"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Wolfe's roots in New Journalism were intertwined with the nonfiction novel that Truman Capote had pioneered with In Cold Blood. As Capote did, Wolfe tells his story from a limited omniscient perspective, dropping into the lives of his "characters" as each in turn becomes a major player in the space program. After an opening chapter on the terror of being a test pilot's wife, the story cuts back to the late 1940s, when Americans were first attempting to break the sound barrier. Test pilots, we discover, are people who live fast lives with dangerous machines, not all of them airborne. Chuck Yeager was certainly among the fastest, and his determination to push through Mach 1--a feat that some had predicted would cause the destruction of any aircraft--makes him the book's guiding spirit.
Yet soon the focus shifts to the seven initial astronauts. Wolfe traces Alan Shepard's suborbital flight and Gus Grissom's embarrassing panic on the high seas (making the controversial claim that Grissom flooded his Liberty capsule by blowing the escape hatch too soon). The author also produces an admiring portrait of John Glenn's apple-pie heroism and selfless dedication. By the time Wolfe concludes with a return to Yeager and his late-career exploits, the narrative's epic proportions and literary merits are secure. Certainly The Right Stuff is the best, the funniest, and the most vivid book ever written about America's manned space program. --Patrick O'Kelley
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
US$ 2.64
Within U.S.A.
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 3487442-n
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. What is it, I wondered, that makes a man willing to sit on top of an enormous Roman Candle, such as a Redstone, Atlas, Titan, or Saturn rocket, and wait for someone to light the fuse? I decided on the simplest approach possible. I would ask a few of the astronauts and find out- The men had it. Yeager, Conrad. Grissom. Glenn. Heroes. The first Americans in space - battling the Russians for control of the heavens, putting their lives on the line. The women had it. While Mr Wonderful was aloft, it tore your heart out that the Hero's Wife, down on the ground, had to perform with the whole world watching. The Right Stuff. It's the quality beyond bravery, beyond courage. A wildly vivid and entertaining chronicle of America's manned space program, from the author of The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test`What is it' asks Tom Wolfe, `that makes a man willing to sit on top of an enormous Roman Candle.and wait for someone to light the fuse?' Arrogance? Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780099479376
Book Description paperback. Condition: New. Language: ENG. Seller Inventory # 9780099479376
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. 448 pages. 7.76x5.12x1.10 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # __0099479370
Book Description Condition: New. 2005. New Ed. Paperback. What is it, that makes a man willing to sit on top of an enormous Roman Candle and wait for someone to light the fuse? Ask a few of the astronauts and find out. They had it. The first Americans in space, battling the Russians for control of the heavens, putting their lives on the line. This book is about the quality beyond bravery, beyond courage. Num Pages: 448 pages. BIC Classification: 1KBB; BGT; WNX. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 197 x 129 x 28. Weight in Grams: 318. . . . . . Seller Inventory # V9780099479376
Book Description Paperback / softback. Condition: New. New copy - Usually dispatched within 4 working days. A wildly vivid and entertaining chronicle of America's manned space program, from the author of The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test`What is it' asks Tom Wolfe, `that makes a man willing to sit on top of an enormous Roman Candle.and wait for someone to light the fuse?' Arrogance?. Seller Inventory # B9780099479376
Book Description Condition: New. 2005. New Ed. Paperback. What is it, that makes a man willing to sit on top of an enormous Roman Candle and wait for someone to light the fuse? Ask a few of the astronauts and find out. They had it. The first Americans in space, battling the Russians for control of the heavens, putting their lives on the line. This book is about the quality beyond bravery, beyond courage. Num Pages: 448 pages. BIC Classification: 1KBB; BGT; WNX. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 197 x 129 x 28. Weight in Grams: 318. . . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland. Seller Inventory # V9780099479376
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. New. Fast Shipping and good customer service. Seller Inventory # Holz_New_0099479370
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 3487442-n
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. New. Seller Inventory # Wizard0099479370