Falling to Earth: An Apollo 15 Astronaut's Journey to the Moon [SIGNED FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING]

Worden, Al; French, Francis

Published by Smithsonian Books, Washington, D.C., 2011

About this Item

As new condition dark blue gray boards, black spine, and silver spine lettering contained in an as new condition non price-clipped photographic dust jacket. Includes Foreword by Dick Gordon; Preface; Epilogue by Tom Stafford; Acknowledgments and Index. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs. Signed and inscribed by astronaut Al Worden with black pen at the center of the half title page. "Very few of us flew to the moon, and the stories we brought back with us are special, treasured, and unique. Al is both a pilot and a poet, and his honest portrayal of our exhilarating adventures will move and excite a whole new generation." - Buzz Aldrin, astronaut and author. "The space program first rewarded, and then punished, Al Worden - and he is better for it, as this exceptional book reveals. It's the full story, told with clarity, insight, and humor, altogether a wonderful read." - Michael Collins, astronaut and author. "Ever wonder what it would be like to spend several days orbiting the moon - alone? Al Worden's expressive description of his Apollo 15 mission takes you there, and then on the 250,000 mile return, falling to Earth. This is not just another space mission book. In his intense, tell-it-as-he-sees-it style, Worden details what led to that wondrous experience and all that followed." - John Glenn, first American to orbit Earth. "A rip-roaring adventure - a wry and fascinating chronicle of a time when we actually knew how to fly people to the moon." - Tom Jones, space shuttle astronaut and author. "Al Worden does a fine job telling his interesting life story, his important role as the command module pilot for the highly successful Apollo 15 flight - and his abrupt firing as a NASA astronaut. The ins and outs of this latter story and his personal fall to Earth makes for expecially fascinating reading." - William Anders, Major General USAF (ret), astronaut. "As command module pilot for the Apollo 15 mission to the moon in 1971, Al Worden flew on what is widely regarded as the greatest exploration mission ever attempted. He spent six days orbiting the moon, including three days completely alone, the most isolated human in existence. During the return from the moon to Earth he conducted the first spacewalk in deep space, becoming the first person ever to see both the entire Earth and moon simply by turning his head. The Apollo 15 flight capped an already impressive career as an astronaut, including important work on the pioneering Apollo 9 and Apollo 12 missions, as well as the perilous flight of Apollo 13. Nine months after his return from the moon, Worden received a phone call telling him he was fired and ordering him out of his office by the end of the week. He refused to leave. What happened in those nine months, from the parades and meetings with world leaders to the unceremonious firing, has been a source of much speculation for four decades. Worden has never before told the full story around the dramatic events that shook NASA and ended his space-flight career. Readers will learn them here for the first time, along with the exhilarating account of what is is like to journey to the moon and back. It's an unprecedentedly candid account of what it was like to be an Apollo astronaut, with all its glory and its pitfalls." - from the inner front jacket flap. Seller Inventory # 007393

Bibliographic Details

Title: Falling to Earth: An Apollo 15 Astronaut's ...

Publisher: Smithsonian Books, Washington, D.C.

Publication Date: 2011

Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: Barth, Brian (book design);

Condition: As New

Dust Jacket Condition: As New

Signed: Signed by Author(s)

Edition: 1st Edition