Finished "Carrying the Fire" an autobiography by Michael Collins, one of the astronauts to travel to the moon for the first moon landing (Apollo 11). Space travel is amazing, but let's take care of this Earth so that we always have a home to come back to

The 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing was this summer, so I read a few books about the event to celebrate!

You hear a lot about Neil and Buzz, but a lot less about Michael - the guy that was a huge part of the mission, but didn't get to actually land on the moon.  Personally, I can't imagine coming so close and never actually reaching the surface - especially when he says he was told he could be assigned another mission and end up stepping on the moon himself.  I can appreciate wanting to take more time for family, and I can only guess how stressful it was to be the one at home dealing with everything so your husband could spend years of overtime training, to then be put on an incredibly dangerous mission - and not see him at all for the few weeks before, the time of the mission, and the few weeks after.  

While the book was interesting, I will say it's taken me about as long to write this review as it did to read the book.  While the early astronauts were all known to be totally cocky men, and Michael was supposedly a little better, I still think he was (and still seems to be?) a little full of himself.  But...if I was brilliant enough to be an astronaut with the equivalent of multiple degrees in difficult engineering and science, test pilot experience, and to get to orbit the moon, I'd probably feel a little entitled to some cockiness myself.  

An interesting look at the lunar landing...although not the most fluid read.  I think I read this book over the course of about 6 weeks I'll go 7 of 10 overall and 2 of 5 for readability.  

For more reviews, check out bedroopedbookworms.wordpress.com!

-Holly

I thought this book was a bit too technical for the average reader. Some parts were pretty boring and Collins tended to drone on in some places. I found the chapters when he was in flight to be most interesting. Some people said they didn't think the last chapter was necessary but I actually enjoyed the insights he shared at the end.

I did find Collins to have a bit of a male-chauvinistic tone. He does have a deprecating sense of humor, but as a female reader, some of his comments didn't sit right with me.

Really well-written autobiography. Some of the physics and engineering was beyond me. Always felt Collins to be the unsung hero of the Apollo 11 moon landing. He had to solo orbit the moon for hours and hours. Not knowing if he would be returning to Earth on his own. Hours spent on the ‘dark side’ out of contact. In those moments he was the loneliest man on earth and in space.

Audiobook

Listened with my mom on our trip to Colorado

A phenomenal autobiography, Carrying the Fire should be considered essential reading for all dreamers, explorers, aspiring children etc. Mike Collins, the "forgotten man" of the historic Apollo 11 moon mission, recounts his path to lunar orbit with a gripping writing style that makes you chuckle as much as it makes you gasp in astonishment at his beautiful descriptions of Earth, the Moon, and the space in between. I loved reading this book, and I think it's one I will return to a number of times throughout my life, such is the value of Mike Collins' unique perspective.

Fascinating