by Jay Barbree
First published 2009
Jay Barbree caught space fever as a young reporter when Sputnik flew over Georgia fifty years ago. He relocated to Cocoa Beach, Florida, near Cape Canaveral, where he began covering rockets that failed as frequently as they succeeded. Barbree became the only journalist to report on every astronaut mission from the early days through the International Space Station era. He provides an insider's view of the space program, sharing personal stories about astronauts and fellow reporters. The book includes behind-the-scenes anecdotes, many featuring astronaut pranks, and examines how both the space program and media coverage evolved over decades. Barbree captures the excitement of the space race and explains why Americans embraced their heroic astronauts.
Genres: biography, history, 20th-century, adventure, non-fiction, 21st-century, journalism, american-history
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: insider-perspective, personal-stories
Setting: Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Florida, Georgia
Period: 1950s, 2000s
336 pages · Kindle Edition · HarperCollins e-books