Report an issue
Tell us what's wrong and we'll take a look.
Thanks – we got it. We'll review and follow up if needed.
The New York Times–bestselling "breathtaking" insider history of NASA's space program—from astronauts Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton (Entertainment Weekly).Introduction by Neil Armstrong On October four, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, and the space race was born. Desperate to beat the Russians into space, NASA put together a crew of the nation's most daring test pilots: the seven men who were to lead America to the moon. The first into space was Alan Shepard; the last was Deke Slayton, whose irregular heartbeat kept him grounded until 1975. They spent the 1960s at the forefront of NASA's effort to conquer space, and Moon Shot is their inside account of what many call the twentieth century's greatest feat—landing humans on another world. Collaborating with NBC's veteran space reporter Jay Barbree, Shepard and Slayton narrate in gripping detail the story of America's space exploration from the time of Shepard's first flight until he and eleven others had walked on the moon. "Gripping, authoritative . . . and skillfully told, this is the ultimate inside story of the U.S. space program. "—Walter Cronkite
Alan Shepard
As one of the original seven Mercury astronauts, Alan Shepard (1923–1998) became the first American in space on May 5, 1961, and a decade later took, with his partner Edgar Mitchell, the longest walk—two miles—on the moon before hitting a golf ball for miles and miles across the lunar landscape.
More by Alan Shepard
Deke Slayton
Another Mercury astronaut, Deke Slayton (1924–1993) was meant to be the second American in Earth orbit, but was grounded because of an irregular heartbeat. He stayed on at NASA to supervise his fellow astronauts and was returned to flight status in 1972. In 1975, after sixteen years as head of the astronaut office, Slayton made it into space for the historic first docking of an American and a Russian spacecraft, a step that was a long stride on the road to end the Cold War.
More by Deke Slayton
Jay Barbree
<p>Jay Barbree, seen left reporting live from the launch of Gemini 6 in December 1965, has covered the space race since <em>Sputnik</em> as a correspondent for NBC. The NBC space unit won an Emmy for its coverage of the first <em>Apollo</em> moon landing. Barbree also broke the world news exclusive on the cause of the <em>Challenger</em> explosion. The coauthor of the <em>New York Times</em> bestseller <em>Moon Shot</em>, he lives near Cape Canaveral.</p>
More by Jay Barbree
Why Readwise Books?
Readwise Books is an ebook & audiobook platform that automatically logs how much you and your friends read, making it fun and easy to read more. Learn more →