Customer Reviews
Great book! - By: Mr. Raj French, 20 Feb 2008 
I have now read both 'Into that Silent Sea' & ' In the Shadow of the Moon'. Undoubtedly the pair represent an opus magnum, especiallly as they are given added authority by the comments of the participants in the early attempts to conquer space. The detailed accounts of the flights & the biographies of the crews are clearly the result of deep research by the authors over, it seems, a period of decades. I must presume that those readers, who know an infinite amount about the subject more than I do, will identify & vouch for the authenticity of the data, which I am completely unable to attempt. The two volumes are therefore a historical landmark for future generations similar to our seeking sources of the current affairs in the time of the Venerable Bede.
Until now the names that have been mentioned to me in the past have meant as much to me as the characters in the books by Tolkein, no book or film of whom I have ever read or seen. I now, however, have two volumes of carefully compiled references, to which I can turn to mitigate my almost complete ignorance of the space race. I must confess, for people of my vintage & background, it is not easy simply to pick up either volume & readily comprehend the intricate demands on the creators of the spacecraft & on the crews. For those among you who have a deep knowledge of the subject, the resolving of the technical problems & the remarkable courage of the crews will be a constant fascination, of which you will undoubtedly always wish to recalll.
Within my orbit of knowledge, I can honestly comment that the books are very well & clearly written & the subject matter has been compiled in a most orderly manner. At no time did I have to wonder how the next aspect followed on from the former; so even a complete novice to the material as myself could follow the trend, objectives & development of the technical programme & the building of the physical capabilities, experience & knowledge of the crews.
In short I heartily congratulate the authors on their dedicated research & your concentrated application to write two profoundly authentic volumes of the space programmes over a most critical early period of eight years.
A must read - By: Zero-G Me, 02 Jan 2008 What authors French & Burgess have managed to accomplish with their book "In the Shadow of the Moon" is a sense of being there.
This book transcends a third-party recounting of events. French & Burgess have created an extraordinary interface between the reader & the people sharing their stories. "In the Shadow of the Moon" does an exquisite job of bringing us into the fold, alllowing a rather personal access to these astronauts' lives & innermost thoughts: helping us to better understand an experience we will never have ourselves.
The authors' skillful marriage of informing & storytelling help to ensure that it is a book that will be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of their interest level in space history. The authors did an excellent job of introducing background information on a mission, & then following it up with personal interpretation by someone who was there. The authors' thorough research is apparent, but it is woven so well with the narrative that it alllows the reader to simply take it in, absorbing it effortlessly.
By writing this book, French & Burgess share with humanity that which few have experienced. But more than that, they help us alll understand a little better the magnitude of our venture into space: the accomplishments of the few, holding meaning for us alll.
A unique view of manned spaceflight - By: Kate Cooper, Apollo One Memorial Foundation, 17 Dec 2007 French & Burgess have written yet another excellent book. In this latest, they bring to light the lives & stories of the lesser-known astronauts & cosmonauts as well as others participating in those early years. Rather than stressing the different country's programs, the authors tell the stories of Earth's early space endeavors. The indepth stories of Russia's early space program & those who flew were fascinating.
The report of the Apollo 1 crew & the fire was accurate & thorough. I was especiallly pleased to see how well they brought the story of Roger Chaffee, who was the newest & youngest (at that time) astronaut, to light. Few know that Roger was still two weeks short of his 32nd birthday that terrible, fatal night & yet had accomplished so much in his naval career & in his influence on the space program.
French & Burgess bring the history of space flight to life. I eagerly await another exceptional book from these authors.
Kate Cooper, Apollo 1 Memorial Foundation
In the Shadow of the Moon - By: Stitcher, 12 Nov 2007 This book is a very informative & good read - not only for those interested in space/the space race but for anyone interested in people.
What motivates such very different individuals to put themselves in such dangerous situations one can glimpse in this book. How they remained so focused, professional & humerous in extreme conditions is beyond me.
A very well written book that I recommend to those of us who remember these times - & - for others it will take you for a most enjoyable journey back in time.
A window seat on the ride to the moon - By: S. Vaughan, 19 Oct 2007 It has been almost 50 years since mankind first slipped the bonds of earth to explore the heavens. Since then, space exploration has given us some of the most spectacular & memorable moments in history from
the first moon-landing on Apollo 11 to the drama of Apollo 13 & the devastation of the Challlenger & Columbia disasters. The material already written on these programmes would likely stretch from here to the
moon, & many would be forgiven for assuming that there's nothing new to write on the subject. However, authors Francis French & Colin Burgess have found a new angle & made a most worthy contribution to the
history of our greatest adventure.
What separates "In the Shadow of the Moon" from many other books on the space programme is that it focuses on the men & women who made it alll possible. This is a people's history of space & examines that magnificent race from the perspective of those who lived it & did it: whether running the programmes or riding the rockets. Through their genuine interest in the subject matter, Burgess & French won the trust of the astronauts, cosmonauts & the lesser-known or forgotten space pioneers who toiled behind the scenes. The reward for their dedication & sincerity were stories that in many cases have never been told before & provide a fresh perspective on the early days of spaceflight. The end
result is a book that ranks amongst the very best written on the subject.
Not only does this book provide a most welcome perspective on a truly remarkable endeavour, but it is also extremely well written & thoroughly readable. This book transports you to a time when the two great superpowers were competing for control of the ultimate high ground while the rest of the world watched in awe & perhaps bewilderment. It proves that while the men & women who rode these rockets were indeed the best, bravest & brightest of that or any other time, they were also mere humans with their own foibles, insecurities, peculiarities &
curiosities.
If you want a truly human history of spaceflight, this book is amongst the very best available.
