This July marks the 40th anniversary of mankind's one giant leap, when Neil Armstrong planted his feet on the surface of the moon. That historic moment " and all the others of the NASA Apollo missions from the ill-fated first to the bittersweet last " is discussed in the exquisite "Mission Control, This is Apollo: The Story of the First Voyages to the Moon ," by Andrew Chaikin, who also wrote the book that became the award-winning HBO miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon."
From historical perspective to addressing the problem of pooping in space, "Mission Control" is a special book, made all the more special by the accompanying paintings of Alan Bean, Apollo 12 astronaut. They're not merely here for show or novelty; he's phenomenally talented with the brush. Ostensibly, this is a "children's book" " it's heavily illustrated, the type is large, and the writing matter-of-fact " but to call it that is somewhat of a disservice. The middle-aged man I am was turned into a kid again absorbing its every page. Viking"Rod Lott
