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Apollo 8
Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon | Jeffrey Kluger
19 posts | 15 read | 21 to read
The untold story of the historic voyage to the moon that closed out one of our darkest years with a nearly unimaginable triumph In August 1968, NASA made a bold decision: in just sixteen weeks, the United States would launch humankinds first flight to the moon. Only the year before, three astronauts had burned to death in their spacecraft, and since then the Apollo program had suffered one setback after another. Meanwhile, the Russians were winning the space race, the Cold War was getting hotter by the month, and President Kennedys promise to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade seemed sure to be broken. But when Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders were summoned to a secret meeting and told of the dangerous mission, they instantly signed on. Written with all the color and verve of the best narrative non-fiction, Apollo 8 takes us from Mission Control to the astronauts homes, from the test labs to the launch pad. The race to prepare an untested rocket for an unprecedented journey paves the way for the hair-raising trip to the moon. Then, on Christmas Eve, a nation that has suffered a horrendous year of assassinations and war is heartened by an inspiring message from the trio of astronauts in lunar orbit. And when the mission is overafter the first view of the far side of the moon, the first earth-rise, and the first re-entry through the earths atmosphere following a flight to deep spacethe impossible dream of walking on the moon suddenly seems within reach. The full story of Apollo 8 has never been told, and only Jeffrey KlugerJim Lovells co-author on their bestselling book about Apollo 13can do it justice. Here is the tale of a mission that was both a calculated risk and a wild crapshoot, a stirring account of how three American heroes forever changed our view of the home planet.
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Bookwormjillk
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Pickpick

I love listening to this audiobook this time of year because it has the recording of the astronauts reading Genesis on Christmas Eve while in orbit around the moon. This was such an inspiring mission, but not as well known as some of the others.

45 likes1 stack add6 comments
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SanjanaGhosh
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Mehso-so

77th book of this year and also the first book of my self declared A to Z challenge :)

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Amiable
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A book about the first space mission to the moon and a novel set in 1870s-era New York may appear to be an odd combo for Memorial Day weekend-reading. But I just gotta be me. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Thoroughly enjoying both. 👍🏼

Graywacke I really enjoyed Apollo 8. 4y
Amiable @Graywacke Did you read “Apollo 13,” which Kluger co-wrote with Jim Lovell? Also excellent! 4y
Graywacke @Amiable no, saw the movie though. I only caught Apollo 8 because I was looking for free library audiobooks and was running out of interesting options and that was available. Otherwise I wouldn‘t have gotten to it. So I was really pleasantly surprised with how well done it was. 4y
Amiable @Graywacke “Apollo 13” is one of my favorite movies. I picked up the book because I wondered how closely the movie hewed to it. (Very closely, FYI! Plus there‘s extra detail in the book that didn‘t make it into the movie.) 4y
62 likes4 comments
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AshD16
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Changing it up a little with this pick!! Was wanting another quick, light read, and I‘m a sucker for a good non-fiction, slightly action packed, history novel 🤗 all the reviews on litsy‘s book profile for the book were pretty good, so I‘m anxious to get this book and my 3 day weekend started 🤩🚀🌒💫

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bewareofwords
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Pickpick

Between a vacation, moving to another city, and reading my #makemereadit #tbr (which I promise I‘m doing haha), I‘ve managed to finish a couple of audiobooks too. I loved this one about the first astronauts to go to the moon. They have a fascinating story, and although it started out pretty slow, I appreciated the details that the author included. I really enjoyed it #audiobook #space

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Graywacke
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Pickpick

That‘s earthrise from Apollo 8. I started skeptical and the book starts weak, but it brought me in and won me over and I actually got excited as the mission wound down. For what it‘s worth, it has a structure that keeps it interesting.

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Graywacke
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New audio this am - on the first mission to orbit the moon. This is a random pick from what my library has available on audio. I‘m 30 minutes and not sure yet how I feel about finishing.

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ssravp
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Favorite non-fiction books of 2017
Apollo 8 - Jeffrey Kluger
Grant - Ron Chernow
Churchill‘s Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warefare: The Mavericks Who Plotted Hitler‘s Defeat - Giles Milton
Shoot Like a Girl: One Woman's Dramatic Fight in Afghanistan and on the Home Front - Mary Jennings Hegar

#apollo8 #jeffreykluger #grant #ronchernow #churchill #gilesmilton #shootlikeagirl #maryjenningshegar

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Floresj
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Meetings I didn't want to be at during work + Washington post "best books of 2017" list + access to my library account= a gigantic TBR pile?!

NerdyRev Oh my! 6y
Reviewsbylola The Leavers is so good. Nice haul! 6y
10 likes2 comments
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Sara_Planz
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Just started this on audio today and will be listening to it as we finally move back home after Hurricane Harvey!!!!

JacqMac Yay, home! 6y
Texreader Oh I may want to read this! Let me know if it‘s as good as it sounds! 6y
38 likes2 comments
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MrBook
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#TBRtemptation post 5! Released in May. You know about Apollo 13: "Houston, we have a problem." Well, in 1967, three astronauts burned to death in their spacecraft. In 1968, three others would go up--Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anderson. It would be tense the entire mission. Their flight, Apollo 8, was the first to leave orbit, reach the moon, and return successfully. This is their story. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook ?

CaitZ I've always been fascinated by space travel. I remember being allowed to stay up late to watch the moon landing and suprising teachers by how much I knew about it. I'm definitely reading this one 7y
64 likes6 stack adds1 comment
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ssravp
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Pickpick

🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑 Five moons out of five! Give me all of the space books!

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ssravp
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Wernher von Braun 🚀🌕

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Slynn71
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My latest read. I love space books!🚀

bookishkai I have this one on my TBR too. Space books are my jam. 7y
Slynn71 🚀🚀🚀 7y
keys_on_fire I am gearing up to read The Astronauts Wives Club. Have you read that yet? This one is on my #TBR list too! 6y
7 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Bookwormjillk
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8 hours in, it's clear that I'm not going to hit 24, and my stamina is failing fast. I'm going to switch back to audio for a while.

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Bookwormjillk
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Up, doing laundry, and listening to an audiobook like a boss. #24in48

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LizzyM
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Pickpick

It's been a real s$&t-show 💩of a day and finally having 20 minutes of quiet to sit down and finish this well-written narrative nonfiction book saved it for me. Amazing story and fascinating history, especially if you have an interest in NASA / space exploration or just science in general. Completely awe-inspiring!

Beckys_Books Oh, no! Hope everything is ok! 7y
23 likes1 comment
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LizzyM
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I had a bit of trouble deciding on my next book. When that happens I usually turn to non-fiction. And who can resist a book about travel to the moon? For some reason, summer puts me in the mood for books about space - maybe all those warm summer nights when you can look at the moon and stars?

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Librarylady
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I should be outside reading right now. Instead I can't seem to get off the couch. Cuddled up with a dog and this book which is making me want to read The Astronaut Wives Club again.

Megabooks I read that as Polio 8 originally and thought what a weird title! Probably because my mom has polio. I'm the worst about reading things wrong. 7y
9 likes1 stack add1 comment