Synopses & Reviews
On October 4, 1957, as
Leave It to Beaver premiered on American television, the Soviet Union launched the space age. Sputnik, all of 184 pounds with only a radio transmitter inside its highly polished shell, became the first man-made object in space; while it immediately shocked the world, its long-term impact was even greater, for it profoundly changed the shape of the twentieth century.
In his upcoming book, Washington journalist Paul Dickson chronicles the dramatic events and developments leading up to and emanating from Sputnik's launch. Supported by groundbreaking, original research and many recently declassified documents, Sputnik offers a fascinating profile of the early American and Soviet space programs and a strikingly revised picture of the politics and personalities behind the facade of America's fledgling efforts to get into space.
Although Sputnik was unmanned, its story is intensely human. Sputnik owed its success to many people, from the earlier visionary, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, whose theories were ahead of their time, to the Soviet spokesmen strategically positioned around the world on the day the satellite was launched, who created one of the greatest public-relations events of all time. Its chief designer, howeverthe brilliant Sergei Korolevremained a Soviet state secret until after his death.
Equally hidden from view was the political intrigue dominating America's early space program, as the military services jockeyed for control and identity in a peacetime world. For years, former Nazi Wernher von Braun, who ran the U.S. Army's missile program, lobbied incessantly that his Rocket Team should be handed responsibility for the first Earth-orbiting satellite. He was outraged that Sputnik beat him and America into space. For his part, President Eisenhower was secretly pleased that the Russians had launched first, because by orbiting over the United States Sputnik established the principle of "freedom of space" that could justify the spy satellites he thought essential to monitor Soviet missile buildup. As Dickson reveals, Eisenhower was, in fact, much more a master of the Sputnik crisis than he appeared to be at the time and in subsequent accounts.
The U.S. public reaction to Sputnik was monumental. In a single weekend, Americans were wrenched out of a mood of national smugness and post-war material comfort. Initial shock at and fear of the Soviets' intentions galvanized the country and swiftly prompted innovative developments that define our world today. Sputnik directly or indirectly influenced nearly every aspect of American life, from the demise of the suddenly superfluous tail fin and an immediate shift towards science in the classroom to the arms race that defined the cold war, the competition to reach the Moon, and the birth of the Internet.
By shedding new light on a pivotal era, Paul Dickson expands our knowledge of the world we now inhabit, and reminds us that the story of Sputnik goes far beyond technology and the beginning of the space age, and that its implications are still being felt today. Paul Dickson is the author of more than forty books, including The Joy of Keeping Score, The New Dickson Baseball Dictionary, Baseball's Greatest Quotations, and Baseball: The Presidents' Game. In addition to baseball, his specialties include Americana and language. He lives in Garrett Park, Maryland. On October 4, 1957, as Leave It to Beaver premiered on American television, the Soviet Union launched the space age. Sputnik, all of 184 pounds with only a radio transmitter inside its highly polished shell, became the first man-made object in spaceand profoundly changed the shape of the twentieth century. Washington journalist Paul Dickson chronicles the dramatic events and developments leading up to and emanating from Sputnik's launch. Supported by groundbreaking, original research and many recently declassified documents, Sputnik offers a fascinating profile of the early American and Soviet space programs and a strikingly revised picture of the politics and personalities behind the facade of America's fledgling efforts to get into space.
Although Sputnik was unmanned, its story is intensely human. Sputnik owed its success to many people, from the early visionary, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, whose theories were ahead of their time, to the Soviet spokesmen strategically positioned around the world on the day the satellite was launched, who created one of the greatest public-relations coups of all time. But its chief designerthe brilliant Sergei Korolevremained a Soviet state secret until after his death.
Equally hidden from view was the political intrigue dominating America's early space program, as the military services jockeyed for control and identity in a peacetime world. For years, former Nazi Wernher von Braun, who ran the U.S. Army's missile program, lobbied incessantly for control over the first Earth-orbiting satellite. He was outraged that Sputnik beat him and America into space. For his part, President Eisenhower was secretly pleased that the Russians had launched first, because by orbiting over the United States Sputnik established the principle of "freedom of space" that could justify the spy satellites he thought essential to monitor Soviet missile build-up. As Dickson reveals, Eisenhower was, in fact, much more a master of the Sputnik crisis than he appeared to be at the time.
The U.S. public reaction to Sputnik was monumental. In a single weekend, Americans were wrenched out of a mood of national smugness and post-war material comfort. Initial shock at and fear of the Soviets' intentions galvanized the country and swiftly prompted innovative developments that define our world today. Sputnik directly or indirectly influenced nearly every aspect of American life, from the immediate shift towards science in the classroom to the arms race that defined the cold war, the competition to reach the Moon, and the birth of the Internet.
By shedding new light on a pivotal era, Paul Dickson expands our knowledge of the world we now inhabit, and reminds us that the story of Sputnik goes far beyond technology and the beginning of the space age. "How ironic that the Earth's first artificial satellite launched a sea of change in technology, politics, and society. Dickson's book chronicles the Sputnik event as well as its global effects. Sputnik takes a close look at why Sputnik shocked America and heightened the Cold War. Sprinkled with photos and quotes, this book provides an easy, compelling read. Frequent footnotes containing anecdotes and sidelights add interest throughout."Astronomy "Dickson is even-handed in his treatment of many clashing agendas and personalities, governmental and military."The Baltimore Sun
"Culling from recently declassified documents as well as traditional historical assessments and news accounts, [Dickson] resurrects the drama and intrigue surrounding Sputnik with a perspective space junkies will find illuminating and new."Houston Chronicle
"An ominous foreign presence suddenly seems to take control of the skies'Another Pearl Harbor!' some shout. Initial fears are replaced by a determination to meet the challenge, and America declares that life has changed forever. Sounds familiar, but the transforming event of Paul Dickson's book is not the crash of hijacked airliners last
Review
"Sputnik is a fascinating slice of useful social history...A serious book that is breezily written, Sputnik reviews the scientific history, the Cold War mentality and a media-driven crisis over what headline writers called 'the Red Moon'." USA Today
Review
"...Dickson, the author of more than 40 books, has produced another in the line of fascinating histories of science, technology and culture that Walker has made a habit of publishing, including Dava Sobel's outstanding book Longitude, Mark Kurlansky's Cod, Simon Singh's Fermat's Enigma, and Scott McCartney's Eniac: The Triumphs and Tragedies of the World's First Computer. His research is painstaking, his attention to detail exemplary. . .it flows smoothly and clearly - an admirable quality in history." Philadelphia Inquirer
Review
"Space exploration is often portrayed as a U.S.-U.S.S.R. race, with the Soviet Union winning the initial lap by launching Sputnik, the earth's first artificial satellite. Yet as Dickson reveals, for the United States, the race was also an internal competition, with the military (particularly Wernher von Braun's rocket team) and the Eisenhower administration grappling for control of the national space program. Eisenhower, who sought to demilitarize space and thereby open the skies to U.S. espionage satellites, eventually triumphed, establishing NASA as a civilian agency and successfully testing a clandestine satellite launch." Library Journal
Review
"Dickson explores the reasons behind the Russian satellite public relations coup and how and why Eisenhower used Sputnik to champion his argument for a satellite spy system by emphasizing the "freedom of space" principle.
Readers learn about behind-the-scenes infighting among politicians, researchers, and military advisors. This book offers a fascinating look at the myriad changes Sputnik brought to everyday life since its launch on October 4, 1957.
In a short but refreshing change of pace, one chapter highlights the negative ramifications caused by Sputnik's launch. Some educators lament the dependence on computer software for science, engineering and math...
Sprinkled with photos and quotes, this book provides an easy, compelling read. Frequent footnotes containing anecdotes and sidelights add interest throughout. An entertaining explanation of the lexicology of the word "Sputnik", detailed chapter notes and a bibliography (all contained in the appendix) round out this look at "The Shock of the Century." Astronomy
Review
"Paul Dickson skillfully puts the story of Sputnik and its aftermath into this new perspective in his informative and readable book...Sputnik shocked the US into getting its act together. Rocket development was re-organized. Science and education suddenly received high priority. A meaningful space program was established.
This saga is the core of the book. The author does carry the story forward to show what followed the Sputnik shock the Moon exploration program and beyond. However, that sketchy account serves mainly to reinforce the book's main point, which is a lesson for our own time. It was a mistake to sell the United States short in October 1957, and it would be a mistake to sell it short in October 2001." Christian Science Monitor
Review
"Paul Dickson's indefatigable research and reportorial lucidity have given us a fascinating history of the event that forever changed our world." Walter Cronkite
Review
"Dickson's book not only presents a thoughtful analysis of the impact Sputnik had on the dawning of the Space Age, but also serves as a valuable resource for understanding the historical context of the debates now taking place on issues such as National Missile Defense and the future of space." Susan Eisenhower, president of the Eisenhower Institute
Review
"American arrogance, trumped by the Soviet surprise, led to an unparalleled time of national flagellation and self-doubt. Out of it all came the triumph of Apollo as American determination and spirit responded to the wakeup call of Sputnik. This book vividly reminded me of the powerful events that led me from an impressionable kid to an Apollo 9 astronaut." Rusty Schweickart, Apollo 9 astronaut
Review
"Well written and informative, the book is a magnificent assessment of Cold War history as seen through the advancement of rocketry and space exploration. Dickson puts Sputnik into clear perspective its impact on the course of international diplomacy, the growth of technology, and the hopes and fears of ordinary people in the U. S. and throughout the world." Francis Gary Powers, Jr., founder of the Cold War Museum
Review
"On the 44th anniversary of the launch of the first man-made satellite, Paul Dickson has written a wonderful history of this landmark event: Sputnik: The Shock of the Century." Newsday, Jamie Talan
Review
"Sputnik is a surprise. While the subject matter suggests it is
basically for the scientifically minded, the book has an important message for the layman. Furthermore, author Paul Dickson, although formerly a reporter for Electronics magazine, writes in layman's language, and the parallels between the Sputnik shock of more than 40 years ago and the terrorists' shock of 2001 are astonishing. Dickson's account of all the events in the space raccoons both accurate and exciting. As he puts it near the end of the book, Sputnik 'forever altered America's cultural and political landscape.' That it did. Whether it prepared America for the shock of terrorism is another question." Richmond Times-Dispatch, Robert A. Lincoln
Synopsis
On October 4, 1957, as
Leave It to Beaver premiered on American television, the Soviet Union launched the space age. Sputnik, all of 184 pounds with only a radio transmitter inside its highly polished shell, became the first man-made object in space; while it immediately shocked the world, its long-term impact was even greater, for it profoundly changed the shape of the twentieth century.
In his upcoming book, Washington journalist Paul Dickson chronicles the dramatic events and developments leading up to and emanating from Sputnik's launch. Supported by groundbreaking, original research and many recently declassified documents, Sputnik offers a fascinating profile of the early American and Soviet space programs and a strikingly revised picture of the politics and personalities behind the facade of America's fledgling efforts to get into space.
Although Sputnik was unmanned, its story is intensely human. Sputnik owed its success to many people, from the earlier visionary, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, whose theories were ahead of their time, to the Soviet spokesmen strategically positioned around the world on the day the satellite was launched, who created one of the greatest public-relations events of all time. Its chief designer, however the brilliant Sergei Korolev remained a Soviet state secret until after his death.
Equally hidden from view was the political intrigue dominating America's early space program, as the military services jockeyed for control and identity in a peacetime world. For years, former Nazi Wernher von Braun, who ran the U.S. Army's missile program, lobbied incessantly that his Rocket Team should be handed responsibility for the first Earth-orbiting satellite. He was outraged that Sputnik beat him and America into space. For his part, President Eisenhower was secretly pleased that the Russians had launched first, because by orbiting over the United States Sputnik established the principle of "freedom of space" that could justify the spy satellites he thought essential to monitor Soviet missile buildup. As Dickson reveals, Eisenhower was, in fact, much more a master of the Sputnik crisis than he appeared to be at the time and in subsequent accounts.
The U.S. public reaction to Sputnik was monumental. In a single weekend, Americans were wrenched out of a mood of national smugness and post-war material comfort. Initial shock at and fear of the Soviets' intentions galvanized the country and swiftly prompted innovative developments that define our world today. Sputnik directly or indirectly influenced nearly every aspect of American life, from the demise of the suddenly superfluous tail fin and an immediate shift towards science in the classroom to the arms race that defined the cold war, the competition to reach the Moon, and the birth of the Internet.
By shedding new light on a pivotal era, Paul Dickson expands our knowledge of the world we now inhabit, and reminds us that the story of Sputnik goes far beyond technology and the beginning of the space age, and that its implications are still being felt today.
Synopsis
On October 4, 1957, as
Leave It to Beaver premiered on American television, the Soviet Union launched the space age. Sputnik, all of 184 pounds with only a radio transmitter inside its highly polished shell, became the first man-made object in space; while it immediately shocked the world, its long-term impact was even greater, for it profoundly changed the shape of the twentieth century.
In his upcoming book, Washington journalist Paul Dickson chronicles the dramatic events and developments leading up to and emanating from Sputnik's launch. Supported by groundbreaking, original research and many recently declassified documents, Sputnik offers a fascinating profile of the early American and Soviet space programs and a strikingly revised picture of the politics and personalities behind the facade of America's fledgling efforts to get into space.
Although Sputnik was unmanned, its story is intensely human. Sputnik owed its success to many people, from the earlier visionary, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, whose theories were ahead of their time, to the Soviet spokesmen strategically positioned around the world on the day the satellite was launched, who created one of the greatest public-relations events of all time. Its chief designer, however—the brilliant Sergei Korolev—remained a Soviet state secret until after his death.
Equally hidden from view was the political intrigue dominating America's early space program, as the military services jockeyed for control and identity in a peacetime world. For years, former Nazi Wernher von Braun, who ran the U.S. Army's missile program, lobbied incessantly that his Rocket Team should be handed responsibility for the first Earth-orbiting satellite. He was outraged that Sputnik beat him and America into space. For his part, President Eisenhower was secretly pleased that the Russians had launched first, because by orbiting over the United States Sputnik established the principle of "freedom of space" that could justify the spy satellites he thought essential to monitor Soviet missile buildup. As Dickson reveals, Eisenhower was, in fact, much more a master of the Sputnik crisis than he appeared to be at the time and in subsequent accounts.
The U.S. public reaction to Sputnik was monumental. In a single weekend, Americans were wrenched out of a mood of national smugness and post-war material comfort. Initial shock at and fear of the Soviets' intentions galvanized the country and swiftly prompted innovative developments that define our world today. Sputnik directly or indirectly influenced nearly every aspect of American life, from the demise of the suddenly superfluous tail fin and an immediate shift towards science in the classroom to the arms race that defined the cold war, the competition to reach the Moon, and the birth of the Internet.
By shedding new light on a pivotal era, Paul Dickson expands our knowledge of the world we now inhabit, and reminds us that the story of Sputnik goes far beyond technology and the beginning of the space age, and that its implications are still being felt today.
Synopsis
On October 4, 1957, as
Leave It to Beaver premiered on American television, the Soviet Union launched the space age. Sputnik, all of 184 pounds with only a radio transmitter inside its highly polished shell, became the first man-made object in space; while it immediately shocked the world, its long-term impact was even greater, for it profoundly changed the shape of the twentieth century.
In Sputnik, Paul Dickson chronicles the dramatic events and developments leading up to and emanating from Sputnik's launch. Supported by groundbreaking, original research and many recently declassified documents, Sputnik offers a fascinating profile of the early American and Soviet space programs and a strikingly revised picture of the politics and personalities behind the facade of America's fledgling efforts to get into space.
About the Author
Paul Dickson is the author of more than 40 books. Both his first book,
Think Tanks (1971), and his most recent,
Sputnik: The Shock of the Century (Walker & Company, 2001), were born of his first love investigative journalism and examine the forces that have shaped the way we live in the information age. He has also written books about many of the other wide-ranging subjects that intrigue him, including the English language, baseball, history, Americana, and the maxims and 'rules' of everyday life.
Long-fascinated by space and the Cold War, Dickson says of Sputnik, I think this is the story I was meant to tell. In a very real sense, I am an eyewitness to some of Sputniks most memorable influences on the West. As a teen, I watched Sputnik, enthralled by the adventure of the space race. As a young man, I was a cold-warrior forced into uniform by the building of the Berlin Wall and I was stationed on a ship supporting the recovery of U.S. astronauts from splashdown. Later, I worked as a reporter covering the Gemini and Apollo missions for Electronics magazine. I have long collected material on Sputniks impact on realms as diverse as industrial design and civil rights. Over the years I have thought about its impact on my generation and those that followed and toyed with alternative scenarios in which the United States and not the Soviet Union was first into space.
After graduating from Wesleyan University in 1961, Dickson joined the U.S. Navy and later worked as a reporter for McGraw-Hill Publications. Since 1968, he has been a full-time freelance writer, contributing articles to various magazines and newspapers, including Smithsonian, Esquire, The Nation, Town & Country, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post. He received a University Fellowship for reporters from the American Political Science Association for Think Tanks. For his book The Electronic Battlefield (1976), about the impact automatic weapons systems have had on modern warfare, he received a grant from the Fund for Investigative Journalism to support his efforts to get certain Pentagon files declassified. A founder and former president of Washington Independent Writers, he is also a contributing editor at Washingtonian magazine and a consulting editor at Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Dickson lives in Garrett Park, Maryland, with his wife, Nancy.