SPACED OUT!!!

It has been a while since my previous post. I was waiting until I finished the second of two books about the Apollo space programme (see left).
Both books were borrowed from the library and I needed to extend the loan of the second so I could finish it. I’m still about 60 pages from the end and I have just over a week left of a total six week loan period.

It’s taking much longer to read than the first even though it’s a fraction of the length. Maybe it’s been more of a struggle because it covered the same kind of ground as the other, and while it is very readable, I found it was not written any near as well as the other book.

When I am told that during the approach to the first moon landing, Neil Armstrong’s eyes:
“…were tired but warm with anticipation”, I have to wonder who made this observation. For some reason I can’t imagine Buzz Aldrin, his only companion, had time to stare into Armstrong’s eyes and make poetic observations while they were approaching the moon’s surface.

This is only one example of the book demonstrating “New Journalism”* gone mad or, in other words, poorly thought out writing spoiling a very good story.

Hopefully I’ll finish the book over the weekend and will be able to write more about my impressions of both books about the moon landings before too long.

Before I move on to other books I have about the space programme (and I have several to read) I’ll try something different so I can come back to the topic with a fresher mind. But where to start?

I have many books I want to read but I’d like to tackle something short and not too demanding before trying to tackle anything that’s going to take a lot of commitment. Maybe I’ll turn to one a children’s book again.

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* a journalism technique started in the 1960s - 70s in which literary story telling techniques were combined with news stories making journalism more accessible to the reader.