Two issues of Life magazine from 1969 illustrate the ethereal view many took of the Apollo flights. Anne Morrow Lindberg reported (February 28) on the launch and flight of Apollo 8, the purpose of which was to circle the moon and determine if the lunar module would fly. It did. Lindberg beautifully contrasts the perfect mechanism of the Saturn V rocket and the wildlife around Cape Kennedy. She wondered what this space program promised. "What new world? What hope for mortal man struggling on Earth?" The June 6 edition featured a two-page centerfold picturing the Apollo 11 rocket attached to its gantry, a crescent moon high above, and a halo of wispy clouds between them. (Ironically, in this time of the Meiers and Alito nominations to the Supreme Court, Life's editorial was titled, "Supreme Court: No friends need apply." The "Chief Contaminator" (Nixon) was praised for nominating Warren Burger, whom he did not know.) There were complaints, but they were few and usually muted, as Hansen notes.
James Hansen is a history professor at Auburn University who has spent 25 years studying and writing the history of space. Armstrong had turned down more renowned writers who wanted to write a more commercial approach to his story. Hansen earned the "prize" because he had written about NASA and one book in particular about Fred Weick, whom Armstrong knew. Plus, Armstrong was more interested in a scholarly book. Unprecedented access to Armstrong, his records, and interviews with those who knew him has resulted in an extraordinarily comprehensive biography. There are 648 fact-filled (occasionally numbing early) pages, which are supplemented by another 121 pages of acknowledgements, notes, bibliography, index, and photo credits. The original manuscript had 1,200 pages. Hansen has provided the most comprehensive analysis of Armstrong to date. What else can possibly be said after this except to more closely analyze his life after Apollo 11? Published to almost universal praise, First Man is certainly the definitive word on the life of Neil Armstrong.
