DESCHUTES PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION presents Author ROBERT KURSON FERGUSON ©MATT Sunday, April 28, 2019 4:00 p.m. Bend High Auditorium Get free tickets starting 4/6/2019 at www.dplfoundation.org and all libraries. Author Interview An interview with Robert Kurson NOVEL IDEA: You graduated from Harvard Law You highlight the struggles, courage, and instincts of the ASchool and worked as a real estate attorney. How wives of the astronauts in the book. Can you elaborate did you make the move to become a nonfiction writer and more on these three women’s invaluable role in the journalist? success of Apollo 8? ROBERT KURSON: It took just a few days at Harvard Law So much of Apollo 8’s mission had never been attempted for me to realize I’d made a big mistake. Being good before. That meant none of the wives had any evidence at law seemed all about being risk-averse and detail- that any of the mission’s immensely risky elements were oriented, not a prescription for a happy life given the possible. On top of that, everything was being expedited; stubborn strand of creative DNA in my genes. Practicing what normally took 12–18 months of planning and training law after graduation proved me right (plus I was bad at had to be condensed into just 16 weeks for Apollo 8. it). To numb the pain of my professional existence, I began Despite the immense risks, Susan Borman, Marilyn Lovell, writing stories for myself at night, little remembrances of and Valerie Anders were expected to put on brave, childhood adventures. Doing that, to my surprise, made smiling faces, welcome the public into their homes, and me happy and made time seem to disappear. Luckily, I never betray their own worries or problems to their was naïve about how difficult it is to make a living as a husbands, their children, or America. It took just a few writer, so I quit my law job and sent my resume to every minutes of interviewing each astronaut to realize how newspaper in Illinois, asking for a sportswriting opportunity. much he appreciated the immensity of his wife’s sacrifice Only the Chicago Sun-Times replied (at the time, the for the mission and for the country, and to realize they eighth-largest paper in the country). They offered just a were correct in saying their wives were true heroes for the data-entry job (nights and weekends only) but I jumped all sacrifices they made in order to make Apollo 8 a reality. over it, knowing that my six-figure pay cut would be worth every penny in exchange for a chance at writing, and Our current political time and angst in the country happiness. echoes much of the tumult and unrest of 1968. Do you believe we could do something as bold and daring Ordinary people doing extraordinary things is a common as Apollo 8 today? What are the similarities and theme throughout all of your books. Why is this so? differences between that time and now? I think it’s because we all harbor dreams of doing big I always think America is capable of doing something things, of making an extraordinary leap, and these stories staggeringly bold and daring. But I also think certain prove it’s possible for most anyone. conditions might need to exist to justify the money and sacrifice required to pull it off. The Apollo program was The Apollo 8 astronauts were very different people. borne of a promise made by President Kennedy in 1961 Describe their chemistry and why they were a perfect match to land a man on the Moon by the end of the decade. He to make this seemingly impossible mission, possible. made that commitment at a time when the United States Last April, the three astronauts joined me in Chicago at was losing the space race to the Soviet Union, a race the Museum of Science and Industry (home to the Apollo that was part of a bigger Cold War, and which many 8 spacecraft) to help me launch my book. We spent believed had existential implications. If a country believes nearly an hour doing an interview onstage in front of a its very survival is at stake it can do amazing things, even sold-out crowd. From the start, they finished each other’s impossible things. Today, I don’t believe the U.S. perceives sentences, reminded one another about details of their its existence to be at risk in the same way, so getting the flight, and dished out the kind of good-natured ribbing massive funding and commitments necessary for something reserved only for dear friends. If anything, they seemed to as epic as Apollo seems unlikely, at least for now. At the have grown even closer in the 50 years since their historic same time, technology is advancing at incredible speed, mission. Trying to explain chemistry is a difficult thing and private enterprise is now pushing boundaries in space, (at best), but I’d guess that part of it comes down to the so perhaps we’re not far from seeing another giant leap. differences in their personalities; each brought a unique–– yet complementary––perspective to the mission, and to life. After seeing the great “Earthrise” image, it seems the At the same time, all of them shared a deep belief in the Apollo 8 astronauts actually discovered Earth. What impact goodness of NASA’s––and America’s––mission. Maybe most did this experience have on the astronauts and the public? PHOTO: COURTESY OF NASA OF COURTESY PHOTO: important, they were (and are) very decent, honorable, I think it caused all three astronauts to realize how small and likeable people, which can never hurt in building and fragile Earth is, how alone in the universe we are, chemistry. and how lucky we are to have this glorious, tiny marble (You will find a video of the event at that sustains life and is home to everything we hold dear https://bit.ly/2DykATo; the interview begins at 16:44.) and love. 2 Also Read Launching another great year e couldn’t be more pleased American Wolf by Nate Blakeslee The Boat People by Sharon Bala Wwith the recent changes to Reintroduced to the Yellowstone ecosystem Mahindan came to Canada thinking he the “A Novel Idea” selection process. in 1995, wolves continue to be controversial could make a fresh start for himself and The entire team, including Community and the subject of debate, especially by his six-year-old son. Refugees from Sri Nominators and the Advisory locals living in the three states––Wyoming, Lanka, where the Tamil Tigers terrorist Committee, began meeting, reading, Montana, and Idaho––that surround the group battled the government to create an and discussing an amazing list of park. Blakeslee recounts the history of independent state, Mahindan and his son potential books in January 2018. wolves in the region as well as the political were among more than 500 immigrants By May 31, a final list of 45 books, maelstrom that surrounds them. Library who arrived on a cargo ship to seek asylum. each meeting the selection criteria, Journal Booklist was curated. Through the summer the Advisory Committee read and Anatomy of A Miracle by Jonathan Miles There There by Tommy Orange discussed, culling the list to three In this vibrant, bustling, and humorous Orange’s commanding debut chronicles from which Library Director Todd southern novel, Miles focuses on the life contemporary Native Americans in Oakland, Dunkelberg made the final choice. of a Biloxi, Mississippi, native, Cameron as their lives collide in the days leading up This year’s top five included two Harris. The story begins four years after to the city’s inaugural Big Oakland Powwow. non-fiction titles, three debuts, and a Cameron has been tragically paralyzed The propulsion of both the overall narrative National Book Award nominee. It was while serving in Afghanistan. Now living in and its players are breathtaking as Orange a great year for reading! Here is the Biloxi with Tanya, his loving and hilarious unpacks how decisions of the past mold the list of the four books that rounded out sister, Cameron has experienced hardships present, resulting in a haunting and gripping the final five. including his mother’s death, Hurricane story. Publishers Weekly Katrina, and war traumas. Then he suddenly and wondrously walks again. Booklist Discussion 3-2-1 Lift-off! one This year’s book is nonfiction and opens with a four Discuss the idea of: What if the Apollo six Kurson ends Rocket Men with an Author’s Note, broad overview of the events in the book. How did 8 mission had failed and the Soviet Union had in which he says: 1968 was “one of the most terrible knowing the outcome influence your reading? achieved lunar orbit before the United States? How and divisive years in the country’s history. […] different would the United States look or be today? Nearly 50 years later, the United States seemed two The astronauts’ wives have been described as torn apart again.” The Apollo 8 mission united a “the original NASA support module.” Discuss your five Where were you in 1968, or for the divided country. However, Kurson notes, “there view of the role of women and wives in Rocket Men. broadcast on Christmas Eve from the astronauts has been no Apollo 8 for our time.” What will be orbiting the Moon? What do you remember from today’s Apollo 8 mission, the singular event to unite three Consider the ways the astronauts differ–– that time, from that moment? If you weren’t born a politically divided country? Can it be a singular backgrounds, family dynamics, personality, and yet, how do you view this time period? event, or a string of events? demeanor.