Synopses & Reviews
The story of the race into space is marked by the greatest superpower rivalries, political paranoia, and technological feats of the twentieth century. But until now, we have known only half the story. With the end of the cold war, decades of secrets have been exposed, bringing with them a remarkable opportunity: the unmasking of the true heroes and villains behind one of the most exciting races in history.
At the center of this exhilarating, fast-paced account are Wernher von Braun, the camera-friendly former Nazi scientist who led the American rocket design team, and Sergei Korolev, the chief Soviet designer and former political prisoner whose identity was a closely guarded state secret. These rivals were opposite in every way, save for one: each was obsessed by the idea of launching a man to the Moon. Korolev told his wife, In every century men were looking into the sky and dreaming. And now I'm close to the greatest dream of mankind.
In attempting to fulfill this dream, Korolev was initially hampered by a budget so small that his engineers were forced to repurpose cardboard boxes as drafting tables. Von Braun, meanwhile, was eventually granted almost limitless access to funds by an American government panicked at the thought that their cold war enemy might take the lead in the exploration of space. Korolev, whose family life was destroyed by his long sentence in the Gulag, was constantly aware that any false move would finish his career or even his life. His rival, on the other hand, enjoyed remarkable celebrity in America and was even the subject of a 1960 biopic.
In this extraordinary book, Deborah Cadbury combines sheer adventure and nail-biting suspense with amoving portrayal of the space race's human dimension. Using source materials never before seen, she reveals that the essential story of the cold war is a mind-bending voyage beyond the bounds of the Earth, one marked by espionage, ambition, ingenuity, and passion.
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“A swift, exciting history of the race to the moon....First-rate research and reporting.” Kirkus Reviews (starred)
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“This is an utterly engrossing book.” Robert Legvold, Foreign Affairs
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“Cadbury skillfully weaves together politics, technology and biographical detail to produce a gripping tale.” Slava Gerovitch, Moscow Times
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“A fresh and revealing look at one of the most crucial battlefields of the cold war.” Randy Dotinga, Christian Science Monitor
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“A fascinatingly detailed account.” GQ
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“A fascinating book.” Los Angeles Daily News
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“Space Race is an admirable record of humanitys daring first forays away from the home planet.” Chris Scott, BookPage
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“Cadburys book is an excellent example of sound research, superb writing, and accomplished storytelling all rolled into one masterly effort.” Library Journal
Synopsis
In many ways, the tensions of the Cold War were epitomized by the struggle for dominance in outer space. But for decades we only knew part of the story of this clash between the United States and the Soviet Union. That all changed after the downfall of Communism, when decades of formerly classified files unmasked the true heroes and villains behind one of the most exciting -- and frightening -- races in history.
Historian Deborah Cadbury brings this tale to life in a fascinating story that takes a behind-the-scenes look at both superpowers. At the center of Space Race are Werner von Braun, the media-friendly former Nazi scientist who led the American rocket design team, and Sergei Korolev, the chief Soviet designer and former political prisoner whose identity was a closely guarded state secret. Cadbury has unearthed many documents that were previously unknown, even to the Soviet government, to tell a story that is sure to rewrite the history of space exploration.
Deborah Cadbury is an Emmy award-winning science producer for BBC TV. She is also the highly-acclaimed author of The Lost King of France, Terrible Lizard: The First Dinosaur Hunters and Dreams of Iron and Steel.
" A] wonderfully written account of the Cold War dash to the Moon ... Cadbury skillfully weaves together politics, technology and biographical detail to produce a gripping tale of the moves, countermoves, bluffs and intrigues that defined this ruthless struggle." -- Slava Gerovitch, Moscow Times
About the Author
Deborah Cadbury is the highly acclaimed author of several books, including Dreams of Iron and Steel, The Lost King of France, and Terrible Lizard. She has also won numerous international awards as a television producer for the BBC. She lives in London.