Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

To mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, presidential historian Brinkley tells the backstory of that monumental achievement, placing John F. Kennedy in a starring role. During his childhood and adolescence, Kennedy had a passionate interest in science and practical know-how, absorbing the tales of Jules Verne and mastering sailing off the coast of his family's Massachusetts estate. Given his zeal and temperament, his now epochal 1961 pronouncement about putting a man on the moon within the decade was an almost inevitable outgrowth of his temperament. Along with tracking the influences which inspired Kennedy's pledge, Brinkley profiles other major players in the ensuing space race, from rocket buff Robert Goddard to ex-Nazi engineer Wernher von Braun, and shines a spotlight on how politicized NASA and other related organizations became. One especially eye-opening revelation underscores how Kennedy and his cronies funneled money to space contractors in the Southern states, where the president's support was more tenuous. With his usual masterful narrative skill, Brinkley captures the sweep and excitement of an inspiring era in American history.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Brinkley is a commanding public historian and intellectual, and his major contribution to the celebration of the first lunar landing will engender many requests.--Carl Hays Copyright 2019 Booklist

Library Journal
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On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy challenged the nation to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of this promise kept, CNN's presidential historian Brinkley (history, Rice Univ.; Rightful Heritage) presents a sweeping narrative of the U.S.-Soviet space race, culminating in Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong's lunar walk on July 20, 1969. Much of the book delves deeply into Apollo's historical roots, beginning with Robert Goddard's pioneering rocketry experiments in the 1920s; continuing with Nazi party member and SS officer Werner von Braun's development of the V1 and V2 rockets that slaughtered thousands of English citizens but which did not prevent him from becoming Kennedy's space science expert; and concluding with the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo projects (1958–72). Brinkley is at his best when sharing stories about astronauts such as John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, and Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. The author concludes that, regrettably, only Kennedy's assassination in 1963 guaranteed full funding for the costly Apollo project: the cornerstone of Kennedy's New Frontier era. VERDICT Enlightening and absorbing, this account will fascinate historians, history buffs, and popular science enthusiasts. See also James Donovan's Shoot the Moon.—Karl Helicher, formerly with Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A look back at the days when American presidents and politicians believed in and promoted sciencedays when there was a world to win, along with the heavens.Prolific historian Brinkley (Chair, History/Rice Univ.; Rightful Heritage: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Land of America, 2016, etc.) avers that his latest is a contribution to "U.S. presidential history (not space studies)." However, in his customarily thorough way, it's clear that he's mastered a great deal of the facts and lore surrounding the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo projects that landed American astronauts on the moon 50 years ago. As his account unfolds, two themes emerge. One is that fiscal conservatives, exemplified by President Dwight Eisenhower, were reluctant to fuel the emerging military-industrial complex, affording John F. Kennedy a campaign issue that revolved around the "missile gap" between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. As Brinkley writes, "having been raised in a family obsessed with winning at every level, [Kennedy] reduced the complexities of Cold War statesmanship to a simple contest." The second theme is that the space race was very much an extension of the wider Cold War. In both matters, notes the author, NASA became the beneficiary of both federal largess and the advantages of "unfettered capitalism," tapping into a fast-growing network of military contractors and spinning off basic research into an array of technological products. Even during the Bay of Pigs crisis, Kennedy kept his eye on the lunar prize, tasking his vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson, with determining whether the American parties involved in the space race were "making maximum effort." With JFK's assassination, the moon program seemed in danger of losing impetus and funding, but thanks to a vigorous NASA administrator and political allies in Congress and the executive branch, the Kennedy-inspired effort was realized. In fact, writes the author, it became a "marvelous alternative to all-out war with the USSR or future proxy wars such as Korea."A highly engaging history not just for space-race enthusiasts, but also students of Cold War politics. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.