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Spaceflight: The Complete Story from Sputnik to Curiosity
- Smithsonian
- Narrated by: Emma Hignett
- Length: 16 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Science & Engineering, Science
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The award-winning author of The Battle of Bretton Woods reveals the gripping history behind the Marshall Plan—told with verve, insight, and resonance for today.
In the wake of World War II, with Britain’s empire collapsing and Stalin's on the rise, US officials under new secretary of state George C. Marshall set out to reconstruct western Europe as a bulwark against communist authoritarianism. Their massive, costly, and ambitious undertaking would confront Europeans and Americans alike with a vision at odds with their history and self-conceptions. In the process, they would drive the creation of NATO, the European Union, and a Western identity that continues to shape world events.
Focusing on the critical years 1947 to 1949, Benn Steil’s thrilling account brings to life the seminal episodes marking the collapse of postwar US-Soviet relations—the Prague coup, the Berlin blockade, and the division of Germany. In each case, we see and understand like never before Stalin’s determination to crush the Marshall Plan and undermine American power in Europe.
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Focusing on the critical years 1947 to 1949, Benn Steil’s thrilling account brings to life the seminal episodes marking the collapse of postwar US-Soviet relations—the Prague coup, the Berlin blockade, and the division of Germany. In each case, we see and understand like never before Stalin’s determination to crush the Marshall Plan and undermine American power in Europe.
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Publisher's Summary
Follow the compelling epic story of mankind's exploration of the final frontier with a foreword by Buzz Aldrin.
This compelling story of exploration charts and celebrates humankind in space, from Sputnik's launch in 1957 through the Apollo moon landings and the International Space Station to future missions to Mars and beyond.
Spaceflight chronicles how, in the six decades that followed Sputnik, the world was revolutionized by space travel and exploration. The opening up of Earth's orbit to satellites led to a revolution in communications, monitoring of the environment, and materials science. For the human imagination, the impact has been even greater - the voyages of robotic space probes have transformed our view of the solar system, while Earth-orbiting satellites and missions to the Moon have forever changed our view of ourselves.
This audiobook is a celebration of human ingenuity and imagination. From the work of pioneers like Wernher von Braun, Yuri Gagarin, and Neil Armstrong to the triumphs and tragedies that followed, it reveals the people, science, and technology that have propelled us into the Space Age.
Critic Reviews
"[T]his...history of interstellar exploration is rich in detail and full of incredible imagery." (Publishers Weekly)