Moondust - by Andrew Smith (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

In time for the 50^th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing comes this edition of journalist Andrew Smith's Moondust, now updated with a new Afterword, that tells the fascinating story of twelve astronauts who ventured to space, and his interviews with nine of the surviving men.

The Apollo lunar missions of the 1960s and 1970s have been called the last optimistic acts of the twentieth century. Twelve astronauts made this greatest of all journeys and were indelibly marked by it, for better or for worse. Journalist Andrew Smith tracks down the nine surviving members of this elite group to find their answers to the question "Where do you go after you've been to the Moon?"

A thrilling blend of history, reportage, and memoir, Moondust rekindles the hopeful excitement of an incandescent hour in America's past when anything seemed possible as it captures the bittersweet heroism of those who risked everything to hurl themselves out of the known world--and who were never again quite able to accept its familiar bounds.

From the Back Cover

In time for the fiftieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing and now updated with a new Afterword comes author, broadcaster, and journalist Andrew Smith's Moondust, a panoramic telling of the remarkable story of twelve astronauts who peered into the void at the edge of deep space.

The Apollo lunar missions of the 1960s and 1970s have been called the last optimistic acts of the twentieth century. Twelve astronauts made this greatest of all journeys and were indelibly marked by it, for better or worse. With awe and humor Smith tracks down the nine surviving members of this elite group to find their answers to the question, "Where do you go after you've been to the moon?"

A thrilling blend of history, reportage, and memoir, including revelatory interviews, Moondust rekindles the hopeful excitement of an incandescent hour in America's past when anything seemed possible as it captures the bittersweet heroism of those who risked everything to rocket themselves out of the known world--and who were never again quite able to accept its familiar bounds.

Review Quotes

"Splendid!" - Arthur C. Clarke, author 2001: A Space Odyssey

"Forget flower power, the Beatles and the Beach Boys, forget President Kennedy, the Great Train Robbery and Swinging London, and even Vietnam if you can: what made the 1960s an unforgettable decade was the conquest of space...when Andrew Smith set out to write [Moondust], three of the twelve moonwalkers had already died. [He has given] himself the task of talking to the rest before they too went into eternal silence." - Guardian, Best Books of the Season

"Fascinating...We know what happened inside the Apollo, but what went on inside the astronauts' minds? Extremely thought-provoking." - J. G. Ballard, author of Empire of the Sun and Memories of the Space Age

"[A] fascinating book... [Smith's] humour is underpinned by a sense of extreme danger." - Mail on Sunday, Book of the Week (four stars)

"Spellbinding...a provocative meditation on lunar travel and humanity's relation to space." - Business Week

"A wild ride swerving between then and now." - Richmond Times Dispatch

"Smith's book succeeds...because he bungee-cords together so many intriguing digressions." - New York Times

"Smith's mix of reporting and meditation is highly entertaining, and his superb book is a fitting tribute to a unique band of 20th-century heroes." - GQ

"Moondust is an inspired idea, immaculately executed: witty, affectionate, completely captivating." - WORD magazine

"In an artful blend of memoir and popular history, Smith makes flesh-and-blood people out of icons and reveals the tenderness of his own heart." - Publishers Weekly

"Smith is a graceful, easy-going writer, and this beguiling tale is replete with joyful wonder ... Moondust belongs to the same "New Journalism" tradition as Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff." - London Times (Sunday)

"A wonderful collective biography written with deftness, compassion and humour." - The Observer

'Utterly gripping. Smith is both sympathetic and bracingly unsentimental." - Daily Mail (London)

'Enthralling...Smith is an ideal narrator: sharp-eyed yet increasingly affectionate about his subjects." - Financial Times

"Riveting...so vivid you can almost smell the suburban lawns." - Time Out London

"Smith's book is an engrossing read, full of humor, insight, and appreciation for the vision and outright zaniness that marked the only human mission to another world." - Space Daily

"A rich mix of cultural history, reportage and personal reflection." - Evening Standard

"Forget flower power, the Beatles and Beach Boys...what made the 1960s an unforgettable decade was the conquest of space." - The Guardian, Best Books of the Season

"A crisply dramatic account." - Sunday Telegraph

"An extraordinary book...as profoundly as any work of philosophy." - Uncut (UK), four stars

"Moondust has a value which Smith perhaps never intended. As an update on the nine surviving astronauts it is fascinating. As a commentary on life on Earth, it is superb." - Scotland on Sunday

"Wonderful... Smith examines [the questions] not just in the political context of the times but, refereshingly, with regard to the popular culture and the mood of the moment... A fascinating book, often poignant... but funny too." - Daily Mail (London), Critics Choice Award