American Moonshot

John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race

By: Douglas Brinkley

Narrated by: Stephen Graybill

2020 Audie Awards® WINNER - History/Biography

As the fiftieth anniversary of the first lunar landing approaches, the 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.

brought back memories.

really enjoyed this book. I was a teenager doing the race to the moon. remembered all the space race events. the political backstory in this book gave me a different insight. highly recommend this book to those interested in the Kennedy years.

Superb in both entertainment and substance!

An excellent weaving together of two seminal storylines from this country’s history, and most ably voiced. A treat!

A Story Larger than it's Science

While the technical challenge was obviously daunting the real story is about the vision of a president and a commitment of a nation capital to the single goal. I was a child in the time of the Apollo missions and even as an engineer in my professional life I still hung on every word of this story what a marvelous time in the achievement of mankind.

Great story, well written

Loved, didn't want it to end. A story of real heros that we need in this day and age.

Listening to moonshot history!

Awesome listen. I didn't know there was such resistance to getting the job done! Great job!