Mercury Rising

April 23, 2021

In this dramatic account, Shesol (Supreme Power: Franklin Roosevelt vs. the Supreme Court) tells the story of the first manned American spaceflight into orbit. In the introduction, Shesol skillfully sets the scene, describing an anxious nation that watched as John Glenn prepared to launch aboard the spacecraft Friendship 7 on February 20, 1962. The event transpired during a critical time in the Cold War, when the U.S. perceived increasingly aggressive behavior on the part of the Soviet Union. In 1957, with Sputnik, the USSR became the first nation to send a satellite into orbit; in 1961, they sent the first man into space, Yuri Gagarin. France and Britain were concerned about the lagging performance of the United States (their ally) in the space race; at same time, polls throughout Western Europe showed declining confidence in American strength and leadership. Adding to the sense of anxiety, the launch of Friendship 7 had been delayed several times due to cloudy weather, high Atlantic seas, and technical difficulties. While Glenn's historic launch would revitalize America's space program and help to allay the fears of the nation's allies, it would not go off without a hitch. VERDICT This well-researched and exciting read is recommended for those interested in the history of the space race or the Cold War.--Dave Pugl, Ela Area P.L., Lake Zurich, IL

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May 15, 2021
In the 1950s, America was jolted out of its complacency about NASA by the Soviet Union's successful launch of the first orbital satellite, Sputnik. The harsh realization that the U.S. was losing the space race galvanized support, both political and public, for what had been up until then a lackluster program. Shesol chronicles the early days of the space program with a historian's attention to detail and a novelist's flair for interesting storytelling. Given how successful NASA is today, most people don't realize what a disaster the space program was in the beginning, with more rockets blowing up on the pad than being launched. The story of how (and why) NASA so quickly got its act together is fascinating, as is the parallel story of the original seven Mercury astronauts, especially John Glenn, who were considered virtual superheroes at the time. The success of Glenn's mission, to riotous acclaim for the agency but especially for the man, kick-started America's space program into high gear and set it on the path to the moon.

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May 15, 2021
A gripping, exhaustively detailed chronicle of America's initial sprint in the space race seen through the eyes of the first American to orbit the Earth. Feb. 20, 1962, was the climax of John Glenn's storied career as a decorated Marine fighter pilot, astronaut, and, later, senator from Ohio. His journey to the Friendship 7 spacecraft from New Concord--"a town that defined him but threatened to trap him"--serves an apt representation of the mythic American dream. In his latest, historian Shesol, a former speechwriter for Bill Clinton, relates how Glenn got there by navigating the politics of a young world power populated by experienced generals (Dwight Eisenhower), political operators (Lyndon Johnson), young Turks (the Kennedys), and cautious NASA administrators (T. Keith Glennan and James Webb) and bureaucrats caught up in the Cold War and a space race that was often less about science than "the outward projection of power" and "a reflection of the American character." Similar to his first two books, Mutual Contempt: Lyndon Johnson, Robert Kennedy, and the Feud That Defined a Decade (1998) and Supreme Power: Franklin Roosevelt vs. The Supreme Court (2010), this one is steeped in historical detail that enlivens the major politicians and the first cohort of NASA astronauts, clearly illustrating how they all both shaped and responded to an American society in transition. The author makes a compelling case that Glenn was a central figure in this transition, noting how his combination of arrogance, drive, and down-home folksiness made him a "flesh-and-blood" example of American ideals. Though Shesol could have tightened the narrative by shaving around 100 pages, this is a welcome retelling of a significant piece of the Cold War saga and the opening of the space frontier. A good choice for readers interested in the Cold War, the space race, and the 1960s American political landscape.

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