The Dream Of Spaceflight: Essays On The Near Edge Of Infinity

by Wyn Wachhorst

One of few truly gifted essayists who have turned their talents to science, Wyn Wachhorst here fashions a luminous meditation on the meaning of space exploration from a montage of images and reflections on humanity's dream of spaceflight. In a survey of major figures from Johannes Kepler to Wernher von Braun, he sees in the rise of spaceflight a metaphor of modern history as a recurrent story of transformation and rebirth. Other essays offer new perspectives on the nature of wonder, recall the romantic vision of the decades prior to Sputnik ("nostalgia for a bygone future"), and look at the larger meaning of the moon landing, seeing in spaceflight not only a spiritual quest in the broadest sense of the word, but a cure for the withered capacity for wonder that afflicts the postmodern mind.

Genres: Science, Space, Nonfiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published May 4, 2000

Reviews

[Tecla Spiller]

I think even being able to get this book published is the height of white male privilege. Whitewashed sexist pseudo-philosophical nonsense lacking all self and social awareness. Do not read this unless you want to make yourself really angry.

[Luke Lyman]

surprisingly VERY Political (with a capital P) lol

[Shen]

Despite some occasional problematic statements which I may not agree with, overall, this book is prose but poetic enough to count as poetry. I often tell people this is my favorite book. I suppose I feel this way since much of what I write combines the wonders of space with that of poetry. This book brings forth ideas of human curiosity and emotional highs which I can easily identify with.

[Misrab]

One of the most influential books I've read so far. Explores the concept of exploration at the boundary as a way to discover the inner self. Exploration as finding meaning beyond material survival. And many more cool ideas around society and the individual :)

[Kimberly]

complex, philosophical, and storytelling. with the USA again preparing to send people to the moon, this book raises many questions. individually, universally, complex and aware. As Buzz says in Toy Story, "To Infinity and beyond." Or as the aliens repeat in Elio, "Okay, bye, love you."

[Bria]

This was not a good time for this book. It just felt like words for the sake of words for me. Perhaps a different time I would have liked it, but not this time.

[Lindsey]

A poetic and inspiring book about space exploration that i occasionally was jarred back to reality from in slight moments of internalized sexism.