“On July 20, 1969 at 109:43:10 hours’ mission elapsed time, I stepped onto the lunar surface,” so begins astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s foreword to noted space historian Rod Pyle’s richly textured tale of what is arguably the greatest achievement of the 20th century. Of the many excellent books written about the flight of Apollo 11 last year, the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing, First on the Moon is set apart because of the author’s gift for understanding and portraying the human side of the first lunar landing. The Apollo program was a socio-political and technical miracle given what was accomplished in such a brief period of time, just nine years from its initiation in 1961, and with technology that had yet to be invented.
The book begins with a cliffhanger, leaving mission commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module pilot Buzz Aldrin approximately 33,000 feet above the lunar surface, staring at a program alarm on the computer that has to work perfectly for a successful landing to occur. The narrative then jumps back to the 1950s to begin the story of how the U.S. space program got its start and the events that lead us up to this point. That period was the beginning of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, and only one would be the winner in this high-stakes game of world-wide one-upmanship. The former had been slowly building towards putting people in space, prior to 1958 through its military. However, on October 4, 1957 the Soviets shocked the entire world by launching the first satellite into Earth orbit, sending a steady beep from 359 miles above.
The book follows the historical trail of the (sometimes unlikely) events that lead our nation and these three men in particular to be the first crew to land on the Moon. We learn of Wernher von Braun’s rocket experiments during World War Two, the success of the V-2 ballistic missile, and his defection with some of his top rocket scientists to the U.S. and their work at White Sands Missile Range and then later in Huntsville, Alabama. We observe the birth of NASA as a civilian agency in October, 1958 and the key personnel and decisions that lead to what was probably the most efficient managerial structure ever conceived. We experience the evolution of what is still the most powerful rocket ever launched, the Saturn V, and the enormous engineering and personnel effort behind Apollo (at one time involving over 400,000 people) is told at a pace that keeps the reader fully engaged.
The book includes, of course, full profiles of the crew of Apollo 11: Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. A brief but thorough biography is told for each of these men, detailing the paths they took that led them to become the team that put those first steps on the Moon. We meet Armstrong, the “cool under pressure” commander with an ironic sense of humor; Aldrin, with his Ph.D. in orbital mechanics and perfectionist personality; and Collins, the laconic and quick minded anchor for these opposite personalities, and the man who would pilot them to the Moon.
Another important aspect to this book are the sumptuous illustrations provided throughout. The author uses official NASA and government documents, period illustrations, engineering drawings, and archive pictures to bring the words to life. Recently released images, long buried in the National Archives, have been assembled into photo montages by a commissioned digital artist. These images will bring back memories for readers who lived through this period and draw the uninitiated deeper into the story. The pictures and illustrations by themselves may be worth the cost of the book, currently discounted from 25 to just under 17 dollars.
This is a very important, thoroughly enjoyable history of the Apollo 11 mission disguised as a decorative coffee table volume. First on the Moon offers people of all ages the complete story of how the United States managed to accomplish this historic event over 50 years ago. Engagingly told and emphasizing the innovations involved in this endeavor, it effectively relates what might have been our greatest adventure. A highly recommended read for the whole family.
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Reviews with images
Timeless Photo's of An Event not to be Forgotten
Just a very well done Book, Foreword by BUZZ ALDRIN. Phenomenal book on one of the World's Greatest moments, Lots of us can even recall were we were when the Apollo 11 Landed on the Moon, with Neil Armstrong talking that Lunar step on the Moon back on July 21, 1969. This is a great photo book , and the story all leading up to that timeless moment. Richard Nixon being the President. Armstrong and Aldrin the first on the Moon . Very Nicely Done
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Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2020
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Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2019
Timeless Photo's of An Event not to be Forgotten
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2019
Just a very well done Book, Foreword by BUZZ ALDRIN. Phenomenal book on one of the World's Greatest moments, Lots of us can even recall were we were when the Apollo 11 Landed on the Moon, with Neil Armstrong talking that Lunar step on the Moon back on July 21, 1969. This is a great photo book , and the story all leading up to that timeless moment. Richard Nixon being the President. Armstrong and Aldrin the first on the Moon . Very Nicely Done
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2019
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Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2020
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2019
Top reviews from other countries
Rachel Vale
Very happily received gift
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 15, 2022Wayne I Focht
Awesome recap of the first moon landing.
Reviewed in Canada on March 27, 2022