Heroes of the Space Age: Incredible Stories of the Famous and Forgotten Men and Women Who Took Humanity to the Stars

The first moon landing was one of the most incredible feats in human history, the end result of decades of science and the tireless work of thousands upon thousands of people, all so two men could set foot on another body in the solar system. That one giant leap for mankind was the culmination of so many dreams, and the individuals responsible could fill an encyclopedia.

Unfortunately, Rod Pyle didn’t have thousands of pages to dedicate, so he had to pick and choose who to highlight in Heroes of the Space Age. Nonetheless, he did an impressive job of putting the spotlight on both key figures and underappreciated influences in the Space Race.

Gene Kranz and Pete Conrad in particular shine under that spotlight, but everyone under Pyle’s watchful lens practically bursts to life from the page. Unlike most biographies, there is such personality in each profile that you end up loving each individual as a person, not just admiring them as a historical figure. That’s a rare thing to pull off, and Pyle does so with every chapter.

Heroes of the Space Age could be a multi-volume set when you consider the vast cast of characters, and I hope there’s more to come. But if not, this is a worthy standalone addition to the canon of historical writing about the moon landing.