• Red Moon Rising

  • Sputnik and the Hidden Rivals That Ignited the Space Age
  • By: Matthew Brzezinski
  • Narrated by: Charles Stransky
  • Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (991 ratings)

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Red Moon Rising

By: Matthew Brzezinski
Narrated by: Charles Stransky
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Publisher's summary

On October 4, 1957, a time of Cold War paranoia, the Soviet Union secretly launched the Earth's first artificial moon. No bigger than a basketball, the tiny satellite was powered by a car battery. Yet, for all its simplicity, Sputnik stunned the world.

Based on extensive research in the US and newly opened archives in the former USSR, Red Moon Rising tells the story of five extraordinary months in the history of technology and the rivalry between two superpowers. It takes us inside the Kremlin and introduces the Soviet engineer Korolev, the charismatic, politically-minded visionary who motivated Khruschev to support what others dismissed as a ridiculous program. Korolev is virtually unknown to most Americans, yet it is because of him that NASA exists, that college loan programs were started in the U.S., and that Kennedy and Johnson became presidents.

Character driven, suspenseful, and dramatic, Red Moon Rising unveils the politics, people, science, and mindset behind a critical and transformative world event.

©2007 Matthew Brzezinski (P)2007 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"The writing is fast-paced and crisp...Yet even more than his absorbing narrative, Brzezinski's final analysis has staying power." ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about Red Moon Rising

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A great story about the history of space travel

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding the story behind the Sovjet space program. You will also learn a lot about their early missile program, and how the Sovjet leaders thought about space travel.

What about Charles Stransky’s performance did you like?

Charles is a great narrater, that made this story interesting and easy to listen to, also for a person that don't have English as their first language (like myself)

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3 people found this helpful

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Good book.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Great book. Recommend to anyone wanting to learn about the beginning of the Space Race.

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2 people found this helpful

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Really good

Any additional comments?

It's a thrill to hear the story of the Space Race from the Soviets' perspective. I loved every bit of this.

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1 person found this helpful

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Fascinating history

Wish it didn't end. Political history dense as well as technical. So much went on behind what the public new at the time that came out years later that this book reveals.

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  • GA
  • 01-30-23

Fascinating reading!

This was an amazing read as it combines the scientific discoveries with the political climate of the time. I have read a bunch of American space exploration books the best among them being the “the right stuff”. But this is my first foray into the space exploration in the USSR.

I would highly recommend this book of you liked the books on the early days of NASA.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

awesome

One of my favorites. Well read (except for the eery 1950s communist background music that is interspersed at the end/beginning of some of the chapters that comes out of nowhere). As a space race/apollo fan i woudl like to think i knew a fair bit about the milestones in this area, but this book is full of stuff you don't get anywhere else, especially the inner workings of the USSR. Well paced, and in the end, has a great summary of the impact of these decisions on the next 40 years of history. Just awesome, highly highly recommeneded.

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29 people found this helpful

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Interesting and quick read.

Interesting story. Seems a little light. It was interesting to learn about Sergei Korolev and Bruce Medaris, but I didn't get more than a quick sketch of each of these figures. There are plenty of little details of great interest, about the founding of NASA and DARPA, which are included in the story. It was also interesting views of Eisenhower, Nixon, and Johnson. I do think it's worth a read.

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Great information and great presentation

Narrator did a great job. Not bland or boring at all, sometimes historical information can be.

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Eye opener

This is a great story but the real kicker comes in the Epilogue in which the author neatly summarises the long-lasting effects of this remarkable episode on our society today. A great read for those of us who lived through those times and an eye opener for younger readers.

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Wonderful history

Delightful and informative book about the early days of the space race and portraying the highs and lows of those times.

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