American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race

by Douglas Brinkley

Overview

Now in paperback, an award-winning historian and perennial New York Times bestselling author takes a fresh look at the space program, President John F. Kennedy’s inspiring challenge, and America’s race to the moon.

“We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win.”—President John F. Kennedy

On May 25, 1961, JFK made an astonishing announcement: his goal of putting a man on the moon by the end of the decade. In this engrossing, fast-paced epic, Douglas Brinkley returns to the 1960s to recreate one of the most exciting and ambitious achievements in the history of humankind. American Moonshot brings together the extraordinary political, cultural, and scientific factors that fueled the birth and development of NASA and the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo projects, which shot the United States to victory in the space race against the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War.

Drawing on new primary source material and major interviews with many of the surviving figures who were key to America’s success, Brinkley brings this fascinating history to life as never before. American Moonshot is a portrait of the brilliant men and women who made this giant leap possible, the technology that enabled us to propel men beyond earth’s orbit to the moon and return them safely, and the geopolitical tensions that spurred Kennedy to commit himself fully to this audacious dream. Brinkley’s ensemble cast of New Frontier characters include rocketeer Wernher von Braun, astronaut John Glenn and space booster Lyndon Johnson.

A vivid and enthralling chronicle of one of the most thrilling, hopeful, and turbulent eras in the nation’s history, American Moonshot is an homage to scientific ingenuity, human curiosity, and the boundless American spirit.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062655073
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	04/14/2020
Pages:	592
Sales rank:	286,750
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.70(d)

About the Author

Douglas Brinkley is the Katherine Tsanoff Brown Chair in Humanities and Professor of History at Rice University, presidential historian for the New-York Historical Society, trustee of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library, and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. The Chicago Tribune dubbed him “America’s New Past Master.” He is the recipient of such distinguished environmental leadership prizes as the Frances K. Hutchison Medal (Garden Club of America), Robin W. Winks Award for Enhancing Public Understanding of National Parks (National Parks Conservation Association), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Lifetime Heritage Award. His book The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast received the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award. He was awarded a Grammy for Presidential Suite and is the recipient of seven honorary doctorates in American studies. His two-volume, annotated Nixon Tapes recently won the Arthur S. Link–Warren F. Kuehl Prize. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife and three children.

Table of Contents

Preface: Kennedy's New Ocean xi

Part I Rockets

1 Dr. Robert Goddard Meets Buck Rogers 3

2 Kennedy, Von Braun, and the Crucible of World War II 21

3 Surviving a Savage War 41

4 Who's Afraid of the V-2? 61

Part II Generation Sputnik

5 Spooked into the Space Race 93

6 Sputnik Revolution 125

7 Missile Gaps and the Creation of Nasa 155

8 Mercury Seven to the Rescue 181

9 Kennedy for President 191

Part III Moonbound

10 Skyward with James Webb 209

11 Yuri Gagarin and Alan Shepard 223

12 "Going to the Moon": Washington, DC, May 25, 1961 247

13 Searching for Moonlight in Tulsa and Vienna 265

14 Moon Momentum with Television and Gus Grissom 283

15 Godspeed, John Glenn 307

16 Scott Carpenter, Telstar, and Presidential Space Touring 335

Part IV Projects Gemini and Apollo

17 "We Choose to Go to the Moon": Rice University, September 12, 1962 359

18 Gemini Nine and Wally Schirra 373

19 State of Space Exploration 395

20 "The Space Effort Must Go On" 413

21 Cape Kennedy 431

Epilogue: The Triumph of Apollo 11 449

Acknowledgments 463

Notes 471

Bibliography 515

Image Credits 527

Index 529

Editorial Reviews

Brinkley’s story is a gripping one.... Rice University scholar and an agile and prolific historian and biographer, Brinkley is well-situated to tell this story… Brinkley sees an important poignancy, and he renders it with real power.” — Boston Globe

“A highly engaging history not just for space-race enthusiasts, but also students of Cold War politics….Prolific historian Brinkley 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 fact and lore surrounding the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo projects that landed American astronauts on the moon 50 years ago.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“At a time when national demoralization is so prevalent, Douglas Brinkley’s American Moonshot could not be more timely. His reconstruction of JFK’s bold commitment to space exploration and the heroic efforts of the men who made the “moonshot” a reality reminds us that America was and can be again a great principled nation that leads the world on to new frontiers.” — Robert Dallek, author of Franklin D. Roosevelt and An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963

“An epic narrative: it is the sweeping story of how humankind’s impetus for space exploration evolved from the early visionaries in Russia, Germany, and the United States at the dawn of the 20th century through the scientific and technological achievements—albeit associated human horrors—of two world wars....a particularly intimate and fascinating read.” — James R. Hansen, author of  First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong

“Prepare to recall what it was like to be inspired and thrilled by American greatness. Doug Brinkley recounts, with deep research and exciting narrative, the bold spirit and faith in innovation that was embodied in Kennedy’s decision to launch a mission to the moon. His vision restored a vitality to America, something we could use today.” — Walter Isaacson, author of Leonardo da Vinci

"The best new study of the American mission to space, rich in research and revelation." — New York Times Book Review

“Compelling and comprehensive….With a mixture of granular detail from a gigantic body of works on the subject and analyses of Kennedy’s decision-making and political savvy, American Moonshot transcends mere narrative to help the rest of us understand how America geared up for the astonishing feat of landing a man on the moon. With the approach of the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s ‘small step for man,’ Brinkley’s focus on the all-important early days provides a valuable perspective.” — Washington Post

“In an age when so little seems possible, Douglas Brinkley has taken us back to a moment when everything did. In telling the riveting story of John Kennedy and the race to the Moon, Brinkley explores the complexities of politics, diplomacy, technology, and, perhaps most important, of human nature itself. This is a great book.” — Jon Meacham, author of The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels

“Douglas Brinkley is not only a scholar, he’s a true storyteller. American Moonshot evokes and era, and brings to life the vivid personalities that accomplished one of the greatest feats in history.” — Lawrence Wright, author of God Save Texas: A Journey into the Soul of the Lone Star State

“American Moonshot is a thoroughly terrific work which should reach the widest possible audience. As a study in leadership, it is absolutely first rate. As history, it is inspiring and enthralling. And to cap it all, it is a completely riveting story about the Space Age.  I love this book.” — Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front During World War II

From the Publisher

Brinkley’s story is a gripping one.... Rice University scholar and an agile and prolific historian and biographer, Brinkley is well-situated to tell this story… Brinkley sees an important poignancy, and he renders it with real power.

Boston Globe

Prepare to recall what it was like to be inspired and thrilled by American greatness. Doug Brinkley recounts, with deep research and exciting narrative, the bold spirit and faith in innovation that was embodied in Kennedy’s decision to launch a mission to the moon. His vision restored a vitality to America, something we could use today.

Walter Isaacson

Brinkley’s story is a gripping one.... Rice University scholar and an agile and prolific historian and biographer, Brinkley is well-situated to tell this story… Brinkley sees an important poignancy, and he renders it with real power.

Boston Globe

…American Moonshot [is]…the best new study of the American mission to space, rich in research and revelation…

The New York Times Book Review - Jill Lepore

06/03/2019

Brinkley (The Great Deluge) frames the life and career of President John F. Kennedy through the Cold War–tinged lens of the Space Race in this inspiring history. The book opens with the parallels between the WWII experiences of PT boat commander Kennedy and Nazi rocketeer Wernher von Braun, whose lives intersected after the war with the launch of Kennedy’s political career and von Braun’s newfound role as the United States’ top rocket scientist. In Brinkley’s telling, Kennedy’s impassioned response to Soviet advances in space technology, which contrasted sharply the Eisenhower administration’s, led him to victory in the 1960 presidential election. His declaration before Congress that Americans would put men on the moon by the end of the decade and his public embrace of John Glenn and the other Mercury Seven astronauts were, Brinkley argues, political gestures also motivated by personal passion. The author argues that it was Kennedy’s appeal to a sense of American greatness, evident in his famous “We choose to go to the moon” speech at Rice University in September 1962, that made the U.S.’s space achievements possible. By highlighting the visionary, charismatic political leader’s role, Brinkley offers a new perspective on one of the greatest accomplishments in human history. Photos. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

An epic narrative: it is the sweeping story of how humankind’s impetus for space exploration evolved from the early visionaries in Russia, Germany, and the United States at the dawn of the 20th century through the scientific and technological achievements—albeit associated human horrors—of two world wars....a particularly intimate and fascinating read.

James R. Hansen

"The best new study of the American mission to space, rich in research and revelation."

New York Times Book Review

“American Moonshot is a thoroughly terrific work which should reach the widest possible audience. As a study in leadership, it is absolutely first rate. As history, it is inspiring and enthralling. And to cap it all, it is a completely riveting story about the Space Age.  I love this book.

Doris Kearns Goodwin

At a time when national demoralization is so prevalent, Douglas Brinkley’s American Moonshot could not be more timely. His reconstruction of JFK’s bold commitment to space exploration and the heroic efforts of the men who made the “moonshot” a reality reminds us that America was and can be again a great principled nation that leads the world on to new frontiers.

Robert Dallek

Compelling and comprehensive….With a mixture of granular detail from a gigantic body of works on the subject and analyses of Kennedy’s decision-making and political savvy, American Moonshot transcends mere narrative to help the rest of us understand how America geared up for the astonishing feat of landing a man on the moon. With the approach of the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s ‘small step for man,’ Brinkley’s focus on the all-important early days provides a valuable perspective.

Washington Post

Douglas Brinkley is not only a scholar, he’s a true storyteller. American Moonshot evokes and era, and brings to life the vivid personalities that accomplished one of the greatest feats in history.

Lawrence Wright

In an age when so little seems possible, Douglas Brinkley has taken us back to a moment when everything did. In telling the riveting story of John Kennedy and the race to the Moon, Brinkley explores the complexities of politics, diplomacy, technology, and, perhaps most important, of human nature itself. This is a great book.

Jon Meacham

Compelling and comprehensive….With a mixture of granular detail from a gigantic body of works on the subject and analyses of Kennedy’s decision-making and political savvy, American Moonshot transcends mere narrative to help the rest of us understand how America geared up for the astonishing feat of landing a man on the moon. With the approach of the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s ‘small step for man,’ Brinkley’s focus on the all-important early days provides a valuable perspective.

Washington Post

American Moonshot is masterful.  Pulsing with fresh new research, Douglas Brinkley’s latest book captures that Cold War moment when America made a magnificent leap into the heavens. Brinkley weaves the presidency, biography, and science into a gripping narrative, rewarding readers with a tour-de-force of the Space Race.  This is history at its best.

Yanek Mieczkowski

Narrator Stephen Graybill’s assured performance captures the author’s focus on the space race and its part in the social and political complexities of the Cold War era. As the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing approaches, American historian Douglas Brinkley celebrates the Kennedy administration’s role in the nascent aerospace industry. Listeners gain renewed appreciation for the challenges and tenacious efforts involved as private and public sectors strove to beat Soviet Russia in going to the moon. Graybill’s well-paced delivery presents grounded depictions of key figures, including President John F. Kennedy, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, and former Nazi rocket scientist Dr. Wernher von Braun. Listeners new to space history will find this engaging production of Brinkley’s tribute to be a solid introduction. J.R.T. 2019 Best Audiobook, 2020 Audies Winner © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

APRIL 2019 - AudioFile

★ 2019-03-17
A look back at the days when American presidents and politicians believed in and promoted science—days 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.

Kirkus Reviews