Customer Rating: 
Summary: From S. Krishna's Books
Comment: I have an insatiable interest in NASA and the space program, so I try to read as many books as I can (and as many books as I have time for) on the subject. Bearing that in mind, I was very excited to read Gene Kranz's memoir of his time in Mission Control from Project Mercury to the end of Apollo. I was in no way disappointed with this captivating read.
Most of the books about the space program are either biographies/memoirs of the astronauts or an overall history of NASA. Gene Kranz gives us a different perspective - that of those left behind on the ground. These were the guys who had to figure out what to do when things went wrong, the people who carried the lives of the astronauts in their hands. Gene takes this responsibility seriously, candidly speaking of strengths and weaknesses within the institutional framework of NASA.
Kranz' handling of the crisis moments are the most riveting - specifically, the fire of Apollo 1 and the crippled Apollo 13 voyage (made famous by the movie that starred Tom Hanks.) The reader gets a behind the scenes look at these crises, as well as the missions we don't hear about as often- the Gemini missions, without which landing on the moon would never have been possible, and the post-Apollo 13 missions. Kranz also gives his opinions on other astronauts and personalities within NASA. He never hesitates to be honest, which is refreshing in a book such as this. One of my personal favorite parts of this memoir is when Kranz discusses Gus Grissom and his Liberty Bell 7 flight, specifically, that Gus did NOT blow the hatch early (for more information on this, see the movie The Right Stuff - or read the book by Tom Wolfe).
I can't recommend this book highly enough. Admittedly, it is not the best quality of writing - the sentences are choppy and the words don't flow as smoothly as they could. But that can be easily forgiven because it makes it all the more apparent that Kranz did indeed write this remarkable novel himself.
Generally speaking, the lack of public interest in the exploration of space bothers me to a great degree. I'm not spoiling for a fight or desirous of debating where our tax dollars should be spent, but in my opinion, we have no choice but to see what's out there. Exploration is in our nature as humans; by exploring the vastness of the heavens, we learn more about ourselves. As readers, we understand the pull of the imagination - we tend to be the thinkers and dreamers who choose to explore the worlds through the words of another. But I think it is equally important reach for the stars physically, as well as mentally. I'm one of those few who believes we still have much to learn by returning to the Moon, going to Mars, and moving beyond. And that's why I think it is so important for people to read books such as Kranz's memoir. It is reminiscent of a time when space travel was new and exciting, rather than the humdrum routine it has become. As a country, we have lost our way in the exploration of space - here's hoping that we find our way again.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Living History and Inspiration for Our Times
Comment: Failure is not an Option: Mission Control from Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond
This book came highly reccommended by other teachers at Advanced Space Academy for Educators. It is a great companion to A Man on the Moon.
Gene Kranz is an inspiration for us all. In today's world we need his message. He makes one feel that if we can go to the moon then we can accomplish anything that we set out as a nation to do.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Be Tough and Competent!
Comment: Gene Kranz does an amazing job of showing what people can do if they have the right leadership, teamwork, commitment and passion.
The book allows us to see Kranz's perspective as flight controller, (and later flight director) during his tenure on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs and beyond.
From the tremendous successes, to the gut wrenching failures, to the heroism, to the practical jokes, this book has it all. Gene Kranz was a key player in helping to create a culture of Tough and Competent flight controllers who had discipline and morale. They knew the true meaning of teamwork.
One of the stories that impressed me most was after the devastating tragedy of the Apollo 1. A fire on the pad killed Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffe while they were training in the capsule. Afterwards Kranz got in front of his flight controllers and said:
"Spaceflight will never tolerate carelessness, incapacity, and neglect. Somewhere, somehow, we screwed up. It could have been the design, build, or test. Whatever it was we should have caught it."
Kranz and his people (as well as everyone else on the space program) took responsibility for their actions and went on to amazing successes. We crawled out the cradle of this home we call earth and explored another world. Twelve men in all walked on the moon. Also, three astronauts were brought back home safely from the brink of disaster in Apollo 13. We had truly gone where no man had gone before.
These were human beings, and they are the best of the best. Not an Astronaut was lost during any of the following Apollo missions. The tragedy on the pad drove the commitment of everyone on the space program to an entirely new level. As a matter of fact, not a man was lost once they left earth on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs.
Gene Kranz sums up how he gained his skills to be a top flight director when he said:
"The flight director's ultimate training comes at the console, working real problems, facing the risks, making irrevocable decisions."
This book belongs on any bookshelf, but not to be looked at, but to be read and understood. We all have the makings of greatness, we just have to take responsibility for our actions and do the very best we know how. What other amazing things can we accomplish as a species if we have the right leadership, teamwork, commitment, and passion?
The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking
Customer Rating:
Summary: Be Tough and Competent!
Comment: Gene Kranz does an amazing job of showing what people can do if they have the right leadership, teamwork, commitment and passion.
The book allows us to see Kranz's perspective as flight controller, (and later flight director) during his tenure on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs and beyond.
From the tremendous successes, to the gut wrenching failures, to the heroism, to the practical jokes, this book has it all. Gene Kranz was a key player in helping to create a culture of Tough and Competent flight controllers who had discipline and morale. They knew the true meaning of teamwork.
One of the stories that impressed me most was after the devastating tragedy of the Apollo 1. A fire on the pad killed Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffe while they were training in the capsule. Afterwards Kranz got in front of his flight controllers and said:
"Spaceflight will never tolerate carelessness, incapacity, and neglect. Somewhere, somehow, we screwed up. It could have been the design, build, or test. Whatever it was we should have caught it."
Kranz and his people (as well as everyone else on the space program) took responsibility for their actions and went on to amazing successes. We crawled out the cradle of this home we call earth and explored another world. Twelve men in all walked on the moon. Also, three astronauts were brought back home safely from the brink of disaster in Apollo 13. We had truly gone where no man had gone before.
These were human beings, and they are the best of the best. Not an Astronaut was lost during any of the following Apollo missions. The tragedy on the pad drove the commitment of everyone on the space program to an entirely new level. As a matter of fact, not a man was lost once they left earth on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs.
Gene Kranz sums up how he gained his skills to be a top flight director when he said:
"The flight director's ultimate training comes at the console, working real problems, facing the risks, making irrevocable decisions."
This book belongs on any bookshelf, but not to be looked at, but to be read and understood. We all have the makings of greatness, we just have to take responsibility for our actions and do the very best we know how. What other amazing things can we accomplish as a species if we have the right leadership, teamwork, commitment, and passion?
The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking
Customer Rating:
Summary: Space, did we lose our way?
Comment: Gene's memories from the first halting attempts to launch rockets into space through the successfull Apollo moon program paint vivid pictures of what happened inside the space agency on a non-technical level in building the space program. Good review of challenging and motivating people to envision the what-if and do it step by step. Small references to lack of vision in senior leadership of space program after the Kennedy moon goal was achieved.
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