Account

Company

  Menu
Large Image

Share This

Description

Forty years ago, Buzz Aldrin became the second human, minutes after Neil Armstrong, to set foot on a celestial body other than the Earth. The event remains one of mankind's greatest achievements and was witnessed by the largest worldwide television audience in history. In the years since, millions more have had their Earth-centric perspective unalterably changed by the iconic photograph of Aldrin standing on the surface of the moon, the blackness of space behind him and his fellow explorer and the Eagle reflected in his visor. Describing the alien world he was walking upon, he uttered the words "magnificent desolation." And as the astronauts later sat in the Eagle, waiting to begin their journey back home, knowing that they were doomed unless every system and part on board worked flawlessly, it was Aldrin who responded to Mission Control's clearance to take off with the quip, "Roger. Understand. We're number one on the runway."

The flight of Apollo 11 made Aldrin one of the most famous persons on our planet, yet few people know the rest of this true American hero's story. In Magnificent Desolation, Aldrin not only gives us a harrowing first-person account of the lunar landing that came within seconds of failure and the ultimate insider's view of life as one of the superstars of America's space program, he also opens up with remarkable candor about his more personal trials-and eventual triumphs-back on Earth. From the glory of being part of the mission that fulfilled President Kennedy's challenge to reach the moon before the decade was out, Aldrin returned home to an Air Force career stripped of purpose or direction, other than as a public relations tool that NASA put to relentless use in a seemingly nonstop world tour. The twin demons of depression and alcoholism emerged-the first of which Aldrin confronted early and publicly, and the second of which he met with denial until it nearly killed him. He burned through two marriages, his Air Force career came to an inglorious end, and he found himself selling cars for a living when he wasn't drunkenly wrecking them. Redemption came when he finally embraced sobriety, gained the love of a woman, Lois, who would become the great joy of his life, and dedicated himself to being a tireless advocate for the future of space exploration-not only as a scientific endeavor but also as a thriving commercial enterprise.

These days Buzz Aldrin is enjoying life with an enthusiasm that reminds us how far it is possible for a person to travel, literally and figuratively. As an adventure story, a searing memoir of self-destruction and self-renewal, and as a visionary rallying cry to once again set our course for Mars and beyond, Magnificent Desolation is the thoroughly human story of a genuine hero.

Tag This Book

This Book Has Been Tagged
It hasn't. Be the first to tag this book!

Our Recommendation

Track It. This book has been $7.99 within the past year.

Notify Me When The Price...

  • $
  • If I'm already tracking this book...

to track this book on eReaderIQ.

Track These Authors

to track Buzz Aldrin on eReaderIQ.

  • to be notified each time the price drops on any book by Buzz Aldrin.
  • to stop tracking Buzz Aldrin.

to track Ken Abraham on eReaderIQ.

  • to be notified each time the price drops on any book by Ken Abraham.
  • to stop tracking Ken Abraham.

Price Summary

  • We started tracking this book on December 26, 2010.
  • This book was $8.80 when we started tracking it.
  • The price of this book has changed 130 times in the past 4,843 days.
  • The current price of this book is $14.99 last checked 9 hours ago.
  • This lowest price this book has been offered at in the past six months is $9.99.
  • This lowest price this book has been offered at in the past year is $7.99.
  • The lowest price to date was $4.99 last reached on June 15, 2020.
  • This book has been $4.99 5 times since we started tracking it.
  • The highest price to date was $14.99 last reached on March 18, 2024.
  • This book has been $14.99 16 times since we started tracking it.
  • This book is currently at its highest price since we started tracking it.

Genres

Additional Info

  • Publication Date: June 7, 2009
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • Lending: Disabled
  • Print Length: 338 Pages
  • File Size: 1,367 KB

We last verified the price of this book about 9 hours ago. At that time, the price was $14.99. This price is subject to change. The price displayed on the Amazon.com website at the time of purchase is the price you will pay for this book. Please confirm the price before making any purchases.