European astronaut Tim Peake has become a tireless proselytiser for the exploration and development of space and has never shied away from the personal aspects of ‘the astronaut experience’. In this book, he “traces the lives of the remarkable men and women who have forged the way for humanity in space”, beginning with the familiar story of the Mercury Seven and moving somewhat erratically through the Apollo, Space Shuttle and other programmes.
Although it’s an engaging read for the uninitiated, those who have read a handful of space books are not likely to learn anything new, as the book is largely a regurgitation of historical fact. It is lightened, one has to admit, by some expert commentary, but it seems that Peake and his publishers are trading on his name to bring us yet another popularisation. Indeed, a shocking thought occurred while reading Peake’s introduction: never mind ghost-writers, could an Artificial Intelligence have written this book?
But this irreverent thought was later dismissed by some insightful comparisons between the early astronauts’ experiences and Peake’s own memories. For example, regarding astronaut selection and testing, he recalls a fleeting “paranoid suspicion” that it was all “a mad plot to torment and humiliate me personally”. There is, however, too little of this context, so perhaps Peake felt that he had exhausted the personal angle in his earlier books. In which case, why bother? We return to the regurgitation theme.
Criticisms aside, it is undoubtedly arguable that if a few youngsters who would otherwise never read a space book enjoy this one, and perhaps develop an improved opinion of the grand space endeavour, it will have served its purpose.
