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Nature and Science August 2019
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The reality bubble
by Ziya Tong
Examines the hidden things that shape a person's life and exposes collective blind spots to show how civilization can flourish
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| Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert MacfarlaneWhat it is: a lyrical and wide-ranging exploration of the world beneath our feet from tunnels and caves to catacombs and burial chambers to underground vaults and bunkers.
Why you might like it: Nature writer Robert Macfarlane embarks on a journey both literal and metaphorical, connecting real-world observations to representations of the underworld in mythology, art, and literature.
Want a taste? "Into the underland we have long placed that which we fear and wish to lose, and that which we love and wish to save." |
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| Neil Armstrong: A Life of Flight by Jay BarbreeWhat it is: an engaging biography of astronaut Neil Armstrong, who, on July 20, 1969, made history as the first person to walk on the moon.
About the author: During his 50-year career as a journalist, veteran NBC space correspondent Jay Barbree reported on every single crewed launch of the U.S. space program.
You might also like: James R. Hansen's First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong, which delves into the personal life of a very private individual. |
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| Shoot for the Moon: The Space Race and the Extraordinary Voyage of Apollo 11 by James DonovanWhat it is: a comprehensive history of the space race, beginning with the 1957 launch of Sputnik and culminating in the Apollo 11 Moon landing.
Reviewers say: "[Author James] Donovan knows how to tell a gripping story" (NPR).
Further reading: Chasing the Moon by Robert Stone and Alan Andres, American Moonshot by Douglas Brinkley, and Apollo's Legacy by Roger D. Launius. |
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| Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us, From Missiles to the Moon... by Nathalia HoltIntroducing: Barby Canright, Macie Roberts, Helen Yee Chow, Barbara Lewis, Janez Lawson, Susan Finley, and others.
Why they matter: This talented group of women calculated rocket trajectories, designed satellites, and analyzed massive amounts of experimental data for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
For fans of: Margot Lee Shetterly's Hidden Figures, another collective biography of the unsung heroines of the U.S. space program. |
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| Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon by Jeffrey KlugerWhat it is: an exciting account of the Apollo 8 mission that blends technical details of the mission with profiles of its participants.
Why you might like it: Science writer Jeffrey Kluger draws on interviews with crew members Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders, as well as materials from the NASA Oral History Project, to recreate the mission.
You might also like: Robert Poole's Earthrise, which examines the creation of the iconic photograph of Earth as seen from space. |
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| Rocket Men: The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man's First... by Robert KursonIntroducing: Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders, who carried out one of NASA's most challenging missions.
What they did: Given 50-50 odds of returning safely, the trio risked their lives to complete the first crewed lunar orbit in December 1968.
Why you might like it: Rocket Men contrasts the lofty achievements of the astronauts with historical events of a turbulent period in U.S. history. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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