One Book, One Chicago
Well, this wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I should caution readers: this is a book for men. It’s all about men who fly planes and eventually become astronauts. But don’t call them astronauts; they’re pilots!
From Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier to the hero worship of the Mercury Seven, Wolfe delves into the world of hotshot pilots and the creation of NASA. If you ever wondered how John Glenn became so popular, read this book. If you want to learn about each of the Mercury Seven in detail, skip this one. Wolfe doesn’t give equal time to each pilot, and you sort of feel cheated by the end.
All in all, this was a fairly easy read, but just not as satisfying as I’d hoped it would be.
9/14/08
1 comment:
And also a book for women who love all things NASA! This is my favorite Tom Wolfe - it introduced me to his breathless style and behind-the-scenes reporting. Didn't you like the pilots eating all those chili peppers before having to give a "sample" to the Air Force doctors? Hee hee.
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