had on one's marriage. Cernan and many other astronauts suffered through the sorrows of divorce because of the immense time away, and training that NASA expected of their heros.

While not a gripping page-turner, this book is still an entertaining and informational book about NASA and our race to get to the moon before the Russians. The reader will gain personal insights into the people inside of the space suits, and will get to experience first-hand the experience of walking on the moon. Recommended.

Jim "Konedog" Koenig

I've read the other reviews and found almost everyone felt the same as I about this great book. For one who is still involved in space activities, this book inspired me to keep my focus. Gene's attempt to place reader at a a very personal level was the best I've ever experienced. The personal touch helped convey a message to me that I'm not sure even Gene knew he was accomplishing. I've read many inspirational books, but none from such a straight forward gutsy fashion. This was real, it happened, he was part of it and it was hard; damned hard. The transgressions, anger, pressure, fears, and all the other emotions are part of this business and Gene puts it in a way that really communicates. I liked every morsel of this book, it is a study in and of itself. This is a book about LEADERSHIP that everyone can read, enjoy and learn from.

Gene Cernan's memoir is among the first rank of space program books. What sets this work apart is the focus on intensely personal matters. Cernan highlights the competition for flights, with sharp comments about his colleagues and rivals. Many other astronauts get high praise, with notable exceptions, such as Buzz Aldrin. Some reviewers didn't appreciate the personal comments, whereas I felt they made the book more interesting.

There's a distinction between perhaps not liking a guy for what he says and the quality and flow of the writing, which I consider excellent. Often, it's as if Cernan were right there chatting. Even in showing some ego, Mr. Cernan also made no bones about being relatively lucky. He covers the surprise invitation to try out for the program and his surprising acceptance against stiff competition. He also admits he was in the middle of the pack in his group, and on the edge of getting a flight. If not for the deaths of Elliott See and Charlie Bassett, Cernan might be unknown. The candor is refreshing. Well, except for maybe the name dropping about big shots and Hollywood stars.

Even more surprising is the frank discussion of his marriage to Barbara, which eventually failed. I can't help but wonder what she thought of her presentation, ranging from the attractive partner to the highly skilled "astronaut wife" and on to the crushing side of being the dutiful wife. Cernan does not spare himself from blame by any means. The quote of the book may well be Barbara's: someone asked, "How do you feel about Gene going to the Moon?" She answered instantly. "If you think going to the Moon is hard, try staying home."

Cernan gives more coverage of Gemini than the typical book, with again quite a bit on speculation about crew rotations, and a strong segment on Gemini 9 and his near-fatal spacewalk. Another highlight is the opening chapter on Apollo 1 and the fire, of profound significance to Cernan as a member of the backup crew and friend and neighbor of Roger Chaffee. His pain was still there thirty years later.

Apollo 10's coverage has just the right feel, with Cernan possibly still shaking his head in recalling their near crash, "a fifteen-second lifetime during which we made about eight cartwheels above the Moon, and Tom jerked Snoopy back onto a tight leash. Ole Mumbles do know how to fly. After analyzing the data, experts surmised that we had continued spinning for only two more seconds, Tom and I would have crashed." That text again reflects the attractive conversational style.

Apollo 17 probably gets fewer pages than some readers may wish. The play-by-play of the EVAs is fairly brief, which may just as well be left to the non-memoir books. Cernan tries to spend more time on his feelings, the interactions with Schmitt, and some key moments, such as the orange soil and the broken fender.

Readers should also watch part 12 of "From the Earth to the Moon" for its segment on Apollo 17. My copy of the memoirs is signed by Cernan, Stafford, and co-author Don Davis. It's an excellent book, even unsigned!

I knew almost nothing about Gene Cernan before I read this book. It's a shame it took me so long to discover him, because Cernan is a compelling and entertaining storyteller, as well as a very typical example of what he himself calls the "macho fighter pilot" ethos that Tom Wolfe chronicled in The Right Stuff. Compared to several other books that I've read about the U.S. space program in the 1960s-70s (Aldrin, Shepherd/Slayton, Kranz), Cernan gives us an a more objective and unflinching picture of the jockeying for flight assignments and the clashes between strong, ambitious personalities that roiled NASA's Astronaut Office. He also speaks frankly about the disastrous effects that the demands of being an astronaut had on several "picture-perfect" astronaut families, including his own. All of these were unmentionable topics at the time, and are still not talked about frequently today. However, the book is not only about the negative aspects of the space program. Cernan spends quite a bit of time describing the wonders that he experienced orbiting the earth and walking on the moon. Highly recommended.

The Last Man on the Moon is a great book that offers a great depiction of his three flights: Gemini 9 in 1965 with Tom Stafford, Apollo 10 in 1969 with Tom Stafford and John Young, and Apollo 17 in 1972 with Harrison Schmitt and Ron Evans. His narrative of the Gemini 9 mission is gripping, and it is one of the closest calls in the history of spaceflight. In May 1969 he traveled to lunar orbit and took the lunar module Snoopy down to within a few miles of the lunar surface in the final dress rehersal for the Apollo 11 moon landing. Finally, Cernan and Schmitt became the last men to walk on the moon to this date with the Apollo 17 flight in December 1972. Cernan is candid in his description of his flights and other historical missions such as Apollo 11 and Apollo 13, and offers some new information about the famous flights. He stays away from technical data, and devotes his time to telling a throughly ingrossing account of his three flights and the space race in general, with the feel of a story recalled among friends. Some of the reviewers here have said that Cernan does not spend a lot of time describing his moon landing, Apollo 17. Well, Cernan tells about the crew selection, training, the voyage outbound to the moon, and the three excursions to the Valley of Taurus-Littrow in the last few chapters. If you want to get more information regarding the scientific data obtained from Apollo 17, you should read "Exploring the Moon" or "To a Rocky Moon." And in the last chapter, Cernan devotes a lot of time to sentimental feelings about our future destiny in space and inspiring young people in this country to take up the challenge. Cernan has always attempted to unite the passion of future space explorers. When stepping off the lunar surface on Apollo 17, he said this, "As I step off the Moon and Taurus-Littrow, I'd just like to say what I believe history will record, that America's challenge of today will forge man's desiny for tommorow. Godspeed the crew of Apollo 17." With that, he returned to the lunar module Challenger with his crewmate, professional geologist Harrison "Jack" Schmitt, and blasted off from Taurus-Littrow. And we haven't returned to the moon since.

If you have an interest in the space program this is the book for you. Not only does Capt. Cernan take you through one exciting adventure after another he also gives you unique insights into what was going on behind the scenes and what he was thinking as these historic events (which he was often involved in) took place. A fantastic reminder of what it was like when nations were in the midst of a white hot cold war. Gene also gives us a view into the personal rewards and the personal price paid to be a true American Hero. You will have trouble putting it down. The terror of the space walk will give you cold chills. Enjoy!

When I started to read The Last Man on the Moon I wondered: What did it feel like to walk in space and on the moon? I got more than I bargained for. I enjoyed one of the greatest true adventures of all times when Cernan removed the shackles of the earth and took me to places where few have gone.

Cernan's book is exceptional at describing what it felt like to be an astronaut in the 1960s and what it was like to walk in space and on the moon.

One of the parts I could relate to best was his descriptions of a space walk during a Gemini mission and his moon walks. His descriptions of a pressurized suit that was tough to move and navigate in were amazing. As a diver who has been to places such as the Galapagos islands (with cold waters) I know what its like to have a life support system and bulky suit. Cernan's descriptions helped me understand (just a little) what it is like to walk in space and on the moon.

There were many close calls in the space programs that were truly nail biters. For example, during the Apollo 10 mission Gene Cernan discusses Tom Stafford and himself spinning out of control while just above the moon. The countless hours of training and razor sharp skills of the astronauts saved them. Stafford pulled them out at the last couple of seconds just before they would have crashed into the moon.

There were also stories of tragedies such as the loss of the three men in the fire of Apollo 1. Everyone on the space program was deeply saddened. Afterwards everyone's resolve to go to the moon safely reached a new level of commitment.

The book is definitely a page turner with many amusing antidotes. One story that sticks out in my mind is when Cernan explains that the early astronauts were like rock stars (they could do almost anything they wanted to). For example, they would let there wives know they were coming home in the evening by flying right over their homes with their jets before landing at a local base (a true flyby). Then they would jump into their Corvettes and drive like a bats out of h**l to their homes screeching into the driveways. This is stuff that legends are made of.

Cernan writing style is engaging and fascinating. He is both a strong Critical Thinker and philosopher rolled into one.

For example, in one telling excerpt he discusses the importance of going to the moon as a commander, not just walking on it. His thoughts are summed up when he says: "I have always believed that destiny is a matter of personal choice, where you carefully think out your decision, consider the downside, accept the risk of being wrong, and press on."

Cernan eloquently writes about his passion for space travel when he says: "Our legacy is that humans are no longer shackled to the Earth. We opened the door to tomorrow, and our trips to another celestial body will rank as the ultimate triumph in the Age of Achievement. And for the price, it was the biggest bargain in history."

He goes on to say: "Sometimes it seems that Apollo came before its time. President Kennedy reached far into the twenty-first century, grabbed a decade of time and slipped it neatly into the 1960's and 1970s."

I have been fortunate to meet Gene Cernan on a few occasions at Astronaut gatherings in the past couple of years. He is one of the greatest advocates for the space program and is a gentleman and a scholar. He still has a bounce in his step and a twinkle in his eye...and I wouldn't be surprised if he has a little mischief in him as well.

Once at a dinner I was sitting at Cernan's table and someone asked him whether seeing the moon was different from earth orbit or from the moon.

Gene Cernan got very quiet and thoughtful and said that it was entirely different. He went on to say that from orbit the earth is beautiful with its blue oceans, majestic large land masses and more. Then he paused and got very serious. He said from the moon the view of the earth was unbelievable. He went on to say that seeing this little blue ball that hung in black space by an invisible string (axis) that it turned on was unbelievable. You could see in his eyes that he had a life changing experience when he saw it from the front porch of the moon many years ago.

There are several excellent books on the early space program. The Last Man on the Moon is one of the best of the best.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

This is a pretty light (and light-hearted) account of one of the most experienced astronauts in NASA history. Really, just a re-hashing of the program and the space race with only a few new details (Gemini space-walking problems...Apollo 17 details). This only serves as a decent compliment to Chaiken's "Man on the Moon" and pales in astronaut biography to Lovell's "Lost Moon". Not a totally bad read, but not great history either...