How to Make a Spaceship: A Band of Renegades, an Epic Race, and the Birth of Private Spaceflight

I remember being itty bitty, waking up, wearing PJs, to watch all sorts of fantastical rocket launches. The memories are vague but fun.
So I'm confounded that everything that happens in "How to Make a Spaceship" happened outside my awareness. Did Life really make me that distracted? What fun, then, to take this ride now, with all of the players, big dreamers, small dreamers, all oh so devoted.
This is kind of like "Rocket Boys" meets "The Right Stuff". It follows the creation of a renewed drive to see space entered and goes along to the actual people who strove to make it happen. And all along the way were failures, which I found to be inspiring because people learned from them. They did NOT give up.
Personalities are addressed, hopes, emotions. You're right there, thinking and living with the people. And the writing is superb: some writing reads like straight adventure, and some reads like poetry.
Rob Shapiro does well; nonfiction is hard. But he gets into the grittier parts, breathes life into the parts where words are brushstrokes on a glorious stellar canvas. I dinged him a star, however, because I absolutely had to listen to this at x1.25; it was far too slow going at regular speed. Otherwise, good job.
Wonderful people, lyrical, edge-of-your-seat writing. Only Richard Branson earns the occasional eye roll. I enjoyed every minute, didn't feel the sixteen hours at all. Plus, the epilogue/where-are-they-now was fantastic to hear

it happened. a great story of dreams come true. and a great cast of characters making impossible happen

Wow! Must read for any person who even remotely likes the idea of space travel. A real life science fiction come to life. Filled with amazing characters and the richest story. Wonderful writing and performance. Please read! Share with your children to inspire them !

The story itself is very interesting. The narrator's performance was good too.

The author over did it a little, trying to build drama around the personal struggles of some of the protagonists.

I still recommend it to readers that are interested in space.

The author does a wonderful job of telling an exciting, riveting story that inspires the reader to seek out their dream. It is impossible not to be inspired by the disparate cast of characters who are described in this book.

Absolutely!

Lot of information about private spacecraft and space came about. Interesting connection to the Lindbergh name.

The book has inspired me to focus and chase my dreams. I would highly recommend others who are interested in space, technology, or being part of something great to read this book.

But then again I'm a space buff. New challenges, new minds with new technologies bubbling up every day. Yes the government can do it, going to space, but now it's the private sector's chance to show their ingenuity. There's fresh ideas, new money and there is no limit. Old money, old ideas, stand aside. There's new minds in town with loads of capital to get us to space. With little red tape we've made it to space as citizens. We've broken the barrier of large government run organizations and ventured out into the black as privateers. What a thing to witness!

love it! I recommend this book/audio to anyone who needs or wants inspiration. well written and narrated!...I would love to meet Peter Diamandis and the gang.

This is my history, my experience, and my dreams. The story told here rekindled the excitement and awe that I experienced growing up in the Space Age. I watched the fist landing on the Moon. I traveled with astronauts who became aquanauts. I've carefully followed the development of the Civilian Space Program. This was a fun read, a great listen. Hearing some of the background stories that underpinned these crazy and heroic efforts was enthralling. Great story Mr. Guthrie.

Having my memory tapped for times and places in my own life that connected to the events in this story created many memorable moments. I hardly remember my commute over that last two weeks.

Rob Shapiro is just a great reader. Rob is the gold standard for story narration. When I need a new book I usually start by seeing if he has done the reading.