Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut's Journeys

Well written and interesting read. Grew up in the 1960's and the Apollo program /moon landing is etched firmly in my memory. Wish I could buy an autographed copy.

The first men to go into space were not, generally, an introspective bunch. Those who did choose artistic expression to convey their experience often chose means other than writing, such as the painters Alexei Leonov and Alan Bean. Therefore, the inclusion of USAF Col Mike Collins in the third NASA astronaut class was a fortunate happening. This witty chronicler and keen observer of his surroundings has provided us with a unique historical memento of a momentous human undertaking.Collins, though a talented test pilot, stood somewhat apart from his fellows. He hints that he did enjoy the perks, financial and otherwise (read: women) of being an American hero, but one gets the sense that he had a deeper appreciation of life than some of his more gonzo colleagues. His appreciation of art, history, and cuisine, I suspect, were rather more advanced than his other Corvette-driving flight mates. Though a keen engineer, he viewed his involvement on the historic Apollo 11 mission through a wider lens than his technically-focused, almost obsessive crew mates, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.That's a good thing, because in the centre seat of Columbia sat a man uniquely equipped to convey both the personal and historical perspectives on man's greatest journey. No other astronaut, with the possible exception of Chris Hadfield, has ever communicated the experience of space flight and the voyage's personal costs. Carrying the Fire is a warm, humorous, and comprehensive account of 1960's space flight, and a model for the honest chronicler.

Un livre (uniquement en Anglais mais facile à lire) qui permet de vivre de l'intérieur le quotidien des hommes sélectionnés pour le voyage jusqu'à la Lune promis par Kennedy. Collins écrit avec simplicité et humour ces moments uniques et milles anecdotes et détails. Il devient un ami au fil des pages et on comprend qu'il a accompli le même exploit que ses camarades Armstrong et Aldrin.

Se hace un poco largo, realmente la misión del Apolo 11 sólo se cubre de mitad para alante del libro. Tiene bastante de autobiografía. A pesar de ser un libro de los 70, todavía es interesante. El lenguaje de Collins es un poco rebuscado a veces. DEP.

After I started reading this book, I just could not stop and finished it after three days despite the 478 pages. Provides fascinating insight into NASA politics, how astronauts are chosen, what it takes to be one, and a lot of very detailed information about how missions are planned and executed. It is very well written and has a lot of humor throughout. It made me laugh many times! Highly recommended!