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Ins All: Die faszinierende Geschichte vom ersten Flug in den Weltraum
Als Jurij Gagarin 1961 als erster Mensch ins All flog, hatte er nicht nur die Schwerkraft, sondern auch den Eisernen Vorhang überwunden, der auf der Erde den Kommunismus vom Kapitalismus trennte. Die USA befanden sich nach diesem Coup in wilder Panik, die Sowjetunion triumphierte. Basierend auf neuen Quellen erzählt dieses packende Buch vom aberwitzigen »Race to Space« der Supermächte: vom mörderischen Training der Kosmonauten, von Hunden und Schimpansen in Raketen, Bomben im Cockpit, dilettantischer Technik und der Angst der Kommunisten, im All am Ende auf Gott zu treffen.
„Stephen Walker hat es geschafft, die unglaubliche Reise meines Vaters nacherlebbar zu machen!“ – Jelena Gagarina, Tochter von Jurij Gagarin
„Stephen Walker hat es geschafft, die unglaubliche Reise meines Vaters nacherlebbar zu machen!“ – Jelena Gagarina, Tochter von Jurij Gagarin
592 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
February 9, 2023
I have no real interest in anything space related be them non-fiction or fiction so why did I pick this book up? Simple answer. It had great reviews and my word were they correct. This is a thoroughly absorbing and well written book.
We are transported back to 1961 when both the Americans and Russians were trying to figure out a way to get a man into space and not coming back looking like a melted marshmallow. The Russians were being very secretive with their preparations (surprise) while the Americans were far more transparent (ish). The back-and-forth between the two countries is fascinating and intriguing.
The writing and stories just flow so well and it really is edge-of-your-seat stuff even though you know the outcome. On top of the space race there is the cold war which has ramped up to the extreme with the Cuban Missile Crisis.
There is a little more emphasis on the Soviet side of things as they are the ones that ‘won’. We see things through the eyes of Sergei Pavlovich Korolev. The most powerful man in the Soviet space programme. You feel that you know him and Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin very well as you read through the book.
Just wait to you get the story of Ham. The chimp that the Americans put into space. He flew for 16 minutes and went 156 miles above the earth pulling levers in his capsule like no tomorrow. It is quite heart wrenching.
We see the astronauts on the US side and the Cosmonauts on the Soviet side. One of each will be picked to fly to space. Who will it be and ultimately who will be the first that actually does it and will they survive?
I recommend this to anyone and not just nerds who watch Star Trek. It is thrilling and I learnt a lot. Storytelling at its finest.
We are transported back to 1961 when both the Americans and Russians were trying to figure out a way to get a man into space and not coming back looking like a melted marshmallow. The Russians were being very secretive with their preparations (surprise) while the Americans were far more transparent (ish). The back-and-forth between the two countries is fascinating and intriguing.
The writing and stories just flow so well and it really is edge-of-your-seat stuff even though you know the outcome. On top of the space race there is the cold war which has ramped up to the extreme with the Cuban Missile Crisis.
There is a little more emphasis on the Soviet side of things as they are the ones that ‘won’. We see things through the eyes of Sergei Pavlovich Korolev. The most powerful man in the Soviet space programme. You feel that you know him and Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin very well as you read through the book.
Just wait to you get the story of Ham. The chimp that the Americans put into space. He flew for 16 minutes and went 156 miles above the earth pulling levers in his capsule like no tomorrow. It is quite heart wrenching.
We see the astronauts on the US side and the Cosmonauts on the Soviet side. One of each will be picked to fly to space. Who will it be and ultimately who will be the first that actually does it and will they survive?
I recommend this to anyone and not just nerds who watch Star Trek. It is thrilling and I learnt a lot. Storytelling at its finest.
April 16, 2021
Beyond is the thrilling story of man’s first journey into space sixty years ago, the extraordinary solo voyage taken by the cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin in Vostok 1 on the 12th April 1961. Other books have been written about Yuri Gagarin but in Beyond the author Stephen Walker not only introduces new information gained from the personal interviews he conducted with many of the participants, but he also fixes the voyage of Vostok 1 firmly in time at the height of the Cold War. So, not only do we get to understand the differences between the Soviet and American space programs in terms of their respective approaches to rocket engineering and risk-taking, but also the differing political pressures that were brought to bear on those programs. I have to admit I was first baffled by the inclusion of detail, for instance, on the Cuban Bay of Pigs fiasco until I realised that it helped me to not only place the voyage of Vostok 1 at an important point of history but also to understand the decisions that would soon be taken in the White House in the aftermath of the voyage that would lead to the creation of the Apollo program and the race to put a man on the moon.
Though the engineering problems faced by the Soviet and American space programs never exactly take a back seat, this book is as much, if not more so, about the participants. It is about the similarities and contrasts between the Soviet cosmonauts and American astronauts, between the Soviet leader Khrushchev and American president John F. Kennedy, and between the Soviet rocket designer (and former gulag inmate) Korolev and the American rocket designer (and former Nazi) von Braun. It is about the difficult and moving relationship between Yuri Gagarin, the very young, always smiling, always charismatic, first choice by the Soviet program to take the first flight into space, and his back-up, the much more complicated, Pushkin quoting, Gherman Titov, who would never ever properly come to terms with not being the first man in space. It is also about the difficult and moving relationship between the much more mature and experienced Americans, the first choice, the very complicated Alan Shepard, and his back up John Glenn, the all-American hero.
What really impresses about this book is the quality of the writing, how easy it is to read, how exciting it is to read. Perhaps, this is because Stephen Walker, through the various drafts the book took to write, could never hide his own excitement, his own passion for Yuri Gagarin’s story – and what a story it is. It cannot be said that we are now truly complacent about space flight but it is hard to imagine sixty years on the huge risks that men like Yuri Gagarin – sometimes knowingly, sometimes unknowingly – were willing to take for their country, for the thrill of going where no human has gone before, for the pride to be called the first man in space. This book captures all this, as well as the tragic aftermath, the return from space by Yuri Gagarin to a very different world – a world that saw him as much more than the smiling and very brave young man that he was. He had become a symbol of Soviet prestige, someone that the whole world wanted to touch.
One final comment on this superb book: some readers unfamiliar with space exploration history may find themselves distressed by the often detailed discussions about the animals sent up into space by both the Soviet and American space programs, voyages more often than not that led to the animals’ deaths. However, these stories, though sad, are an important and very often ignored or forgotten part of the history of space exploration, and Stephen Walker gives them all their proper due.
Highly recommended!!
Though the engineering problems faced by the Soviet and American space programs never exactly take a back seat, this book is as much, if not more so, about the participants. It is about the similarities and contrasts between the Soviet cosmonauts and American astronauts, between the Soviet leader Khrushchev and American president John F. Kennedy, and between the Soviet rocket designer (and former gulag inmate) Korolev and the American rocket designer (and former Nazi) von Braun. It is about the difficult and moving relationship between Yuri Gagarin, the very young, always smiling, always charismatic, first choice by the Soviet program to take the first flight into space, and his back-up, the much more complicated, Pushkin quoting, Gherman Titov, who would never ever properly come to terms with not being the first man in space. It is also about the difficult and moving relationship between the much more mature and experienced Americans, the first choice, the very complicated Alan Shepard, and his back up John Glenn, the all-American hero.
What really impresses about this book is the quality of the writing, how easy it is to read, how exciting it is to read. Perhaps, this is because Stephen Walker, through the various drafts the book took to write, could never hide his own excitement, his own passion for Yuri Gagarin’s story – and what a story it is. It cannot be said that we are now truly complacent about space flight but it is hard to imagine sixty years on the huge risks that men like Yuri Gagarin – sometimes knowingly, sometimes unknowingly – were willing to take for their country, for the thrill of going where no human has gone before, for the pride to be called the first man in space. This book captures all this, as well as the tragic aftermath, the return from space by Yuri Gagarin to a very different world – a world that saw him as much more than the smiling and very brave young man that he was. He had become a symbol of Soviet prestige, someone that the whole world wanted to touch.
One final comment on this superb book: some readers unfamiliar with space exploration history may find themselves distressed by the often detailed discussions about the animals sent up into space by both the Soviet and American space programs, voyages more often than not that led to the animals’ deaths. However, these stories, though sad, are an important and very often ignored or forgotten part of the history of space exploration, and Stephen Walker gives them all their proper due.
Highly recommended!!
April 24, 2022
I’ve read a lot of books on the space race between the USA and the USSR. It was very cool to finally read one from the Russian point of view.
The Americans had the Gemini 7, the Russians had the Vanguard 6. The Americans had Wehrner von Braun, the Russians had Sergei Korolev - though the world didn’t know his name until well after his death.
That was the biggest difference in the two countries in the space race - the United States were completely transparent about every plan, every success, every failure, while the Russians never gave out any information unless it was to their benefit - and that’s why there have been so few books about the Russian side.
Fortunately we now have declassified files along with the fantastic (and illegally kept) diary of Nikolai Kaminin, the man who trained the cosmonauts, giving us this book on the flight of the very first man in space.
The name Yuri Gagarin should be up there with Columbus, Vespucci, and Magellan. He did something far more amazing, becoming the very first human to view the earth from space. But his name is somewhat lost to history, American history at least, partially because he was on the enemy team and partially because his achievement was overshadowed by the moon landings a few years later.
A few notes:
- It seems odd to say it, but the reason the Russians had an early lead in the space race was because their tech was so crude. The Americans had more advanced light weight hydrogen bombs, which meant that the rockets needed to lift them were smaller. The Russians had larger hydrogen bombs, so they needed bigger rockets. When the time came to start shooting heavy stuff into space, the Russians were ready.
- The book does a great job of capturing the national mood when Sputnik was launched. On one hand, there was disappointment, but on the other hand Americans were enthralled by it, soaking up all the news they could get. Just like today, it was used as a political tool. A Democratic congressman declared a “National Week of Shame and Danger” as a way of embarrassing President Eisenhower. But the average American didn’t seem to feel shame or danger.
- Wehrner von Braun has always walked an interesting line in American history. Without him there is no American space program, but he was also a Nazi during World War 2. Anytime he appears in space history books he’s kind of balanced with the good and the bad. But the author of this book is British, and he pulls no punches. WVB was, of course, the inventor of the V2 rockets that terrorized London during the war. Interesting to see his story written from a British perspective.
- I had never heard the story of the CIA stealing the Russian lunar probe from a Mexico City exhibit.
- American astronauts piloted their capsules back to earth. Cosmonauts were supposed to be passengers only. But what if the trajectory computer failed? Should cosmonauts be allowed to fly them back manually if necessary? If they were given that opportunity, what if they used that opportunity to defect, and land in the US? The Soviet resolution of this problem was one of the best parts of the book.
- The trajectory tech in the Russian capsules was a little less sophisticated than the American versions. It was always a guessing game where the capsules would end up. So cosmonauts were trained for every possibility. If you land in shark infested waters, remember to smack at the water to keep the sharks away. If you land in a forest, you can shoot at bears. But if you land in Antarctica, remember that shooting at polar bears only makes them angrier.
The Americans had the Gemini 7, the Russians had the Vanguard 6. The Americans had Wehrner von Braun, the Russians had Sergei Korolev - though the world didn’t know his name until well after his death.
That was the biggest difference in the two countries in the space race - the United States were completely transparent about every plan, every success, every failure, while the Russians never gave out any information unless it was to their benefit - and that’s why there have been so few books about the Russian side.
Fortunately we now have declassified files along with the fantastic (and illegally kept) diary of Nikolai Kaminin, the man who trained the cosmonauts, giving us this book on the flight of the very first man in space.
The name Yuri Gagarin should be up there with Columbus, Vespucci, and Magellan. He did something far more amazing, becoming the very first human to view the earth from space. But his name is somewhat lost to history, American history at least, partially because he was on the enemy team and partially because his achievement was overshadowed by the moon landings a few years later.
A few notes:
- It seems odd to say it, but the reason the Russians had an early lead in the space race was because their tech was so crude. The Americans had more advanced light weight hydrogen bombs, which meant that the rockets needed to lift them were smaller. The Russians had larger hydrogen bombs, so they needed bigger rockets. When the time came to start shooting heavy stuff into space, the Russians were ready.
- The book does a great job of capturing the national mood when Sputnik was launched. On one hand, there was disappointment, but on the other hand Americans were enthralled by it, soaking up all the news they could get. Just like today, it was used as a political tool. A Democratic congressman declared a “National Week of Shame and Danger” as a way of embarrassing President Eisenhower. But the average American didn’t seem to feel shame or danger.
- Wehrner von Braun has always walked an interesting line in American history. Without him there is no American space program, but he was also a Nazi during World War 2. Anytime he appears in space history books he’s kind of balanced with the good and the bad. But the author of this book is British, and he pulls no punches. WVB was, of course, the inventor of the V2 rockets that terrorized London during the war. Interesting to see his story written from a British perspective.
- I had never heard the story of the CIA stealing the Russian lunar probe from a Mexico City exhibit.
- American astronauts piloted their capsules back to earth. Cosmonauts were supposed to be passengers only. But what if the trajectory computer failed? Should cosmonauts be allowed to fly them back manually if necessary? If they were given that opportunity, what if they used that opportunity to defect, and land in the US? The Soviet resolution of this problem was one of the best parts of the book.
- The trajectory tech in the Russian capsules was a little less sophisticated than the American versions. It was always a guessing game where the capsules would end up. So cosmonauts were trained for every possibility. If you land in shark infested waters, remember to smack at the water to keep the sharks away. If you land in a forest, you can shoot at bears. But if you land in Antarctica, remember that shooting at polar bears only makes them angrier.
June 30, 2021
This is a really well done behind-the-scenes look at the early space race from both the USA and USSR sides. While the focus seemed to gradually hone in on our hero, Yuri Gagarin, as the book went on, there was a lot of interesting information presented regarding the USA’s Mercury program and the launches and obstacles that led up to it; and a lot of comparing and contrasting NASA operations with that of the Soviets’ Vostok space program. The Russians kept the innerworkings of their space program absolutely secret until the fall of the Soviet Union, thirty years after Gagarin’s flight. The book conveys the high level of pressure put on both space programs to get the first man in space. It was the Cold War and showing that capitalism or communism was the supreme way of life was of utmost importance for the respective nations. And as an American who has closely followed NASA his whole life I found it most interesting to see the space race from a Russian point of view.
Up until Yuri’s famous space flight, I was fascinated with the comparisons of the progress made by the two manned space programs. The Soviets always seemed to be one step ahead of the Americans and more focused, and they preferred to keep their cosmonauts sequestered. Meanwhile, the Americans were putting everything out for the world to see and publicly showing off the Mercury 7 astronauts in the national media. The Soviet space flight finalists were called the Vanguard 6 and they trained in anonymity.
Both countries used a variety of animals for their pre-human space flights. The book covers these launches and the plight of the space animals in detail. The Russians favored dogs while the American favored primates. The book should carry a trigger warning about the suffering some of these animals entailed. Cameras on board showed some of them in distress and the parts describing USA's chimp Ham’s perilous journey aboard the American Redstone rocket was hard to read.
Both countries desperately wanted to put the first man in space, and American leadership didn’t quite know how far along the Russians were so when Gagarin’s capsule was detected orbiting the globe it was an embarrassment for Kennedy and the US space program. This embarrassment along with the Bay of Pigs fiasco really lit a fuse under JFK and inspired him to attempt to win the race once and for all by putting a human on the moon, the goal which he so eloquently announced in his famous Rice University speech. (The 21 minute long speech is on YouTube and is magnificent.)
My favorite parts of the book were the behind-the-scenes look at the early Soviet space program and the life of Yuri Gagarin, subjects I knew little about, and the detailed play-by-play description of Gagarin's famous space flight and peculiar events related to his off-target landing in a plowed field. He instantly became a national hero and international celebrity. The book goes on to tell how the event shaped Gagarin’s life. The last few chapters and epilogue were hard to stop listening to.
Based on the magnitude and difficulty of Gagarin’s flight, and his intelligence, bravery, charisma, good looks, and star power of the day, I’m surprised there hasn’t been a major motion picture made of this event, or of his life for that matter. This was the first human being to travel to outer space. I mean, this guy antagonized Nazis as a pre-teen when his Russian hometown was occupied during WWII. His life is a fascinating story in itself. He went from being an unknown to the most famous person in the world in 108 minutes!
Less than a month after Gagarin's flight, Alan Shepard became the first American in space but his 15 minute flight paled in comparison to the Russian’s 108 minute flight, and Shepard did not even orbit the earth like Gagarin did. In his Mercury capsule, he splashed down in the Atlantic, only 263 miles east of Florida.
I listened to this on Audible and it was expertly narrated by David Rintoul. I will need to track down a copy of the paper book to see the pictures.
Up until Yuri’s famous space flight, I was fascinated with the comparisons of the progress made by the two manned space programs. The Soviets always seemed to be one step ahead of the Americans and more focused, and they preferred to keep their cosmonauts sequestered. Meanwhile, the Americans were putting everything out for the world to see and publicly showing off the Mercury 7 astronauts in the national media. The Soviet space flight finalists were called the Vanguard 6 and they trained in anonymity.
Both countries used a variety of animals for their pre-human space flights. The book covers these launches and the plight of the space animals in detail. The Russians favored dogs while the American favored primates. The book should carry a trigger warning about the suffering some of these animals entailed. Cameras on board showed some of them in distress and the parts describing USA's chimp Ham’s perilous journey aboard the American Redstone rocket was hard to read.
Both countries desperately wanted to put the first man in space, and American leadership didn’t quite know how far along the Russians were so when Gagarin’s capsule was detected orbiting the globe it was an embarrassment for Kennedy and the US space program. This embarrassment along with the Bay of Pigs fiasco really lit a fuse under JFK and inspired him to attempt to win the race once and for all by putting a human on the moon, the goal which he so eloquently announced in his famous Rice University speech. (The 21 minute long speech is on YouTube and is magnificent.)
My favorite parts of the book were the behind-the-scenes look at the early Soviet space program and the life of Yuri Gagarin, subjects I knew little about, and the detailed play-by-play description of Gagarin's famous space flight and peculiar events related to his off-target landing in a plowed field. He instantly became a national hero and international celebrity. The book goes on to tell how the event shaped Gagarin’s life. The last few chapters and epilogue were hard to stop listening to.
Based on the magnitude and difficulty of Gagarin’s flight, and his intelligence, bravery, charisma, good looks, and star power of the day, I’m surprised there hasn’t been a major motion picture made of this event, or of his life for that matter. This was the first human being to travel to outer space. I mean, this guy antagonized Nazis as a pre-teen when his Russian hometown was occupied during WWII. His life is a fascinating story in itself. He went from being an unknown to the most famous person in the world in 108 minutes!
Less than a month after Gagarin's flight, Alan Shepard became the first American in space but his 15 minute flight paled in comparison to the Russian’s 108 minute flight, and Shepard did not even orbit the earth like Gagarin did. In his Mercury capsule, he splashed down in the Atlantic, only 263 miles east of Florida.
I listened to this on Audible and it was expertly narrated by David Rintoul. I will need to track down a copy of the paper book to see the pictures.
March 29, 2025
5 stars with a bullet. This book was everything I love. Outer space, the Cold War, secrecy, ingenuity, and risk all wrapped into a work of perfectly executed non-fiction that makes most of the invented stories I’ve read seem dry and boring in comparison, despite the fact that they’re not even restrained by reality.
This book isn’t for everyone. It’s sort of long, provides ample historical context, and gets a little technical at times. But if you are wondering what Brice loves in a book, this is it. The Russian space program of the early 60s was just outrageous. What an amazing thing to learn about!
This book isn’t for everyone. It’s sort of long, provides ample historical context, and gets a little technical at times. But if you are wondering what Brice loves in a book, this is it. The Russian space program of the early 60s was just outrageous. What an amazing thing to learn about!
October 27, 2023
Das ist das unsachlichste Sachbuch, das ich seit Jahrzehnten gelesen habe.
dnf
July 18, 2025DNF po 90 stronach. Nie dlatego, że to zła książka, ale na ten temat czytałam już tyle innych, że lektura kolejnej mnie potwornie nudzi. I czytanie jej było męką. Chyba przeszła mi już faza na kosmiczne książki 🥲.
July 9, 2024
Поехали! - Let's go!
I'm interested in space, but it's not a topic I really read anything about. Stephen Walker's Beyond, however, isn't just a space book. Neither is it generally about humanity's achievement of putting a person in space. Beyond is firmly rooted in history. This was the Cold War, and whoever was going to get a man up there first - whether the US or the Soviet Union - was going to make a very firm political statement.
The book starts generally alternating chapters between the Americans and the Soviets. With the space race on, it seemed like it could have been either one to first get a man in space. But, the Soviets were ahead. Quite far ahead. That they managed to do it first is really no surprise with the way Walker lays out the technology and flight attempts between the two countries.
Both the US and Soviet Union launched animals before even trying to get a human up there, for logical reasons. The Soviets had their famous space dogs, and the US launched a chimp named Ham. Walker doesn't go into extreme detail with the dog flights the way he does with Ham, and that chapter was, quite frankly, disturbing. Really makes you feel for these animals that obviously have no say, yet are put into extremely stressful and dangerous situations.
The book narrows on the Soviet Union as they pull ahead. There is a strong contrast between how much the American public knew and how little Soviet citizens knew. The American space program was public knowledge, and the candidates for the first manned flight were almost celebrities. Everything was kept secret in the USSR, with their own candidates not even knowing details. Yuri Gagarin was chosen at what felt like the last second.
Was it going to be Gherman Titov or Gagarin? They were the two forerunners, yet their personalities were quite different. Titov was a little more intellectual, a little more reserved, and often did his own thing. Gagarin was bubbly and polite, came from a peasant background, had a family - he was seen as the perfect representative of a Soviet citizen. Titov would be the Soviets' second man in space, on what was technically the harder mission, but everyone knew that initial flight would be the most important one.
This is a book that just propels you forward. I could feel my anticipation building with every chapter. Even though I knew where the story was going, when Walker describes the Soviets' nervousness and anticipation as Gagarin prepares for launch I felt nervous. I couldn't read this book fast enough. The detail of the Gagarin's flight makes for exhilarating reading, especially since they sent him up knowing there may be problems with the rocket and spacecraft. Gagarin was in communication with the ground through much of his flight and also had a voice recorder, so reading his reactions to what he was seeing - what no other human being had ever seen - was incredible.
The success of Gagarin's mission was euphoric for the Soviet government and its people as they took to the streets to celebrate: "An unorganized crowd! And Khrushchev did it because instinctively he grasped the overwhelming emotional power of this moment for his people. He grasped for a nation that had lost some twenty-seven million of its citizens just sixteen years earlier in the Second World War, many of whose cities had been devastated, much of whose industry had been obliterated, Gagarin's space flight meant everything." The Americans did get a man into space, but shifted their focus to getting to the moon, where they, as we know, did eventually beat the Russians.
Did I finish this book feeling completely satisfied in what it offered but craving more of the same topic, as only the best books can do? Yes. Did I finish this book with a little bit of a crush on Yuri Gagarin? Also yes. Beyond is already easily a contender for my favourite read of 2024.
I'm interested in space, but it's not a topic I really read anything about. Stephen Walker's Beyond, however, isn't just a space book. Neither is it generally about humanity's achievement of putting a person in space. Beyond is firmly rooted in history. This was the Cold War, and whoever was going to get a man up there first - whether the US or the Soviet Union - was going to make a very firm political statement.
The book starts generally alternating chapters between the Americans and the Soviets. With the space race on, it seemed like it could have been either one to first get a man in space. But, the Soviets were ahead. Quite far ahead. That they managed to do it first is really no surprise with the way Walker lays out the technology and flight attempts between the two countries.
Both the US and Soviet Union launched animals before even trying to get a human up there, for logical reasons. The Soviets had their famous space dogs, and the US launched a chimp named Ham. Walker doesn't go into extreme detail with the dog flights the way he does with Ham, and that chapter was, quite frankly, disturbing. Really makes you feel for these animals that obviously have no say, yet are put into extremely stressful and dangerous situations.
The book narrows on the Soviet Union as they pull ahead. There is a strong contrast between how much the American public knew and how little Soviet citizens knew. The American space program was public knowledge, and the candidates for the first manned flight were almost celebrities. Everything was kept secret in the USSR, with their own candidates not even knowing details. Yuri Gagarin was chosen at what felt like the last second.
Was it going to be Gherman Titov or Gagarin? They were the two forerunners, yet their personalities were quite different. Titov was a little more intellectual, a little more reserved, and often did his own thing. Gagarin was bubbly and polite, came from a peasant background, had a family - he was seen as the perfect representative of a Soviet citizen. Titov would be the Soviets' second man in space, on what was technically the harder mission, but everyone knew that initial flight would be the most important one.
This is a book that just propels you forward. I could feel my anticipation building with every chapter. Even though I knew where the story was going, when Walker describes the Soviets' nervousness and anticipation as Gagarin prepares for launch I felt nervous. I couldn't read this book fast enough. The detail of the Gagarin's flight makes for exhilarating reading, especially since they sent him up knowing there may be problems with the rocket and spacecraft. Gagarin was in communication with the ground through much of his flight and also had a voice recorder, so reading his reactions to what he was seeing - what no other human being had ever seen - was incredible.
The success of Gagarin's mission was euphoric for the Soviet government and its people as they took to the streets to celebrate: "An unorganized crowd! And Khrushchev did it because instinctively he grasped the overwhelming emotional power of this moment for his people. He grasped for a nation that had lost some twenty-seven million of its citizens just sixteen years earlier in the Second World War, many of whose cities had been devastated, much of whose industry had been obliterated, Gagarin's space flight meant everything." The Americans did get a man into space, but shifted their focus to getting to the moon, where they, as we know, did eventually beat the Russians.
Did I finish this book feeling completely satisfied in what it offered but craving more of the same topic, as only the best books can do? Yes. Did I finish this book with a little bit of a crush on Yuri Gagarin? Also yes. Beyond is already easily a contender for my favourite read of 2024.
March 2, 2021
At last, a comprehensive, well written, extensively researched, and exciting account of the early days of the Space Race. Though other books (The Right Stuff for example) have re-counted the exploits of the first astronauts, Beyond gives the reader the full story. The scientists, the dreamers, the engineers, the politicians, and the astronauts/cosmonauts that strove, and competed, and suffered and achieved the first steps toward space exploration. Author Stephen Walker lays out the most complete story to date, especially using relatively newly disclosed Russian information. As a reader, though I knew about the most prominent names and dates, I found myself riveted by the accomplishments of the men of the Mercury Seven and the Vanguard Six programs. I was staggered by the brash, brazen, courageous, insane nature of the race to be the first to send a man into space. Each moment, when so much depended upon little tested (or untested) technology, seemingly at times held together by spit and imagination, amazing things were achieved. From the first steps by dogs, and chimpanzees, and mice into the stratosphere, until Yuri Gagarin flew into space and returned safely, and beyond, Walker manages to keep the reader engaged, nervous, and even uncertain.
Read
June 3, 2021There's probably a useful book somewhere here but the faux folksy style finished me at page 59. Do yourself a favor, avoid this, and read Asif Siddiqi's superb Challenge to Apollo instead.
August 12, 2021
The thrilling story of how we put the first man in space. Well researched. Well written. You could feel you were there as Yuri took off to space strapped on top of his rocket, into the beyond.
April 21, 2021
This is a chunky book but yet I read it in no time. Sounds like a cliche but this book is really hard to put down.
Stephen Walker manages to describe in parallell the US and Soviet efforts and competition when going for the first man in space. Lots of detail but all relevant and never boring. This is also a great lesson in history and loads of other learnings to made as well.
Highly recommended, I consider this book a masterpiece.
Stephen Walker manages to describe in parallell the US and Soviet efforts and competition when going for the first man in space. Lots of detail but all relevant and never boring. This is also a great lesson in history and loads of other learnings to made as well.
Highly recommended, I consider this book a masterpiece.
July 10, 2022
Am 12. April 1961 flog Yuri Gagarin an Bord der Vostok 1 als erster Mensch ins Weltall. Ins All erzählt die Geschichte dieses Ereignisses, die Entstehung der Rakete, das ganze Weltraumrennen im Vorfeld einmal nicht aus der Perspektive der USA mit ihrer Mercury-Rakete, in der Alan Shepard als erster Astronaut sass. Das besondere an diesem Sachbuch ist die Fokussierung auf die Seite der Sowjetunion ohne in die Falle einer verklärenden Hagiographie zu tappen.
Stephen Walker führt seine Erkenntnisse aus einer großen Vielzahl an Originalquellen und vieler eigener Interviews mit Augenzeugen zusammen. Dabei entsteht eine sehr unterhaltsame, aber auch vertrauenswürdige Erzählung, die sich ungemein packend liest. Walker bettet die Erzählung in den Verlauf des Kalten Krieges ein und lässt die Zeit wiederauferstehen.
Am faszinierendsten fand ich die Ausführung der technischen Risiken, unter denen der Flug stattfand. Nach der Lektüre glaubt man eher an ein Wunder, dass der Mensch heil landete, als an eine Meisterleistung. Dabei war Gagarin nur ein besserer Passagier, und die eigentliche Ehre sollte dem Vater des Unternehmens, Sergei Korolev, gehören. Das Buch trägt viel dazu bei, die Rolle dieses Mannes zu erklären und dem Leser nahe zu bringen. Aber auch die Persönlichkeiten der Kosmonauten und Astronauten dieser Zeit werden detailreich geschildert. Nicht zu vergessen sind dabei die Schicksale der Tiere - Schimpansen, Hunde, Mäuse - die den Menschen im All vorangingen.
Ein paar Streichungen von Wiederholungen hätten dem ansonsten ausgezeichneten Text gut getan. Das Buch ist sehr lang und ausführlich, aber ich fand es erstaunlich, wie leicht und schnell es sich liest. Bildteil, ein sehr langes Quellenverzeichnis und Referenzen runden dieses hervorragende Sachbuch ab. Auch Leser, die sonst schon viele Bücher über das Space Race gelesen haben, werden hier viel Neues erfahren! Ich kann das Buch sehr empfehlen.
Stephen Walker führt seine Erkenntnisse aus einer großen Vielzahl an Originalquellen und vieler eigener Interviews mit Augenzeugen zusammen. Dabei entsteht eine sehr unterhaltsame, aber auch vertrauenswürdige Erzählung, die sich ungemein packend liest. Walker bettet die Erzählung in den Verlauf des Kalten Krieges ein und lässt die Zeit wiederauferstehen.
Am faszinierendsten fand ich die Ausführung der technischen Risiken, unter denen der Flug stattfand. Nach der Lektüre glaubt man eher an ein Wunder, dass der Mensch heil landete, als an eine Meisterleistung. Dabei war Gagarin nur ein besserer Passagier, und die eigentliche Ehre sollte dem Vater des Unternehmens, Sergei Korolev, gehören. Das Buch trägt viel dazu bei, die Rolle dieses Mannes zu erklären und dem Leser nahe zu bringen. Aber auch die Persönlichkeiten der Kosmonauten und Astronauten dieser Zeit werden detailreich geschildert. Nicht zu vergessen sind dabei die Schicksale der Tiere - Schimpansen, Hunde, Mäuse - die den Menschen im All vorangingen.
Ein paar Streichungen von Wiederholungen hätten dem ansonsten ausgezeichneten Text gut getan. Das Buch ist sehr lang und ausführlich, aber ich fand es erstaunlich, wie leicht und schnell es sich liest. Bildteil, ein sehr langes Quellenverzeichnis und Referenzen runden dieses hervorragende Sachbuch ab. Auch Leser, die sonst schon viele Bücher über das Space Race gelesen haben, werden hier viel Neues erfahren! Ich kann das Buch sehr empfehlen.
August 3, 2021
Fantastic history! Eminently readable, a total page-turner. I learned lots about the Russian space program, and Walker does a good job integrating some well-written and well-curated stories about the American program in as well.
> ‘I got on the project because it will probably be the closest to heaven I’ll ever get,’ he joked, and the room dissolved. Glenn was an instant star.
> approximately one twentieth of the Mercury astronauts’ salaries along with their Life monies. At one point Tamara Titova and two other wives found themselves polishing other people’s floors just to make ends meet. And while Alan Shepard and some of his fellow astronauts were racing their latest-model Corvettes up and down Cocoa Beach, Gagarin and his fellow cosmonauts were taking the bus or train in Chkalovsky. None of them could afford a car.
> ‘The men were doing some very complicated exercises on these trampolines, not up to circus standards, perhaps, but their performance was neat, bold and certain.’
> unlike the Mercury capsule, the Vostok was too heavy to land safely beneath its own parachute with a human inside. The only way for them to get home was therefore to eject from the Vostok in the final minutes of descent and parachute independently to the ground.
> ‘I got on the project because it will probably be the closest to heaven I’ll ever get,’ he joked, and the room dissolved. Glenn was an instant star.
> approximately one twentieth of the Mercury astronauts’ salaries along with their Life monies. At one point Tamara Titova and two other wives found themselves polishing other people’s floors just to make ends meet. And while Alan Shepard and some of his fellow astronauts were racing their latest-model Corvettes up and down Cocoa Beach, Gagarin and his fellow cosmonauts were taking the bus or train in Chkalovsky. None of them could afford a car.
> ‘The men were doing some very complicated exercises on these trampolines, not up to circus standards, perhaps, but their performance was neat, bold and certain.’
> unlike the Mercury capsule, the Vostok was too heavy to land safely beneath its own parachute with a human inside. The only way for them to get home was therefore to eject from the Vostok in the final minutes of descent and parachute independently to the ground.
July 6, 2025
This book is a scintillating page-turner on the first ever human mission to space in 1961. After already having read the author’s book on the 1945 Hiroshima atomic bombing, I knew he was an engaging writer of non-fiction.
However, this book is even better. It gives the reader a real sense of the race between the two sides- the Americans or ‘Gemini Seven’ and the Soviets or the ‘Vanguard Six’. Many of the people involved may not be familiar to Western readers- especially the head of the Soviet space agency and rocket engineer Sergei Korolev.
It is Brilliantly researched as well- the author carried out numerous interviews with surviving members of the Soviet space missions & their relatives. This allows for a fascinating insight into not just the events, but the emotions of the people involved in the Vostok mission. Highly recommended.
However, this book is even better. It gives the reader a real sense of the race between the two sides- the Americans or ‘Gemini Seven’ and the Soviets or the ‘Vanguard Six’. Many of the people involved may not be familiar to Western readers- especially the head of the Soviet space agency and rocket engineer Sergei Korolev.
It is Brilliantly researched as well- the author carried out numerous interviews with surviving members of the Soviet space missions & their relatives. This allows for a fascinating insight into not just the events, but the emotions of the people involved in the Vostok mission. Highly recommended.
June 21, 2022
It's a solid 3.5 for me. The author has done an impressive amount of primary research (interviews, digging through recently opened archives) that allows him to dig into the Soviet side of the Space Race, and contrast the Soviet and US space programs. He does a great job of making the technical details accessible to the lay person. I was fascinated with the Gemini and Apollo space flights growing up. This book gave me the history and context behind those flights.
However, it felt like the author wanted to use every bit of his impressive amount of research, which bogged down the book halfway through as he takes us through every minor activity leading up to Gargarin's flight. Tighter writing and a stronger editor would've made this a 4-star book for me.
However, it felt like the author wanted to use every bit of his impressive amount of research, which bogged down the book halfway through as he takes us through every minor activity leading up to Gargarin's flight. Tighter writing and a stronger editor would've made this a 4-star book for me.
April 16, 2021
Excellent well written book. The author has an easy to writting style which allows the reader to engage with the people in this book on a personal level. There fears and frustration as they pushed the new technology almost to the limit. The courage of these space pioneers Russian and American is shown clearly. The book alternates by chapters between the two groups which works well as it gives you the feel of the race. I started the book and finished it three days later. An amazing read.
June 24, 2022
Sometimes I think I can't possibly learn anything new about the Space race, and then a book like this comes along and teaches me an entirely new perspective of that era.
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This book was completely fascinating and thought-provoking. Incredibly well-researched, it finally gives the soviet cosmonauts the recognition and appreciation they deserve.
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This book was completely fascinating and thought-provoking. Incredibly well-researched, it finally gives the soviet cosmonauts the recognition and appreciation they deserve.
January 6, 2023
This brand-new popular history of Yuri Gagarin is reminiscent of Erik Larson's style. It reads less like a history and more like a novel. All of the dialogue spoken in the book was sourced from recordings, diaries, etc. Most of the book is told from the Soviet perspective, but Mr. Walker includes the American perspective occasionally to provide tension and conflict. Overall, the book is well-researched, entertaining, and easy to read.
I picked "Beyond" up because my father recommended we read a history of space travel from a non-U.S. perspective. Having previously read "A Man on the Moon" by Andrew Chaikin and "Apollo" by Charles Murray and Catherine Bly Cox, I was immediately interested. If "A Man on the Moon" and "Apollo" are stellar (pun intended), "Beyond" is slightly more terrestrial. It is certainly an easier read than either.
The third act was honestly incredible. The narrator picked up the tempo, his voice rising as Gagarin's fateful rocket ride neared. As Gagarin tore into the sky aboard the most powerful rocket in the world (at the time), the narrator's intensity was such that I couldn't help but get excited. It was as if I was aboard Vostok 1, streaking into space at 17,000 miles per hour. The writing and the narration combined to make the moment memorable to someone listening to the story of history made 61 years before.
The final chapter of "Beyond" was a surprisingly somber reading experience. I mourned the early deaths of Gagarin and his fellow pioneers. My heart pined for the space age when the front pages of newspapers around the globe announced new accomplishments like "first human in space" and "first human on the moon." Thankfully, I still have the Artemis II mission to which I can look forward. Until then, books like "Beyond" scratch the itch.
I picked "Beyond" up because my father recommended we read a history of space travel from a non-U.S. perspective. Having previously read "A Man on the Moon" by Andrew Chaikin and "Apollo" by Charles Murray and Catherine Bly Cox, I was immediately interested. If "A Man on the Moon" and "Apollo" are stellar (pun intended), "Beyond" is slightly more terrestrial. It is certainly an easier read than either.
The third act was honestly incredible. The narrator picked up the tempo, his voice rising as Gagarin's fateful rocket ride neared. As Gagarin tore into the sky aboard the most powerful rocket in the world (at the time), the narrator's intensity was such that I couldn't help but get excited. It was as if I was aboard Vostok 1, streaking into space at 17,000 miles per hour. The writing and the narration combined to make the moment memorable to someone listening to the story of history made 61 years before.
The final chapter of "Beyond" was a surprisingly somber reading experience. I mourned the early deaths of Gagarin and his fellow pioneers. My heart pined for the space age when the front pages of newspapers around the globe announced new accomplishments like "first human in space" and "first human on the moon." Thankfully, I still have the Artemis II mission to which I can look forward. Until then, books like "Beyond" scratch the itch.
January 14, 2023
If I had six stars to give, this book would have earned them.
The entire Cold War is wrapped up into this one mesmerizing story.
I had no idea Kennedy’s Bay of Pigs, his sponsorship of the Mission to the Moon, Khruschev’s building of the Berlin Wall, and the 1960s fever pitch of the nuclear arms race and the otherwise prohibitively costly space race shared anything except a tenuous Cold War timeline. It was WAY more. All these major world events of during Cold War and many others are tightly interwoven and weaved into Yuri Gagarin’s frightful 112-min trip once around the globe on 12 April 1961.
Magnificently performed and compellingly written. The story is well known; but most of the details are not. Until this book. The chapters about the launch of the Vostok 1 were white knuckle. Such bravery, so mesmerizing.
A strong recommendation for all who love to learn about history, the Cold War, engineering, international politics, or military history.
6 stars!
The entire Cold War is wrapped up into this one mesmerizing story.
I had no idea Kennedy’s Bay of Pigs, his sponsorship of the Mission to the Moon, Khruschev’s building of the Berlin Wall, and the 1960s fever pitch of the nuclear arms race and the otherwise prohibitively costly space race shared anything except a tenuous Cold War timeline. It was WAY more. All these major world events of during Cold War and many others are tightly interwoven and weaved into Yuri Gagarin’s frightful 112-min trip once around the globe on 12 April 1961.
Magnificently performed and compellingly written. The story is well known; but most of the details are not. Until this book. The chapters about the launch of the Vostok 1 were white knuckle. Such bravery, so mesmerizing.
A strong recommendation for all who love to learn about history, the Cold War, engineering, international politics, or military history.
6 stars!
May 20, 2025
La época y el personaje me tenían ganado, ya había leído material sobre la carrera espacial pero este libro está más centrado en uno de los éxitos ( quizás el mayor) de los soviéticos, lo que no es lo habitual. Con solvencia narrativa y bien documentado nos lleva desde los preparativos al contexto político, pasando por la selección de cosmonautas (siempre me gustó más esa palabra), los detalles de aquel viaje y sus consecuencias. Mi lado más mitómano se ha emocionado junto a Yuri cuando estaba en lo alto de un cohete despegando al grito de ¡Poyéjali!
December 19, 2022
Excellent book about the first man in space, and the events leading up to, and following that feat.
May 30, 2022
An in depth review of a key chapter in the history of the 20th century (and of science, though this is not the focus of this book). The first half is slow moving, but as we approach the actual flight it becomes a gripping tale. The protagonists truly come to life. It was fascinating to go back in time to those first years of the 60s when the Soviet Union appeared to be "winning" in its competition for technological supremacy with the US/the West. But "it's a marathon, not a sprint"... and ultimately democracy + free markets proved economically and technologically superior to the centrally managed autocracy. Perhaps some useful read-across for our tumultuous times...
April 6, 2021
My thanks to NetGalley and to Harper for an advanced copy of this book.
In Beyond The Astonishing Story of the First Human to Leave Our Planet and Journey into Space, Stephen Walker takes us back to the middle of the Cold War where the Soviet Union and the United States fought for every opportunity to be thought of as superior, be it on the ground, in the press, in the hearts and in the sky.
The Soviets took the lead with Sputnik, but soon both nations were shooting a Noah's ark of animals, dogs, chimpanzees, mice, hoping that with each launch the knowledge gained would aid in being the first nation to escape the Earth's gravity. My favorite parts were about the men of both nations chosen watching animals and dummies being fired into the sky, wishing it were themselves, and knowing that firing another chimp meant the opposition could get ahead and win. Mr. Walker has a great gift of you are there for this moments from his extensive research and interviewing everyone he could, with clear explanations of the science and the politics. The people though really are given their time on the stage a very interesting well written history about a time where science and doing things had a way of uniting people, and how reaching your dream of soaring high might not be worth it in the end.
In Beyond The Astonishing Story of the First Human to Leave Our Planet and Journey into Space, Stephen Walker takes us back to the middle of the Cold War where the Soviet Union and the United States fought for every opportunity to be thought of as superior, be it on the ground, in the press, in the hearts and in the sky.
The Soviets took the lead with Sputnik, but soon both nations were shooting a Noah's ark of animals, dogs, chimpanzees, mice, hoping that with each launch the knowledge gained would aid in being the first nation to escape the Earth's gravity. My favorite parts were about the men of both nations chosen watching animals and dummies being fired into the sky, wishing it were themselves, and knowing that firing another chimp meant the opposition could get ahead and win. Mr. Walker has a great gift of you are there for this moments from his extensive research and interviewing everyone he could, with clear explanations of the science and the politics. The people though really are given their time on the stage a very interesting well written history about a time where science and doing things had a way of uniting people, and how reaching your dream of soaring high might not be worth it in the end.
April 20, 2025
Всё больше и больше нравятся автобиографичные книги, исторические книги, хотя и с долей научно-популярности.
Холодная война, гонка за первенство в космосе - это наша история, её не переписать, но любопытно взглянуть хотя бы одним глазком, подглядеть: А что там было за занавесом? Американцы выставляли всё на показ, в то время как русские тщательно скрывали личностей, события, огромные космолёты и даже ужасающий взрыв одного из космических кораблей, который унёс с собой практически пепел 74 человек.
Американцам помогал строить ракеты Вернер фон Браун, который создал ФАУ 2 для Гитлера. Браун иммигрировал в Америку, но продолжил своё дело, несмотря на то, что на его руках кровь миллионов человек.
Для русских, как мы все знаем, главным конструктором был Королёв, чья личность беспрекословно скрывалась на 100 печатями. Королёв всегда мечтал о космических путешествиях, грезил поездками на Марс и Венеру, для него космос - это приключение, которое даст в будущем огромный толчок к развитию. Однако, в рамках Советского Союза, космос - это территория власти, где именно русские должны быть первыми, это задача военных и тут нет места мечтаниям.
Юра взлетел выше предполагаемой высоты на 80 км (ему об этом не сообщили) в итоге 302 км - его максимальная высота. Американцы позже летали на высоте в 3 раза ниже. Когда Гагарин приземлился на поле, вышел из своей капсулы, то с поля пытались сбежать бабушка с внучкой, которые до жути испугались человека, упавшего с неба. Однако, Юра их догнал и они вместе на лошадях доехали до ближайшего населённого пункта. Любопытно, не правда ли?
Юра пробыл 102 минуты в космосе и сразу же в нём же получил звание майора, героя СССР и чего только нет. По радио и на площадях объявили о его полёте ещё до его успешного приземления, а ведь риск был колоссальный! Его жена и все родные узнали об этом тоже по радио, они знали, что он лётчик-испытатель в командировке, ничего более. Его младшей дочке был всего лишь месяц, а самому ему - 27 лет.
В 34 Гагарина не стало, разбился на самолёте, но разговоров ходят много: Возможно, его «убрали», потому что были недовольны его распущенным поведением (были и выпивка и женщины). Но может и сама судьба распорядилась так жестоко, кто знает.
Эта книга — настоящий космический триллер, который не отпускает до последней страницы! Настоятельно рекомендую её всем, кто хочет погрузиться в драматическую историю советско-американского противостояния за пределами Земли. Автор, британский пилот и историк авиации, мастерски соединяет технические детали, политические интриги и человеческие судьбы, показывая, как холодная война стала двигателем прорыва в космос.
Особенно впечатляет, как в тексте раскрываются фигуры, остававшиеся в тени: например, Герман Титов (ака мой краш в книге), второй человек в космосе, чей полёт длился 25 часов — почти сутки в невесомости! Но вопрос остаётся: почему именно Гагарин стал символом эпохи, а Титов — «запасным героем»? Была ли это политическая воля, удача или харизма?
P.S. После прочтения вы точно начнёте искать в сети интервью Титова и пересматривать кадры с улыбкой Гагарина. Проверено!
Холодная война, гонка за первенство в космосе - это наша история, её не переписать, но любопытно взглянуть хотя бы одним глазком, подглядеть: А что там было за занавесом? Американцы выставляли всё на показ, в то время как русские тщательно скрывали личностей, события, огромные космолёты и даже ужасающий взрыв одного из космических кораблей, который унёс с собой практически пепел 74 человек.
Американцам помогал строить ракеты Вернер фон Браун, который создал ФАУ 2 для Гитлера. Браун иммигрировал в Америку, но продолжил своё дело, несмотря на то, что на его руках кровь миллионов человек.
Для русских, как мы все знаем, главным конструктором был Королёв, чья личность беспрекословно скрывалась на 100 печатями. Королёв всегда мечтал о космических путешествиях, грезил поездками на Марс и Венеру, для него космос - это приключение, которое даст в будущем огромный толчок к развитию. Однако, в рамках Советского Союза, космос - это территория власти, где именно русские должны быть первыми, это задача военных и тут нет места мечтаниям.
Юра взлетел выше предполагаемой высоты на 80 км (ему об этом не сообщили) в итоге 302 км - его максимальная высота. Американцы позже летали на высоте в 3 раза ниже. Когда Гагарин приземлился на поле, вышел из своей капсулы, то с поля пытались сбежать бабушка с внучкой, которые до жути испугались человека, упавшего с неба. Однако, Юра их догнал и они вместе на лошадях доехали до ближайшего населённого пункта. Любопытно, не правда ли?
Юра пробыл 102 минуты в космосе и сразу же в нём же получил звание майора, героя СССР и чего только нет. По радио и на площадях объявили о его полёте ещё до его успешного приземления, а ведь риск был колоссальный! Его жена и все родные узнали об этом тоже по радио, они знали, что он лётчик-испытатель в командировке, ничего более. Его младшей дочке был всего лишь месяц, а самому ему - 27 лет.
В 34 Гагарина не стало, разбился на самолёте, но разговоров ходят много: Возможно, его «убрали», потому что были недовольны его распущенным поведением (были и выпивка и женщины). Но может и сама судьба распорядилась так жестоко, кто знает.
Эта книга — настоящий космический триллер, который не отпускает до последней страницы! Настоятельно рекомендую её всем, кто хочет погрузиться в драматическую историю советско-американского противостояния за пределами Земли. Автор, британский пилот и историк авиации, мастерски соединяет технические детали, политические интриги и человеческие судьбы, показывая, как холодная война стала двигателем прорыва в космос.
Особенно впечатляет, как в тексте раскрываются фигуры, остававшиеся в тени: например, Герман Титов (ака мой краш в книге), второй человек в космосе, чей полёт длился 25 часов — почти сутки в невесомости! Но вопрос остаётся: почему именно Гагарин стал символом эпохи, а Титов — «запасным героем»? Была ли это политическая воля, удача или харизма?
P.S. После прочтения вы точно начнёте искать в сети интервью Титова и пересматривать кадры с улыбкой Гагарина. Проверено!
May 24, 2022
Wie erzählt man die Geschichte einer Raumfahrtnation, die im Wettstreit mit einer anderen raumfahrenden Nation steht? Richtig, die Geschichten, wie die UDSSR und die USA den Weg ins All gingen, sind eng miteinander verwoben.
Vor diesem Hintergrund ist der Untertitel, der die Geschichte vom ersten Flug ins All verspricht, also dem Flug des Russen Juri Gagarin, ein wenig in die Irre führend. Dieses Buch erzählt tatsächlich parallel beide Geschichten, die der Kosmonauten hinter dem Eisernen Vorhang und von den Astronauten in den USA.
Doch während die Geschichte der Mercury Seven, der ersten amerikanischen Astronauten, nahezu auserzählt ist und inzwischen auch schon Gegenstand zahlreicher Filme und Fernsehserien war, blieb die sowjetische Seite des Wettlaufs ins All oft anekdotenhaft. Viele aus amerikanischer Sicht geschriebene Darstellungen des „Space Race“ hangeln sich, sobald es um das Kosmonautenprogramm geht, an Fixpunkten wie dem Sputnik oder der Weltraum-Hündin Laika entlang, bis zum ersten Menschen im All, Juri Gagarin, über den man in der freien Welt – aber auch in der Sowjetunion – nur die Informationen bekam, die der kommunistische Staat sorgsam filterte.
Stephen Walker ist es gelungen – nicht zuletzt weil er ursprünglich für ein nie realisiertes Filmprojekt bislang unbekanntes Filmmaterial in Russland sichten konnte – viele bislang unbekannte Fakten über das sowjetische Raumfahrtprogramm, den Kosmonauten Juri Gagarin, aber auch über Sergei Koroljow, den Gegenspieler von Wernher von Braun, ans Licht zu bringen.
Wer bereits viel über das us-amerikanische Raumfahrtprogramm gelesen hat, wird in den sich abwechselnden Kapiteln, in denen es um die Mercury Seven geht, vielleicht ein wenig gelangweilt sein. Siehe oben: Anders lässt sich die Geschichte der beiden Raumfahrtprogramme, die ihre jeweilige Existenz dem Kampf der Systeme zu verdanken haben, aber auch nicht wirklich erzählen.
Wer wie ich, das Buch als eBook gelesen hat, wird vielleicht enttäuscht sein, dass die eigentliche Geschichte bei 75% endet. Ein Viertel des Buches ist angefüllt mit Referenzen, technischen Erklärungen und einem umfangreichen Bildteil.
Fazit: Von mir gibt es sehr gute vier von fünf Sternen. Der Abzug ist dem Umstand geschuldet, dass die Beschreibung des us-amerikanischen Raumfahrtprogramms keine wirklich neuen Einsichten bringt.
Vor diesem Hintergrund ist der Untertitel, der die Geschichte vom ersten Flug ins All verspricht, also dem Flug des Russen Juri Gagarin, ein wenig in die Irre führend. Dieses Buch erzählt tatsächlich parallel beide Geschichten, die der Kosmonauten hinter dem Eisernen Vorhang und von den Astronauten in den USA.
Doch während die Geschichte der Mercury Seven, der ersten amerikanischen Astronauten, nahezu auserzählt ist und inzwischen auch schon Gegenstand zahlreicher Filme und Fernsehserien war, blieb die sowjetische Seite des Wettlaufs ins All oft anekdotenhaft. Viele aus amerikanischer Sicht geschriebene Darstellungen des „Space Race“ hangeln sich, sobald es um das Kosmonautenprogramm geht, an Fixpunkten wie dem Sputnik oder der Weltraum-Hündin Laika entlang, bis zum ersten Menschen im All, Juri Gagarin, über den man in der freien Welt – aber auch in der Sowjetunion – nur die Informationen bekam, die der kommunistische Staat sorgsam filterte.
Stephen Walker ist es gelungen – nicht zuletzt weil er ursprünglich für ein nie realisiertes Filmprojekt bislang unbekanntes Filmmaterial in Russland sichten konnte – viele bislang unbekannte Fakten über das sowjetische Raumfahrtprogramm, den Kosmonauten Juri Gagarin, aber auch über Sergei Koroljow, den Gegenspieler von Wernher von Braun, ans Licht zu bringen.
Wer bereits viel über das us-amerikanische Raumfahrtprogramm gelesen hat, wird in den sich abwechselnden Kapiteln, in denen es um die Mercury Seven geht, vielleicht ein wenig gelangweilt sein. Siehe oben: Anders lässt sich die Geschichte der beiden Raumfahrtprogramme, die ihre jeweilige Existenz dem Kampf der Systeme zu verdanken haben, aber auch nicht wirklich erzählen.
Wer wie ich, das Buch als eBook gelesen hat, wird vielleicht enttäuscht sein, dass die eigentliche Geschichte bei 75% endet. Ein Viertel des Buches ist angefüllt mit Referenzen, technischen Erklärungen und einem umfangreichen Bildteil.
Fazit: Von mir gibt es sehr gute vier von fünf Sternen. Der Abzug ist dem Umstand geschuldet, dass die Beschreibung des us-amerikanischen Raumfahrtprogramms keine wirklich neuen Einsichten bringt.
September 5, 2022
I knew very little about Gagarin’s flight, and it’s not for lack of interest. There are just so little resources available, compared to what’s known about the US side of the space race.
This story is insane. Another one of those delicious “life is stranger than fiction” books.
This story is insane. Another one of those delicious “life is stranger than fiction” books.
October 27, 2022
This is Moscow
This is Moscow calling
On the 12th of April, the Soviet Union orbited a spaceship around the Earth with a man on board
The astronaut is a Soviet citizen: Major Gagarin, Yuri Alekseevich
Absolute belter.
This is Moscow calling
On the 12th of April, the Soviet Union orbited a spaceship around the Earth with a man on board
The astronaut is a Soviet citizen: Major Gagarin, Yuri Alekseevich
Absolute belter.
February 13, 2023
The book got bogged down in detail throughout which sucked the excitement out.
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