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NEIL ARMSTRONG: A LIFE OF FLIGHT PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Jay Barbree | 320 pages | 31 Jul 2014 | Thomas Dunne Books | 9781250040718 | English | United States Neil Armstrong : a life of flight - Indiana State Library I really enjoyed the personal aspect to I won an advanced reader copy from Goodreads. I really enjoyed the personal aspect to the many momentous feets accomplished in space travel during this time. I think some of the details about the spacecrafts and the astronaut jargon could have been further explained. I grew up in the time of the space shuttles, the time of the Challenger disaster, the time of Sally Ride. I wanted to be an astronaut! I love science fiction. But my knowledge base is very different from the Apollo flights. Learning about all the firsts, the learning curves, the successes, and failures was captivating. I loved all the photos. However, in the advanced reader copy I have, everything was black and white. Many photos were hard to make out like the aurora borealis, the sun rising on the horizon, and other space shots. I will be viewing the book when its released. If the photos are still black and white, my rating will go down. The storytelling is very well done which weaves between the personal and the scientific. My favorite chapter was a walk on the moon, which will probably be almost everyone's favorite. Seeing the moon through Armstrong's eyes was truly amazing. It would have been nice to include a broader span of Mr Armstrong's life, but I'm sure this was the way he would have wanted it focusing on the space program and those around him. The last couple chapters felt a little rushed but I understand that probably has to do with the lack of NASA activity. I was also left a little disappointed in the last couple pages. I think I would have liked a little more reflection on his life and perhaps his children giving their reflections instead of an email about a tall tale regarding something assumed that Mr Armstrong said. However this book is filled with respect and reverence for a truly remarkable person who didn't seek fame or glory but focused on those around him and those he loved. May 28, Dave rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: Space fans; history buffs. Shelves: biography , giveaways-first-reads. Right from the introduction I was hooked on this book. I grew up with the space race and moon landing. Having read a great deal about it, I was curious about the man that all of the other astronauts seemed to admire so much. But I knew what a private person he was. The author was there, as a part of the space race and moon landing. He showed a lot of respect for Neil Armstrong's privacy, statements in confidence, and focuses o Full Disclosure - I received a copy of this as a First Reads Giveaway. He showed a lot of respect for Neil Armstrong's privacy, statements in confidence, and focuses on the truth, rather than shooting for sensationalism. That is what makes this book so good. As other reviewers have noted, it has a good deal about Apollo and the moon landing apart from Armstrong in a way. But it helps us to understand him in the greater context. It enables us to appreciate him even more. It helps us to get to know Armstrong as a person, not just a pilot and astronaut. Also, there are snippets about Armstrong's love of gliders and flight in general - it might have been good to learn more about those passions. This is not a book that reveals dirty secrets, or looks for the bad side - If you want that, look somewhere other than Neil Armstrong and Jay Barbree. Rather, it is a respectful tribute and a behind the scenes peek at a remarkable individual. It helps us to understand why he was chosen to be the first man on the moon. Also, I do not like the subtitle. Yes, his life was occupied with flight, and there is a lot of flight in the book. But, as we see from the book, flight was what enabled him to excel - it didn't define his life. He defined it by his character, dedication, and hard work. Perhaps the title should have been Neil Armstrong: One of the Best. Aug 03, Dave rated it really liked it Shelves: biography-memoir , science. And let's not forget Michael Collins, circling above, keeping their ride home safe and ready to swoop down and rescue them should their craft fail to achieve its planned altitude after liftoff from the moon. His potential role is just one of the things that I learned in this book. We were outside, being eaten alive by bugs that were attracted to the light of the small screen, and I kept looking from the screen to the moon above. As a long-time science fiction geek, this moment was magic. This book brings back some of that magic. As a biography, though, I had to give it a B, because he's not only a fan, but became a friend of Armstrong's - and he doesn't hesitate to reveal that. It's often more hagiography than biography at times. I think Barbree goes a little over the top in both his gushing, and inserting himself into the story at times. Nevertheless, It's still a great read. As the subtitle says, it's a life of flight. It picks up with his days as a pilot in the Korean War, and that's okay. May 20, Katherine Wacker rated it it was amazing. After becoming one of the most talented test pilots in the country, he was selected for the NASA program. Barbree gives a wonderful account of the first man to walk on the moon. Armstrong was perhaps the most famous person on earth at the time, yet few people knew of his fights for survival or of the tragic death of his daughter. A Life of Flight also includes a behind-the-scenes look at the space race with the Russians, the triumphs and tragedies of the Apollo program, and a blow-by-blow account of the moon landing including never-before-seen photos during the mission. A Life of Flight is a fascinating look into a heroic and humble man. There is some language in the book and the evolutionary approach to creation is evident but, as someone who has been interested in the space program since a child, I loved the book. It gave personal insight into the kind of man Armstrong was. I grew to appreciate the man much more for who he was than what he did. I was given a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review Apr 07, Melissa rated it it was amazing Shelves: first-reads , space- program. I have been a space geek since my early teens, focusing mainly on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo era. Knowing that Neil Armstrong tended to stay out of the public eye, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this definitive biography. And I was not disappointed. I flew through the pages in a sort of wide-eyed wonder, so thrilled that I couldn't help but quote from the book to anyone in the room. As some other reviewers have mentioned, this biography doesn't cover Neil's early life, outside of a few references to his childhood and family. While you might feel as if you are missing out on some quintessential data, the truth is, it's not necessary. Neil Armstrong wasn't this larger-than-life figure like some other heroes; he knew his job and he performed his duties to the best of his abilities. The focus of this biography, strangely but somehow fittingly, is not Neil, but the space program. He just happened to fit into it. If it were possible to give this book more than five stars, I would. May 05, Read Ng rated it it was amazing Shelves: history , first-reads , biography. This was a GoodReads giveaway. Growing up, the race to the moon was such a memorable series of accomplishments to me as a young boy. The excitement and the danger all astronauts went through was astounding. I so vividly recall looking up at the moon that summer evening and thinking of Neil Armstrong landing on the moon and later watching him take that first step. This book reads very quickly. It provides great insight into a very private hero. There is a great blend of the entire space program lea This was a GoodReads giveaway. There is a great blend of the entire space program leading to the moon landing, with some glimpse of his views of the space program in the years after the moon landings. It is very well paced, with plenty of photos. It does not answer all questions we have about Armstrong, but a certain degree of mystery is only appropriate for such a private individual. I really enjoyed reading this book. This book and "The Astronaut Wives Club" go very well together. Read Armstrong first, then the Wives Club. Have a GoodReads. Sep 03, CD rated it really liked it Shelves: biography , history-american , journalism , read-in Probably the finest biography that has or will be written about Neil Armstrong. Armstrong was notoriously unknowable. Jay Barbree knew him and translates more to the public than has been seen previously. Lots more.