Customer Reviews

Liftoff: The Story of America's Adventure in Space

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4 star:		(1)
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Fantastic! Michael Collins really knows how to write! He turns non-fiction material into a real page turner. I learned a lot from this book. It is well organized and includes a U.S. manned spaceflight log at the end. This book not only provides information about NASA from Mercury to the shuttle but also includes information on military research with aircraft predating the space program and how NASA itself was formed. Collins' own expeirience as an astronaut makes the book even more exciting. The first chapter is a detailed firsthand account of the Apollo 11 flight, the first mission to land on the moon, upon which Collins was a crew member. Later in the book he writes a similar type of account about his earlier Gemini 10 flight which involved an EVA (spacewalk). The illustrations are also beautiful. James Dean does a good job capturing the essence of space exploration in his detailed sketches. If you know nothing about NASA and want to learn, it's time to read this book!!! -Roxana Safipour

If you've ever read Michael Collins' "Carrying the Fire," you owe it to yourself to get a copy of "Liftoff."

In "Liftoff," Collins relates the history of NASA's spacecrafts and the people who created them. The best aspect of his story is that it is not a timeline of spacecraft A, spacecraft B, spacecraft C, etc. "Liftoff" is an appreciation of the clunky Mercury capsule, the complex and triumphant Apollo spacecrafts, the grace (or at least relative grace) of the space shuttle, and so many other NASA innovations.

Partnered alongside the machines are the early NASA pioneers who envisioned them. Collins lets you in on the aims behind their designs. He also writes about these men as professionals, some of them visionaries, and others just nuts-and-bolts engineers.

So "Liftoff" is a great read for what it is and what it is not. It is not a NASA history with the adventure, drama, and action of space flight (although that is often very exciting to read). Instead, it is a technical book for non-technical readers, a NASA history for non-space buffs, and a personal story about machines.

After reading Collins' "Carrying the Fire" and "Liftoff," I believe that no other author has ever written as well about NASA. Only Andrew Chaikin has come close with "A Man on the Moon." Collins transcends what an astronaut can say about space travel, and he does it with humor, an almost poetic fluidity, and the perspective of someone who was there.

I rarely look at a book for its pictures, but in "LIFTOFF" the illustrations are fabulous! I remember seeing this images reproduced in the exhibit "You Are Here, _Wondering_ Through the Solar System" at the Austin Children's Museum... by far the best part of that exhibit!

Michael Collins sure can write. Another excellent book. His Carrying The Fire was also 5 star( see my review). Collins has the ability to add detailed information for the average layman without getting too technical or dry. His writing is crisp and easy reading... a joy to read. Also there were many nice detailed drawings by James Dean. New for me was seeing the early pressure suit of Wiley Post...very strange.

We see Collin's Gemini 10 experiences, his space walk and his Apollo 11 moon mission with him in charge of the command module. He explained his responsibilities on Apollo 11. There is also some explanation of the LEM and the Saturn5 heavy lifter.

I've read almost all the Astronaut books. Liftoff is great in that various spacecraft are explained and a little how they actually were operated. Examples are Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and the shuttle.

We learn the problems Mike had on his EVA on Gemini 10 and the exciting work he did on Apollo 11.

For me this was the first book that helped explained Skylab's operation... showers, sleeping arrangements, recreation, scientific studies. etc. The part of viewing the Sun's Corona is explained. A scientist on Skylab previously wrote a book about it. As an amateur astronomer of over 40 years, Liftoff made me want to learn more... so I'm getting that sun book.

Also the shuttle was explained in depth. An A plus rating on Skylab and Shuttle explanation. The tragic loss of Apollo1 and crew and loss of shuttle Challenger and crew are compared and explained. Also the commissions that went over Apollo 1 , crew loss and Challenger and crew loss are told and what they found. The badly engineered O ring on Challenger and bad management ladder of who was supposed to know what and what was supposed to be passed up to the top and what wasn't is explained.

The basic solar system was explained.

I really liked the last chapter. Mike really nailed it explaining man's space exploration will expand and even someday go to the stars. Make sure you read the last chapter... an uplift optimistic evaluation of man's ability and hopefully future accomplishments. Do yourself a favor get both Carrying The Fire and Liftoff... both great 5 star books by a great writer and INMO a true American hero Michael Collins. Liftoff an excellent book helping explain some of the details of various spacecraft and the men and much later women that were in the missions. For me a lot of new information learned even after reading dozens of other Astronaut books.

Mike is also big into wanting us to go to Mars. As a life member of the Mars Society I agree 100%. Mike Collins is on the ball, a class act and knows what he is talking about. Thanks Mike Collins for an excellent book 5 stars and I do share your optimistic views about man someday reaching the stars.

P.S. As an unexpected nice occurrence, the used book I bought had Michael Collins autograph.

Liftoff is an overview of the US Space program from its beginning to the late '80s with personal stories and insights of the astronaut-author. The book doesn't try to be exhaustive on either the space program or Collins' role -- it makes a virtue of its quick pace. Collins brings a generous personality and entertaining style. The result is well balanced for depth vs. brevity, big history vs. personal detail and fact vs insight. Cesar's review had a good point about this being a technical book for non-technical readers -- I'd say technical ones as well, but there are many more detailed accounts elsewhere. It's also suitable for High School level readers. Adults, even with technical backgrounds, won't feel like they're reading something below their level.

Mr. Dean's illustrations deserve mention as well. They're clear, topical and well placed within the narrative -- something easier to do with line drawings than photographs. They were a successful choice instead of photos.

Collins' Carrying the Fire is also highly recommended. The style is similar but it is longer and more autobiographical.