The Race The Complete True Story of How America Beat Russia to the Moon

"Indispensable to anyone interested in the space race."--Houston Chronicle In 1963, a young reporter forTime-Lifenamed James Schefter was given a dream job: cover America's race to the moon. Since the astronauts were under contract toLifefor their stories, Schefter was given complete access to the biggest players at NASA. But at the time, his primary role was to excite the public about the new, expensive, experimental space program, and he couldn't write about everything he saw. InThe Race, he does. From drunken astronaut escapades to near disasters to ferocious political battles, the race to the moon was anything but the smooth process it appeared. There were vicious fights between the engineers, feuds and practical jokes, near-fatal accidents, and dozens of brave, smart, and colorful characters pulling off the greatest exploration in the history of humankind. LikeUndaunted CourageandD-Day, this is a tale of achieving the extraordinary against extraordinary odds. As incredible as the "official" story of the space program is, the true, behind-the-scenes tale is more thrilling, more entertaining, and ultimately more ennobling.

James Schefter was <b>Time-Life's</b> NASA correspondent from 1963 to 1973.  His work has appeared in magazines as diverse as <b>Popular Science</b>, <b>Reader's Digest</b> and <b>Paris Match</b>.  He is the author of <b>All Corvettes Are Red: The Rebirth of an American Legend</b>.  He lives in Park City, Utah.