The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Right Stuff
Book Review: Generation Lost In Space
Summary: 5 Stars
I picked up The Right Stuff, expecting to read a detailed history of the US space program; from the breaking of the sound barrier to the Moon landing. Instead Wolfe has written a book about the rare breed of men that have the necessary ice water coursing through their veins to fly the experimental fighter jets, and to sit on the tips of rockets. This isn't a book about the science and bureaucracy of aviation in the 50s and 60's, but instead a study of the psyche of the pilot.
This is a fast past paced narrative which portrays the pilot of the cold war as a near mythical figure - an American David to the Soviet Goliath. In doing so Wolfe also examines the psyche of the American people during this time, and provides an interesting commentary on society. It harkens back to a time when America could accomplish what was thought unthinkable, by the sheer determination and true patriotism of its people. In a way that is almost hard for us today to imagine, these pilots not for monetary gain, risked their lives for their country and for the prestige of being called a true brother among pilots. Society today has a strange way of making celebrities out of the nobodies and the untalented. Reading The Right Stuff in 2009, is a reminder that America once extolled the virtue of real accomplishment, of being chosen from the select few, and from the select few proving to have the right stuff.
Book Review: HOW THE FUTURE BEGAN...
Summary: 5 Stars
Tom Wolfe's "The Right Stuff" is a fascinating, in-depth and personal account of the test pilots who pushed the envelope between 1947 and 1963. From Chuck Yeager's historic flight in the Bell X-1, through the seven missions of Project Mercury, and concluding with Yeager's near-catastrophic flight in the NF-104, the book is an enthralling look at the early days of NASA, and of the men and women who made it happen! Of particular interest are passages that didn't make it into the terrific film adaptation, including the failed attempt of astronauts such as Jim Lovell and Pete Conrad to be among the seven; NASA's "shunning" of Scott Carpenter after what they viewed as a near-disastrous flight of Aurora 7, and how Wally Schirra's flight of Sigma 7 was seen as proof of Carpenter's messy handling of the fuel, and; the near-success of test pilots outside of NASA to successfully put a man in space before the first Mercury flights. A thrilling book for readers of history and of good storytelling, I highly recommend it!
Grade: A-
Book Review: Interesting, but too sensational, and not historically accurate enough
Summary: 2 Stars
This book covers a fascinating period in America's history, and the fascinating handful of men who became America's first astronauts. However, I am sorry to say that it is not very well written. In many cases it is factually inaccurate, and if you know anything about flying or the space program, than certain mistakes or misconceptions become glaringly obvious as you read this book. Furthermore, the book is just plain too sensational. It over-states and hypes up the danger and the thrill-seeking, without paying enough attention to the technical expertise and scientific knowledge required of test pilots and astronauts. Tom Wolfe does no justice to the space program, to test pilots, or to astronauts, in this over-hyped, under-accurate book. If you want the real story of NASA, read about it from someone who was in the program, or at least from someone who is going to take the time to research their facts and write a good book. Several other authors - Michael Collins, Chuck Yeager, and others, wrote much more enjoyable, much more accurate, and much more meaningful contributions to the history of the space program and the test pilots of the 60's.Book Review: One of the most entertaining nonfiction books I've read
Summary: 5 Stars
Wolfe really keeps you on the edge of your seat, and despite being accused of taking liberties with the literal truth still creates a book that will teach you a great deal about the history of the early days of the American space program. This is one of the only nonfiction books I've read that reads like a well written novel. I will be diving further into the Wolfe cannon because this book was so good.Book Review: Similar to the Movie, but Worth the Extra Effort
Summary: 5 Stars
Those who are familiar with the theatrical version of The Right Stuff will likely question whether actually reading the underlying book should bother. I know I sure felt that way, even after acknowledging that the book was likely better. But some compelling aspects of the novel are worth exploring on one's own.
Wolfe's fascinating imagery, for example, showing how John Glenn, Alan Shepard, and the remaining astronaut lot dethroned the old guard is one aspect worth experiencing. Another is the retelling of each astronaut's marvelous flight. The depth, detail, and imagination radiating from the page perfectly captures the novelty of the time, exciting even for those who can only know a world where space flight is somewhat commonplace. Chuck Yeager's final flight in the experimental NF-104A, his last record breaking attempt, is equally eye opening. The political wrangling between NASA, the Air Force, and others that was critical to the Apollo program's success, while much less exciting, is no less essential to understanding the anxiousness of a country living in the shadow of the apparently unstoppable Red Menace.
For all these reasons, Wolfe's nonfiction novel is truly a testament to the bravery, ambition, and determination of all of these men and to the country who was determined to cast their silhouettes among the stars. All who are interested in the rise of the world's premier space program should take the extra time to experience it.
More The Right Stuff reviews:
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