 40th Anniversary edition (2009) | |
| Author | Michael Collins |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | |
| Published |
|
| Pages | 478 |
| ISBN | 0-8154-1028-X |
| OCLC | 897906 |
| 629.45/0092 B 21 | |
| LC Class | TL789.85.C65 A3 1998 |
| Followed by | Flying to the Moon and Other Strange Places |
Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut's Journeys is the autobiography of theGemini 10 andApollo 11 astronautMichael Collins. It was released in 1974 with a foreword by the aviatorCharles Lindbergh (who died that year). The book was re-released in 2009 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the first crewedlunar landing, and again for its 50th anniversary, in 2019.
The book covers Collins's life as atest pilot in theUnited States Air Force; his selection as an astronaut and hisspacewalks on Gemini 10 and historic flight as thecommand module pilot on Apollo 11. Collins presents some candid insights into his astronaut colleagues, includingNeil Armstrong ("I can't offhand think of a better choice to be the first man on the moon")[1] andBuzz Aldrin ("would make a champion chess player; always thinks several moves ahead").[1]
Collins was originally going to title the bookWorld in my Window, but he later decided that was "too corny". After discussing it with his editor, they decided to use three words to describe spaceflight. Collins decided onCarrying the Fire.
In the book, Collins discusses the selection of the first person to walk on the Moon, and the resulting tension that arises from it.[2]
In his review forTime magazine,Robert Sherrod calls it "the best-written book yet by any of the astronauts".[3] As an author, Collins worked without assistance fromghost writers, stating that "No matter how good the ghost, I am convinced that a book loses realism when an interpreter stands between the storyteller and his audience".[1]: xvi Collins subsequently released further titles, includingFlying to the Moon and Other Strange Places (1976),Liftoff: The Story of America's Adventure in Space (1988) andMission to Mars (1990).
