REVIEW QUOTES

                     ABOUT JAMES R. HANSEN'S

       FIRST MAN: THE LIFE OF NEIL A. ARMSTRONG

                         (Simon & Schuster, 2005)

 

“First Man  at long last completes the trilogy of authorized accounts of Apollo 11.... In the decades to come, [the book] is destined to become one of the definitive reference works on the lunar program.”--Capt. William Readdy, Commander of space shuttle Atlantis  (STS-79), in Proceedings of the U.S. Naval Institute

“Ever since Apollo 11's 'one giant leap for mankind' in 1969 the world has wondered who Neil Armstrong really is.  Now, at last, Jim Hansen has
stripped away the myths and mysteries to bring us face to face with the man himself.  This definitive portrait offers many new and fascinating details
about Armstrong and his life and about the momentous and unforgettable era of exploration in which he was lucky enough--and talented enough--to play
a key role.” -- Andrew Chaikin, author of A Man on the Moon
 

“For Americans who lived through it all, and for those who came later and can't imagine such an achievement, First Man is compelling reading…. fascinating stories…. Hansen describes [the first Moon landing] in chilling detail…. Hansen's narrative, because it was authorized by Armstrong, is far more personal than any previous attempts to define him… One thing for sure: you'll have a greater appreciation for the misunderstood hero who established Tranquility Base”--Thomas Walton, Toledo Blade

“A powerful, unrelenting biography of a man who stands as a living testimony to everyday grit and determination. . . . Hansen has achieved something quite remarkable.... A magnificent panorama of the second half of the American twentieth century. . . . A must for astronaut buffs and history readers alike."”--Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
 

“riveting chronicle…. [T]he book is a work of a true scholar…. The dramatic description of the actual landing … actually makes one’s heart pound, and one feels like going through it again and again….A must book not only for space buffs but for the general reader as well.”—Srinivas Laxman, The Times of India

”A lot of us have been waiting a long time for a book like this one, and it was well worth the wait. . . . Will likely stand as the definitive biography of Neil Armstrong.” --Tom D. Crouch, Senior Curator, Aeronautics, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Quest: The Journal of the History of Spaceflight
 

“Hansen's research is staggeringly impressive.... Never has an author's mastery of a subject been more in evidence.... A work that has great appeal for anyone interested in why we explore, who we are in this aerospace age, and what it was about the United States that could enable a little kid from Wapakoneta, Ohio to take that ‘one small step’ at Tranquility Base in the summer of 1969. A must read!!!”--Richard P. Hallion, chief historian for the U.S. Air Force

“Masterfully written . . . technically accurate, scholarly yet independent and accessible….Mission accomplished and a perfect touchdown.” --Leonard David, Ad Astra, The Magazine of the National Space Society
 

“Armstrong opened his entire life to Hansen.... Thanks to Hansen, future historians will know more about the man than the fact he was first.”--Robert Pearlman, founder and editor of collectSpace.com
 

“First Man burrows deep into Armstrong's past and present. . . . What emerges is an earnest and brave man…. Hansen manages to make contact…”--Mark Carreau, Houston Chronicle

”Armstrong raises the mirrored visor for the first time.” --Bo Emerson, Theresa K. Weaver, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“comprehensive and carefully researched…. Although NASA nominated Hansen for a Pulitzer Prize in 1995, this is not a hagiography. First Man is … an authorized biography more candid, honest, and unvarnished than most unauthorized biographies.”—John M. Formby-Duval, About.com, a part of the New York Times Co.

“Thoroughly researched... incredibly detailed . . . Hansen's attention to detail serves the story well, relaying the difficulty and danger inherent in the Apollo program. Along with this comes an understanding of Neil Armstrong himself.” --Howard Shirley, Bookpage

“[A] taut, well-told tale of our nation's race to the moon and the man who took the first step.”--Doug Allyn, The Flint Journal

“More than the most complete story of Armstrong's remarkable life, [First Man] is a fascinating study of how the modern world treats a historical figure . . . Hansen does a fine job of retelling Armstrong's childhood and remarkable career in aviation. The NASA years have been covered in many other books, but Hansen manages to keep them fresh, benefiting from Armstrong's perspective . . . As Hansen shows, the way Armstrong chooses to carry the heavy burden of history only proves once again that he has the right stuff.”--Brian Hicks, The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)

“the prowess of Armstrong and the brilliant engineering that went into Apollo 11 provides the meat of Hansen's book…. [T]he book stands as a fitting monument…. Hansen has written an absorbing and very substantial biography of a man whom the USA--and [the world]--can be proud of.”--George Rosie, The Scotland Sunday Herald

“A great read.”--The Kansas City Star, Noteworthy Book of 2005

“a Herculean effort….succeeds in penetrating his subject's seemingly enigmatic personality.… This impressively documented and engagingly written biography will stand the test of time.”—John Carver Edwards, Library Journal

“meticulously researched…. [and] concerned wholly with the facts….Hansen presents Armstrong as the ultimate engineer, a man focused on finding a solution to the task at hand - that of landing successfully on the Moon.”—Richard James Havis, South China Morning Post Ltd.

Amazon.com reviews: 4.5 stars out of 5 (30 reviews)

"Visor lifted on astronaut's life"

"Portrait of a remarkable life"

"A Superb Biography of an Extraordinary American"

"One of the Very Best Apollo-Era Biographies"

"Great historical read"

"For All Time!"

"Great insight in to the man - buy it & read it often!"

"If there were only more books like this..."

"Detailed and authoritative"

"AN ABSOLUTE MUST READ!"

"Finally, the authorized bio!"

"A great space drama"