NSS Book Reviews: Non-Fiction Books

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List of Reviewed Non-Fiction Books

Most recently added reviews listed first
See list alphabetically by title
See list alphabetically by author

First Man, by James R. Hansen (2005). The first-ever authorized biography of Neil Armstrong, masterfully written by James Hansen, a professor of history at Auburn University.

The Living Cosmos, by Chris Impey (2007). A readable survey of astrobiology and how it may lead to deeper knowledge of our place in the universe.

Von Braun, by Michael Neufeld (2007). Probably the definitive biography of this "dreamer of space, engineer of war."

Distant Worlds: Milestones in Planetary Exploration, by Peter Bond (2007). Compelling account of what 50 years of space missions have told us about all the bodies in the solar system.

Astro Turf, by M. G. Lord (2005). A personal account of how JPL's hierarchical, male-oriented management structure gradually shifted to a more inclusive model.

Skywalking: An Astronaut's Memoir, by Tom Jones (2006). Former NASA astronaut Tom Jones offers a not-so-rosy glimpse at U.S.-Russian space relations.

Riding Rockets, by Mike Mullane (2006). Former NASA astronaut Mike Mullane pulls back the cover on the astronaut corps, revealing the humor and humanity missing from the agency's official biographies.

Space Race: The Epic Battle between America and the Soviet Union for Dominion of Space, by Deborah Cadbury (2006). A somewhat pedestrian account of the epic tale of two dreamers on opposite sides of the "battle" for the heavens: Wernher von Braun and Sergei Korolev.

50 Years in Space, by Patrick Moore, illustrated by David A. Hardy (2006). Noted author-astronomer and BBC commentator attempts to rekindle the wonder of the Space Age.

The Case for Mars, by Robert Zubrin (1996/1997). "Bob Zubrin really, nearly alone, changed our thinking on this issue."—Carl Sagan

The Singularity is Near, by Ray Kurzweil (2006). How might the hypothetical "Technological Singularity"—when computers become smarter than humans and take over their own evolution—affect space development?

Spacecraft Films Apollo DVD Sets (2003-2006). These DVD sets provide the chance to see the Apollo missions as the astronauts did.

Dragonfly: NASA and the Crisis Aboard Mir, by Bryan Burrough (1998). The fascinating inside story of seven American astronauts and their missions to the dangerously decaying Mir space station.

Space and Astronomy: Decade by Decade, by Marianne J. Dyson (2007). A clear and easy-to-understand resource for high school and college students, educators and the general public.

ISScapades, by Donald A. Beattie (2007). Does an admirable job of providing the reader with an understanding of why we have the space station we have.

Rocketeers, by Michael Belfiore (2007). A personal glimpse into the space entrepreneur and why people will risk fortunes and even their lives in an effort to open space to a wider audience.

The Voice of Dr. Wernher Von Braun, edited by Irene E. Powell-Willhite (2007). A collection of speeches by Wernher von Braun.

In the Shadow of the Moon, movie directed by David Sington and produced by Ron Howard (2007). Remember when the whole world looked up? Beautifully edited with new footage and no narration, the Apollo astronauts tell their own story.

Utilization of Space, edited by Berndt Feuerbacher and Heinz Stoewer (2005). A comprehensive scholarly book addressing how space contributes to the advancement and betterment of human society.

The Space Shuttle Decision, by T. A. Heppenheimer (1999). A masterful piece of research and writing, this volume deals with the technical, economic, and political factors in the initial decision to build the Shuttle (time period 1965-1972).

Rocket Man: Robert H. Goddard and the Birth of the Space Age, by David A. Clary (2003). This balanced biography provides a fascinating look at this unique, talented, and contradictory man who was the unquestioned pioneer of liquid rocket propulsion in America.

Too Far From Home, by Chris Jones (2007). The true story of what it was like to be stranded aboard the International Space Station after the loss of the Shuttle Columbia.

Roving Mars, by Steven W. Squyres (2005). The passionate story of the human perserverance involved in creating the Spirit and Opportunity rovers.

Space on Earth: Saving Our World By Seeking Others, by Charles S. Cockell (2007). "Environmentalism and space exploration have one and the same objective: to ensure humanity has a home."

Across the Space Frontier, by Wernher von Braun, et. al. (1952). First in a set of three books that are expanded treatments of a series of articles in Collier's magazine that inspired a generation of Americans.

Conquest of the Moon, by Wernher von Braun, et. al. (1953). The greatest space visionaries of the 1950s lay out a highly ambitious plan for exploring the Moon.

The Exploration of Mars, by Wernher von Braun & Willey Ley (1956). The father of the U.S. space program and the founding president of the National Space Institute (now National Space Society) describes his plans for exploring Mars.

Where Is Everybody? Fifty Solutions to the Fermi Paradox, by Stephen Webb (2002). Are there any spacefaring civilizations out there? Either answer leads to a paradox. This stimulating feast for the mind is a scholarly yet highly readable work "for any reader interested in science and the sheer pleasure of speculative thinking."

Science, Society and the Search for Life in the Universe, by Bruce Jakosky (2006). An astrobiologist attempts to understand humans and their place in the universe. A book for the space philosopher.

A Traveler's Guide To Mars, by William K. Hartmann (2003). "A masterpiece of scientific writing for the general reader" that provides an integrated understanding of what makes Mars "tick."

Reference Guide to the International Space Station, by Gary Kitmacher (2006). Provides a high level overview of the incredibly complex International Space Station program without drowning the reader in an ocean of facts.

Postcards from Mars, by Jim Bell (2006). A coffee-table book of fabulous photos that also includes the compelling human story behind the successful Spirit and Opportunity rovers.

Sex in Space, by Laura Woodmansee (2006). An interesting study in possibilities that have not as yet been documented, and a good starting point for future space tourists and planners.

Moondust: In Search of the Men Who Fell to Earth, by Andrew Smith (2005). Where do you go after you've been to the Moon? If you ever wanted to have a personal discussion with the moonwalkers, this is the book for you.

Mining the Sky, by John S. Lewis (1997). One of the most important books space advocates can own. Provides a justification and roadmap for incorporating the material and energy resources of the solar system into the world’s economy.

Colonies in Space, by T. A. Heppenheimer (1977). The best book on space settlement written to date – full of colorful narrative and satisfying, but clearly explained, technical detail.

2081: A Hopeful View of the Human Future, by Gerard K. O'Neill (1981). This second book by O'Neill describes his thoughts on anticipated advancements in computers, automation, space colonies, energy, and communications.

Saturn: A New View, by Laura Lovett, Joan Horvath, and Jeff Cuzzi (2006). An incredible volume of history, facts, and 150 awe-inspiring photographs of the planet and its moons, taken from the Cassini and Huygens spacecraft.

Apollo Moon Missions: The Unsung Heroes, by Billy Watkins (2005). Profiles fourteen among the many workers who made the small steps that led to the giant leap.

Saturn, by Alan Lawrie (2005). The definitive reference work on what is arguably the crowning achievement of American aerospace technology, the Saturn V Moon rocket.

Return to the Moon: Exploration, Enterprise, and Energy in the Human Settlement of Space, by Harrison H. Schmitt (2005). The last man to set foot on the Moon takes a hard look at the economic and technological gains in getting back to where we once belonged.

The Space Tourist's Handbook, by Eric Anderson and Joshua Piven (2005). The "wealthy hitchhiker's" guide to space, with emphasis on the details of a Soyuz launch to the International Space Station.

Life as We Do Not Know It: The NASA Search for (and Synthesis of) Alien Life, by Peter Ward (2005). Sets a research agenda aimed at unraveling the profound questions: What is life, and where does it exist?

The High Frontier: Human Colonies in Space, 3rd Edition, by Gerard K. O'Neill (2000). In one of THE great books about space development, O'Neill offered answers to most of humanity’s energy problems and at the same time planned for a grand expansion of the human race into the solar system.

To Rise From Earth: An Easy-to-Understand Guide to Spaceflight, 2nd Edition, by Jeffrey Bennett (2000). An in-depth, straight-forward, visually pleasing description of all aspects of spaceflight.

Halfway to Anywhere: Achieving America's Destiny in Space, by G. Harry Stine (1996). Stine's most important book, on the subject of how to greatly reduce the cost of getting to orbit, includes the fascinating inside story of the Delta Clipper program.

Space Books Non-Fiction Books Fiction Books Children's Books

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H Last updated on Tue, Apr 1, 2008 at 12:02:43