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Apollo 11: The Moon Landing in Real Time
Half a century has passed since arguably the greatest feat of the twentieth when Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the Moon. Apollo 11: The Moon Landing In Real Time brings the mission back to life as never before in a thrilling day-by-day account, exploring everything from the historic flight itself to how the $24 billion space program divided a nation.
Journey back in time and feel the excitement build in the days before launch and then experience the tension of the dramatic lunar landing and the relief of the crew’s safe return to Earth. This engaging account mixes easily understandable explanations of the groundbreaking technology behind Apollo 11 with entertainment, excitement and humor in equal measure. Set against a backdrop of the Cold War, race riots and Vietnam, the mission polarized opinion worldwide.
Alongside these issues, read long-forgotten tales including how a Chilean lawyer claimed he was the legal owner of the Moon, thousands of people signed up for proposed commercial Moon flights, Hilton revealed plans for a lunar hotel, ‘flat Earth’ believers claimed the mission was a hoax and some scientists feared the astronauts would bring back deadly germs from space which would devastate mankind.
Journey back in time and feel the excitement build in the days before launch and then experience the tension of the dramatic lunar landing and the relief of the crew’s safe return to Earth. This engaging account mixes easily understandable explanations of the groundbreaking technology behind Apollo 11 with entertainment, excitement and humor in equal measure. Set against a backdrop of the Cold War, race riots and Vietnam, the mission polarized opinion worldwide.
Alongside these issues, read long-forgotten tales including how a Chilean lawyer claimed he was the legal owner of the Moon, thousands of people signed up for proposed commercial Moon flights, Hilton revealed plans for a lunar hotel, ‘flat Earth’ believers claimed the mission was a hoax and some scientists feared the astronauts would bring back deadly germs from space which would devastate mankind.
280 pages, Hardcover
Published May 9, 2019
About the author
Ian Passingham
2 booksJournalist with a background working as a reporter and news editor in UK local newspapers followed by more than 25 years as a sports production journalist with two major UK national newspapers. Passionate about sport and history - and reading, researching and writing about both.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 23, 2019
Thanks to Rosie Croft from Pen & Sword for sending me an early hardback copy of this book, which I freely chose to review. What a blast!
There are events that become fixed on people’s minds, either because they witnessed them and felt they were momentous, or because the impact of the news when they heard them made them remember forever the moment when they heard about it and what they were doing at the time. Some become part of the collective memory. The first manned mission to land on the Moon is one of those. As I was a very young child (four years old, if you want to know), I don’t remember it, but I do remember my father recounting having gone to a neighbour’s to watch it as we didn’t have a TV at home at the time. And I’ve watched the images, seen pictures, and read articles and watched documentaries about it over the years, but no, I didn’t experience it live at the time. So, on this year of the fiftieth anniversary, I couldn’t resist this book. And I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The author collects an incredible amount of information from a large variety of sources (there is a bibliography at the end, which includes the sources although not the specific details of each and every one of the articles and news items, as that would have taken more space than the book itself), and manages to select the most informative, wide-ranging, thought-provoking, and entertaining materials, creating a fun and gripping reading experience that, although we know where it’s going, never gets boring. He is also at pains to try to provide a balanced view of the facts, collecting as well the voices of those opposing the project for a variety of reasons (mainly economic, to do with poverty and conditions in the USA, but also some for religious reasons, and others due to the fear of what that might mean for humanity and the likelihood of space’s exploitation for war purposes).
Passingham lets the materials speak for themselves in most instances (and it is a joy to read the opinions of the general public at a time before social media gave everybody the tools to share their voice with the rest of the world), and he does so while creating an easy to read and compelling account of events that evidence his professionalism and his experience as a journalist. Where some authors would feel tempted to butt in and make explicit their points of view, here we are allowed to make our own minds up.
After a first chapter called ‘Race to the Moon: 1957-69’ highlighting the USSR’s successes in what would become known as ‘the space race’ and the USA’s determination to turn things around (spurred on by JFK’s promise, in 1962, to get to the moon before the end of the decade), the book takes on the format of a count-down, from Wednesday, 2nd of July 1969 (launch minus fourteen day) to Splashdown day (24th of July) and a final chapter looking at what has happened since. This format makes us share in the excitement of the team (and the whole world), at the time, and, although we know what took place, we get to feel a part of it.
I have marked many items in the book that gave me pause, and the description also gives a good hint of some of the gems readers can find in the book. If I had to choose some, perhaps the comments by Michael Collins about how he felt about the possibility of having to leave his two fellow astronauts behind if things went wrong with the Moon landing; the advancements on computer sciences and technology brought up by the project (when looking at the data it sounds underwhelming today, but it’s incredible to think they managed to do what they did with the equipment they had) and the same applies to the cameras they took with them and used; the mention of Amy Spear’s role in developing radar systems used for landing and docking the module; worries about what would happen to all the people who had been working on the project once the flight was over, many of whom had come from other states (would the new jobs be maintained?). I loved the enthusiasm and the optimism of people convinced that in ten years there would be hotels in the Moon and humanity would be settling other planets (oh, and they were phoning aviation companies to book their flights already!); the sad comments by US soldiers in Vietnam who contrasted the public support the Apollo 11 enjoyed with the general opinion about the Vietnam war; I was very sad about the fate of a monkey they sent into orbit (alone! Poor thing!);I was interested in the opposing voices as well, in the fact that Russian women had gone into space but at that point there were no women in the programme (and due to Navy regulations, Nixon’s wife couldn’t even accompany her husband when he went to welcome the astronauts aboard USS Hornet…), and a mention that the astronauts had access to a microwave oven in the Mobile Quarantine Facility (they had been in existence for a while, but they were large and only used in industrial settings at that point), and, oh, so many things.
I enjoyed the book, which also contains many illustrations, all from NASA, and apart from making me feel as if I had been there, it also gave me plenty of food for thought. Many of the things people imagined didn’t come to pass, although it is not clear why (yes, it would have been very expensive, but that didn’t seem to stop them at that point. And why did the USSR pull back as well?), there were many advances due to it, but space exploration has remained controversial, perhaps even more so now than before. I wonder if there will be some positive event that will pull so many people together again in the future, rather than the catastrophes and disasters (natural or man-made) that seem to have become the norm in recent years. I guess only time will tell.
I cannot imagine there will be anybody who won’t find this book enjoyable (OK, people who believe the Earth is flat or conspiracy theorists might not care for it, and experts on the subject might not find anything new in its pages), and I’d recommend it to anybody who either remembers that event and wants to re-experience it, or wasn’t there at the time and wants to learn all about it. A joy of a book.
There are events that become fixed on people’s minds, either because they witnessed them and felt they were momentous, or because the impact of the news when they heard them made them remember forever the moment when they heard about it and what they were doing at the time. Some become part of the collective memory. The first manned mission to land on the Moon is one of those. As I was a very young child (four years old, if you want to know), I don’t remember it, but I do remember my father recounting having gone to a neighbour’s to watch it as we didn’t have a TV at home at the time. And I’ve watched the images, seen pictures, and read articles and watched documentaries about it over the years, but no, I didn’t experience it live at the time. So, on this year of the fiftieth anniversary, I couldn’t resist this book. And I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The author collects an incredible amount of information from a large variety of sources (there is a bibliography at the end, which includes the sources although not the specific details of each and every one of the articles and news items, as that would have taken more space than the book itself), and manages to select the most informative, wide-ranging, thought-provoking, and entertaining materials, creating a fun and gripping reading experience that, although we know where it’s going, never gets boring. He is also at pains to try to provide a balanced view of the facts, collecting as well the voices of those opposing the project for a variety of reasons (mainly economic, to do with poverty and conditions in the USA, but also some for religious reasons, and others due to the fear of what that might mean for humanity and the likelihood of space’s exploitation for war purposes).
Passingham lets the materials speak for themselves in most instances (and it is a joy to read the opinions of the general public at a time before social media gave everybody the tools to share their voice with the rest of the world), and he does so while creating an easy to read and compelling account of events that evidence his professionalism and his experience as a journalist. Where some authors would feel tempted to butt in and make explicit their points of view, here we are allowed to make our own minds up.
After a first chapter called ‘Race to the Moon: 1957-69’ highlighting the USSR’s successes in what would become known as ‘the space race’ and the USA’s determination to turn things around (spurred on by JFK’s promise, in 1962, to get to the moon before the end of the decade), the book takes on the format of a count-down, from Wednesday, 2nd of July 1969 (launch minus fourteen day) to Splashdown day (24th of July) and a final chapter looking at what has happened since. This format makes us share in the excitement of the team (and the whole world), at the time, and, although we know what took place, we get to feel a part of it.
I have marked many items in the book that gave me pause, and the description also gives a good hint of some of the gems readers can find in the book. If I had to choose some, perhaps the comments by Michael Collins about how he felt about the possibility of having to leave his two fellow astronauts behind if things went wrong with the Moon landing; the advancements on computer sciences and technology brought up by the project (when looking at the data it sounds underwhelming today, but it’s incredible to think they managed to do what they did with the equipment they had) and the same applies to the cameras they took with them and used; the mention of Amy Spear’s role in developing radar systems used for landing and docking the module; worries about what would happen to all the people who had been working on the project once the flight was over, many of whom had come from other states (would the new jobs be maintained?). I loved the enthusiasm and the optimism of people convinced that in ten years there would be hotels in the Moon and humanity would be settling other planets (oh, and they were phoning aviation companies to book their flights already!); the sad comments by US soldiers in Vietnam who contrasted the public support the Apollo 11 enjoyed with the general opinion about the Vietnam war; I was very sad about the fate of a monkey they sent into orbit (alone! Poor thing!);I was interested in the opposing voices as well, in the fact that Russian women had gone into space but at that point there were no women in the programme (and due to Navy regulations, Nixon’s wife couldn’t even accompany her husband when he went to welcome the astronauts aboard USS Hornet…), and a mention that the astronauts had access to a microwave oven in the Mobile Quarantine Facility (they had been in existence for a while, but they were large and only used in industrial settings at that point), and, oh, so many things.
I enjoyed the book, which also contains many illustrations, all from NASA, and apart from making me feel as if I had been there, it also gave me plenty of food for thought. Many of the things people imagined didn’t come to pass, although it is not clear why (yes, it would have been very expensive, but that didn’t seem to stop them at that point. And why did the USSR pull back as well?), there were many advances due to it, but space exploration has remained controversial, perhaps even more so now than before. I wonder if there will be some positive event that will pull so many people together again in the future, rather than the catastrophes and disasters (natural or man-made) that seem to have become the norm in recent years. I guess only time will tell.
I cannot imagine there will be anybody who won’t find this book enjoyable (OK, people who believe the Earth is flat or conspiracy theorists might not care for it, and experts on the subject might not find anything new in its pages), and I’d recommend it to anybody who either remembers that event and wants to re-experience it, or wasn’t there at the time and wants to learn all about it. A joy of a book.
August 11, 2019
Perhaps not unexpectedly, the fiftieth anniversary of the lunar landings has yielded a plethora of commemorative publications. The intended audiences vary, but most publications focus on either the technological aspects; the Astronauts, or the mission itself. The remaining publications are glossy, lavishly produced coffee table books devoted to Earth Rise, and the comparative austerity of the lunar landscape and/or fragility of the Earth. Commendable though some of these publications are, they do not, and cannot tell the complete story of the Apollo missions. In my view the 50th anniversary therefore demands a reappraisal.
In order to fully appreciate project Apollo, and the impact of the lunar landings on American society and the broader global audience, a new, non-partisan approach is required which considers the human; the political, the technological and socio-economic framework which gave rise to the endeavour in the first instance. ‘Apollo 11: The Moon landing in real time’ is a book which embraces such an approach.
The book itself is a collection of newspaper reports; press releases, transcripts and interviews arranged in chronological order. The book commences with articles covering the ‘the Space Race’ of the late 50’s and early 60’s before moving onto ‘launch minus 14 days’, and concluding on 24/07/1969. Whilst this may sound rather dry, the reverse applies. The author’s skill lies in the selection of articles inserted into the book and the broad range of public opinion which is subsequently articulated. Chapter by chapter, as we rapidly approach the launch of Apollo 11, the author captures and distils the often contradictory sentiments and goals which underpinned the project as well as broader socio-economic dilemmas such sentiments as ‘re-doubling efforts for World peace’ against the backdrop of a spiralling arms race and the Vietnam War. Short to long-term expressed goals of lunar colonies; space stations, and the exploration of Mars, are all similarly articulated to the broader public as being the net result of Apollo, against a political backdrop of a budgetary cuts and unease at the inability to galvanise sections of a divided society via the Moon shot.
Unsurprisingly, the underlying narrative is devoted to the Apollo 11 crew; their training and the equipment they utilised. The unseen support staff members are also given a voice, with some genuinely enthralling and moving insights which go beyond the usual names and places. Couple these aspects with the minute-by-minute drama of the lunar landing itself, the fast-paced and gripping narrative of the book overall meant that it was captivating and genuinely difficult to put down. It should also be noted that whilst the tone of the narrative is neutral, there is sufficient information available to permit further study in a variety of directions, thereby allowing an effective reappraisal to take place.
Taking everything into consideration, ‘Apollo 11: The Moon landing in real time’ is best understood as a literary time capsule which places the reader at the heart of the national debate which confronted 1960’s America. This book commemorates an astonishing technological triumph underpinned by incredible bravery, whilst crucially giving a voice to the disaffected and the outright opponents of Apollo. Such an approach allows us to accurately reassess project Apollo on its 50th anniversary. As a result, this book should be considered required reading for all Apollo enthusiasts.
In order to fully appreciate project Apollo, and the impact of the lunar landings on American society and the broader global audience, a new, non-partisan approach is required which considers the human; the political, the technological and socio-economic framework which gave rise to the endeavour in the first instance. ‘Apollo 11: The Moon landing in real time’ is a book which embraces such an approach.
The book itself is a collection of newspaper reports; press releases, transcripts and interviews arranged in chronological order. The book commences with articles covering the ‘the Space Race’ of the late 50’s and early 60’s before moving onto ‘launch minus 14 days’, and concluding on 24/07/1969. Whilst this may sound rather dry, the reverse applies. The author’s skill lies in the selection of articles inserted into the book and the broad range of public opinion which is subsequently articulated. Chapter by chapter, as we rapidly approach the launch of Apollo 11, the author captures and distils the often contradictory sentiments and goals which underpinned the project as well as broader socio-economic dilemmas such sentiments as ‘re-doubling efforts for World peace’ against the backdrop of a spiralling arms race and the Vietnam War. Short to long-term expressed goals of lunar colonies; space stations, and the exploration of Mars, are all similarly articulated to the broader public as being the net result of Apollo, against a political backdrop of a budgetary cuts and unease at the inability to galvanise sections of a divided society via the Moon shot.
Unsurprisingly, the underlying narrative is devoted to the Apollo 11 crew; their training and the equipment they utilised. The unseen support staff members are also given a voice, with some genuinely enthralling and moving insights which go beyond the usual names and places. Couple these aspects with the minute-by-minute drama of the lunar landing itself, the fast-paced and gripping narrative of the book overall meant that it was captivating and genuinely difficult to put down. It should also be noted that whilst the tone of the narrative is neutral, there is sufficient information available to permit further study in a variety of directions, thereby allowing an effective reappraisal to take place.
Taking everything into consideration, ‘Apollo 11: The Moon landing in real time’ is best understood as a literary time capsule which places the reader at the heart of the national debate which confronted 1960’s America. This book commemorates an astonishing technological triumph underpinned by incredible bravery, whilst crucially giving a voice to the disaffected and the outright opponents of Apollo. Such an approach allows us to accurately reassess project Apollo on its 50th anniversary. As a result, this book should be considered required reading for all Apollo enthusiasts.
August 3, 2019
Review coming soon.
August 3, 2019
I wanted a book about Apollo 11 to read for the 50th anniversary. Many books cover the entire space program. This book covers only Apollo 11. Each chapter covers one day from a few days before launch to splash down.
The problem is that it hardly discusses the mission. Most of the content reads like short stories from a newspaper. In fact most of the authors sources are newspapers.
If you want in depth information on the moon landing, this book is not for you. If you'd like to learn how people reacted to the Moon landing, then give this light read a try.
The problem is that it hardly discusses the mission. Most of the content reads like short stories from a newspaper. In fact most of the authors sources are newspapers.
If you want in depth information on the moon landing, this book is not for you. If you'd like to learn how people reacted to the Moon landing, then give this light read a try.
June 4, 2019
It was a interesting read and I liked seeing all the stories from what was going on around the world during this historical event.
March 1, 2020
I wasn't sure about this book, and there are so many to choose from with the 50th anniversary.
However, this is essentially a time capsule, with a selection of articles taken direct from the newspaper at the time.
"Mistakes"* are included, along with a very small number of articles about other topical news of the time.
Altho the author does list all the newspapers (from right around the world) referred to in the book, I would have liked him to provide footnotes (or endnotes) for every article.
* "Dr Gerard Kuiper, a world-renowned astrologer...."
However, this is essentially a time capsule, with a selection of articles taken direct from the newspaper at the time.
"Mistakes"* are included, along with a very small number of articles about other topical news of the time.
Altho the author does list all the newspapers (from right around the world) referred to in the book, I would have liked him to provide footnotes (or endnotes) for every article.
* "Dr Gerard Kuiper, a world-renowned astrologer...."
October 16, 2019
A great day-by-day retelling not only of the mission to land the first humans on the moon, but little snippets of the world around that mission...political and social climate, some pop culture...all in small, bite-sized chunks
October 7, 2025
very informative
The book was very informative and I skipping through certain sections, but I do recommend this book. for the most part It was very good.
The book was very informative and I skipping through certain sections, but I do recommend this book. for the most part It was very good.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews