This is a brilliant popular history which will appeal to the huge audience of Andrew Smith's "Moondust." It is written by a rising popular science star - a journalist who writes widely. It is a well-reviewed on hardback publication. Space historian Piers Bizony explodes NASA's 1960s mythology and unveils the man who gave up everything to win the space race. Neil Armstrong will forever be the first man on the Moon. But the person most responsible for putting him there is,incredibly,unknown. In 1961 James Webb,a South Carolina lawyer,took charge of America's bid for the Moon. Persuading a reluctant JFK and gaining control of 5 per cent of the US budget,Webb's NASA supervised half a million workers building new machines,launch pads and control centres. But in 1967,a spacecraft fire killed three astronauts. The press exposed numerous failures and delays,as well as Webb's business partners'profiteering. Webb shouldered the blame and his sacrifice enabled the Moon landing in 1969,but his name was wiped from history. Conducting extensive interviews and drawing on recently released original sources,Bizony tells the fascinating hidden story of the unconventional,charismatic man who made one giant leap for mankind.
MEDIA REVIEWS
Publisher: Icon BooksISBN: 9781840468366Number of pages: 272Dimensions: 198 x 129 x 22 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
"'Bizony draws a fast-cutting portrait... bound to appeal to moon buffs of all ages.'Guardian'Bizony tells Webb's remarkable story in a pacy way,revealing the highs and ultimately the lows of a flawed genius whose name has been forgotten by time'Good Book Guide'Journalist Bizony's excellent corrective to NASA's mythologized history takes an unflinching look at how James Webb,a North Carolina farm boy turned Washington insider,ran his end of the space race as NASA's administrator under presidents Kennedy and Johnson. A firebrand of a book'Publisher's Weekly (US)"
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