A Man On The Moon
Published by Penguin, 2007
(New edition featuring an afterword for the 50th anniversary of the Space Age)
A decade in the making, this book is based on hundreds of hours of in-depth interviews with each of the twenty-four moon voyagers, as well as those who contributed their brain power, training and teamwork on Earth. In his preface Chaikin writes, “We touched the face of another world and became a people without limits.”
What follows are thrilling accounts of such remarkable experiences as the rush of a liftoff, the heart-stopping touchdown on the moon, the final hurdle of re-entry, competition for a seat on a moon flight, the tragic spacecraft fire, and the search for clues to the origin of the solar system on the slopes of lunar mountains.
“I’ve been there. Chaikin took me back.” – Gene Cernan, Apollo 17 astronaut
– Amazon.com
Dear Mr Chaikin,
My boyfriend is a huge fan of your book A Man on the Moon, and I’ve been searching the internet for a signed copy of the book for his Christmas. Unfortunately, I haven’t had any success yet.
I was wondering if you might know of anywhere that I might be able to get a signed copy? I live in Scotland, so by mail is really the only option for me.
Many, many thanks in advance for any help.
Best wishes
Alison
Hi Alison,
Just email me through the website and I’ll give you the address to send a book.
Andy Chaikin
Hi Andy,
Those were really great comments you made on the Miles O’Brien show. For what it is worth, I could not agree with you more. Getting into orbit cheaply should be the unifying issue. After all, once your in orbit you are half way to anywhere. Wonderful timing that you were on Space.com just as the Falcon 9 launched. Keep on hammering on that issue.
Best regards from Boulder.
–Ray
Dear Mr. Chaikin,
I am a High School science teacher in Maine with a great interest in the space program and I incorporate that into my classes. My favorite book by far is your “A Man on the Moon.: Would it be possible for me to mail my copy to you in order for you to autograph it?
Many thanks,
Mike Weiss
Yarmouth High School
Yarmouth, Maine
Hey Mr. Chaikin!
I just wanted to tell you that your books and thoughts are AMAZING. I completely agree on NASA sending. Man to Mars. Do you think there is any possibility that it would be a one way trip though?
Dear Mr. Chaikin:
You will be pleased that many of the astronauts I spoke with last weekend at the 11th ASF Astronut Reunion at Cape Kennedy said your book, “A Man on the Moon” was the definitive the account of the effort to put Americans on the moon. Moreover, I was fortunate to have four Apollo astronauts to sign your book; your autograph would be “iceing on the cake!” Where do I send this book for our autograph?
Walter Wolfe
Hello Mr. Chaikin,
I cannot seem to find either an ebook or audiobook version of your book online, which is a darn shame. Any chance of that changing?
Yours,
Jason Blackthorn
Hi Jason,
I’m afraid there is no ebook, and the only audiobook is a cassette tape version done many years ago by Books on Tape. Maybe you can bug them to put out an electronic version!
Thanks for the interest.
Andy Chaikin
I too would love to have this in audio book form. I have read the physical book at a minimum, 3 times per year since it was published and would listen to the audio book equally as many times.
This is by far the best book (of any kind) that I have ever read and is exactly the book that I’d always wanted to be written and wished that I could have written. It needs to be required reading in all high schools.
Hi Kevin,
I’m afraid there is no plan to put out an ebook, despite my urging the publisher to do so.
Thanks for your comments!
Andy Chaikin
I was wondering if your publisher has moved at all about releasing the book in ebook format? My current physical copy is wearing and showing signs of age.
“A Man on the Moon” is by far the best account of the Apollo space program. It’s one of the most exciting adventure stories ever told, with the added virtue of being true!
PENGUIN BOOKS: PLEASE RELEASE THIS AN AN E-BOOK!
I agree Kyle — I’ve read the book more than once, and I have the large three volume (with photos) — but I would like to buy an e-book version.
Does anyone know why this continues to be unavailable?
Mr. Chaikin,
I began reading your book due to a book review for my college class. I have always been the kind of person to just want to look up at the stars and the moon and just stare at the beauty. Even after everything mankind has done there is still so much in the empty void of space that has yet to be discovered. I am so happy that I read your book and that it was an assigned reading. I couldnt put it down because it took all my attention and page after page I just thought of how amazing we as people have come in such a short period of time with the advances in modern sciences. I believe your book restores the history that I feel is slowly fading away with each new generation. As a kid I remember wanting to go to space and read books and watched tv shows on it (and I still do today). I just wanted to say thank you for writing this piece and taking the time to get interviews from all the astronauts and people who made the dream of exploring space a reality. I would ask you if it would be possible to send my book to get it signed, but I thought it was so good that I gave it to my 1st Sergeant (I’m in the Air Force) because he loves reading and I made to sure to let him know to pass it along to someone once he was done. Again, thank you and godspeed.
–Travis Bowman
i first read this book when it was donated to a library in my high school back in ghana. i loved it soo much. i remember it is the first novel i ever read after i read part of the encyclopédie. unfortunately i lost the book as soon as i became the owner of it days after i finished readying it. can’t wait to buy it and relive the experience of the astronauts. i count this book as my favourite book of all time. well done. i plan to buy it when i visit my girlfriend in the UK this summer. hope i can get u to sign it. thanks
I bought your book years ago when I found it on the shelf at a book store (back when they were full of books and not coffee) and flipped through the pages and it looked good enough to buy. Later, when I read it and realized how incredibly rich in history, detail and heart, I was amazed at my luck in finding it. Then I did the unthinkable to an author, I lent it out. My indiscretion was rewarded by the fact that (as always) it was not returned. Looking for a replacement (which I will get off Amazon) I saw this site and thought to drop you a message. I lived through the original “space age” close to Cocoa Beach and visited the Cape when I was a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol back when it was mostly Palmetto bushes and concrete buildings. I was just a few miles away from the blastoff of a couple of Apollo missions including Apollo 13 (of which I still have the Apollo 13 Media guide.) I also saw the breakdown of the local communities after the Apollo and Shuttle programs were abandoned. Simply put I thoroughly appreciate your book as it filled in a whole lot of blanks in my knowledge of the program. Very nice job my friend. Take care.
Are there any plans to release the book in digital format? I’d love to read this on my iPad.
Mr Chaikan.
I wanted to say thank you for an amazing read. My wife and sister in law teamed up to get me this book, along with another one by Ms. Taitel, in order to feed my knowledge about an iconic period. I wanted to say thank you and I’ll be recommending it to others.
Regards
Stan
Thank you Stan!
Hi Richard,
There is no plan for an e-book but there is a new audio book from http://www.audiobooks.com
Andy Chaikin