From Library Journal
For 20 years Slayton, one of the original Mercury astronauts, ran the Astronaut Office at the Manned Spacecraft (later Johnson) Space Center in Houston, a position he assumed after being pulled off his Mercury flight for a minor heart ailment. In that capacity, he played a central role in selecting new astronauts and especially in assembling flight crews. In these posthumously published memoirs, he gives his account of those early years of U.S. manned spaceflight. Compared with the recent Moonshot (LJ 4/15/94), which he coauthored, this book allows the reader to get a sense of the man, of how a farm boy from Wisconsin ended up deciding who would be the first man on the moon and who finally, at the age of 51, got his own spaceflight on the Apollo Soyuz mission-the last Apollo flown. As another valuable addition to the recent first-hand accounts of NASA's early days, this book is highly recommended for public and academic libraries.Thomas J. Frieling, Bainbridge Coll., Ga.Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
The autobiography of one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts, this is one of the best additions to the literature of the early American space effort. Slayton, who'd first flown as a World War II bomber pilot, came to the space program by a somewhat circuitous route. He was grounded in 1962 because of a heart murmur, and actually flew as an astronaut only once, in the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz mission. He was head of the astronaut office, however, and as such, one of the key persons involved in selecting crew, a process he describes with an insider's knowledge of detail and considerable frankness about the virtues and limitations of his colleagues. At the same time, Slayton never lost, nor will his readers miss, the sense of wonder with which space was contemplated in the days when it was a high and gallant dream. Roland Green
Review
"Deke Slayton was probably the single most important man in the U.S. manned space program.....Slayton was a genuine American hero."--Stars and Stripes
"No on can really understand the manned space flight of the '60s without understanding Deke's role in it. This is his story in his won words, and it often seems as if Deke were there in person. no nonsense, no excuses, just get on with the mission."--Frank Borman
"Deke! is a 'must read' for those who remember that most exciting of night and for those not yet born who want to learn about one of the 20th century's most thrilling moments."--Rocky Mountain News
Review
"Deke Slayton was probably the single most important man in the U.S. manned space program.....Slayton was a genuine American hero."--Stars and Stripes
"No on can really understand the manned space flight of the '60s without understanding Deke's role in it. This is his story in his won words, and it often seems as if Deke were there in person. no nonsense, no excuses, just get on with the mission."--Frank Borman
"Deke! is a 'must read' for those who remember that most exciting of night and for those not yet born who want to learn about one of the 20th century's most thrilling moments."--Rocky Mountain News
Book Description
Deke Slayton was one of the first seven Mercury astronauts--and he might have been the first American in space. Instead, he became the first chief of American Astronaut Corps. It was Deke Slayton who selected the crews who flew the Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab missions. It was Deke Slayton who made Neil Armstrong the first man on the moon.
Deke! is Deke Slayton's' story--told in his own words and in the voices of the men and women who worked with him and knew him best. Deke Slayton's knowledge of how the .S. manned space program worked is the missing piece of every space buff's puzzle. Now, after decades of silence, he tells his priceless stories of those years when American was engaged in the greatest voyage of exploration in human history.
Deke!: U.S. Manned Space: From Mercury to the Shuttle ANNOTATION
Deke Slayton was one of the first seven Mercury astronauts. When the Air Force grounded him, he rejoined NASA as a civilian, becoming the head of America's Astronaut Corps. It was Deke who selected the crews who flew the Gemini, Apollo and Skylab missions and who made Neil Armstrong the first man on the moon. Here he reveals his inside knowledge of how the U.S. manned space program really worked. Photos.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Deke Slayton was one of the first seven Mercury astronauts--and he might have been the first American in space. Instead, he became the first chief of American Astronaut Corps. It was Deke Slayton who selected the crews who flew the Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab missions. It was Deke Slayton who made Neil Armstrong the first man on the moon.
Deke! is Deke Slayton's' story--told in his own words and in the voices of the men and women who worked with him and knew him best. Deke Slayton's knowledge of how the .S. manned space program worked is the missing piece of every space buff's puzzle. Now, after decades of silence, he tells his priceless stories of those years when American was engaged in the greatest voyage of exploration in human history.
Art & Photography
Book Info
