Epic Rivalry: The Inside Story of the Soviet and American Space Race

Hardesty, Von, and Eisman, Gene

ISBN 10: 1426201192 / ISBN 13: 9781426201196

Published by National Geographic, Washington, DC, 2007

About this Item

Glued binding. Paper over boards. xxvii, [1], 275, [1] p. Illustrations (many in color). Notes. Index. Illustration Credits. Foreword by Sergei Khrushchev, Sergei. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon in 1969-the first humans to visit another celestial body. This extraordinary lunar odyssey grew out of the rivalry between the United States and Soviet Union during the Cold War. To mark the 50th anniversary of Sputnik in 2007 and the 50th anniversary of the founding of NASA in October 2008, this epic moment is recaptured with a lively and compelling new account and rare archival photographs, narrating the story from both the American and the Russian perspectives and showing how each space-faring nation played a vital role in stimulating the work of the other. The authors recreate in vivid detail the "parallel universes" of the American and Soviet space exploration programs, with visionaries Wernher von Braun and Sergei Korolev and political leaders John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev at the epicenter of their story. This book chronicles the story of the epic race to the Moon and back as you've never heard it before. From an on-line posting: "Von Hardesty is currently a curator in the Division of Aeronautics at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. He has written a number of books, and lives in the metropolitan D.C. area. " Very good in very good dust jacket. DJ has slilght wear and soiling. Red dot on bottom edge.

Seller Inventory # 67966

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Epic Rivalry: The Inside Story of the Soviet and American Space Race
• Publisher: National Geographic, Washington, DC
• Publication Date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1426201192
• ISBN 13: 9781426201196
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: Presumed first edition/first printing.
• Seller catalogs:
  • NASA

About this title

Synopsis

When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon in 1969, they personified an almost unimaginable feat—the incredibly complex task of sending humans safely to another celestial body. This extraordinary odyssey, which grew from the rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, was galvanized by the Sputnik launch in 1957. To mark the fiftieth anniversary of Sputnik, National Geographic recaptures this gripping moment in the human experience with a lively and compelling new account. Written by Smithsonian curator Von Hardesty and researcher Gene Eisman, Epic Rivalry tells the story from both the American and the Russian points of view, and shows how each space-faring nation played a vital role in stimulating the work of the other. Scores of rare, unpublished, and powerful photographs recall the urgency and technical creativity of both nations' efforts.

The authors recreate in vivid detail the "parallel universes" of the two space exploration programs, with visionaries Wernher von Braun and Sergei Korolev and political leaders John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev at the epicenters. The conflict between countries, and the tense drama of their independent progress, unfolds in vivid prose. Approaching its subject from a uniquely balanced perspective, this important new narrative chronicles the epic race to the moon and back as it has never been told before—and captures the interest of casual browsers and science, space, and history enthusiasts alike.

About the Author

Von Hardesty is the author of Air Force One; Lindbergh: Flight's Enigmatic Hero; and Red Phoenix: The Rise of Soviet Air Power, 1941–1945, among many other publications. He is a curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Gene Eisman is a veteran journalist and was the researcher for Air Force One.