Philip Gibson (2)

What if you would have the chance to follow the Apollo 8 mission to the Moon in your Christmas 1968 holiday break through Twitter? Philip Gibson transformed actual astronaut recollections, NASA transcripts of the communications between Mission Control and the Apollo capsule throughout the journey, broadcasts of the main TV networks and pictures shot by the astronauts, as if you just watch your timeline in TweetDeck filtered for #Apollo8. The result is a very readable #Apollo8: Apollo 8 - The Longest Journey that keeps you as close to your smartphone or laptop nowadays, as the interested audience all over the world, from the U.S. and Europe to the controlled press in Space Race competitor Soviet-Union were watching television or listening to radio broadcasts.
Six intense days in December 1968 that marked a milestone in John F. Kennedy's assignment to America to bring people to and from the Moon before the 60's were over. From the countdown procedures, the massive Saturn V rocket lift off, the wild ride through the atmosphere, and the passage of the Van Allen belts of radiation between the Earth and the Moon. Meet Bill Anders, Jim Lovell and Frank Borman in their finest hours.
Both technical details, navigation through space as well as the personal ups and downs, such as commander Frank Borman's diarrhea, the lack of sleep and the long-johns the astronauts are wearing. All brought to you in tweets, which make it easy to determine who says what. Notable interruptions are embedded as well, by commentators on tv, experts and scientists, as well as laypeople that care concerned about the separation between Church and State upon the astronauts citing from Genesis 1 on Christmas Day.
Three astronauts that were the first to orbit the Moon, name Moon craters after themselves, have a look at possible landing zones and show an incredible love for both the Moon and Earth. You'll keep reading every orbit including loss of signals when above the far side of the Moon, the re-entry at incredible speed into the atmosphere and the nighttime splashdown in and recovery of a spacecraft from the Pacific Ocean. There is an extensive list of major sources at the end of the book.… (lisätietoja)

Have you ever wondered, "What would the world be like if social media had existed years ago" or "how would history be different if social media was around?" Here's your chance to experience that question: a new book series, titled Hashtag Histories.

#Houston70 takes a look at the Apollo 13 disaster and recovery as told through the astronauts, NASA employees and members of the press, all told through Twitter dialogue in 140 characters. For the historical purists, Gibson included an appendix of his sources, so the book is historically and factually accurate.

These are quick, easy-to-read books, and I look forward to reading more in the series.… (lisätietoja)

A Myrt's Review

#Houston70 - The Miracle Journey of Apollo 13 by Philip Gibson

Another Great Edition of Hashtag Histories!

I am a big fan of this series which recounts a historical event as if it was happening in the style of current social media. Historical figures use the format of social networks like Twitter using actual quotes they said during the time.

#Houston70 is the story of the Apollo 13 crisis which was headed to the moon when an explosion critically damaged one of the modules aborting the mission to the moon and the priority immediately became getting the crew safely home. It was an incredibly intense time with the crew working with Mission Control trying to come up with ways to bring them safely home. Walter Cronkite kept the people anxiously watching at home updated the whole time.

The book is a great way to learn about and relive that mission and at times it does capture the tension of that time. A thumbnail biography is included for each person involved. This was an entertaining and unique look at a significant moment in history. I highly recommend it!

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.… (lisätietoja)

A Myrt's Review

A Unique Perspective on a Historical Event

I liked the use of social media as the narrative structure in retelling this significant time in history. I read the other two books in this series that focused on Berlin and Tokyo in '45 and I found using Twitter as the format for the story to be an intriguing story telling device. Obviously, there requires a certain suspension of disbelief as not all such messages would have realistically been sent on a public forum. However, I found the book was a great way to familiarize myself with a point in time that I really didn't know many details about. I think it would make a great way to introduce someone to this momentous time in world history.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.… (lisätietoja)