Play Book Tag discussion

Apollo 13 by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger - 5* - My Review

This book provides the gripping true story of Apollo 13, the space mission intended to land on the moon in April 1970, which experienced an in-flight explosion 180,000 miles from earth. It is clear how close the US space program came to losing the three astronauts: Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise. The narrative takes readers through the advance planning, initial moments of the mission, sudden turn of events, and the response to the life-threatening crisis.

The narrative delves into both the technical aspects of the mission and personal reactions. It intersperses related historic episodes from past missions, including the selection of Lovell into the second group of nine astronauts, previous training simulations that had experienced similar problems, and other NASA accidents. It provides the necessary context to understand the technical jargon of the communications between the flight control center and the Apollo 13 crew.

This is a riveting and detailed account. I felt invested in the outcome even though I know how it all ended. It emphasizes coolness under pressure, resilience, creative problem-solving, and teamwork required by everyone involved. It is a remarkable story of converting a potential tragedy into an amazing accomplishment. Highly recommended to anyone interested in science, technology, or the history of the space program.

PBT Comments: If anyone is playing the Steeplechase tag-related game in 2024, this is a great one for Technology.

Awesome review Joy. I added it and look forward to reading it. Funny though, the other day I also added The Right Stuff, which I have never read-2024 could be my year in Space 😊

Oh, I really loved The Right Stuff - read it many years ago. I'll be interested to see how well it holds up over time.