In 1974, Collins wrote Carrying the Fire , a superb memoir of his experiences in the Gemini and Apollo programs. In this book, Collins begins with the origins of America's space program, Mercury , proceeds through Gemini / Apollo , and assesses post- Apollo programs through the Space Shuttle and plans for the space station. Collins is a master of lucid, colorful, and fascinating prose. As a veteran astronaut, including the Apollo 11 lunar mission, he also writes with unmatched insight. His coverage of the Gemini/Apollo era is different, and his interviews of other astronauts provide valuable understanding of the space program. Collins's analysis of the fatal shuttle accident and NASA's recovery efforts are particularly notable. An outstanding book. BOMC selection. Roger E. Bilstein, Univ. of Houston - Clear Lake (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

It is difficult to know how to deal with this "history" of a major NASA program. The volume, written by the first director of the Space-lab program, was published by the NASA Scientific and Technical Information Division rather than the NASA Office of History. The latter Office has published some very respectable works that, in some cases, have upset those who think NASA, right or wrong, is always to be shown in a favorable light. Such people will not be disturbed by this glossy and glitzy book with its many fine photographs of which a number are printed in full color. However, those interested in a sophisticated study of how a NASA program is initiated and developed in a sociopolitical milieu will find little here to interest them. On the other hand, Lord does provide a useful chronology of the Spacelab program and a good deal of solid "internal history" of the Spacelab program that some future author of a more well-rounded history of the program will find useful. Lord's volume is not disinterested history but rather another contribution to a long series of self-congratulatory blurbs emanating from NASA. -M. Levinson, University of Maine at Orono

Lively, intelligent, richly detailed history of the US space program by an astronaut who made it to the moon. Collins (Carrying the Fire, 1974) begins his account just after WW II, when the RAND report called for an ""Experimental World. Circling Spaceship."" A decade later, this visionary machine came into being as the Mercury space capsule, chariot for John Glenn's round-the-world joy ride. This, of course, was just a preamble to the real adventure, the race to the moon, which spawned the Gemini and Apollo programs and their spacious offspring, Skylab and the Space Shuttle. Collins meticulously recounts NASA's many engineering coups (how to deal with radiation, acceleration, weightlessness, bodily functions, meteor strikes); at the same time, he tactfully describes the quirky personalities of his fellow spaceman: of Scott Carpenter, for example, Collins notes that ""he was so taken with his new playground that at times he had to be reminded to perform his routine duties."" There are vivid memories, too, of Collins' own flights, including his stint as commander of the Apollo 11 Lunar Orbitor (""flying solo at its finest""). He wraps it up with a report on NASA's low post-Challenger morale (""the magic is disappearing"") and a call for a national Mars program to reinvigorate our sense of wonder. Not just a compact and thorough history, this splendid volume also answers many of those weird questions that nag armchair astronauts in the middle of the night: Is the moon gray or brown? How's the food up there? What's it like to turn a screwdriver while wearing those stay-puff spacesuit gloves? A treat for scholars and thrill-seekers. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.