This book is the basis for the above HBO series, and it is the most comprehensive look at Apollo--not at the technical side of it, but at the human side. The reader learns about the culture of the astronaut corps; the cliques, the competition for seats on a mission, etc. Andrew Chaikin, the author, was able to pry a lot of great stories that the typical American would not know about; Buzz Aldrin's campaign to be the first man to step onto the moon is a good example. As he explains in the preface, the book is, "The story the astronauts never wrote."
This was a twelve-hour series originally broadcast on HBO. In recreating Apollo, the atmosphere is heightened thanks in large part to a fictional TV commentator. The acting is also commendable. The portrayal of Buzz Aldrin was especially well done, I thought, because it emphasized the insecurity he felt right before Apollo 11. In the end, this is an interesting view of the humanistic side of Apollo. We get to know the people who actually made it happen, and that's the most important thing.
This is an autobiography centering on the creation of the mission control facilities. Most of all, it is interesting to see the honesty that imbues this book. Once, he came close to punching out no less a figure than Wernher von Braun, after a disagreement. Recounting an incident like that only adds to the sense of candidcy that one can find in so many books about the early space program.
In my opinion, this was the most interesting of all astronaut autobiographies. The sense of family neglect that he mentions more and more towards the end stands out. It's just so much more personal and easy to relate to, I thought, because we get to see him in more than one light. Although he's proud of what he did on the moon, for example, his search for an encore to that has been mostly futile. I think that creates an added perspective that's intruiging to think about.
This book has some often overlooked points to add to the story of the first moon flight. It talks about Apollo 8 from a political viewpoint, and argues that the political system of the Soviet Union could only have led to their failure in the moon race. What I thought added to the book also was the description of the astronauts' families. Their importance in the NASA culture was emphasized in these pages like few other books are able to do.
There isn't anything like this icy-cold sci-fi film. It won an Academy Award for its special effects. What really stands out, though, is the powerful choreography of the music and the imagery of the movie. They alone tell the story, a simple fact that separates "2001" from almost any other movie. And rather than come to a resolution, they tell the story in a way that can be construed positively or negatively. It's based completely on the viewer reaction, above all else. It was primarily for these reasons, I think, that "2001" became a classic.