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Deke! U.S. Manned Space: From Mercury To the Shuttle
Deke Slayton was one of the first seven Mercury astronauts--and he might have been the first American in space. Instead, he became the first chief of American Astronaut Corps. It was Deke Slayton who selected the crews who flew the Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab missions. It was Deke Slayton who made Neil Armstrong the first man on the moon.
Deke! is Deke Slayton's' story--told in his own words and in the voices of the men and women who worked with him and knew him best. Deke Slayton's knowledge of how the .S. manned space program worked is the missing piece of every space buff's puzzle. Now, after decades of silence, he tells his priceless stories of those years when American was engaged in the greatest voyage of exploration in human history.
Deke! is Deke Slayton's' story--told in his own words and in the voices of the men and women who worked with him and knew him best. Deke Slayton's knowledge of how the .S. manned space program worked is the missing piece of every space buff's puzzle. Now, after decades of silence, he tells his priceless stories of those years when American was engaged in the greatest voyage of exploration in human history.
352 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1994
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1075 people want to read
About the author
Donald K. Slayton
5 books5 followersDonald Kent “Deke” Slayton (March 1, 1924 – June 13, 1993) was one of the original NASA Mercury Seven astronauts.[1] After initially being grounded by a heart murmur, he served as NASA's Director of Flight Crew Operations, making him responsible for crew assignments at NASA from November 1963 until March 1972. At that time he was granted medical clearance to fly as the docking module pilot of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. At the age of 51, he became the oldest person to fly into space. This record was surpassed decades later by his NASA classmate John Glenn, at the age of 77, on STS-95.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
August 25, 2014
As one of the original seven Mercury astronauts, Deke Slayton was there from the beginning. Unfortunately he was grounded due to a heart condition, but stepped in as director of flight crew operations.
This book is unique among astronaut autobiographies because Slayton was there for every flight, from Alan Sheperd’s first flight to the maiden voyage of the Space Shuttle. He was eyewitness witness to all of the historical events from Ed White’s spacewalk to Gene Cernan stepping off the moon for the last time. He was on the administrative side of the astronaut office, but was an astronaut himself. This unique position allowed him to have a unique perspective on early manned space flight, and the stories he’s able to tell are some of the most interesting I’ve read in an astronaut memoir.
Sadly, Slayton died before the book was finished, which I think accounts for some of the missing details. For example, I’ve read a few other astronaut autobiographies, and as expected, the missions those astronauts flew were described in great detail. Slayton was grounded for over ten years, and was finally selected to fly the Apollo-Soyuz flight with the Soviets. However, the description of the flight itself was pretty minimal, and was fairly operational. It’s a shame that Slayton waited so long to record his story, because I’d like to hear more. Slayton is one of the most important figures in the history of manned space flight, and this is an essential addition to my growing astronaut autobiography collection.
June 30, 2019
This doesn‘t deserve 4 stars for the style. It is the content which is saving it. The 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong‘s „The eagle has landed“ is pretty near. Who decided that it would be Armstrong to put his foot first on the moon? It was Deke! And with it je decided the complete lineup of Apollo astronauts going up there. So, this is one of the books you should read.
November 20, 2018
“Deke!” by Donald K. “Deke” Slayton and Michael Cassutt * * * * *
This is the story of astronaut Deke Slayton, one of the original seven Mercury astronauts, and his years with NASA. Told in his own words and in the voices of the men and women who worked with him and knew him best, here in words and pictures is the story of his years as a test pilot, his struggle to fly into space, his work training the astronaut corps, his involvement in the designing of the Lunar Landing Module, and his work with Space Services.
Highly recommended.
This is the story of astronaut Deke Slayton, one of the original seven Mercury astronauts, and his years with NASA. Told in his own words and in the voices of the men and women who worked with him and knew him best, here in words and pictures is the story of his years as a test pilot, his struggle to fly into space, his work training the astronaut corps, his involvement in the designing of the Lunar Landing Module, and his work with Space Services.
Highly recommended.
January 28, 2024
One of the better all inclusive behind the scenes look at the US Manned Space Program. One of the Mercury 7 and grounded due to "ideopathic atrial fibrillation "( they couldn't figure it out then, nor now) even though he was a World War II bomber pilot, he went on to become Head of Astronaut Operations. Fascinating look at the scandals and problems of the time, told in a no-nonsense way that appealed to me. Burned through it in a few days. A must read for any hard core space buffs
January 28, 2019
For those of us interested in the greatest adventure ever undertaken by man, this is an excellent read. Written as if you were speaking directly to each other Deke Slaton lays out his experiences. Known as a gentleman, his concern with doing what was right becomes readily apparent. Although driven by the flight plan or mission, he never forgets how important the human factor is in accomplishing them and therefore was able to successfully navigate that fine line between purpose and people. Other astronauts attest to this high level of professionalism and, as a result, showed a great deal of respect.
At times, there is a little too much "insider baseball" for me in the discussions about creating the crew lineups, but others might find this fascinating. It was gratifying to read about his long overdue space mission, for which he kept himself ready for more than a decade and had to learn Russian to complete. Talk about dedication!
Deke does not hold back on his negative opinions of some of the administrators, politicians and astronauts of which he thought were less than they could be.
All in all a good read that you will enjoy if you ever wondered what really went on in the space program in the 1960-80 era.
At times, there is a little too much "insider baseball" for me in the discussions about creating the crew lineups, but others might find this fascinating. It was gratifying to read about his long overdue space mission, for which he kept himself ready for more than a decade and had to learn Russian to complete. Talk about dedication!
Deke does not hold back on his negative opinions of some of the administrators, politicians and astronauts of which he thought were less than they could be.
All in all a good read that you will enjoy if you ever wondered what really went on in the space program in the 1960-80 era.
April 4, 2020
While this isn't a perfect book - the earlier parts are quite dry, and the editing leaves something to be desired, with grammatical errors scattered throughout - the good stuff is really good for a space enthusiast. I was very interested to learn about how NASA in the 1960s operated at management and administrative level, as well as Deke Slayton's opinions of the different astronauts and how they affected his reasonings for the crew selections. It's also a bit sad in places, to read about the grand plans for both Apollo and the Shuttle that ultimately didn't come to pass because of budget cuts.
February 25, 2008
Deke Slayton is one of the most fascinating personalities in the history of NASA and the space program. Among the elite Murcury Seven astronauts, Deke was grounded just before his first space flight because of heart problems. Stripped of his ability to pilot any aircraft, Slayton opted to stay with NASA, eventually as the man who would choose the flight order that determined who would go to the moon. His insghts about the space program, his own challenges and his eventual journey into space are a worthwhile read for a space buff.
June 24, 2023
If you want to read a book about the author, life in the war, or NASA (including one of the original astronauts and how his life was changed), then this book is one to add to your list. Deke passed away due to a brain tumour in 1993, this book was published in 1994.
"until I was in my thirties, I was always Don Slayton. Nobody called me Deke until I became a test pilot at Edwards in the 1950s"
Content warning for this book: war, death
As always with older books, some words have a different meaning today, or you would use something else. That doesn't take away too much from the book, but it may make you stop and wonder what the author means.
"It was maybe sixty hours from the Agena failure to White House approval. That was how things got done in those days."
This book is heavy detailed, which can be great for some but a slow read for others. Skipping some of the details doesn't detract from the overall book.
"In those days we did all our academic work—running all our performance numbers—on little hand calculators or slide rules. Today guys in test pilot school are sitting there with laptops. They can do more real-time calculating in five minutes than we could do in a six-month course."
"Marge got the idea that it might be good if everyone got to know each other better, so she organized the Astronaut Wives Club with Frank Borman’s wife, Sue"
The beginning of many chapters were weird, after a bit you realized they were quotes from someone in Deke's life. I don't think those quotes needed to be there, as they didn't add to the current point in the story.
The book does touch on some things that could have been different if x happened. And it touches on the highs and lows. It also just ends, then going into quotes of praise and acknowledgements.
"But that made five funerals in one year"
"Someone took a picture of me dozing at the console at the one-hundred-hour point in the mission. My own copy has an inscription from Jim, Jack, and Fred “thanking” me for my attention."
"People think that being an astronaut is all flying missions, but most of the job was just tedious work"
"until I was in my thirties, I was always Don Slayton. Nobody called me Deke until I became a test pilot at Edwards in the 1950s"
Content warning for this book: war, death
As always with older books, some words have a different meaning today, or you would use something else. That doesn't take away too much from the book, but it may make you stop and wonder what the author means.
"It was maybe sixty hours from the Agena failure to White House approval. That was how things got done in those days."
This book is heavy detailed, which can be great for some but a slow read for others. Skipping some of the details doesn't detract from the overall book.
"In those days we did all our academic work—running all our performance numbers—on little hand calculators or slide rules. Today guys in test pilot school are sitting there with laptops. They can do more real-time calculating in five minutes than we could do in a six-month course."
"Marge got the idea that it might be good if everyone got to know each other better, so she organized the Astronaut Wives Club with Frank Borman’s wife, Sue"
The beginning of many chapters were weird, after a bit you realized they were quotes from someone in Deke's life. I don't think those quotes needed to be there, as they didn't add to the current point in the story.
The book does touch on some things that could have been different if x happened. And it touches on the highs and lows. It also just ends, then going into quotes of praise and acknowledgements.
"But that made five funerals in one year"
"Someone took a picture of me dozing at the console at the one-hundred-hour point in the mission. My own copy has an inscription from Jim, Jack, and Fred “thanking” me for my attention."
"People think that being an astronaut is all flying missions, but most of the job was just tedious work"
January 2, 2025
Reading Deke! is like reading a NASA report without the equations. Very matter-of-fact. Even his own near-death events are reported calmly. "Nobody had ever been in an inverted flat spin in this aircraft before, so there was no known procedure for getting out of it. I tried, A, then B, then C finally worked." That kind of thing. He even makes volunteering to fly bombers over Italy in WWII sound like catching the bus. But for all that, it's a great read.
One thing that comes through clearly is how COMPLEX crewed spaceflight is. Pretty much everything has to work perfectly, but even when it doesn't there are many people on the ground trying to find workarounds. For that reminder alone it's worth reading. Deke was one of the original Mercury Seven, though he didn't get to fly until Apollo-Soyuz due to a health problem. While unable to fly, instead, he became one of the most important and influential people in defining the procedures and selecting and training the crews that did fly, as well as working to make sure the pilots' voices were heard in the spacecraft design process.
He wasn't, by modern standards, a progressive. He didn't mind the idea (he says) of women and minority astronauts, but he definitely wasn't going to go out of his way to get them. He figured that his job was to take the best from the top "feeders" (meaning mostly test pilot schools, in this case), and that if they didn't include women and minorities, well, that was their problem, not his. (Which, of course, is why things don't change, but that's a separate rant, not part of the review of this book.)
Given how big a fan I have always been of the crewed (nee "manned", through the first couple of decades), I have read surprisingly few of the (mostly ghostwritten) books by the astronauts themselves. This is an oversight worth correcting.
One thing that comes through clearly is how COMPLEX crewed spaceflight is. Pretty much everything has to work perfectly, but even when it doesn't there are many people on the ground trying to find workarounds. For that reminder alone it's worth reading. Deke was one of the original Mercury Seven, though he didn't get to fly until Apollo-Soyuz due to a health problem. While unable to fly, instead, he became one of the most important and influential people in defining the procedures and selecting and training the crews that did fly, as well as working to make sure the pilots' voices were heard in the spacecraft design process.
He wasn't, by modern standards, a progressive. He didn't mind the idea (he says) of women and minority astronauts, but he definitely wasn't going to go out of his way to get them. He figured that his job was to take the best from the top "feeders" (meaning mostly test pilot schools, in this case), and that if they didn't include women and minorities, well, that was their problem, not his. (Which, of course, is why things don't change, but that's a separate rant, not part of the review of this book.)
Given how big a fan I have always been of the crewed (nee "manned", through the first couple of decades), I have read surprisingly few of the (mostly ghostwritten) books by the astronauts themselves. This is an oversight worth correcting.
June 13, 2025
I was six when Apollo XI's lunar module touched down on the moon. Like many kids my age, I was fascinated by the space race, and still have a scrapbook I made from newspaper clippings about the various flights.
For those of us who were kids at the time and who never fully got over the thrill of the Apollo programme (and its predecessors, Mercury and Gemini), a good book on the subject is still a welcome read. And this book is just such a volume.
Ostensibly the biography of Deke Slayton, the one member of the original Mercury Seven who never got to fly in the early years of manned missions, this is a love letter and detailed description of the behind-the-scenes activities that allowed the flights to take place. For when medical reasons cut Slayton's flight options down, he moved into a leading role in the administration and planning departments of the young NASA organisation.
Admittedly, some of this book goes into some technical detail which might not be perfect for every reader, but it's a story well told and details much of the life of the flyboys who became astronauts, the tensions and frustrations and occasional tragedies of the space programme, as well as some mention of the politicking that went on behind the closed doors in Washington, Houston, and elsewhere.
Slayton himself, who co-authored the book but sadly died shortly before publication, comes across as an amiable mid-west country boy who just loved being off the ground, but with a backbone that meant he was the perfect person to rely on in an emergency, especially in the early days where every step forward in planning was hazardous.
The book avoids getting bogged down in minutiae, but still packs in a lot of information, and is recommended for anyone who still remembers the thrill of watching when Neil walked down that ladder.
For those of us who were kids at the time and who never fully got over the thrill of the Apollo programme (and its predecessors, Mercury and Gemini), a good book on the subject is still a welcome read. And this book is just such a volume.
Ostensibly the biography of Deke Slayton, the one member of the original Mercury Seven who never got to fly in the early years of manned missions, this is a love letter and detailed description of the behind-the-scenes activities that allowed the flights to take place. For when medical reasons cut Slayton's flight options down, he moved into a leading role in the administration and planning departments of the young NASA organisation.
Admittedly, some of this book goes into some technical detail which might not be perfect for every reader, but it's a story well told and details much of the life of the flyboys who became astronauts, the tensions and frustrations and occasional tragedies of the space programme, as well as some mention of the politicking that went on behind the closed doors in Washington, Houston, and elsewhere.
Slayton himself, who co-authored the book but sadly died shortly before publication, comes across as an amiable mid-west country boy who just loved being off the ground, but with a backbone that meant he was the perfect person to rely on in an emergency, especially in the early days where every step forward in planning was hazardous.
The book avoids getting bogged down in minutiae, but still packs in a lot of information, and is recommended for anyone who still remembers the thrill of watching when Neil walked down that ladder.
December 21, 2022
Did you want to read the exciting take of the space race and the moon landings? Go read Moonshot.
If, on the other hand, you're looking for a collection of pertinent information on Deke Slayton from a primary source, then you've found the right book.
Deke! is a memoir. It is the ramblings of a dying man about his remarkable career, organized chronologically and published posthumously.
Is it the authoritative source on Deke Slayton? No. The book avoids basically everything about Deke's personal life, and fails to capture Deke's motivations. Is it an exciting account for the average reader? No. The writing is incredibly dry. Is it a useful source for an amateur historian or space enthusiast? Yes.
If, on the other hand, you're looking for a collection of pertinent information on Deke Slayton from a primary source, then you've found the right book.
Deke! is a memoir. It is the ramblings of a dying man about his remarkable career, organized chronologically and published posthumously.
Is it the authoritative source on Deke Slayton? No. The book avoids basically everything about Deke's personal life, and fails to capture Deke's motivations. Is it an exciting account for the average reader? No. The writing is incredibly dry. Is it a useful source for an amateur historian or space enthusiast? Yes.
December 12, 2024
I grew up during the Apollo and Space Shuttle eras and have been a huge space buff. I read and watched a lot about the Mercury and Apollo programs, but I wanted to learn more about the Gemini era. I was looking for a book that was readable and came across this one. It was an enjoyable read and was a nice look at NASA from 1960-the early 1980s. Deke Slayton does a nice job of retelling his point of view and I like that he gives his opinions of people. I would have liked a few more details about some of the technology and why some decisions were made. You also get a good look at Deke's life before NASA. I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of the space program.
August 23, 2019
A bit dry at times, but that's to be expected given the author. I've long wanted to read this book because so many astronauts have said that they learned from it why they were, or were not, chosen for missions. It lives up to that. If you're a space nut this should be required reading, or even if you just like Apollo 13 and From the Earth to the Moon (feel free to have Chris Ellis or Nick Searcy, the actors who played him in them, narrate the book for you in your head).
August 5, 2020
Substantially better than the Moonshot book from around the same period. Lots of great info about the space program, which understandably takes center stage here (Slayton's personal life serves as more of a seasoning rather than being the central focus of the book). The book was written right before Slayton's death from cancer, which adds a dash of poignancy to its ending.
Read
November 3, 2019Very good book, in the mold of Chuck Yeager's autobiography. It opens up the other side of the Astronaut Office, th one you always read other astronauts talking about; Deke's thoughts and agonies over choosing the crews that would go to space and ultimately conquer the Moon.
April 3, 2025
Loved this book! I had low expectations after Moon Shot, but this had a completely different tone. Deke comes across as incredibly competent but still humble. Lots of juicy inside info that was new to me even as a student of the early space program.
April 29, 2018
Donald K
March 4, 2019
Fantastic account of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs. Deke Slayton really gets you behind the scenes to what it was really like. If you are a space fan read this book.
October 3, 2019
Fantastic. I really liked the "other voices" sections in each chapter.
September 17, 2020
Insider look at NASA in the 60's and early 70's, with some good insider stories.
January 15, 2025
It was interesting but very dry at times. I liked it but I wouldn't recommend it
September 24, 2016
Don Slayton knew he wanted to fly as a kid, but he never imagined going as high as the moon His story is singular; chosen as one of America's first astronauts, he was grounded for medical reasons shortly into the Mercury-Gemini programs. Remaining at NASA in hopes of one day restoring his active-duty status, he was charged first with being head of the Astronaut Office, and later still director of Flight Crew Operations. His memoir of the Apollo program thus covers far more ground than one-flight wonders like Scott Carpenter or John Glenn*; it also provides extensive information about the technical planning of the Apollo missions, Skylab, and the shuttle program.
Just as the lunar missions were concluding, Slayton's own mission to return to active service had a happy result: he flew on the last Saturn rocket in the Apollo-Soyuz project. There, he fulfilled a hopeful wish expressed to Alexei Leonov many years prior, that one day they might share a toast in space. (The material in the "Vodka" bottles was just soup, but it's the thought that counts.) Slayton left NASA as the space shuttle became its focus, in part exhausted after now decades of a grueling workload, and in part because Reagan's new NASA chief was a "horse's ass". (Slayton helped inaugurate the shuttle, being head of the Approach and Landing Tests division during its development.) Slayton wasn't grounded after NASA: he took up a hobby of racing planes, and became a leading administrator in a private space venture, developing rockets for commercial liftng. Slayton fell prey to cancer before the book's publication, but worked on it with his co-author for several years prior to his death. Alan Shephard's 'co-authored' book with Slayton, Moon Shot, was also published just after Slayton's death, and I suspect it drew on some of the same interviews. The stories Slayton tells about his time in Russia are identical in both books, right down to the astronauts' discovery that their rooms were bugged, and their mischievious decision to put Russian ears to good advaantage. (They would comment on how sad it was they lacked something, like a pool table, only to have one arrive days later..)
Slayton's narration is professional with a hint of irreverence, like the time he hung out ofa helicopter by a rope to collect a goat he'd shot from the air. Tthe men who answered to Slayton's strigent safety procedures at the Cape would never believe his behavior on his own time. He goes into enormous detail on matters like how he created the mission schedule, but at moments of high emotion he isn't communicative. He often speaks of his close friendship with fellow Mercury astronaut Gus Grissom, but when Grissom perishes in a fire (along with Ed White and Roger Chaffey), he can only terseley say that it was the worst day ever. Cassutt or Slayton supplement the text with the recollections of Slayton's family or other astronauts, including his son Kent. These add a human touch and some humor of their own. (Once, Slayton and his son were enjoying a silent game of catch. After being admonished by his wife to talk to his son and bestow some fatherly advice, Slayton pondered and then informed his son to always take a nap and use the head when he had the opportunity. Kent recalls it as one of the funniest moments of his childhood.) Overall, the memoir delivers a big picture view of the early decades of NASA, from a man who was there at the very beginning.
Just as the lunar missions were concluding, Slayton's own mission to return to active service had a happy result: he flew on the last Saturn rocket in the Apollo-Soyuz project. There, he fulfilled a hopeful wish expressed to Alexei Leonov many years prior, that one day they might share a toast in space. (The material in the "Vodka" bottles was just soup, but it's the thought that counts.) Slayton left NASA as the space shuttle became its focus, in part exhausted after now decades of a grueling workload, and in part because Reagan's new NASA chief was a "horse's ass". (Slayton helped inaugurate the shuttle, being head of the Approach and Landing Tests division during its development.) Slayton wasn't grounded after NASA: he took up a hobby of racing planes, and became a leading administrator in a private space venture, developing rockets for commercial liftng. Slayton fell prey to cancer before the book's publication, but worked on it with his co-author for several years prior to his death. Alan Shephard's 'co-authored' book with Slayton, Moon Shot, was also published just after Slayton's death, and I suspect it drew on some of the same interviews. The stories Slayton tells about his time in Russia are identical in both books, right down to the astronauts' discovery that their rooms were bugged, and their mischievious decision to put Russian ears to good advaantage. (They would comment on how sad it was they lacked something, like a pool table, only to have one arrive days later..)
Slayton's narration is professional with a hint of irreverence, like the time he hung out ofa helicopter by a rope to collect a goat he'd shot from the air. Tthe men who answered to Slayton's strigent safety procedures at the Cape would never believe his behavior on his own time. He goes into enormous detail on matters like how he created the mission schedule, but at moments of high emotion he isn't communicative. He often speaks of his close friendship with fellow Mercury astronaut Gus Grissom, but when Grissom perishes in a fire (along with Ed White and Roger Chaffey), he can only terseley say that it was the worst day ever. Cassutt or Slayton supplement the text with the recollections of Slayton's family or other astronauts, including his son Kent. These add a human touch and some humor of their own. (Once, Slayton and his son were enjoying a silent game of catch. After being admonished by his wife to talk to his son and bestow some fatherly advice, Slayton pondered and then informed his son to always take a nap and use the head when he had the opportunity. Kent recalls it as one of the funniest moments of his childhood.) Overall, the memoir delivers a big picture view of the early decades of NASA, from a man who was there at the very beginning.
July 7, 2013
Having devoured the complete Apollo canon of histories, biographies and autobiographies, I admit that I'd been putting this one off for some time. I suppose because Deke was a Mercury astronaut who never flew in that program and was barely an Apollo astronaut (if you see the Apollo-Soyuz test Project as actually being part of the Apollo project), I didn't think his story would be that compelling. Well, I confess now to being wrong and misinformed. This is a great addition to the Apollo story, not because of Deke's activities as an astronaut, but because of his unique position of being in charge of flight crew selection during Gemini and Apollo. Who decided that Neil Armstrong would be the first human to set foot upon the moon? Deke did.
The Apollo chronology is familiar and told in a fairly breezy style but there's a lot information here on astronaut personalities, social mechanics between them and unvarnished accounts of what Deke really thought about each of them. That's one of the things that really comes through this book: Deke's gruff but intelligent style. Why, you can almost feel the crew cut brushing you on the arm on some of pages. While the book was co-written with Michael Cassutt, there is a great deal of authenticity in the book's style. Unlike other "assisted" autobiographies, Deke feels like the sole author here, not just a name on the cover. The language is plain and direct and the book is better for it.
If you're not already encyclopedically familiar with the 1960s Space Race, this is a great book from which to get an overview on the thrilling early days of manned spaceflight. From the selection of the original Mercury 7 astronauts, the incremental steps achieved in the Gemini program to the early missions of Apollo, you'll be right there (again or for the first time) with Deke as he recounts the journey from his unique viewpoint.
[A side note: I read the Kindle edition of this book and I have to say the print-to-digital conversion was a little off, particularly towards the later chapters. You could tell that OCR must have been used as letters and numbers that have similar shapes were often misinterpreted.]
The Apollo chronology is familiar and told in a fairly breezy style but there's a lot information here on astronaut personalities, social mechanics between them and unvarnished accounts of what Deke really thought about each of them. That's one of the things that really comes through this book: Deke's gruff but intelligent style. Why, you can almost feel the crew cut brushing you on the arm on some of pages. While the book was co-written with Michael Cassutt, there is a great deal of authenticity in the book's style. Unlike other "assisted" autobiographies, Deke feels like the sole author here, not just a name on the cover. The language is plain and direct and the book is better for it.
If you're not already encyclopedically familiar with the 1960s Space Race, this is a great book from which to get an overview on the thrilling early days of manned spaceflight. From the selection of the original Mercury 7 astronauts, the incremental steps achieved in the Gemini program to the early missions of Apollo, you'll be right there (again or for the first time) with Deke as he recounts the journey from his unique viewpoint.
[A side note: I read the Kindle edition of this book and I have to say the print-to-digital conversion was a little off, particularly towards the later chapters. You could tell that OCR must have been used as letters and numbers that have similar shapes were often misinterpreted.]
July 24, 2015
Donald "Deke" Slayton was one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts, yet before he could go into space he was grounded with a minor heart murmur. He became the chief of the Astronaut Corps and was the one who decided who got to fly in the Gemini, Apollo and Skylab missions and specifically decided that Neil Armstrong would be the commander of Apollo 11 and therefore, the first man to set foot on the moon. Slayton eventually did get medically cleared to go into space with a joint US/USSR mission in 1974.
As with any book about or by the astronauts, there's going to be a high level of technical explanations, but the book mainly stays interesting. I have been reading memoirs by quite a few of the first and second groups of astronauts and it's intriguing to find out who is close friends (or enemies of) who else. Reading about the missions in general is obviously interesting to me or I wouldn't be reading all these astronaut memoirs! Giving this one three stars as there were other books I enjoyed more.
**#44 of 100 books pledged to read/review in 2015**
As with any book about or by the astronauts, there's going to be a high level of technical explanations, but the book mainly stays interesting. I have been reading memoirs by quite a few of the first and second groups of astronauts and it's intriguing to find out who is close friends (or enemies of) who else. Reading about the missions in general is obviously interesting to me or I wouldn't be reading all these astronaut memoirs! Giving this one three stars as there were other books I enjoyed more.
**#44 of 100 books pledged to read/review in 2015**
September 21, 2010
For my money, this and Scott Carpenter's book, For Spacious Skies, are the best of the Mercury astronauts' memoirs. Deke's is particularly interesting because of his role as head of the astronaut office, assumed when he was kept from flying in space because of a heart condition (later cured, allowing him to fly in the Apollo-Soyuz mission). Cassutt does an outstanding of letting Deke's personality come through, as well as interspersing short bits of narrative from other sources, such as Deke's son and the other astronauts.
I have to say also that I love the title. Every time Slayton comes up, my husband and I shout "Deke!" at each other. Occasionally I do it to the cat (whose name is Zeke), but he just finds it confusing.
I have to say also that I love the title. Every time Slayton comes up, my husband and I shout "Deke!" at each other. Occasionally I do it to the cat (whose name is Zeke), but he just finds it confusing.
June 5, 2011
I always thought that Slayton was unlucky but made the most of the hand he was dealt. This straightforward autobiography pretty much confirms that view and is written very much in the style that, I imagine, was typical if the man.
Deke isn't a gifted writer, it's not his strength. Therefore the narrative is pedestrian and fails to explore the interesting aspects he brings up, especially how he chose the crews. All other bios of astronauts from this time mention how closed this process was and how they wished they new how Deke decided- he really sheds no meaningful light on this. The process is reduced to a couple sentences and it leaves you wanting more info.
Also there is little in the narrative that sheds light on the astronaut personalities and that's a shame. However, a good man who led a fascinating life in the most interesting years on NASA
Deke isn't a gifted writer, it's not his strength. Therefore the narrative is pedestrian and fails to explore the interesting aspects he brings up, especially how he chose the crews. All other bios of astronauts from this time mention how closed this process was and how they wished they new how Deke decided- he really sheds no meaningful light on this. The process is reduced to a couple sentences and it leaves you wanting more info.
Also there is little in the narrative that sheds light on the astronaut personalities and that's a shame. However, a good man who led a fascinating life in the most interesting years on NASA
June 1, 2009
Deke Slayton was one of the original Mercury Astronaut team but lost his chance to go into space due to a heart irregularity that was found by medical monitoring during the training. He then ended up being Chief Astronaut and selected the crews who made up the Apollo missions including selecting the Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to be the first men to land on the Moon.
Deke is a much more interesting character than Armstrong and the book contains a lot details about the earlier Mercury and Gemini missions and what they attempted to achieve. Some astronauts who read the book discovered why or why they were not selected for certain missions.
Deke is a much more interesting character than Armstrong and the book contains a lot details about the earlier Mercury and Gemini missions and what they attempted to achieve. Some astronauts who read the book discovered why or why they were not selected for certain missions.
March 22, 2014
A key figure throughout the whole of the space race tells his story, from childhood to old age. Should be interesting and is, at times. The book suffers from being badly written and lacking in insight. It rehashes a lot of the dates, quotes and missions that space enthusiasts know by heart, without adding anything particularly new. Deke's crew rotation dilemmas are quite interesting, and there's definitely some new insights into the Apollo-Soyuz flight. The vast majority of it however, can be found in Gene Krantz's much-better-written book.
July 26, 2012
This book isn't as complete as other books like A Man on the Moon and it is not as thoughtful and insightful as Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut's Journey, but it still covers the perspective of a major figure in the US manned space program.
October 5, 2012
Interesting account of early NASA from the inside. Deke goes through his life from a young man to the end of his space career. Badass World War II stories and insight into NASA. One particular item of note is how he details the selection process of the Gemini/Apollo Era astronauts for their missions.
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