Get Your Free Audiobook
-
A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 23 hrs
- Categories: Computers & Technology, History & Culture
Non-member price: $43.87
People who bought this also bought...
-
Failure Is Not an Option
- Mission Control from Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond
- By: Gene Kranz
- Narrated by: Danny Campbell
- Length: 18 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gene Kranz was present at the creation of America's manned space program and was a key player in it for three decades. As a flight director in NASA's Mission Control, Kranz witnessed firsthand the making of history. He participated in the space program from the early days of the Mercury program to the last Apollo mission, and beyond. He endured the disastrous first years when rockets blew up and the United States seemed to fall further behind the Soviet Union in the space race.
-
-
Excellent
- By Jspaull on 05-05-2017
-
Apollo
- By: Charles Murray, Catherine Bly Cox
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Apollo is the behind-the-scenes story of an epic achievement. Based on exhaustive research that included many exclusive interviews, Apollo tells how America went from a standing start to a landing on the moon at a speed that now seems impossible. It describes the unprecedented engineering challenges that had to be overcome to create the mammoth Saturn V and the facilities to launch it. It takes you into the tragedy of the fire on Apollo 1, the first descent to the lunar surface, and the rescue of Apollo 13.
-
-
insighful look into mans greatest achievement
- By Anonymous User on 19-04-2020
-
Carrying the Fire
- An Astronaut's Journeys
- By: Michael Collins
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 20 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In July 1969, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins piloted the Apollo 11 spacecraft to the moon. Fifty years later, it is still one of the greatest achievements in human history. In this remarkable memoir, a defining classic, Michael Collins conveys, in a very personal way, the drama, beauty, and humour of that adventure.
-
-
Incredible
- By Angus on 19-11-2020
-
Moon Shot
- The Inside Story of America's Apollo Moon Landings
- By: Alan Shepard, Deke Slayton, Jay Barbree, and others
- Narrated by: Christopher Grove
- Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, and the space race was born. Desperate to beat the Russians into space, NASA put together a crew of the nation's most daring test pilots: the seven men who were to lead America to the moon. The first into space was Alan Shepard; the last was Deke Slayton, whose irregular heartbeat kept him grounded until 1975. They spent the 1960s at the forefront of NASA's effort to conquer space, and Moon Shot is their inside account of what many call the 20th century's greatest feat - landing humans on another world.
-
-
Fascinating stuff
- By mugen phil on 17-10-2019
-
Rocket Men
- The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man's First Journey to the Moon
- By: Robert Kurson
- Narrated by: Ray Porter, Robert Kurson
- Length: 12 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
By August 1968, the American space program was in danger of failing in its two most important objectives: to land a man on the moon by President Kennedy's end-of-decade deadline and to triumph over the Soviets in space. With its back against the wall, NASA made an almost unimaginable leap: It would scrap its usual methodical approach and risk everything on a sudden launch, sending the first men in history to the moon - in just four months.
-
-
A familiar story, well told
- By Peter on 13-05-2018
-
Into the Black
- By: Rowland White
- Narrated by: Eric Meyers
- Length: 15 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On 12th April 1981 a revolutionary new spacecraft blasted off from Florida on her maiden flight. NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia was the most advanced flying machine ever built - the high watermark of post-war aviation development. A direct descendant of the record-breaking X-planes the likes of which Chuck Yeager had tested in the skies over the Mojave Desert, Columbia was a winged rocket plane, the size of an airliner, capable of flying to space and back before being made ready to fly again.
-
-
Good story
- By Anonymous User on 27-05-2020
-
Failure Is Not an Option
- Mission Control from Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond
- By: Gene Kranz
- Narrated by: Danny Campbell
- Length: 18 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gene Kranz was present at the creation of America's manned space program and was a key player in it for three decades. As a flight director in NASA's Mission Control, Kranz witnessed firsthand the making of history. He participated in the space program from the early days of the Mercury program to the last Apollo mission, and beyond. He endured the disastrous first years when rockets blew up and the United States seemed to fall further behind the Soviet Union in the space race.
-
-
Excellent
- By Jspaull on 05-05-2017
-
Apollo
- By: Charles Murray, Catherine Bly Cox
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Apollo is the behind-the-scenes story of an epic achievement. Based on exhaustive research that included many exclusive interviews, Apollo tells how America went from a standing start to a landing on the moon at a speed that now seems impossible. It describes the unprecedented engineering challenges that had to be overcome to create the mammoth Saturn V and the facilities to launch it. It takes you into the tragedy of the fire on Apollo 1, the first descent to the lunar surface, and the rescue of Apollo 13.
-
-
insighful look into mans greatest achievement
- By Anonymous User on 19-04-2020
-
Carrying the Fire
- An Astronaut's Journeys
- By: Michael Collins
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 20 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In July 1969, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins piloted the Apollo 11 spacecraft to the moon. Fifty years later, it is still one of the greatest achievements in human history. In this remarkable memoir, a defining classic, Michael Collins conveys, in a very personal way, the drama, beauty, and humour of that adventure.
-
-
Incredible
- By Angus on 19-11-2020
-
Moon Shot
- The Inside Story of America's Apollo Moon Landings
- By: Alan Shepard, Deke Slayton, Jay Barbree, and others
- Narrated by: Christopher Grove
- Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, and the space race was born. Desperate to beat the Russians into space, NASA put together a crew of the nation's most daring test pilots: the seven men who were to lead America to the moon. The first into space was Alan Shepard; the last was Deke Slayton, whose irregular heartbeat kept him grounded until 1975. They spent the 1960s at the forefront of NASA's effort to conquer space, and Moon Shot is their inside account of what many call the 20th century's greatest feat - landing humans on another world.
-
-
Fascinating stuff
- By mugen phil on 17-10-2019
-
Rocket Men
- The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man's First Journey to the Moon
- By: Robert Kurson
- Narrated by: Ray Porter, Robert Kurson
- Length: 12 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
By August 1968, the American space program was in danger of failing in its two most important objectives: to land a man on the moon by President Kennedy's end-of-decade deadline and to triumph over the Soviets in space. With its back against the wall, NASA made an almost unimaginable leap: It would scrap its usual methodical approach and risk everything on a sudden launch, sending the first men in history to the moon - in just four months.
-
-
A familiar story, well told
- By Peter on 13-05-2018
-
Into the Black
- By: Rowland White
- Narrated by: Eric Meyers
- Length: 15 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On 12th April 1981 a revolutionary new spacecraft blasted off from Florida on her maiden flight. NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia was the most advanced flying machine ever built - the high watermark of post-war aviation development. A direct descendant of the record-breaking X-planes the likes of which Chuck Yeager had tested in the skies over the Mojave Desert, Columbia was a winged rocket plane, the size of an airliner, capable of flying to space and back before being made ready to fly again.
-
-
Good story
- By Anonymous User on 27-05-2020
-
Midnight in Chernobyl
- The Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster
- By: Adam Higginbotham
- Narrated by: Jacques Roy
- Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Early in the morning of April 26, 1986, Reactor Number Four of the Chernobyl Atomic Energy Station exploded, triggering history’s worst nuclear disaster. In the 30 years since then, Chernobyl has become lodged in the collective nightmares of the world: shorthand for the spectral horrors of radiation poisoning, for a dangerous technology slipping its leash, for ecological fragility and for what can happen when a dishonest and careless state endangers not only its own citizens but all of humanity.
-
-
Best book I've listened too. Very interesting.
- By Anonymous User on 17-09-2020
-
Crash Dive: The Complete Series (Books 1-6)
- By: Craig DiLouie
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 29 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Crash Dive: The Complete Series chronicles the adventures of Charlie Harrison as he fights the Imperial Japanese Navy during WW2. Gripping, action-packed, authentic, and filled with larger-than-life men and women of the Greatest Generation, Crash Dive puts you aboard a submarine during the war. You'll stand alongside Charlie as he proves himself time and again by keeping his wits and being decisive in crisis, though each encounter leaves him more heavily scarred for it.
-
-
Wonderful Series
- By Rani on 22-04-2020
-
Ignition!
- An Informal History of Liquid Rocket Propellants
- By: John Drury Clark, Isaac Asimov - foreward
- Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross
- Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ignition! is the story of the search for a rocket propellant which could be trusted to take man into space. This search was a hazardous enterprise carried out by rival labs who worked against the known laws of nature, with no guarantee of success or safety. John Drury Clark writes with irreverent and eyewitness immediacy about the development of the explosive fuels strong enough to negate the relentless restraints of gravity. The resulting volume is as much a memoir as a work of history, sharing a behind-the-scenes view of an enterprise that eventually took men to the moon.
-
-
I'm an analytical chemist so I may be biased
- By Anonymous User on 26-01-2020
-
The Battle of Britain
- By: James Holland
- Narrated by: Al Murray
- Length: 23 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
'If Hitler fails to invade or destroy Britain, he has lost the war,' Churchill said in the summer of 1940. He was right. The Battle of Britain was a crucial turning point in the history of the Second World War. Had Britain's defences collapsed, Hitler would have dominated all of Europe and been able to turn his full attention east to the Soviet Union. The German invasion of France and the Low Countries in May 1940 was unlike any the world had ever seen. It hit with a force and aggression that no-one could counter and in just a few short weeks, all in their way crumbled.
-
-
Fantastic account
- By Anonymous User on 15-11-2020
-
The Cold War
- A World History
- By: Odd Arne Westad
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
- Length: 25 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As Germany and then Japan surrendered in 1945, there was a tremendous hope that a new and much better world could be created from the moral and physical ruins of the conflict. Instead, the combination of the huge power of the USA and USSR and the near-total collapse of most of their rivals created a unique, grim new environment: the Cold War. For over 40 years the demands of the Cold War shaped the life of almost all of us. There was no part of the world where East and West did not ultimately demand a blind and absolute allegiance.
-
-
Objective and we'll organised
- By Anonymous User on 27-01-2020
-
The Planets
- By: Professor Brian Cox, Andrew Cohen
- Narrated by: Samuel West
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mercury, a lifeless victim of the Sun’s expanding power. Venus, once thought to be lush and fertile, now known to be trapped within a toxic and boiling atmosphere. Mars, the red planet, doomed by the loss of its atmosphere. Jupiter, twice the size of all the other planets combined, but insubstantial. Saturn, a stunning celestial beauty, the jewel of our Solar System. Uranus, the sideways planet and the first ice giant. Neptune, dark, cold and whipped by supersonic winds. Pluto, the dwarf planet, a frozen rock.
-
-
Too complicated
- By Peata Melbourne on 16-01-2021
-
Endurance
- A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery
- By: Scott Kelly
- Narrated by: Scott Kelly
- Length: 13 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the NASA astronaut who spent a record-breaking year aboard the International Space Station - what it's like out there and what it's like now, back here. Enter Scott Kelly's fascinating world and dare to think of your own a little differently. The veteran of four space flights and the American record holder for most consecutive days spent in space, Scott Kelly has experienced things very few of us ever have and very few of us ever will.
-
-
The next best thing to being an astronaut
- By Manch on 02-11-2017
-
American Prometheus
- The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer
- By: Kai Bird, Martin J. Sherwin
- Narrated by: Jeff Cummings
- Length: 26 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
J. Robert Oppenheimer was one of the iconic figures of the 20th century, a brilliant physicist who led the effort to build the atomic bomb but later confronted the moral consequences of scientific progress. When he proposed international controls over atomic materials, opposed the development of the hydrogen bomb, and criticized plans for a nuclear war, his ideas were anathema to powerful advocates of a massive nuclear buildup during the anti-Communist hysteria of the early 1950s.
-
-
Touching
- By Anju on 16-03-2018
-
Something Deeply Hidden
- Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime
- By: Sean Carroll
- Narrated by: Sean Carroll
- Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sean Carroll, theoretical physicist and one of this world’s most celebrated writers on science, rewrites the history of 20th-century physics. Already hailed as a masterpiece, Something Deeply Hidden shows for the first time that facing up to the essential puzzle of quantum mechanics utterly transforms how we think about space and time. His reconciling of quantum mechanics with Einstein’s theory of relativity changes, well, everything. Most physicists haven’t even recognized the uncomfortable truth: Physics has been in crisis since 1927.
-
-
This book is bloody brilliant
- By Neety Thorsteinsson on 09-11-2019
-
Convict Colony
- The Remarkable Story of the Fledgling Settlement That Survived Against the Odds
- By: David Hill
- Narrated by: Conrad Coleby
- Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The New World of the 18th century was dotted with failed colonies, and New South Wales nearly joined them. The motley crew of unruly marines and bedraggled convicts who arrived at Botany Bay in 1788 in leaky boats nearly starved to death. They could easily have been murdered by hostile locals, been overwhelmed by an attack from French or Spanish expeditions or been brought undone by the Castle Hill uprising of 1804. Yet through fortunate decisions, a few remarkably good leaders and, most of all, good luck, Sydney survived and thrived.
-
-
Quality Reference
- By Amazon Customer on 28-01-2020
-
Periodic Tales
- The Curious Lives of the Elements
- By: Hugh Aldersey-Williams
- Narrated by: John Sackville
- Length: 13 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Everything in the universe is made of them, including you. Like you, the elements have personalities, attitudes, talents, shortcomings, stories rich with meaning. Here you'll meet iron that rains from the heavens and noble gases that light the way to vice. You'll learn how lead can tell your future while zinc may one day line your coffin. You'll discover what connects the bones in your body with the Whitehouse in Washington, the glow of a streetlamp with the salt on your dinner table.
-
-
Fascinating
- By Ian on 10-04-2019
-
Him & Me
- By: Jack Whitehall, Michael Whitehall
- Narrated by: Jack Whitehall, Michael Whitehall
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jack and Michael Whitehall perform their laugh-out-loud autobiography Him & Me as a unique dual-voiced comedy audiobook, filled with ad-libs, asides, and comic dialogue to create a uniquely funny listen. Jack and Michael open up the rich and plentiful family lore archives on topics such as Jack’s nanny’s enormous feet, Michael’s lifetime touchline ban from Jack’s prep-school and the Whitehall collection of downright weird and eccentric relatives.
-
-
I didn't pay for PC Jack.
- By Claire on 14-03-2019
Publisher's Summary
Audie Award, History/Biography, 2016
This acclaimed portrait of heroism and ingenuity captures a watershed moment in human history. The astronauts themselves have called it the definitive account of their missions. On the night of July 20, 1969, our world changed forever when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon. Based on in-depth interviews with 23 of the 24 moon voyagers, as well as those who struggled to get the program moving, A Man on the Moon conveys every aspect of the Apollo missions with breathtaking immediacy and stunning detail.
More from the same
What listeners say about A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Styff
- 21-10-2017
fantastic narrator
The book is written in an emotive way that is perfectly captured by the emotive narration. The book is exciting in the first half where it recounts the end of Gemini and up to Apollo 13. Then the last bit is interesting when it recounts the scientific and geological explorations of the later Apollo missions. The narrator even manages to make geology kind of exciting. If you've ever been interested in the Apollo program you can't go past this book.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Michael
- 12-03-2016
Stunning, magnificent book!
Possibly the most riveting, moving book l have ever read. The author brings the passion of the apollo missions to life with magnificent detailed storytelling of the highest order.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 09-06-2020
The definitive work
If you are looking for a book about the Apollo program, this is that book. Simply brilliant.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Allan
- 03-09-2019
I thought really good read
This book is great. So much good and see you and hope we went to the moon. I can’t recommend it enough.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Adam Bulley
- 24-02-2019
fantastic book
A detailed, accessible, fascinating narrative that unlocks the Apollo missions for everyone. Fantastic book and highly recommended for all.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 08-02-2019
Magnificent!
Probably man’s greatest accomplishment. Such a compelling and wonderful story. So sad mankind has virtually forgotten the important work done during this time. They envisioned putting a man on Mars by the early 80’s and would’ve done it. Now in 2019 and we’re not even close to that, history will judge us poorly for this. This is a magnificent read/ listen.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 25-01-2018
Great story, very detailed.
I really enjoyed the first 3/4 of the book. The later missions (Apollo 15-17) weren't so much to my taste with a heavy emphasis on geology. I also wish there had been a few more lighter moments and humor. But all around a great story and performance.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- The Talent
- 09-12-2017
Magnificent
A breathtaking and inspiring account of the Apollo program from before the fire till the later careers of each of the astronauts who flew on it. A fantastic book. 10/10. Will listen again. Great performance by narrator also.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Charles
- 01-09-2016
A masterpiece of non fiction and a great insight
If I had to choose one book that my descendants had to read I'd choose this one. Andrew Chaikin truly allows the listener/reader to get to know the astronauts, the time and the world that the astronauts and NASA lived in. The narrator perfectly portrays the emotions of the author and the astronauts while also putting in a great performance including his portrayal of a southern accent.
I cannot recommend this book enough, if you love spaceflight with me then this is the pinnacle, if you love non fiction or history then this is still a must. And if you have a hope for the future of humanity and spaceflight then this book will give you an insight into the human ingenuity that goes with it.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- ELIZABETH
- 16-10-2016
Very Expensive Rock Collecting
Would you try another book written by Andrew Chaikin or narrated by Bronson Pinchot?
No
Has A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts put you off other books in this genre?
Yes
What didn’t you like about Bronson Pinchot’s performance?
Some weird, repetitive and irritating inflexions
Do you think A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
No. People have stopped going to the moon
Any additional comments?
Nice idea, but the astronauts are almost uniformly dull and inarticulate. All good and brave guys which is what you need for a spaceship but not to listen to. I guess this is a useful insight, as is the ingenuity and dedication of the backroom staff but the book sags after the novelty of the early flights and the drama of Apollo 13. After that it is all rock collecting. Only Neil Armstrong (thank goodness he was first) stands out as an interesting if reticent personality.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Mark
- 17-06-2016
Long, comforting book on moon exploration
This book chronicles the full set of Apollo missions. It is very broad in scope, which is both a strength and weakness. There were many times that I wanted to know some of these astronauts more deeply as people, and other times I wanted more scientific detail. I realize, though, that the book that gave what I wanted might have been 2-3 times as long, and it already was more than 20 hours! Still, a number of the astronauts were profiled in depth, and this book is full of interesting scientific detail. It is cool that it covers the whole Apollo program. There were so many great parts, with even the slower moving pieces still interesting and easy to listen to. It is hard to write a great book which covers so much, and Chaikin did a pretty good job of it. I quit many audiobooks from boredom, but this had my interest throughout. One other flaw - it felt like the author tried to minimize anything negative about the astronauts, and it had a little bit of a sanitized feel to it. I didn't mind because these astronauts were pretty heroic. Overall, this book was interesting and uplifting, and had a great narrator. I will look at the moon differently now.
80 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- C. Ubik
- 31-10-2015
The classic chronicle of the Apollo era
What did you love best about A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts?
Chaikin's approach to the book, which isn't a straight history of Apollo. This is not a dry, dusty history, but rather a character-driven exploration of the program, with all of its brilliant successes and heart-breaking failures. Nor is it hagiography. The Apollo astronauts are real people, with all the flaws that that entails, and Chaikin does a great job of capturing their strengths as well as their weaknesses.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Though not a "character" in the literary sense: Pete Conrad. The chapter on Apollo 12 is my favorite.
What does Bronson Pinchot bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Superb inflection and a recreation of the astronaut's speaking styles. Pinchot's reading was very nicely done and he does a great job of capturing the personalities of the astronauts. He doesn't try to do impressions, though. It is his interpretation of the astronauts, but accurate ones if you've ever heard one speak.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes, but I'm a manned space flight nerd. Your mileage may vary.
76 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Amazon Customer
- 15-03-2016
Fantastic, Detailed, page turner!
I really enjoyed every bit of the book. I've craved something that went deep; but I also wanted lots of details, yet a good story. This book delivered them both! This is the only book where I really felt like I was part of the story - I really felt as if I was there - with the astronauts - on the moon!! No other astronaut book gives you that kind of depth and intensity. The narration was top-notch and really helped move the story along. For anyone wanting a complete retelling of the Apollo program there is no better book.
Period. Bravo!
30 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Mark Lorbiecki
- 20-07-2016
Man, Imperfect, Accomplished The Nearly Impossible
Would you consider the audio edition of A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts to be better than the print version?
I do not know the print version. I cannot say.
What was one of the most memorable moments of A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts?
In spite of my familiarity with the Apollo 13 movie, I still find the all out efforts of the "backroom experts" at Mission Control and their construction of the adapter to use the Command Module carbon dioxide scubbers in the Lunar Module to be moving.
Which character – as performed by Bronson Pinchot – was your favorite?
Fred Haise in the calculation of what was necessary to get back home after the explosion on Apollo 13: oxygen, cooling water, electricity. Though Jim Lovell was also important in that same interplay. In truth, each of the several astronauts were well-portrayed. While Bronson Pinchot performed them superbly, he could not have breathed reality into the characters had it not first been well-written for him. The phrasing in this book is like a Frank Sinatra song--pleasantly conversational but conveying great meaning economically. I really enjoyed the writing and Mr. Pinchot delivered the characters.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I was born in 1957. I followed the march into space from Yuri Gagarin's embarrassment of NASA by beating the US in manned orbit, to the end of the Apollo missions with an enthusiasm only an adolescent boy can muster. This book rekindled a pride I felt then. What is amazing is that in spite of my fixation and voracious consumption of everything that was available then, this book gave a whole new perspective. I cannot say enough to praise the superb story laid out here. The depth of emotion conveyed is such as to give a clear view of, for example, Marilyn Lovell, in a manner that evokes empathy even now. I found myself swelling with pride in the astronauts in spite of the foibles that the book displays. These were high egos reaching for an elusive brass ring. But it was egos that drove success. This is a good book.
26 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Mark
- 13-02-2016
Up and Down
This book is a fascinating fly-on-the-wall panorama of the extraordinary efforts made by NASA to land a man on the moon before the onset of the year 1970, and then the subsequent missions in the early 70s.
You look up at the big moon in the sky and it doesn’t look all that far away, but if the earth was a basketball, then the moon would be a baseball a distant 23 feet away, or a quarter of a million miles to full scale. And the technology available to get the astronauts there (and back) was fairly rudimentary by today’s standards; all foil, duct tape and steaming, simmering rocket fuel. The computer on board Apollo 11 contained less hardware than a pocket calculator, with a paltry 64 kilobytes of memory.
This book takes you through all the missions leading up to the 1969 moon landing (and beyond), and it becomes clear that the men inside the rockets were taking a very big risk every time they sat on those colossal vats of liquid hydrogen and got blasted into space. Manoeuvring out of earth orbit and then into lunar orbit required very precise burns of this rocket fuel to alter their speed and direction, and if these were miscalculated or if there was a malfunction, then they would have drifted into the blackness of space until their oxygen fizzled out, like Major Tom.
And the glamour of space flight loses some of its gloss when you hear the graphic descriptions of globules of urine, vomit and diarrhoea meandering randomly around the cabin. After several days cooped up inside the cabin the smell got so bad that one navy swimmer who released the astronauts from their command module in the Pacific Ocean wretched when he opened the hatch.
But there is also the sheer amazing exuberance of that first historic walk out onto the lunar surface. With Armstrong and Aldrin; two serious, highly intelligent and rigorously trained aviators bouncing around in the moon’s one sixth gravity like toddlers on a trampoline, and the surrealism of them being so ridiculously far away and so isolated, and yet being watched by 600 million viewers on live TV and having a phone chat with President Nixon. It’s so bizarre that it’s no wonder there are some cretins who think the whole thing was a hoax.
Like the moon, this story waxes and wanes in cycles of climax (the first moon landing and the Apollo 13 near-disaster) and anti-climax (Apollo 12, the second moon mission and Apollos 14-17, when moon geology becomes the main focus and the Apollo programme just gradually peters out). But despite these anti-climaxes, the audiobook tells the full story in rich detail, and you really feel as if you were there on the moon with those first pioneers. Recommended.
58 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Deborah Perkins
- 25-03-2016
Epic story
This is an outstanding story with excellent narration! Each vignette about the different Apollo episodes was a great story in itself. The book inspired me to find and watch YouTube videos on each of the launches. Very inspirational!!!
22 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Amazon Customer
- 11-04-2018
Reader Ruined It
And the producers should have caught it. This is not the way a non-fiction story, at least this one, should be read. Perhaps it’s just me, but he reads so slowly and oddly that I had to listen at 2x speed to keep from gagging. I am fascinated by the space program and the remarkable historical significance, but this was way over-dramatized.
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Per
- 20-01-2016
Magnificent on the most spectacular adventure of the human race
The story is epic and expertly written by the author. Some technical details, yet more of the human factor - stories and anecdotes that bring the men of the Apollo program to life.
Author employs a somewhat too dramatic reading style that at times is completely at odds with the written material. Still, his style is decent enough and does not subtract too much from the experience.
Overall a wonderful audiobook that I can highly recommend to those curious about the manned missions to the moon, or to anyone with an interest in magnificent tales of courage, ingenuity and exploration.
19 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Rob
- 16-02-2016
The moon missions were amazing
What did you love best about A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts?
As a child growing up in the 60's I experienced the moon missions on TV, and back then they seemed "nominally" great. But now, as an adult, listening to this book, this audacious feat, the details, the human side, all add up to a story that is beyond amazing.
Who was your favorite character and why?
No one astronaut stood out, but the ones with a Texas drawl were my favourites.
What about Bronson Pinchot’s performance did you like?
Great tone, a "welcoming" story teller.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No, too long to listen to in one sitting.
Any additional comments?
Just as Steve Jobs once said when developing the iPod, "music is transformational", audio books are very much transformational as well. If you have a hobby as do I (building RC airplanes), you can enhance your hobby with audio books. I have been very pleased with this new experience.
21 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- DPM
- 22-10-2015
More interesting than expected
I bought this because i wanted a change from World War 1 or 2, or badly written novels. I'm old enough to remember watching the Apollo 11 landing ( we here in Canada were as interested as the rest of the world) but like most others, my knowledge of the Space Program went no further than watching the Tom Hanks Apollo 13 movie. I was surprised with how ( for the most part) engaging it was. I agree it was written for listeners such as myself ( not too scientific or technical) and I quite liked learning about the astronauts as people, their fears, courage, determination, families. Some parts near the end dragged ( the discussion of geology and collection of samples from the moon) but overall......worth a listen
37 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Sam
- 30-01-2017
The best one so far...
I've listened to various books detailing the glory days of American space flight looking for the one that would tell the story of the Apollo missions with just the right balance of technical detail, human warmth and...awe. I know that the Apollo astronauts least favourite question was 'What was it like up there?' but of course, I still want to know - and Andrew Chaikin does a fantastic job of telling me.
If you're going to listen to this book here's a tip - search Google for 'Apollo Lunar Surface Journal' on your web browser while you do. It contains every picture from every mission plus word-for-word transcripts of the entire journey. Break out and immerse yourself there and in the full-length capsule recovery videos on YouTube...then come back to the book - you won't regret it!
18 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Mr R Barot
- 17-04-2017
Interesting and at tine riveting
Great story if you can get beyond the initial style of narration. We were driving through Europe when we started listening to this. The story is a great faithful recording of the Apollo missions, however the initial few hours are very sleep inducing...... Stick with it the narration gets much better and easier to listen to. And a great record of one of our great mile stone's in history
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Quincy
- 08-01-2016
A great book
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
If you have any interest in the History of the Apollo program this book is a must read. Very well researched and written I was disappointed to finish it so soon
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Mr. F. J. Coop
- 24-07-2020
The Reference Point
This is rightly regarded as the reference point for all those wishing to immerse themselves in the stories behind the Apollo program - The HBO Series From The Earth To The Moon and key parts of the Apollo 13 film use this book as there reference for many of the characterisations and backgrounds - Highly Recommended
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Peter
- 08-02-2018
Great book ruined!
Would you consider the audio edition of A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts to be better than the print version?
No
How did the narrator detract from the book?
Awful narrator! Just the wrong voice for this story, really spoils a great book.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No, I could listen to the narrator for that long.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Andrei S.
- 09-03-2017
Amazing book that every human should read/listen
This book sheds so much light on the Apollo story... it's technical without being boring, and it captures the essence both scientifically and at a higher, human experience level.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Warren M. Parkinson
- 11-03-2016
Outstanding
This is an excellent book! Exciting history and the story is told in such a way that you even feel part of the adventure, I loved it!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- H. Miller
- 03-01-2021
Great book, ruined by narrator.
Couldn't enjoy what should have been a great book due to the annoying narration.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- DownFall15200
- 27-12-2020
Beautifully descriptive but never overwhelming
Chaikin highlights all the key points of the Apollo programme all while presenting it in a very accessible manner. Extremely well narrated.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- P. James
- 20-09-2020
Out standing
A book for all who are fascinated in the events of the space race. Up there in my top 5.
16 Best Audiobooks by Aboriginal Authors
Across genres, there’s no shortage of brilliant titles from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers of Australia.



25 Best Celebrity Audiobooks
It’s always a pleasant surprise to pick up a familiar story and find an unexpected famous friend in the narrator’s booth.



Best Audiobooks of 2020
We've crunched the numbers, heard from our listeners and gotten expert opinions to round up the best listens of 2020.


