Into That Silent Sea: Trailblazers of the Space Era, 1961-1965 (Outward Odyssey: A People's History of Spaceflight)

## From Booklist Longer on biography than on technology, this account of the first space farers will appeal to spaceflight buffs. And in a subject densely populated with memoirs by its principal figures, French and Burgess have generated new material from their own interviews with some of the pioneering astronauts and cosmonauts. In addition, the authors incorporate the recollections of nurse Dee O'Hara, who worked with the Mercury astronauts, and of American aviatrixes involved in a program, little known today, that might have but ultimately did not produce the first female in space. That accolade more famously went in 1963 to Valentina Tereshkova, whose upbringing, attraction to aeronautics, life-changing flight, and postflight career represent the pattern in which the authors present the dozen-plus individuals who structure their text. Tracking the firsts in space history, like Yuri Gagarin and Alan Shepard, followed by the seconds, such as Gherman Titov and Virgil Grissom, French and Burgess' history will engage the space-program audience. A sequel is slated for publication later in 2007, covering the years 1965-69. __Gilbert Taylor__ __Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved__ ## Review "Eminently readable, well-crafted... The merits of this popular history rest in the elegant narrative and the authors' thoughtful awareness of the space explorer genre." Air & Space Smithsonian "Accessible to both newcomers to space history and well-read enthusiasts alike." Space Review "[Into That Silent Sea] dispenses with distracting technical jargon and nationalistic jingoism to deliver ten superbly composed, thoughtfully balanced chapters about the astronauts and cosmonauts who flew Mercury and Vostok/Voskhod missions... Avid readers will revel in the authors' masterful compilation of these straight-forward, detailed mini-biographies." Air Power History "Unforgettable days and some unforgettable characters were brought vividly back to me by this truly wonderful book. They were fun times; they were also incredibly difficult, hard-working, and agonizing times, watching dear friends launch into space with my heart in my mouth. This book offers a treasure trove of memories." Dee O'Hara, nurse to the astronauts "As well as vividly picturing the men, this book also accurately tells the story of the very first women to train for spaceflight in Russia---and women like me in America who hoped for the same opportunity to reach for the stars." Wally Funk, rocket pilot for Interorbital Systems Corporation "This frank, entertaining, no-holds-barred ride through the golden age of space flight takes us behind the official stories, into the real lives of the very first astronauts and cosmonauts." Wally Schirra: Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo astronaut From Booklist Longer on biography than on technology, this account of the first space farers will appeal to spaceflight buffs. And in a subject densely populated with memoirs by its principal figures, French and Burgess have generated new material from their own interviews with some of the pioneering astronauts and cosmonauts. In addition, the authors incorporate the recollections of nurse Dee O'Hara, who worked with the Mercury astronauts, and of American aviatrixes involved in a program, little known today, that might have but ultimately did not produce the first female in space. That accolade more famously went in 1963 to Valentina Tereshkova, whose upbringing, attraction to aeronautics, life-changing flight, and postflight career represent the pattern in which the authors present the dozen-plus individuals who structure their text. Tracking the firsts in space history, like Yuri Gagarin and Alan Shepard, followed by the seconds, such as Gherman Titov and Virgil Grissom, French and Burgess' history will engage the space-program audience. A sequel is slated for publication later in 2007, covering the years 1965-69. Gilbert Taylor Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Review "Eminently readable, well-crafted... The merits of this popular history rest in the elegant narrative and the authors' thoughtful awareness of the space explorer genre." Air & Space Smithsonian "Accessible to both newcomers to space history and well-read enthusiasts alike." Space Review "[Into That Silent Sea] dispenses with distracting technical jargon and nationalistic jingoism to deliver ten superbly composed, thoughtfully balanced chapters about the astronauts and cosmonauts who flew Mercury and Vostok/Voskhod missions... Avid readers will revel in the authors' masterful compilation of these straight-forward, detailed mini-biographies." Air Power History "Unforgettable days and some unforgettable characters were brought vividly back to me by this truly wonderful book. They were fun times; they were also incredibly difficult, hard-working, and agonizing times, watching dear friends launch into space with my heart in my mouth. This book offers a treasure trove of memories." Dee O'Hara, nurse to the astronauts "As well as vividly picturing the men, this book also accurately tells the story of the very first women to train for spaceflight in Russia---and women like me in America who hoped for the same opportunity to reach for the stars." Wally Funk, rocket pilot for Interorbital Systems Corporation "This frank, entertaining, no-holds-barred ride through the golden age of space flight takes us behind the official stories, into the real lives of the very first astronauts and cosmonauts." Wally Schirra: Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo astronaut Technology & Engineering,Science,20th Century,Modern,General,Astrophysics & Space Science,Aeronautics & Astronautics,History,Biography & Autobiography,Astronauts,Science & Technology,Manned Space Flight,Astronautics

It was a time of bold new technology, historic moments, and international jousting on the final frontier. But it was also a time of human drama, of moments less public but no less dramatic in the lives of those who made the golden age of space flight happen. These are the moments and the lives that

Into That Silent Sea captures, a book that tells the intimate stories of the men and women, American and Russian, who made the space race their own and gave the era its compelling character.

These pages chronicle a varied and riveting cavalcade of human stories, including a look at Yuri Gagarin s harrowing childhood in war-ravaged Russia and Alan Shepard s firm purchase on the American dream. It also examines the controversial career of cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, and the remarkable struggle and ultimate disappointment of her American counterparts. It tries to uncover the truth behind the allegations that shadowed Gus Grissom and Scott Carpenter and then allows the reader to share the heart-stopping suspense of Alexei Leonov s near-fatal first space walk. Through dozens of interviews and access to Russian and American official documents and family records, the authors bring to life the experiences that shaped the lives of the first astronauts and cosmonauts and forever changed their world and ours.

Air & Space Smithsonian

“Eminently readable, well-crafted. . . . The merits of this popular history rest in the elegant narrative and the authors’ thoughtful awareness of the space explorer genre.”

— Martin Collins, Air & Space Smithsonian

A people's history of the global space race in the 1960s, beginning with cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and astronaut Alan Shepard and ending with the close of the Mercury and Voskhod programs in 1965. A history of early space flight focuses on the careers of both American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts and includes coverage of other persons who worked in support roles