SPACE RACE - THE UNTOLD STORY OF TWO RIVALS AND THEIR STRUGGLE FOR THE MOON

Deborah Cadbury

ISBN 10: 0007209959 / ISBN 13: 9780007209958

Published by Fourth Estate, London, 2005

About this Item

First impression of the true first edition with the no."1" on the publisher's copyright prelims-page, as called for. Illustrated with sixteen pages of black and white and colour plates. ***Near fine in black cloth-covered boards with satin-blue titles to spine. Blue front and rear free endpapers and pastedowns. Fore-edges of boards rubbed (white coating of jacket has rubbed off onto the board edges). Pages clean. No inscriptions. Spine tight. ***In a near fine colour-illustrated dustwrapper that has not been price-clipped, showing original publisher's price of £20. No tears. No fading. Dustwrapper clean and bright. ***xii prelim-pages plus 372 pages including bibliography and index to the rear. 242 mm x 162 mm. ***'The story of the race into space is marked by the greatest superpower rivalries, political paranoia, and technological feats of the twentieth century. But until now, we have only known half the story. With the end of the Cold War, a generation of secrets and cover-ups has been revealed, bringing a historic opportunity: the unmasking of the true heroes and villains behind the biggest race of mankind. ***In this exhilarating, fast-paced account, Deborah Cadbury pits the Americans' chief rocket designer, ex-Nazi Wernher von Braun, hurriedly white-washed by the US to lead te way, against the obscure Russian engineer Sergei Korolev - a genius known only as the 'Chief Designer' - whose story has long remained a mystery. Both were men of their time, but with visions that were timeless. And both were prepared to go to extraordinary lengths to see the fulfilment of their dreams. ***Von Braun had almost limitless funds and the best minds that could be sourced from the entire globe. Korolev had a budget so tight that initially his engineers used cardboard boxes as drafting tables. They both sent astronauts into space not knowing for sure whether they would ever be seen again. The world watched as the American and Soviet teams, impervious to disaster, took the fight for the coveted prize right up to the wire - but there could only be one winner. ***Deborah Cadbury, in this extraordinary book, combines sheer adventure and nail-biting suspense with a moving portrayal of the human dimension to this epic struggle. Using source materials never before seen, she tells the story of the Cold War, of espionage and ambition, of ingenuity, passion, and the final, mind-bending voyage beyond the bounds of the Earth.' (Quote from inside front of dustwrapper blurb). ***The full story of man's last great adventure. ***The first impression of the true first edition, in its original dustwrapper, illustrated with black and white and colour photographs, in bright clean condition. Surprisingly uncommon in hardback now. ***Of interest to collectors of first editions on space exploration and spaceflight. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc.

Seller Inventory # 6312z

Bibliographic Details

• Title: SPACE RACE - THE UNTOLD STORY OF TWO RIVALS AND THEIR STRUGGLE FOR THE MOON
• Publisher: Fourth Estate, London
• Publication Date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0007209959
• ISBN 13: 9780007209958
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: First Edition
• Printing: First Impression
• Condition: Near Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine
• Seller catalogs:
  • Travel & Exploration
  • Science
  • Illustrated

About this title

Synopsis

From the author of ‘Seven Wonders of the Industrial World’, another highly anticipated TV tie-in charting the shocking but true story behind the space race – and the ruthless, brilliant scientists who fuelled it.

The end of the Cold War finally reveals a generation of secrets and cover-ups, bringing a historical opportunity: the unmasking of the true heroes and villains behind the biggest race of mankind.

This is one of the greatest stories in world history, beginning in the bloody throes of the Second World War and spanning through to the moon landings. With the two superpowers pitched against one another during the Cold War, this is the race to create the most powerful rocket and dominate the world, culminating in 1969's 'giant leap for mankind'. The most pioneering and high-risk experiments ever undertaken cost untold millions – and hundreds of lives as mistakes were made, some too horrific to be made public.

It is a tale that plays out against a backdrop of communism and espionage. Buried within this multi-million-dollar battle between nations are the dramatic accounts of the individuals whose passion to be the winner of this dream at any cost. With ex-Nazi Wernher von Braun on the American side pitted against the enigmatic Sergei Korolev on the Soviet side, this revealing new history shows the extent to which politics and personal ambition combined to create an explosive race for the glory of victory.