The Last Man on the Moon

I bought this book along with Michael 'Mike' Collins' account Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut's Journeys and whilst i would suggest that Collins' book is overall a more enjoyable and entertaining read, The Last Man On The Moon kept me captivated for the vast majority of the 348 pages.

Cernan doesn't hold back at critisising his peers or questioning the many many dcisions made by NASA throughout this period and gives a very personal insight to the challenges and rewards of being an astronaut. You can't question the guts of a man who turned down a chance to walk on the moon on Apollo 16, preferring to risk waiting until he could command his own mission.

This is a must for the Apollo fan and a recommended autobiography otherwise. You won't want to put it down.

This book answers the question: What did it feel like? (0/0 people found this helpful)

When I started to read The Last Man on the Moon I wondered: What did it feel like to walk in space and on the moon? I got more than I bargained for. I enjoyed one of the greatest true adventures of all times when Cernan removed the shackles of the earth and took me to places where few have gone.

Cernan's book is exceptional at describing what it felt like to be an astronaut in the 1960s and what it was like to walk in space and on the moon.

One of the parts I could relate to best was his descriptions of a space walk during a Gemini mission and his moon walks. His descriptions of a pressurized suit that was tough to move and navigate in were amazing. As a diver who has been to places such as the Galapagos islands (with cold waters) I know what its like to have a life support system and bulky suit. Cernan's descriptions helped me understand (just a little) what it is like to walk in space and on the moon.

There were many close calls in the space programs that were truly nail biters. For example, during the Apollo 10 mission Gene Cernan discusses Tom Stafford and himself spinning out of control while just above the moon. The countless hours of training and razor sharp skills of the astronauts saved them. Stafford pulled them out at the last couple of seconds just before they would have crashed into the moon.

There were also stories of tragedies such as the loss of the three men in the fire of Apollo 1. Everyone on the space program was deeply saddened. Afterwards everyone's resolve to go to the moon safely reached a new level of commitment.

The book is definitely a page turner with many amusing antidotes. One story that sticks out in my mind is when Cernan explains that the early astronauts were like rock stars (they could do almost anything they wanted to). For example, they would let there wives know they were coming home in the evening by flying right over their homes with their jets before landing at a local base (a true flyby). Then they would jump into their Corvettes and drive like a bats out of h**l to their homes screeching into the driveways. This is stuff that legends are made of.

Cernan writing style is engaging and fascinating. He is both a strong Critical Thinker and philosopher rolled into one.

For example, in one telling excerpt he discusses the importance of going to the moon as a commander, not just walking on it. His thoughts are summed up when he says: "I have always believed that destiny is a matter of personal choice, where you carefully think out your decision, consider the downside, accept the risk of being wrong, and press on."

Cernan eloquently writes about his passion for space travel when he says: "Our legacy is that humans are no longer shackled to the Earth. We opened the door to tomorrow, and our trips to another celestial body will rank as the ultimate triumph in the Age of Achievement. And for the price, it was the biggest bargain in history."

He goes on to say: "Sometimes it seems that Apollo came before its time. President Kennedy reached far into the twenty-first century, grabbed a decade of time and slipped it neatly into the 1960's and 1970s."

I have been fortunate to meet Gene Cernan on a few occasions at Astronaut gatherings in the past couple of years. He is one of the greatest advocates for the space program and is a gentleman and a scholar. He still has a bounce in his step and a twinkle in his eye...and I wouldn't be surprised if he has a little mischief in him as well.

Once at a dinner I was sitting at Cernan's table and someone asked him whether seeing the moon was different from earth orbit or from the moon.

Gene Cernan got very quiet and thoughtful and said that it was entirely different. He went on to say that from orbit the earth is beautiful with its blue oceans, majestic large land masses and more. Then he paused and got very serious. He said from the moon the view of the earth was unbelievable. He went on to say that seeing this little blue ball that hung in black space by an invisible string (axis) that it turned on was unbelievable. You could see in his eyes that he had a life changing experience when he saw it from the front porch of the moon many years ago.

There are several excellent books on the early space program. The Last Man on the Moon is one of the best of the best.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

Enthusiasm and candour. Among the best atronaut books. (8/8 people found this helpful)

Up there with the Michael Collins biography as one of the best astronaut books, this first-person tale of Gene Cernan's NASA career engages not least because of the drama of his three famous missions.

Co-author Davis has helped Cernan tell a complicated story in easy to understand language. Throughout, one picks up on the sheer enthusiasm of this astronaut: his awe and wonder at what he was lucky enough to do. Often self-depracating, he admits difficult moments - the horror of the spacewalk outside Gemini 9 and the frightening malfunction as he approached closer to the Moon than anyone before during Apollo 10, but conveys extremely well the controlled elation of the triumphant Apollo 17, including his and mankind's last steps on the Moon ... for now.

There are thirty-seven photos, the usual mix of family and space-related, the latter set containing little new for the Apollo enthusiast but no less relevant for that.

Do give this book a try. It's clear, interesting and bubbling over with enthusiasm.

Interested in the US Space Program...read this book. (5/5 people found this helpful)

Whether you have a passing interest in the events surrounding the development of the US Space program leading up to putting Mankind on another planet, or are a serious enthusiast, this book will not disappoint you.

Eugene Cernan weaves a spellbinding account of his own personal involvement with the Apollo missions which led to him being the last man to stand on the surface of the moon.

It is a candid account told with the human element exposed to let the reader see what kind of men were selected to undertake such missions.

This book is a good read and is hard to put down once you embark on Mr Cernan's journey to the moon.

The Last Man On The Moon (3/3 people found this helpful)

Fantastic reading for anyone interested in the Space Race of the 60's and 70's.
Gene Cernan is a true American Hero. His story gave a really good insight into his determination to succeed in life.
The story of his and the other familys having to endure the stress and worry of the space programme gave the whole book a more 'human' touch.
I also liked the 'no messing' approach to his 'lingo' in this book. One of my best reads to date.

The Last Man on the Moon

Eugene Cernan

Reader Reviews:

Very good first hand account of that exciting time (0/0 people found this helpful)

This book answers the question: What did it feel like? (0/0 people found this helpful)

Enthusiasm and candour. Among the best atronaut books. (8/8 people found this helpful)

Interested in the US Space Program...read this book. (5/5 people found this helpful)

The Last Man On The Moon (3/3 people found this helpful)

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