View From Above: An Astronaut Photographs the World

by Terry Virts, Buzz Aldrin (Foreword)

A NASA astronaut and distinguished space photographer who spent more than seven months off the planet presents the infinite wonder of his astonishing aerial images of Earth, along with captivating tales of life at the edge of the atmosphere. Astounding photographs of our world from outer space and edge-of-your-seat stories of survival in orbit--including close collegiality with Russian cosmonauts--make this a dazzling, personal account of living on the space shuttle. Few people get the experience of seeing the world from outer space--and no one has taken as many pictures of Earth from above as Terry Virts. Celebrated NASA astronaut, pilot of the space shuttle, crew member on Soyuz, and commander of the International Space Station, Virts has spent more than 200 days in space--and very few of those days went by without his reaching for his camera. Now as never before, Virts shares the astronaut's view of the world, offering stunning aerial views of our planet and the vastness that surrounds it. The colors, shapes, details--and the stories they tell--are endlessly fascinating. Virts's book marries his exquisite photographs with glimpses of everyday life in orbit, including candid shots of fellow astronauts Scott Kelly and Samantha Cristoforetti. Amid this amazing show of Earth spectacles, he reflects on how the astronaut's point of view has shaped his life and spirit. Filled with magnificent photographs that will astonish and inspire, this book--and its intrepid author--becomes our guide to a new way of looking at the world.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Space, Art, Photography, Coffee Table Books

304 pages, Hardcover

First published October 3, 2017

Reviews

[Lisa Reads & Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful photography! Amazing stories. A must read.

[Teresa Osgood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beautiful book is full of gorgeous pictures of our beautiful world, mostly taken from the unique perspective of the International Space Station. Terry Virts was there when Scott Kelly began the year-long mission about which I read recently. It was fun to read more about people who already seemed familiar, and some of the same stories I remembered from the other book. But this book takes a different approach. More pictures and fewer words (all clean), to begin with. Also, it is arranged thematically, not chronologically, so there is some repetition of episodes that is a little awkward. But the photography is just wonderful, and the author's appreciation for the earth and for his experiences in space is inspiring.

[Ehud · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Title is Misleading, the book should be called "views of Terry Virts". The book Contain more pictures and selfies of Virts than views of the planet -at first count is 53 pictures of Virts and his fellows versus 20 (plus minus) full images of the earth. Virts Ego (which seems to be heavier than the mass of the Tao particle ) overshadow the premise of the book - seeing the earth from space, by a long shot. I am extremely dissapointed and I certainly do not recommend that book. to those who look for better book I would recommend "the planets".

[Katie Lindley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic read! Astronaut Terry Virts spoke about his time in space so vividly and with so many details that it was easy to imagine what he was feeling at the time. The pictures were also stunning and had great captions!

[Amy]

calm app sleep story 2/14/18 after watching Apollo 13 tonight.

[Cindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing photographs, humorous storytelling, easy and laid back jargon (with highlighted sections for deeper learning if desired).

This was an overall incredible book as well as experience! I was able to learn a lot, laugh here and there, and have my breath taken away multiple times by stunning images.

Definitely recommend this read. ^_^

[Sunrise Scholar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A View from Above offers a captivating glimpse into the world through the eyes of astronauts. Blending awe-inspiring visuals with profound reflections on Earth and humanity, it challenges our perspective and stirs a sense of unity and wonder. A breathtaking reminder of our planet’s fragility and our shared responsibility to it.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book and the opportunity to hear the author speak was a wonderful gift from a friend. The book is beautiful. Most interesting, I loved how he started looking at, and telling the story of, the Earth through color.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The text was pretty good but I mostly read for the awesome photographs.

[jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breathtaking photography and well-written text combine for an ideal coffee table book.

[Katerina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The pictures alone are indescribably stunning.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful photography

[Sampurna Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating, but I'm a little underwhelmed because I expected more on space, maybe astrophotography.