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Cosmic Detective Work
The detailed insights in this landmark description of Russia's manned space team provide plenty of hints about just how hard it was for the authors to extract all of this information over many years. The three authors and their associates ran an international free-lance 'research team' that crumb by crumb, rumor by rumor, fact by fact assembled a coherent story BEHIND the official stories of 'space heroes'. Instead, we have something infinitely better -- cosmonauts (and would-be cosmonauts) as genuine human beings, struggling with challenges never before faced in human history (and with some challenges as old as humanity), trusting these foreign visitors enough to open their hearts (and their scrapbooks) to them. Some tales are glorious, some tragic, some unfair, some comic. But thanks to this book, and the people who created it, the world has access to the human face of 'manned space flight' in Russia. AND -- by the way, many Westerners will be using this book not merely for idle curiosity, or the 'thrill of the fact hunt', but for actual preparation to follow in the footsteps charted here, and to go to 'Star City', to take part in cosmonaut training, and even -- some of you readers -- actually fly into space alongside Russian cosmonauts. This book will give an enormous 'leg up' on that process -- so buy it now, or buy it and give it to a friend considering such a project. And always keep in mind that new information is being gathered, evaluated, and issued by these and other 'space sleuths'.
Jim Oberg
[...]
Master work on the Soviet/Russian space programme
Until the publication of this book, there could have been few people in the world who were as well-informed on the Soviet/Russian space programme and their headquarters in Star City as the three authors of this superb book: and that includes many of the Russian participants of the programme themselves.
Between the three of them, authors Hall, Vis and Shayler have visited Star City almost thirty times stretching back to the very first days of Glasnost. During their visits, the authors were given access to parts of Star City previously unseen by outsiders and they befriended many cosmonauts and key space programme workers. This book is the result of these friendships, their unparalleled access and their diligent research.
Hall, Vis and Shayler are long-time observors of the Soviet/Russian space programme and have written and contributed to many of the key books published on the subject over the past decade as well as numerous magazine articles. For the first time ever, this book gathers much of their research and efforts into one volume.
For anyone interested in the Russian space programme, this is the definitive overview. The level of detail is staggering, yet it is presented in a highly-readable and understandable manner. The book is copiously illustrated with dozens of photographs, the majority of which are published for the first time and many of which show places, events or individuals never before seen. The book contains tables of information of interest to novice and veteran space programme observors alike, and is filled with fascinating anecdotes and footnotes never before reported.
This book is a must-have for anyone interested in the Soviet/Russian space programme and can not be recommended highly enough!
The definitive guide to Soviet spaceflight
This book is probably the best book ever written on the subject. One can feel the history of Soviet spaceflight almost as walking in Star City, through methodically researched account of the cosmonaut training center. First hand experience and rich archival materials that was available to the author makes this volume the definitive book for years to come.
The transition from Soviet regime to Russian cooperation with the United States is dramatically depicted, and provides important insights for future space programs, to be conducted by both space powers.
Anyone who wants to learn how the Soviet mastered the ultimate frontier, with triumphant spirit of man, as well as high end technologies, will find a lot of informative and new information in this remarkable account of Soviet spaceflight.
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