Apollo Pilot

The Memoir of Astronaut Donn Eisele

By: Donn Eisele

Narrated by: Kevin Pierce

In October 1968 Donn Eisele flew with fellow astronauts Walt Cunningham and Wally Schirra into Earth orbit in Apollo 7. The first manned mission in the Apollo program and the first manned flight after a fire during a launch pad test killed three astronauts in early 1967, Apollo 7 helped restart NASA's manned-spaceflight program.

Known to many as a goofy, lighthearted prankster, Eisele worked his way from the US Naval Academy to test pilot school and then into the select ranks of America's prestigious astronaut corps. He was originally on the crew of Apollo 1 before being replaced due to injury. After that crew died in a horrific fire, Eisele was on the crew selected to return Americans to space. Despite the success of Apollo 7, Eisele never flew in space again, as divorce and a testy crew commander led to the three astronauts being labeled as troublemakers.

Unbeknownst to everyone, after his retirement as a technical assistant for manned spaceflight at NASA's Langley Research Center in 1972, Eisele wrote in detail about his years in the Air Force and his time in the Apollo program. Long after his death, Francis French discovered Eisele's unpublished memoir. Listeners can now experience an Apollo story they assumed would never be written as well as the story behind its discovery.

©2017 Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska (P)2016 Redwood Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"A posthumous memoir gives an unsung astronaut his due." ( Kirkus)

fascinating look at Apollo 7

I would have listened to this just because Kevin Pierce narrated it. I love him as a narrator. This was a fascinating look at the Apollo 7 mission. A bit short but very interesting listen. A great look at history.

Kevin Pierce as always did a wonderful job. Very enjoyable.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

this is hard for me to review.

I loved reading about anything Apollo. watched all the movies, the Docs about it, read books on it.
I loved that this really let you know what happened in space. and it was told from the astronauts point of view. almost step by step. I loved learning about that.
but it was boring at lot of parts. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

Apollo pilot

A fine read to remind us of unsung heroes of our space program.. Also a part of the space program not known by a younger generation.

Apollo Pilot

Apollo Pilot: The Memoir of Astronaut Donn Eisele
: Donn Eisele


I love to learn more of the early space exploration from the perspective of those who were there. I live 30 miles from Cosmosphere Space Museum, and after listening to this makes me want to visit to see what more I can learn.




The narration was well done. Kevin Pierce is a delight to listen to read. A wonderful way to pass a cold winter day.



"I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator."

Interesting to learn about his life.

It was interesting to listen to this book. Not only about his life in space, it was about his education and life on earth as well... I like the narrator too, his voice is great for memoirs.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.