Spaceman
An Astronaut's Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe
by Mike Massimino
"Have you ever wondered what it would be like to find yourself strapped to a giant rocket that’s about to go from zero to 17,500 miles per hour? Or to look back on Earth from outer space and see the surprisingly precise line between day and night? Or to stand in front of the Hubble Space Telescope, wondering if the emergency repair you’re about to make will inadvertently ruin humankind’s chance to unlock the universe’s secrets? Mike Massimino has been there, and in Spaceman he puts you inside the suit, with all the zip and buoyancy of life in microgravity."
As a Canadian, I am drawn to different events and people when it comes to space exploration than our cousins south of the border. Chris Hadfield is one of those people. Having shared a home town, I was instantly drawn to Hadfield's memoir, An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth (published October 2013) and religiously followed his most recent trip to space where he documented Earth as it appears from the International Space Station. As a space outsider, it completely drew me in and sparked my curiosity for what lies outside Earth's atmosphere.
I loved Hadfield's book so much that when I saw Mike Massimino's book, I thought it would be interesting to compare life as a Canadian astronaut versus that of someone that grew up in the United States. How were they different? How were they the same?
Turns out, their paths to their dream jobs are pretty similar. There were several similarities in the books, including being fuelled by childhood events and developing a passion for space early on in life. Both Hadfield and Massimino were those kids that you roll your eyes at when asked the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?". At one point in life, every child dreams of space exploration. But for both of these two, it wasn't just a dream. They were dead set on making it happen, and despite the odds, they both did.
Being an astronaut is not a job I could do. After reading both of these books, I applaud those who land the coveted title.
This book was an interesting and easy read, and one that I recommend for anyone that enjoys space exploration, following their dreams or just memoirs in general.
This book was an interesting and easy read, and one that I recommend for anyone that enjoys space exploration, following their dreams or just memoirs in general.
To & Fro rating: ★★★ out of 5 stars
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. All opinions are 100% my own.
