Destination Moon :

Material Type	Library	Call Number	Item Barcode	Location
Book	Searching... Andover - Memorial Hall Library	629.454 MAU / TEEN	31330008814521	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Amesbury Public Library	YA 629.454 MAU	32114002543040	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Andover - Memorial Hall Library Children's Room	J 629 MAU	31330008676433	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Burlington Public Library	YA 629.454 MAU	32116003645930	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Carlisle - Gleason Public Library	TEEN 629.454 MAU	32117001988587	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Chelmsford Public Library	J/629.454/MAUR	31480011260350	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Hamilton-Wenham Public Library	Y 629.454 MAU	30470001734192	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Ipswich Public Library	J629.454 MAURER	32122002737744	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Westford - J.V. Fletcher Library	YA 629.454 MAU	31990005253542	Searching... Unknown

The history of NASA's Apollo program from Earth orbital missions to lunar landings in a propulsive nonfiction narrative.

Only now, it is becoming clear how exceptional and unrepeatable Apollo was. At its height, it employed almost half a million people, many working seven days a week and each determined that "it will not fail because of me."

Beginning with fighter pilots in World War II, Maurer traces the origins of the Apollo program to a few exceptional soldiers, a Nazi engineer, and a young eager man who would become president.

Packed with adventure, new stories about familiar people, and undeniable danger, Destination Moon takes an unflinching look at a tumultuous time in American history, told expertly by nonfiction author Richard Maurer.

Reviews (3)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 5--8--Starting with a short biography of each key figure prior to their involvement in NASA, Maurer details the series of space missions that put a man on the moon. Each individual involved with Apollo 11 is given his moment in the limelight, explaining their roles in World War II and how they became involved in the spaceflight industry. Maurer gives equal attention to the men behind the scenes--i.e., those managing, designing, and engineering the spacecraft--and to the astronauts who risked their lives to accomplish this unfathomable dream. A helpful table of contents and cast of characters are at the front of the book and there is a one-page briefing before and after each individual part with information that didn't seem to fit anywhere else. The notes and references at the end are extensive and very well organized. A brief time line and an index are included. The illustrations transport readers back to the Space Race by detailing magazine covers and posters from the time period and by containing drawings created during the design process of the spacecraft. Additionally, there are many photographs of people and objects involved in the Space Race. VERDICT This comprehensive history of the Space Race is a solid addition to any collection where literary nonfiction and/or space-related books are popular.--Kristin Unruh, Siersma Elementary School, Warren, MI

Kirkus Review

"Someday, people are going to try to go back to the Moon, and they are going to find out how hard it really is," reflected one of the men who had been deeply involved in America's drive to land a man on the moon.How right he was. Maurer begins his reads-like-fiction tale with the roots of the moon missions, World War II. Not only were many of the primary scientists, managers, and astronauts veterans of the war, but the technology needed for a successful moonshot also emerged then. The story is neatly broken down into the numerous steps (and missteps) along the way, each providing impetus for the next, that made up the effort to reach the moon by the seemingly almost unachievable goal of decade's end that President John F. Kennedy set in 1961. By providing plenty of information about the parallelbut always a step or two aheadSoviet space program, Maurer clearly contextualizes the U.S. effort against the simmering threat of the Cold War. Accurate, detailed, and thoroughly entertaining, this tale is an essential purchase at a time when some are questioning if the moon landings were a propaganda hoax. Numerous archival black-and-white photographs, meticulous endnotes, an extensive reference list, and a timeline round out this outstanding work.Inspiring, fascinating, and, like the millions of parts that had to function for the space program to succeed, practically perfect. (Nonfiction. 10-adult) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

Ask people to list key figures in America's space program and you'll hear a short list of astronauts' names. Maurer's book, which culminates with the Apollo 11 mission, digs deeper, highlighting six key figures (including one astronaut) and a large supporting cast. The story begins during WWII, when many of those who would figure out how to reach the moon were either engaged in carrying out active warfare, designing more powerful and accurate rockets, or running the mission-driven companies producing superior warplanes and related equipment under pressure. Their urgent sense of shared purpose would drive these individuals when they became NASA's managers, engineers, and astronauts, particularly after Kennedy publicly announced their goal and their deadline for achieving it. Well-chosen photos appear throughout the book. Based on extensive research, including NASA oral history interviews, government documents, books, and articles, the writing is detailed, authoritative, and full of effective quotes. Maurer, who commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first flight by writing The Wright Sister (2003), marks the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 with an enlightening history of America's space race. Here's an absorbing, insightful, solidly informative resource for readers who want to understand the U.S. space program from the ground up.--Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2019 Booklist

Cast of Characters	p. ix
BRIEFING: The Ultimate Destination	p. 1
Part 1 War	p. 3
1 Ensign Faget's Close Call	p. 5
2 Pirates of the Western Pacific	p. 13
3 Lieutenant Slayton Flies Another Mission	p. 19
4 Captain Phillips Bombs Major von Braun	p. 27
5 Major Webb Faces the Big One	p. 35
6 "We Need It Yesterday!"	p. 43
BRIEFING: The NACA	p. 51
Part 2 Dreams	p. 53
7 America Lands on Its Feet	p. 55
8 Von Braun Lands in America	p. 61
9 The Cold War	p. 67
10 Disney to the Rescue	p. 77
11 The Empire Strikes Back	p. 85
12 Explorer	p. 93
BRIEFING: Russia's Rocket	p. 99
Part 3 Spacemen	p. 101
13 Max Makes His Pitch	p. 103
14 "Let's Get On with It"	p. 111
15 The Original Seven	p. 119
16 The Vice President Finds a Space Chief	p. 125
17 "Light This Candle"	p. 133
18 Go to the Moon	p. 139
BRIEFING: The President's Speech	p. 147
Part 4 The Plan	p. 149
19 Pieces of the Puzzle	p. 151
20 How to Get to the Moon, and Back	p. 159
21 The Race Heats Up	p. 167
22 The Great Escape	p. 173
23 General Phillips Joins the Team	p. 181
24 "Do Good Work!"	p. 189
BRIEFING: The Women of Apollo	p. 195
Part 5 Crews	p. 197
25 Squadron Commander	p. 199
26 The Moon Comes into Focus	p. 209
27 Neil Armstrong's Wild Ride	p. 217
28 "Fire in the Cockpit"	p. 225
29 "Go, Baby, Go!"	p. 233
30 The Submariner Takes Charge	p. 241
BRIEFING: Lunar Reconnaissance	p. 247
Part 6 The Moon	p. 249
31 A New Mission Takes Shape	p. 251
32 "In the Beginning"	p. 259
33 Earthrise	p. 271
34 Go Fever	p. 277
35 Tranquility Base	p. 287
36 One Small Step	p. 303
Epilogue: "We Must Stop"	p. 315
BRIEFING: Six Landing Sites	p. 325
Timeline	p. 326
Acknowledgments	p. 329
Notes	p. 331
References	p. 363
Photo Credits	p. 381
Index	p. 383

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Reviews (3)

School Library Journal Review

Kirkus Review

Booklist Review

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