NASA: The Complete Illustrated History [Hardcover]

Michael H. Gorn (Author), Buzz Aldrin (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2005

This book tells the remarkable story of space exploration from the early twentieth century to the present, with compelling coverage--including a wealth of illustrations--of every US space mission ever undertaken, including those of projects Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo, and the development of the Space Shuttle.  The exciting story is brought right up to the present by explaining the function of NASA's two windows in space: the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station. 
This book is the first illustrated history of NASA--the National Aeronautics and Space Administration--ever to be published. It underlines the personalities involved--the personal ambitions and temperaments of astronauts, pilots, scientists and engineers, and the influence of America's presidents on the country's space program--as much as the technological advances that have made space exploration possible.  It is authoritatively and engagingly written, and profusely illustrated throughout with 500 stunning photographs.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Michael Gorn's illustrated history is sure to elicit emotion.  [I]t is filled with the triumphs and tragedies that define [NASA's] conquest of the heavens."
David Tytell
--Sky and Telescope

"Space fans will adore NASA: The Complete Illustrated History, a superbly produced record by Michael Gorn."
Clive Cookson
--The Financial Times of London

"[F]or anyone wanting to get a full picture of the dreams and realities of NASA over nearly 50 years a thorough reading will compel."
Becky Parker
--London Times Educational Supplement

"As a single-volume history of US space exploration, this volume is unmatched.  [I]t provides compulsive reading to anyone even vaguely interested in the subject."
Denis J. Calvert
--Aircraft Illustrated (U.K.)

"If you read just one book on the history of NASA make it this one.  You will not be disappointed."
Dr. David Baker
Editor, Jane's Space Directory
--NASA: The Complete Illustrated History (jacket cover, paperback edition)

Illustrated with 500 photographs, the book conveys the compelling urgency and excitement around the missions - TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION A superbly produced record by Michael Gorn - THE FINANCIAL TIMES A great read for any space enthusiast - BBC FOCUS MAGAZINE

From the Author

The two versions of NASA: The Complete Illustrated History--the original hardbound (2005) and the updated paperback (2008)--represent publishing experiences unlike any others I have encountered.  The previous six books I had written were standard history books of 200 to 500 pages, each one having one of two clustered picture "galleries" of about 25 images each.  But the pictures in these sections do not really illustrate these books, as much as they identify persons and places mentioned in the narrative.

One historian friend who had already written several illustrated volumes (and liked doing them) warned me that they would be different.  He was right.  The contract that I signed with Merrell Publishers provided for a picture editor to help narrow down the vast choices, and she was excellent.  But in the end I had to guide her towards the subjects I wanted to cover, and after she presented me with about 1,500 images, I had to reduce the count down to the 500, as set forth in the publishing contract.  Meanwhile, I was contractually obligated for 80,000 words of text--the main narrative plus captions.  This may sound like a lot, but it would make only a small book with the pictures substracted.  At any rate, the process of choosing subjects that lent themselves to photographic representation, and then writing about them, resulted in a left brain-right brain partnership unique in my experience.  I honestly felt more like a movie director than an historian.  I caught on to this (for me) new way of communicating the past about a third of the way through the hardbound version.  Once I got the hang of it, I really enjoyed it.

One other curious aspect of the two NASA books occurred to me.  That involved the physical separation among the author, the publisher, and the printer.  They were separated not just by miles, or even continents, but by oceans.  The author is located in the Western U.S., the publisher in London, U.K., and the printers in the Far East.  Had I been working on a standard history book, this not so novel insight would have crossed my mind, and then left it.  But given the logistical feats necessary to produce an illustrated book, I found it hard to see how it could turn out right.  How could words, pictures, captions, and the overall design be integrated successfully, with the main parties scattered around the world, unable to meet live?  To my surprise, the final, published books proved that it can work, so long as the electronic and telephonic lines of communication are open, the PDF files flow, and the occasional page proofs in hard copy get overnighted. 

I hope you will enjoy turning the pages of NASA: The Complete Illustrated, whether hardbound or paperback.  They constitute the most pleasurable publishing experiences I have had to date (with one exception: a third illustrated history I published with Merrell entitled Superstructures in Space: From Satellites to Space Stations, a Guide to What's Out There (2008)).  In some ways, I take greater pride in these books than in any of my others.

Michael Gorn

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Merrell Publishers (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1858942543
• ISBN-13: 978-1858942544
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 10.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #169,615 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael H. Gorn is an author and historian who specializes in popular and scholarly books about the history of aeronautics and spaceflight. Three of his critically acclaimed works are NASA: The Complete Illustrated History, Superstructures in Space (both by Merrell Publishers), and Expanding the Envelope: Flight Research at NACA and NASA (The University Press of Kentucky). Gorn grew up in Los Angeles, California, and attended the University of Southern California where he earned a doctorate in history. He is presently a Smithsonian Institution Research Associate in the Aeronautics Division, National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C. A federal historian for nearly 30 years, he began his career in 1981 with the Department of the Air Force in Washington, D.C. He held a variety of staff and management positions over 13 years, culminating in Deputy Chief Historian of the U. S. Air Force. He also served for three years as the first historian of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C. Gorn then worked for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for 13 years, eventually becoming the Chief Historian of the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California, the world's leading facility for the study of flight dynamics. Michael Gorn is the recipient of the prestigious Gardner-Lasser Aerospace History Literature Award for Expanding the Envelope: Flight Research at NACA and NASA, presented by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics for the best original book published in the field during the previous five years. In addition, he received the Alfred V. Verville Fellowship from the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum and was selected for the Fellowship in Aerospace History by the American Historical Association. Gorn has been featured in interviews appearing on the British Broadcasting Corporation, the History Channel, and the Discovery Channel. Michael Gorn lives with his wife Christine in Simi Valley, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NASA: The Complete Illustrated History, November 25, 2005

By 

Von Hardesty - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: NASA: The Complete Illustrated History (Hardcover)

Michael Gorn has prepared an engaging volume on the space age. His NASA: The Complete Illustrated History is a lively and richly illustrated account of the organization that led and contines to lead America's ever-evolving space program. The book is a welcome addition to the historical literature on space exploration--and it will appeal to the general reader and specialist alike. Popular perceptions of NASA focus almost exclusively on the post-1958 era, when the organization oversaw America's successful effort to land a man on the Moon. As Gorn shows, the story is much larger than this particular epoch. In its first incarnation, NASA was known as NACA, when the organization played a pivotal role on the cutting edge of aviation design. Gorn's lively narrative tells this story along with the dramatic era of space exploration. This comprehensive approach gives the book unique character, allowing the reader to comprehend the entire sweep of aerospace history. No less important, Gorn is attentive to the role of key personalitise, some known and others lesser known to the general public. One of the most impressive dimensions of this beautifully designed book is the masterful way it matches images to the story line of the text. Most stunnning arguably are the color images showcasing the Apollo and Shuttle flights: the reader acquires a keen appreciation for the technical sophistication of rocketry and the sheer size/drama of space flight. I enthusiastically endorse this book as a meaningful way to appreciated the origins, development, and impact of NASA on the twentieth century.

Von Hardesty
National Air and Space Museum

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing book, March 17, 2006

By 

David Shomper "Apollo engineer" (Boulder, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: NASA: The Complete Illustrated History (Hardcover)

I was an engineer on Gemini and Apollo and found many technical and historical errors in this book (i.e., pg 131, Apollo 11 launched on July 17?). The book is also very poorly organized. Check it out of the library.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nasa - The Complete Illustrated History, March 19, 2006

By 

I. Pooloo (Essex, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: NASA: The Complete Illustrated History (Hardcover)

As a former aeronautical engineer for British Aerospace I found this book fascinating. It gives a very comprehensive account of Nasa's history, also covering its sometimes forgotten predecessor NACA. The layout of the book is superb, making it appeal to both hardened aerospace enthusiasts and the average layman. Some of the colour illustrations are stunning.
This book is a must for anyone interested in Nasa, aerospace and its history.