First Man, James R. Hansen
First Man, James R. Hansen
26 Rating(s)
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First Man
The Life of Neil A. Armstrong

Author: James R. Hansen

Narrator: Jeremy Bobb

Unabridged: 16 hr 26 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/29/2018


Synopsis

Now a major motion picture, this is the first—and only—definitive authorized account of Neil Armstrong, the man whose “one small step” changed history.

When Apollo 11 touched down on the Moon’s surface in 1969, the first man on the Moon became a legend. In First Man, author James R. Hansen explores the life of Neil Armstrong. Based on over fifty hours of interviews with the intensely private Armstrong, who also gave Hansen exclusive access to private documents and family sources, this “magnificent panorama of the second half of the American twentieth century” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) is an unparalleled biography of an American icon.

In this “compelling and nuanced portrait” (Chicago Tribune) filled with revelations, Hansen vividly recreates Armstrong’s career in flying, from his seventy-eight combat missions as a naval aviator flying over North Korea to his formative trans-atmospheric flights in the rocket-powered X-15 to his piloting Gemini VIII to the first-ever docking in space. For a pilot who cared more about flying to the Moon than he did about walking on it, Hansen asserts, Armstrong’s storied vocation exacted a dear personal toll, paid in kind by his wife and children. For the near-fifty years since the Moon landing, rumors have swirled around Armstrong concerning his dreams of space travel, his religious beliefs, and his private life.

A penetrating exploration of American hero worship, Hansen addresses the complex legacy of the First Man, as an astronaut and as an individual. “First Man burrows deep into Armstrong’s past and present…What emerges is an earnest and brave man” (Houston Chronicle) who will forever be known as history’s most famous space traveler.

About James R. Hansen

James R. Hansen is a professor emeritus of history at Auburn University. A former historian for NASA, Hansen is the author of twelve books on the history of aerospace and a two-time nominee for the Pulitzer Prize in History. His 1995 book Spaceflight Revolution was nominated for the Pulitzer by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the only time NASA ever nominated a book for the prize. He serves as coproducer for the upcoming major motion picture First Man, which is based on his New York Times bestselling biography of Neil Armstrong. Hansen lives in Auburn, Alabama.


Reviews

Goodreads review by trivialchemy on January 16, 2009

What gall we must have to ask a child what he would be when he grows up! Here he is, tearing along in the delirious hallucination of childhood and we would already have him fill out the box, sign on the line, put the cube in the square hole; we would confront him with this terrible hunt for purpose......more

Goodreads review by Christopher on July 11, 2014

James R. Hansen's 'First Man' throws down the gauntlet, striving to be the definitive biography on Neil Armstrong, the first man ever to walk on the moon. It is impressively researched, but Hansen spends much of the book showing off what he learned. As a result, we have to wade through lots of minuti......more

Goodreads review by Alexw on April 19, 2018

Neil Armstrong proofread this bio about him which led to some interesting perspectives and gave real insight to his story. The Life magazine picture about his wife, Janet Armstrong praying during Neil's moon launch was hilariously revealed that she was actually kneeling to hear the radio better !! Wh......more

Goodreads review by Daniel on August 25, 2012

25AUG12: A truly amazing man that has embarked on his final journey through history. Knowing that he was still alive cast a shining light on humanity's potential. Now that he's gone, it's up to humanity to recognize the hope that he has left behind. --- As a three-year-old son of a typical nuclear fam......more

Goodreads review by Kivrin on December 28, 2016

Wow, it was long and pretty slow in places. The chapters on the moon landing were fascinating! I was 5 years old at the time, and while I distinctly remember someone showing me the moon and telling me men were there, I had little other knowledge of the event. There are lots of details on Armstrong's......more