First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong

First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong

2005 • 464 pages

Ratings5

Average rating4

15

First, I would like to state that Neil Armstrong has been one of the most inspiring people for me ever since I can remember. His life's story is nothing short of magnificent - filled with hard work and greatness and tragedy. I have nothing but respect and admiration for this great man!

With that being said, this book is very heavy on the numbers, and names, and dry facts. And while the factual truth is priceless, this writing style makes the book hard to read and the story hard to follow at times. Often the story will be interrupted by a lesson in engineering or another equally academic subject, making it slow and rather unaccessible.
I wish that the author would've shaved some of the minute details, while still sticking exclusively on the truth. This would've reduced the size of the book significantly and kept the reader's attention better (at least this reader).

What I really appreciated was the debunking of some of the “urban legends” related to Neil Armstrong and the sensationalism pushed forward by people with financial interest in it. It was refreshing and made me respect the author.

I am giving this book 3.5 stars and am grateful I got to read it.

January 30, 2023Report this review