RIGHT STUFF

Since I was born in the 50s the space program is a shining memory of my childhood. I have never lost my interest is space and astronomy and flight. The Apollo 11 movie last year rekindled my interest (not that my interest was dead) and little by little I have become interested in reading everything that has been written about the entire era, starting from the X-1 and X-15, and everything about space flight and space exploration in general. It has become a bit of an obsession, its a huge and wonderful topic. I rented the Right Stuff as a movie and was not impressed. I was disgusted by its treatment of Gus Grissom, which I attributed to Hollywood and its grandiose arrogance. History is just an starting point for fiction, truths, half truths, and lies, for the sake of entertainment. People are misinformed about historical events in the first place then comes Hollywood and turns it into distorted semi-fictional entertainment. So, I read the book, figuring it must be better. It was actually much worse. I will give Wolfe credit for opening my eyes on the stupendous casualty rates of military pilots and test pilots. Anything that is not a clear fact in this book however, is just as likely an invention of the creative mind of Wolfe. Did he actually know what the test monkeys were thinking? Well no. DId he actually know what the astronauts were thinking? He would have had a better chance at that one, but I was very doubtful of much of his description of their thoughts until I got to the chapter on Grissom's flight, after which I would no more believe something that Wolfe says than I would believe something that trump says. He is simply flapping his gums for profit. Anyone who believes anything he says that cannot be fact checked is being gullible. I realized that Wolfe is like Howard Zinn. They both set out to destroy the sanitized highly patriotic versions of history and wound up replacing one set of overly kind propaganda with a different set of bitterly caustic propaganda. Bleh. I would not swallow very much of the viewpoints of either although there are grains of truth in their works. The problem of dealing with liars is that one has no idea when they might be telling the truth. As to Wolfe's style, it is incredibly repetitive and most of the book comes down to one or two ideas, which may or may not have much truth to them; these are pounded into the ground. Not knowing much about Wolfe I looked him up and I must say I wildly enjoyed the critics of his style. From Wiki: "... In 2000, Wolfe was criticised by Norman Mailer, John Updike and John Irving, after they were asked if they believed that his books were deserving of their critical acclaim. Mailer compared reading a Wolfe novel to having sex with a 300 lb woman, saying 'Once she gets to the top it's all over. Fall in love or be asphyxiated.' Updike was more literary in his reservedness: he claimed that one of his books 'amounts to entertainment, not literature, even literature in a modest aspirant form.' Irving was perhaps the most dismissive, saying 'It's like reading a bad newspaper or a bad piece in a magazine ... read sentences and watch yourself gag.' ..." Right on! For what Wolfe did to the truth about Gus Grissom's flight, and the harm he caused to his reputation and family, I would be tempted to find Wolfe's grave and piss on it, it would be fitting. It also would be more effort than the man deserves. I wish Grissom's estate and family had sued Wolfe. His pathograpy of Grissom based on obvious mistruths, when the actual facts and details are not hard to find about the flight, is very, very low and small. Grissom himself was not around around to defend himself, but I am glad he did not have to read this garbage. I was already skimming through most of the book, its a book more about Tom Wolfe than a book about real events, after the Grissom chapter I very briefly skimmed the rest of the book, since I had established that the author was not honest. (I guess that I myself am pounding my reaction a bit into the ground.) The Right Stuff has gone into my woodstove and is now, at last, providing some heat, if not much light.

This book is about the Mercury Project, NASA’s first manned space missions, and the origins of the astronaut program. Tom Wolfe was a practitioner of “New Journalism.” The only previous experience that I had with that style was with Hunter S. Thompson’s alcohol-and-other-drugs-fueled escapades in Las Vegas while covering a race for Sports Illustrated and his alcohol-fueled experiences at the Kentucky Derby. Based on those reading experiences, it was my understanding that one of the hallmarks of New Journalism was Journalist-as-Participant. The historical record, however, is pretty clear that a drunk Tom Wolfe had not, in fact, been blasted into orbit with John Glenn or any of the other Mercury 7 astronauts. How then is The Right Stuff an example New Journalism? Well, Tom Wolfe wrote his butt off. The book reads more “literary” than as an object of traditional journalism. Let me explain…no, there is too much…let me sum up…A traditional journalistic or scholarly book about the early astronauts and “what made them tick” might include quotations from interviews with those astronauts and people that knew them, government officials and news reporters from the time, and maybe a few academics to provide some Authoritative Interpretation. The writer wouldn’t put forth a theory of their own about the astronaut motivations, or, if they did, there’d be a ton of explicit sources backing them up. Tom Wolfe just puts his theories out there, front and center, and then writes with such force – with repeated interjections, sometimes with exclamations! – and capitalizations and callbacks and pretty descriptions and literary techniques that the reader will forget that they are reading some nonfiction book; this story may be (at least in some sense) true, but it reads like a novel. It never really dives into the minutiae of bureaucratic organization nor is it really interested in any one’s point of view other than that which drives the author’s central point: the astronauts were military test pilots fueled by a Manly Competitive Desire to BE THE BEST and that performing well under pressure in that competition exhibits The Right Stuff (which is never explicitly defined, although I have my own theories). I am a fan of David Foster Wallace’s writing, and I could see a clear influence from Tom Wolfe’s style in Wallace’s writing. And David Foster Wallace was certainly not the only literary writer influenced by Wolfe. Fans of literature really should check this out, just to trace back certain styles to their creator (or popularizer). Science fiction fans could be inspired by a (more or less) true account of fighter pilot personality and how their influence (or lack thereof) could impact a fictional space program. Fans of nonfiction could see that there are ways of telling a nonfiction story rather than the usual, traditional methodologies. I’d recommend this book to anyone, just with the disclaimer that it is NOT like the usual biographical or documentary-style rendition of the Mercury Project. The writer’s style is definitely noticeable, and some might be distracted by it (or it could just not be to their taste).

After seeing the movie numerous times, I thought it was time to finally read the book. Although sometimes the language can be colorful and literary, overall I could not put it down, and finished it in just a few days.

Tom Wolfe’s account of the test pilot program in the time of Chuck Yeager and the Mercury astronauts is a fascinating look back at a special time in American history. His sardonic take on many details had me laughing, and his genuine love and admiration for the men involved comes shining through in his writing. A line from the end probably sums it up best: “but the day when an astronaut could parade up Broadway while traffic policemen wept in the intersections was no more." This was the story of that time.

With the 50th Anniversary of the moon landing, I thought the rereading of “The Right Stuff” might be worthwhile. It was. I’d forgotten much of what had been covered in Tom Wolfe’s book, but the added perspective of some 30 plus years gives new resonance to his take on our space program and politics of that period. Through my work, I had the chance to meet with Pete Conrad in the early 90’s. He is the first pilot/astronaut that he introduces in his book, and uses his life to introduce the reader to what it takes to have the Right Stuff. He was not chosen in the first group of Astronauts, but in the second. And Wolfe introduces the changes in the perception of the pilots and of the public as to what it meant to be an Astronaut in that intervening time. Well worth rereading in light of today's political and space environment.

I've always been a huge fan of the movie from 1983, so I finally decided to read the book. It's, in a word, odd. It's not written in the standard "so-and-so said this, then this happened, then he said this" style of storytelling. Instead, it's told as an observer describing the situation and its undercurrent, with a large dose of sarcasm. Wolfe undercuts the notion of their hero status, and presents the astronauts not as men, but as ideas and perceptions. At times it's hilarious, other times maddeningly wordy. Sometimes interesting, other times it wanders into the weeds. There's a lot of good historical info that's not in the movie, which I found interesting, but some if it is difficult to glean as Wolfe spends so much time telling us "what it all means," instead of the nuts and bolts of "what happened." Overall, it's a good read once you get used to the style, especially for those of us that grew up during the Space Race.

I was pleasantly surprised reading Wolfe’s The Right Stuff. I expected it might be more of the same old, same old. It isn’t. Wolfe’s style is factually detailed to include relationships, how they developed between pilots, spouses, politicians and the Armed Services. Tipping off my age, reading this book brought the actual jet and space flights back to life from my early youth. Perhaps the most fascinating element of the book was the political response, the OMG of the folks inside the beltway even in the 50’s and 60’s as they couldn’t bear having to chase the USSR into space. The book was also a good reminder of how the media can be hounding those who they believe can help them with their reporting. All in all, just a terrific read and a very enjoyable journey through a less complex time in our history. You will enjoy reading about some real 20th century American heroes and why they were exceptional.

I grew up in Lancaster, CA a few minutes south of Edwards Air Force Base. Sonic booms and low flying jets overhead were a part of my childhood. Aviation history happened in my backyard and I am fascinated by it all. How did we go from the Wright brothers in Kitty Hawk to Yeager and the speed of sound in just fifty years? The Right Stuff is a classic. Published in 1979, Wolfe chronicles the life of test pilots as they journey to be the first men in space. Any way you look it, this is an amazing piece of American history. If you love science and technology, you can admire the technical aspects. If you love grit and genius, you can admire the determination and bravery of the first astronauts. If you love political history, you can admire the Cold War politics manifesting through manned space flight. This is the first time I have read celebrated author Tom Wolfe and I am very impressed. It would be very easy to spout historical narratives in a very dry and boring manner. Instead, Wolfe keeps you captivated the whole time, even when I knew the end of the story.

A superbly written story of the first seven US astronauts. The author brilliantly describes the macho culture of the test pilots, the rigorous training, the arduous and occasionally humiliating medical procedures and selection process they undertook to become 'star voyagers', and finally the exhilaration of the first US space flights. Wolfe is absolutely in love with his heroes and with the grandeur of space exploration, but he is also a sharp and critical observer, contrasting the macho attitudes of the astronauts with the nervousness and panic of the wives awaiting their husbands' return from another dangerous voyage, skewering the shallow and obnoxious press (which he ironically dubs The Genteel Beast) and mocking the politicians ready to use lofty goals of space exploration in their machinations. There is one downside, though: the book occasionally becomes very Keroauc-esque in its language, all-too-vivid descriptions (quick admission: I hate On the Road with a passion), and even punctuation: the ellipses and exclamation signs are sprinkled throughout the text too liberally for my taste. But in a weird way, this style suits the epicness of the book's subject and doesn't detract from the overall pleasure of reading it. One other thing: Wolfe seems to get a lot of flak for his 'slanderous' treatment of Gus Grissom, which in my opinion is undeserved. If you actually read the book, you'll find that Wolfe doesn't state or even imply that Grissom actually 'screwed the pooch', i.e. blew the escape hatch of his pod prematurely. All Wolfe says in the book is that there were rumors that Grissom had actually done it, and these rumors weighed heavily on Gus and his wife. In fact, Gus was probably my favorite 'character' in the book, so much that upon finishing I immediately went to scour Wikipedia and online book shops trying to learn more about him. Make of it what you will.

I have seen the film countless times since 1983 and loved it. I grew up during the Apollo Era and remembered the network coverage and excitement but never got around to read Wolfe’s book. How I wished I had read it earlier. Terrific account of the early space race (pre-Apollo) balanced between Yeager and friends at Edwards and the Mercury 7 in Florida. Adds so much background to the mindset of the original seven and Yeager during that period of unease as America dueled with the Soviets for “the high ground of space”. People who were not alive at the time might struggle with understanding the hero worship aimed at these men. Wolfe’s book helps those who missed it TO understand. Highly recommended.

Since I was born in the 50s the space program is a shining memory of my childhood. I have never lost my interest is space and astronomy and flight. The Apollo 11 movie last year rekindled my interest (not that my interest was dead) and little by little I have become interested in reading everything that has been written about the entire era, starting from the X-1 and X-15, and everything about space flight and space exploration in general. It has become a bit of an obsession, its a huge and wonderful topic. I rented the Right Stuff as a movie and was not impressed. I was disgusted by its treatment of Gus Grissom, which I attributed to Hollywood and its grandiose arrogance. History is just an starting point for fiction, truths, half truths, and lies, for the sake of entertainment. People are misinformed about historical events in the first place then comes Hollywood and turns it into distorted semi-fictional entertainment. So, I read the book, figuring it must be better. It was actually much worse. I will give Wolfe credit for opening my eyes on the stupendous casualty rates of military pilots and test pilots. Anything that is not a clear fact in this book however, is just as likely an invention of the creative mind of Wolfe. Did he actually know what the test monkeys were thinking? Well no. DId he actually know what the astronauts were thinking? He would have had a better chance at that one, but I was very doubtful of much of his description of their thoughts until I got to the chapter on Grissom's flight, after which I would no more believe something that Wolfe says than I would believe something that trump says. He is simply flapping his gums for profit. Anyone who believes anything he says that cannot be fact checked is being gullible. I realized that Wolfe is like Howard Zinn. They both set out to destroy the sanitized highly patriotic versions of history and wound up replacing one set of overly kind propaganda with a different set of bitterly caustic propaganda. Bleh. I would not swallow very much of the viewpoints of either although there are grains of truth in their works. The problem of dealing with liars is that one has no idea when they might be telling the truth. As to Wolfe's style, it is incredibly repetitive and most of the book comes down to one or two ideas, which may or may not have much truth to them; these are pounded into the ground. Not knowing much about Wolfe I looked him up and I must say I wildly enjoyed the critics of his style. From Wiki: "... In 2000, Wolfe was criticised by Norman Mailer, John Updike and John Irving, after they were asked if they believed that his books were deserving of their critical acclaim. Mailer compared reading a Wolfe novel to having sex with a 300 lb woman, saying 'Once she gets to the top it's all over. Fall in love or be asphyxiated.' Updike was more literary in his reservedness: he claimed that one of his books 'amounts to entertainment, not literature, even literature in a modest aspirant form.' Irving was perhaps the most dismissive, saying 'It's like reading a bad newspaper or a bad piece in a magazine ... read sentences and watch yourself gag.' ..." Right on! For what Wolfe did to the truth about Gus Grissom's flight, and the harm he caused to his reputation and family, I would be tempted to find Wolfe's grave and piss on it, it would be fitting. It also would be more effort than the man deserves. I wish Grissom's estate and family had sued Wolfe. His pathograpy of Grissom based on obvious mistruths, when the actual facts and details are not hard to find about the flight, is very, very low and small. Grissom himself was not around around to defend himself, but I am glad he did not have to read this garbage. I was already skimming through most of the book, its a book more about Tom Wolfe than a book about real events, after the Grissom chapter I very briefly skimmed the rest of the book, since I had established that the author was not honest. (I guess that I myself am pounding my reaction a bit into the ground.) The Right Stuff has gone into my woodstove and is now, at last, providing some heat, if not much light.

This book is about the Mercury Project, NASA’s first manned space missions, and the origins of the astronaut program. Tom Wolfe was a practitioner of “New Journalism.” The only previous experience that I had with that style was with Hunter S. Thompson’s alcohol-and-other-drugs-fueled escapades in Las Vegas while covering a race for Sports Illustrated and his alcohol-fueled experiences at the Kentucky Derby. Based on those reading experiences, it was my understanding that one of the hallmarks of New Journalism was Journalist-as-Participant. The historical record, however, is pretty clear that a drunk Tom Wolfe had not, in fact, been blasted into orbit with John Glenn or any of the other Mercury 7 astronauts. How then is The Right Stuff an example New Journalism? Well, Tom Wolfe wrote his butt off. The book reads more “literary” than as an object of traditional journalism. Let me explain…no, there is too much…let me sum up…A traditional journalistic or scholarly book about the early astronauts and “what made them tick” might include quotations from interviews with those astronauts and people that knew them, government officials and news reporters from the time, and maybe a few academics to provide some Authoritative Interpretation. The writer wouldn’t put forth a theory of their own about the astronaut motivations, or, if they did, there’d be a ton of explicit sources backing them up. Tom Wolfe just puts his theories out there, front and center, and then writes with such force – with repeated interjections, sometimes with exclamations! – and capitalizations and callbacks and pretty descriptions and literary techniques that the reader will forget that they are reading some nonfiction book; this story may be (at least in some sense) true, but it reads like a novel. It never really dives into the minutiae of bureaucratic organization nor is it really interested in any one’s point of view other than that which drives the author’s central point: the astronauts were military test pilots fueled by a Manly Competitive Desire to BE THE BEST and that performing well under pressure in that competition exhibits The Right Stuff (which is never explicitly defined, although I have my own theories). I am a fan of David Foster Wallace’s writing, and I could see a clear influence from Tom Wolfe’s style in Wallace’s writing. And David Foster Wallace was certainly not the only literary writer influenced by Wolfe. Fans of literature really should check this out, just to trace back certain styles to their creator (or popularizer). Science fiction fans could be inspired by a (more or less) true account of fighter pilot personality and how their influence (or lack thereof) could impact a fictional space program. Fans of nonfiction could see that there are ways of telling a nonfiction story rather than the usual, traditional methodologies. I’d recommend this book to anyone, just with the disclaimer that it is NOT like the usual biographical or documentary-style rendition of the Mercury Project. The writer’s style is definitely noticeable, and some might be distracted by it (or it could just not be to their taste).

After seeing the movie numerous times, I thought it was time to finally read the book. Although sometimes the language can be colorful and literary, overall I could not put it down, and finished it in just a few days.

Tom Wolfe’s account of the test pilot program in the time of Chuck Yeager and the Mercury astronauts is a fascinating look back at a special time in American history. His sardonic take on many details had me laughing, and his genuine love and admiration for the men involved comes shining through in his writing. A line from the end probably sums it up best: “but the day when an astronaut could parade up Broadway while traffic policemen wept in the intersections was no more." This was the story of that time.

With the 50th Anniversary of the moon landing, I thought the rereading of “The Right Stuff” might be worthwhile. It was. I’d forgotten much of what had been covered in Tom Wolfe’s book, but the added perspective of some 30 plus years gives new resonance to his take on our space program and politics of that period. Through my work, I had the chance to meet with Pete Conrad in the early 90’s. He is the first pilot/astronaut that he introduces in his book, and uses his life to introduce the reader to what it takes to have the Right Stuff. He was not chosen in the first group of Astronauts, but in the second. And Wolfe introduces the changes in the perception of the pilots and of the public as to what it meant to be an Astronaut in that intervening time. Well worth rereading in light of today's political and space environment.

I've always been a huge fan of the movie from 1983, so I finally decided to read the book. It's, in a word, odd. It's not written in the standard "so-and-so said this, then this happened, then he said this" style of storytelling. Instead, it's told as an observer describing the situation and its undercurrent, with a large dose of sarcasm. Wolfe undercuts the notion of their hero status, and presents the astronauts not as men, but as ideas and perceptions. At times it's hilarious, other times maddeningly wordy. Sometimes interesting, other times it wanders into the weeds. There's a lot of good historical info that's not in the movie, which I found interesting, but some if it is difficult to glean as Wolfe spends so much time telling us "what it all means," instead of the nuts and bolts of "what happened." Overall, it's a good read once you get used to the style, especially for those of us that grew up during the Space Race.

I was pleasantly surprised reading Wolfe’s The Right Stuff. I expected it might be more of the same old, same old. It isn’t. Wolfe’s style is factually detailed to include relationships, how they developed between pilots, spouses, politicians and the Armed Services. Tipping off my age, reading this book brought the actual jet and space flights back to life from my early youth. Perhaps the most fascinating element of the book was the political response, the OMG of the folks inside the beltway even in the 50’s and 60’s as they couldn’t bear having to chase the USSR into space. The book was also a good reminder of how the media can be hounding those who they believe can help them with their reporting. All in all, just a terrific read and a very enjoyable journey through a less complex time in our history. You will enjoy reading about some real 20th century American heroes and why they were exceptional.

I grew up in Lancaster, CA a few minutes south of Edwards Air Force Base. Sonic booms and low flying jets overhead were a part of my childhood. Aviation history happened in my backyard and I am fascinated by it all. How did we go from the Wright brothers in Kitty Hawk to Yeager and the speed of sound in just fifty years? The Right Stuff is a classic. Published in 1979, Wolfe chronicles the life of test pilots as they journey to be the first men in space. Any way you look it, this is an amazing piece of American history. If you love science and technology, you can admire the technical aspects. If you love grit and genius, you can admire the determination and bravery of the first astronauts. If you love political history, you can admire the Cold War politics manifesting through manned space flight. This is the first time I have read celebrated author Tom Wolfe and I am very impressed. It would be very easy to spout historical narratives in a very dry and boring manner. Instead, Wolfe keeps you captivated the whole time, even when I knew the end of the story.

A superbly written story of the first seven US astronauts. The author brilliantly describes the macho culture of the test pilots, the rigorous training, the arduous and occasionally humiliating medical procedures and selection process they undertook to become 'star voyagers', and finally the exhilaration of the first US space flights. Wolfe is absolutely in love with his heroes and with the grandeur of space exploration, but he is also a sharp and critical observer, contrasting the macho attitudes of the astronauts with the nervousness and panic of the wives awaiting their husbands' return from another dangerous voyage, skewering the shallow and obnoxious press (which he ironically dubs The Genteel Beast) and mocking the politicians ready to use lofty goals of space exploration in their machinations. There is one downside, though: the book occasionally becomes very Keroauc-esque in its language, all-too-vivid descriptions (quick admission: I hate On the Road with a passion), and even punctuation: the ellipses and exclamation signs are sprinkled throughout the text too liberally for my taste. But in a weird way, this style suits the epicness of the book's subject and doesn't detract from the overall pleasure of reading it. One other thing: Wolfe seems to get a lot of flak for his 'slanderous' treatment of Gus Grissom, which in my opinion is undeserved. If you actually read the book, you'll find that Wolfe doesn't state or even imply that Grissom actually 'screwed the pooch', i.e. blew the escape hatch of his pod prematurely. All Wolfe says in the book is that there were rumors that Grissom had actually done it, and these rumors weighed heavily on Gus and his wife. In fact, Gus was probably my favorite 'character' in the book, so much that upon finishing I immediately went to scour Wikipedia and online book shops trying to learn more about him. Make of it what you will.

I have seen the film countless times since 1983 and loved it. I grew up during the Apollo Era and remembered the network coverage and excitement but never got around to read Wolfe’s book. How I wished I had read it earlier. Terrific account of the early space race (pre-Apollo) balanced between Yeager and friends at Edwards and the Mercury 7 in Florida. Adds so much background to the mindset of the original seven and Yeager during that period of unease as America dueled with the Soviets for “the high ground of space”. People who were not alive at the time might struggle with understanding the hero worship aimed at these men. Wolfe’s book helps those who missed it TO understand. Highly recommended.

I first read this book about 25 years ago, and the movie is one of my favorites. I’m pretty sure I loaned it out and when I was unable to locate it, I reordered a copy. While I am certainly well familiar with the history, and many of the characters, the detail of many test flights and space launches was outstanding. I have read that Wolfe has been criticized for his coverage of Gus Grissom’s mission, in which the hatch on his capsule mysteriously “just blew” while being recovered after an ocean splash down, resulting in loss of the capsule. Wolfe certainly paints a less than flattering picture of Grissom’s actions and composure, but appeared to me to be largely “fact based”. In any event, I find this book to be a fascinating account of the early years of the space program and cannot recommend it highly enough.

It took me a long time to finish this book. It covers a period in history before I was born, so I have no memory of the press coverage. The two things that struck me the most were the cruel treatment of the chimpanzees, and the fact that “the right stuff” seemed to be a lot about ego. After reading it, I want to go back to Johnson Space Center and revisit the exhibits about Project Mercury.

The Right Stuff is the story of 7 men chosen for the Mercury space program and also about the life of Chuck Yeager, a very talented test pilot. Most of the story takes place from the late 50's when the U.S. was in a race with Russia to reach outer space. There was a lot of pressure on the U.S. because Russia had already sent out the first manned space flight. Personally I liked the story a lot, it was very interesting, but I feel like the story spent a lot of time around things that were not important to the progression of the story. Examples of this is when they are all sitting around at their hangout, not really doing anything. The characters were very interesting though, at first they were kind of low down and rowdy, but as the story progresses they end up much more mature and helpful to each other. I learned a lot from this book, such as: Who broke the sound barrier first, who the first to go into space were, and how they all got there. I would recommend this book to those who are looking for an interesting story about the advancement of our current technology.

Although the seller did describe the book accurately and briefly in writing, it was unfortunate they chose a photo of a pristine dust jacket and a signed edition; as it can lead one to believe that their item will be of similar quality. That particular sales tactic gulled me into paying over forty dollars for a worn out copy of this book that would retail for $4.95 at Goodwill. Always look before you leap my friends...and avoid transactions with this seller.

Good book that describes the competing two paths for manned space flight. The test pilots of the X series actually flew those rocket planes, reached space and landed them on their own. Surprising to see how they were forgotten after the achievements of the Mercury astronauts who rode automated rocket craft with little opportunity to use pilot skills. Sad that the X pilots did not get the recognition and respect they deserved from Americas leaders and people.

It is a pretty lengthy book but the author somewhat covered almost all bases. The reason I liked this book is that this came from a humble beginning. It was cool to learn a lot of stuff in the backstage-ness. Piqued my curiosity for more of old school space stuff...however, I do believe the author could focus on the few things better than a lot of side stories in between.

Classic Tom Wolfe recounting of the Mercury space program. Well researched and written. The Right Stuff provides context and background for this Cold War era drama. As an Air Force brat during the 60s and 70s, Wolfe reignited my early memories of the heroes, flight lines, hot jets, the smell of JP4, and “the right stuff“ we kids wanted to have. Never wanted to be an astronaut but understand now why the seven did. Thanks gents and well done!

A detailed look at the Mercury astronauts in the context of the American political scene of the late 50s and early 60s. Tom Wolfe tells the story in his own particular style - it's non-fiction that reads like fiction. He captures the feel of that era with precision. Enjoyable and informative.

I enjoyed reading this book from page one. It was very informative and exciting to learn about the beginning of our space program and personal experience of the astronauts.

I liked the movie, but I loved the book. The book covers so much more than the movie, a cliche, but the movie does not do justice to all that the seven astronauts went through, nor what their peers went through at Edwards. This book brings all of them more to life. If you are intrigued by space flight, you need to read this book.

Early on in the book I found myself annoyed by the persistent repetition of phrases. If the intent was to impress upon me the God-like status of the pilots I got the message the first time. Unfortunately this narrative bludgeoning persisted to the bitter end. I forced myself to the end but I came away disappointed.

its a really good story, but it is too damn long. I read a lot of books (about 1 a week) and am not put off by large books as long as it is needed. This book could lose 30% minimum and carry same weight.

Tom Wolfe has written a book about Project Mercury, America's first manned space program, and about the test pilots from whom the Mercury seven, the original seven astronauts, were chosen. It is Tom Wolfe at his very best, better in fact than he's been before. It is technically accurate, learned, touching, tough,--it is superb.

It’s not often I choose militaryesque, non-fiction books but with National Geographic Channel’s new series based on this book, I thought I’d give it a read. Truly it was an excellent story to see what the first test pilots and seven astronauts went through. I can’t believe I never picked this up before.

Really enjoyed this book. The story telling is vivid, colorful, engaging and exciting. I loved the book as much if not more than the movie. The book serves as a more in depth companion to the movie and offers a little more perspective. Like the movie, the book is entertainment and not a historical reference. With that in mind it serves its purpose very well.

I am reading this 40 years after publication, and 55 years after the last flight chronicled in the book. Most of the actors are dead, and Wolfe is dead, but Chuck Yeager is still alive at age 96. Yeager surely is one tough cookie. Wolfe captures the spirit of a time, place, and people engaged in exploring the boundaries of human performance and technology.

Read the book, watch the movie, but skip this audio reading - it is painful to listen to.

While many of the names are familiar, the early years of NASA are not. The stress of the families was brought to light along with the political maneuvering by the astronauts lends a new insight into the beginnings of the Space Race. This book is "the right stuff" for a terrific read.

I had seen the movie long, long ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. Because I had seen the movie, I imagined that the book would be a boring read. Wrong! It is far, far more entertaining than the movie. After finishing the book you are left with the feeling that you had actually been there with the Mercury 7 astronauts. Should be required reading for anyone who is remotely interested in the space age. Thank you Tom Wolfe.

No one can write like Tom Wolf. He could make a car owner’s manual fascinating. His powers of observation and analysis are superb. If you take the time to read The Right Stuff, you will find that it was time well spent.

Reading this book for my son's academic decathalon, I was reminded how fresh and bright Tom Wolfe's reporting was compared to everyone else, then or now. Even you care little about the space program or its premises, this is a story of misplaced men in a misplaced time that comes to life on the page through the unique lens of Tom Wolfe. Wolfe benefits significantly, I think, from remaining grounded in the reality of the men of historical legend as opposed to the Booleanh drift that seems to take occur with his fiction

Can’t believe it took me so long to get around to reading this, but I’m sure glad I did. Even better than I expected. Really brought that episode in history to life. Thoroughly enjoyable and informative.

This book is good to read and historically accurate in most respects. I wish it had been written in a narrative style as opposed to the new journalism approach he takes. I actually like the movie adaptation better for that reason. But the book is still really quite good and insightful.

A real inside look at the world of the test pilots who became our first astronauts and the challenges they faced and overcame. If you're interested in the first years of the space race this book is the one!

Told in a well crafted story telling fashion....kept me engaged in the details. Lots of history and tales of the space program start that I never knew. And nostalgic as it reminded me of the heyday for astronauts and space travel that was waning but still present as I was growing up in the 70s.

I enjoyed reading this book for it's insider point of view from the first seven astronauts, wives and family. The reality of the NASA Mercury program in the early days was very different from what we who lived through that period were led to believe.

When this book ended I wished Mr. Wolfe had kept writing. I wanted to hear more about the space program in his voice. It was a very informative read, but also fun and suspenseful at the same time (even though we all know what happened in the end!). A great story about the men and wives and history of the US space program.

A well written non-fiction book that takes the reader back to the late 1950's into American's efforts to keep up and surpass the Soviet Union in placing a man into space. Tom Wolfe, as usual, does a great job. I give it four stars simply because I think it could have been edited without detracting from the story line.

Tom Wolfe was the big deal 50 years ago, and his writing still holds up well on re-reading much later. This book pioneered many of the subsequent tropes for journalistic history writing, and of course "the right stuff" became a ubiquitous phrase in the US afterward. Definitely worth reading if you haven't, and worth checking out again if it's been awhile.

Tom Wolfe's writing style cracks me up. Very serious, life and death subject and situations, but told in a way that's hilarious, while being totally serious at the same time! Highest recommendation!

Book is better than the movie. Just seeing what the brave lads put themselves though is a story in itself. The movie is more of a topical overview of the entire story.

I enjoyed this book very much. It was very well written and was very funny at times. You really get to know the people involved in our space program. This book as The Right Stuff.

Enjoyed the book even though Tom Wolfe uses a thousand words to say what could be said in a hundred. Enjoyed learning about the camaraderie but also the competition between the men.

I ordered a used trade paperback of "The Right Stuff" to re-read, and when it arrived, it was in such perfect shape that I thought they had sent me a brand new book by mistake! Thanks for offering this great bargain.

I have read the paperback version of this book several times over the years and I love it to death. I just wish Kindle would make at least some effort to proof-read before they publish. Missing words, misspelled words, wrong words used... how hard can it be to make a Kindle version that is accurate to the printed version?? That being said, I am glad it is available in the Kindle format.

This was the second time I'd read Wolfe's Right Stuff. The first was about when it came out. It hasn't lost its freshness , information, and humor. I highly recommend it.

I was motivated to re-read The Right Stuff after 30 years by Wolfe’s passing. The scope of his life’s work enhances the reaction to this piece of it. No one else could have written this. No one else could bring one inside of the minds of these people the way Wolfe does. Just an incredible achievement. .

With Chuck Yeagers recent passing this was a great chance to revisit this classic. Well worth it- feels like we have gone backwards, not forwards.

Tom Wolfe gives a brilliantly entertaining and inspirational book about one of the most colorful chapters in recent American history -- the years from the first supersonic piloted test flight up to the early Sixties, when astronauts completed the beginning of America's space program. Wolfe writes about "the right stuff--" a blend of correct judgment, coolness, and the ability to get the job done no matter what the danger. Wolfe rarely depends on technical stuff, so the book will appeal to those who know or care little about aviation or space, and there's little to deter the squeamish, either. The author shows the period's bright side (the accomplishments in spite of the danger, the dopamine-flowing release after a job well-done, the intense exhilaration of it all) , and the dark side (the fears of the families, the tragic deaths from minor lapses in luck or judgment, the tedious egomania of many involved in the programs). This book epitomizes the bright and dark side of Wolfe's school of writing, too. Above all, Wolfe can be as riveting and as entertaining as you'll find -- "truth can be funnier than fiction." I have heard how Wolfe caught the essence of what someone wanted to say even better than the one who said it, and he sure puts you into the thick of the action. The author gives a legitimate and interesting perspective. Nevertheless, this style plays heavily on your emotions, with all the problems that can involve, and the book is not terribly objective -- a purely entertaining incident can assume more importance than it should. Since Wolfe's storytelling style can blur the distinction between fact and conjecture, it "stretches the envelope" of truthtelling, so if another storyteller doesn't have basic integrity (and many authors and journalists regrettably do not), this style of writing can mislead or deceive. Character development and depth are questionable; those who have "the right stuff" in the face of danger are portrayed as almost superhuman, and those who don't are made into buffoons (no matter how significant their contributions to the mission). This "tyranny of the cool" can get a bit annoying after a while. In short, I think Wolfe's book gives a grand idea of the spirit of the times, and of life's entertainment value, but it is rightly considered a novel rather than history. I easily gave it five stars because it is SUCH an inspirational and delightful read, but I would approach it with a bit of light-hearted skepticism.

As an F104 fighter pilot myself who flew the very jet shown in the movie, and as an operational ‘test & evaluation’ pilot, with my own ‘edge of the envelope’ experiences, I loved how the author accurately captured the emotions & ego of fighter flying. This average fighter pilot thoroughly enjoyed every page.

Just okay... long winded.

This was a 5 star read!!! Loved every page and every chapter.Historical but reads like a great sci to read.

Fun read of early risk takers and how it all turned out in the end. Era was wild in those years hiding under a desk at school waiting to get nuked

I love the story of the space program, but I didn't like Tom Wolfe's writing style. I didn't think his story telling style was very effective and at times it was disjointed and labored. I had to skip/skim to get to what he was trying to say.

White, Christian, men of European decent, breaking down barriers for glory, honor, and nation. What have we become? Who are we? What does our country mean anymore?

I've read a bunch of space history books so this book taught me few facts that I didn't already know. But it provides a rich perspective on the culture among the test pilots and astronauts of that time that I had not read about before. It's a fun and illuminating read.

Wolfe captures the essence of the aura associated with the early astronauts, and the birth of the space age. As one whe grew up in this era, it provided additional insights from a different perspective.

Interesting chronology of the "first 7" astronauts. I would have liked a bit more in the way of facts and the experience of training for the space mission, but it did dwell mostly on the personalities. to reinforce the idea of how important the "right stuff" was

This is a people-oriented look at America's entry into space. It begins with test pilots in the late 1940s and into the 1950s, especially with the guy who broke the sound barrier, Chuck Yeager. Then, after America's space program gets a jolt from the USSR's launching of the Sputnik, the story proceeds through Project Mercury to the last Mercury mission in 1963. Be advised, Tom Wolfe does not give us a comprehensive account of Project Mercury. The astronauts, their wives, NASA people, Lyndon Johnson, John Kennedy, and a few other characters play roles in the story, and sometimes--particularly regarding the astronauts and their wives--the focus on them is close. But a great amount of material regarding the Mercury missions is omitted or is given only cursory examination. Obviously there is more to the history of America's early space program than the people. Even so, I doubt if the formal history, THIS NEW OCEAN: A HISTORY OF PROJECT MERCURY, includes the information about people that Wolfe includes. I may change my mind after reading THIS NEW OCEAN, but for now I think both books are necessary for a complete picture. Also be advised, THE RIGHT STUFF is not written in the conventional style of historical narration. Wolfe's style is light and often witty. He uses jargon, colorful figures of speech, and hyperbole. With amazon's "Look Inside" feature, I read the first pages of THIS NEW OCEAN. Its prose is conventional nonfiction, like something found on the front page of a newspaper. Wolfe's prose is like something found in editorial pages or in a breezy novel. There are no footnotes and no index. In his "Author's Note" at the end, Wolfe provides a brief bibliography. Many of Wolfe's paragraphs are too long, but this is the only thing I condemn unequivocally as a flaw. For history I do prefer straightforward factual narration, not flippancy, and if I were writing this only to myself, I would consider that flippancy a flaw. Nevertheless, the acclaim this book has received indicates that most other readers are not bothered by Wolfe's style. So you will probably not consider it a flaw. Though some of Wolfe's details are inaccurate, details are soon forgotten anyway, and for this book I think they are not worth harping about. I give him five stars because of his revealing portrayals of characters. They are accurate enough, I think, and they will be remembered. P.S. July 30, 2012: I tried reading THIS NEW OCEAN: A HISTORY OF THE MERCURY PROJECT, which is NASA's official history of the Mercury Project. It was tedious, made more so by its lack of a list of abbreviations and an index. Though John Catchpole's PROJECT MERCURY was written with the same matter-of-fact, term-paper prose, it had a list of abbreviations and an index and was more readable. Though I had to work to get it and though I had to pay a steep price for his book, Catchpole at least gave me the information that Tom Wolfe left out.

terrific read and insight into the beginnings of our space program. wished our country still had the fire/will to continue. forgotten(selective memory?;)) how stupid our gov can be sometimes- both then and now

As represented. Bought for book club. Not crazy about the book; could not finish even the 1st 100 pages. Would buy from this seller again.

A good story I had to read while anxiously waiting to see the new series “Right Stuff” this Fall on Disney plus based on the book.

I have been wanting to read this book for a long time. The story was very engrossing, well written and addicting. I will say that I was a bit disappointed that it stopped before man goes to the moon, but considering the amount of research that went into this book, I can't imagine how much longer that would have taken. The book itself provides very good characterizations of the original astronauts, and makes you feel like you know who they are and how they will react in each scenario. I was also impressed with the detail in which Wolfe describes many of the astronauts home lives as it does not seem like it would be the easiest information to gather. These rich characterizations do not apply only to the astronauts, however. Wolfe also provides vivid details on the implied/perceived hierarchies within the armed services as well as colorful scenes which really help to imbue fighter pilots/test pilots in general as a lot of daring, crazy, and above all else brave folks who are willing to put their life on the line in order to push the envelope of what is considered achievable. At the end of the book you are left not only with a sense of the obstacles that the space program had to overcome within the armed services to be taken legitimately, but also you are left with a much stronger respect for the AF/Navy/Army pilot who takes his plane over a dry southern california desert uncertain if the controls are going to work, how the plane is going to handle in extremely conditions, or whether or not this will be his last flight.

I don't know why I never got around to reading this book until now, other than I thought that I had seen the movie years ago and that was good enough. Boy was I wrong. The book is a million times better. A must read if you are into the space program.

I enjoyed reading about the founding fathers of our space program. The background, training, personalities and their paths to being an astronaut were very interesting throughout the entire book. The book could have been much better written though , the author was pretty foul mouthed for the whole book.

The movie is an excellent companion to the book

I’ve seen the film easily 10 times so the dialogue was very familiar. I loved the fact that so much of it came from the book. Can’t believe it took 30+ yrs before I dove in to the book, but better late than never.

I enjoyed it from a historical point of view; being a pilot(not a fighter jock)this was a a recommended read. Stick and rudder is a better choice if your looking for fundmental piloting concepts. This made me crack a grin every now and then with the paradies on pilot personas and test pilot culture.

The movie was wonderful, but skipping the book means that you lose out on Tom Wolfe's magical prose. Wow, this guy is a fantastic writer.

It's just so...good. My father is a test pilot, so as an adult reading this gave me an interesting insight into things I had never thought about before in my family.

I devoured this book; I just finished reading it on the anniversary of the moon landing. This book is a must read for anyone interested in space or for people with sheer determination to succeed & aim high in life

Son loved this book

Tom Wolfe is a fabulous author, taking us from test pilots at Edwards AFB to the Mercury astronaut selections and their intensive testing, the wives, the flights and all of the emotions they experienced. Truly captivating - a great read!

Tom Wolfe’s way of describing events and the environment within which these events take place is masterful. Capturing the truly historic time of the USAs first forays into space in a way only he can do. Highly recommended and then Follow it up with the movie which is also exceptional.

Tom Wolfe is a master story teller. This book has inspired future astronauts, pilots, rocket aces and engineers. It’s a classic

This was a gift

This book was recommended by our son. My husband really enjoyed it.

Having seen the movie before reading the book, I expected Wolfe's THE RIGHT STUFF to be good. I was surprised how good it turned out to be in capturing the mood of the America in the late 50s and early 60s. Character, admittedly topped off with a little self-promotion in zorder to rise up the military ladder, was king. Also pointed out by Wolfe is the Protestant underpinings of the seven golden boys. Backed by Presbyterian and TIME magazine czar, H. Luce, John Glenn (Presbyterian to the core) became the perfect promotional piece for the day and age. The narrative moves quickly. The sections on Yeager are worthy of their own treatment as a book. Wolfe is on top of his game, which in his case is not being too flowery.

Worth the purchase

Boycott

Very good

When I talk about the "The Right Stuff," people talk about the movie, but as usual, the book is better. This is the book I give to reluctant readers, who then gobble it up. Twenty years after I first read "The Right Stuff," it still holds a special thrilling place in my heart. I'm back to buy a copy for my teenage son, who is interested in flying. History is history, and so much better when brought into full living color (inside your head).

Is The Right Stuff the Great American Novel? Obviously it's not a novel, but this book follows NONE of the standards the reading public and (more powerfully) the publishers demand. The language flows like the Nile, WOOOOOOOOSSHHHHing forward and then holding still over moments that stay with the reader long after he's finished the copy. This is not a proper review, frankly, and shouldn't be considered one. This is a charge. You MUST read The Right Stuff. It matters not whether you find flight and aeronautics important. What matters is that you are interested in a breathtaking story.

Very good, but a bit ponderous in some places. Nice history of the era.

Great book on a group of men l always wanted to learn about. Wolfe’s style brings the world of the Jet Age and the New Frontier alive by describing the men who pioneered America’s first ventures into Space.

Very interesting inside story of the first astronauts, Gemini!

It's Tom Wolfe at his best.

fun book to read

I remember all the news about this book. I brought back some good thoughts of the space program.

America was a more innocent place in the early 60's. The space race and the hero worship of the astronauts set against the Cold War and big bad Russia.; The line between good and evil was simple. I enjoyed Wolfe's portray a l of each of the original 7.

Better than the movie!

Great book

If you were expecting essentially the same as you saw in the movie, you'll be disappointed. But a good read - especially for a history buff

Book in A one shape. I gave it as a gift to a friend which brought smiles

Abc

This book is an extremely detailed account of the development of NASA and the early American space flights. That and nothing more. It is not a motivational or self-help book. It is purely a historical account of events.

I woke up this morning thinking about this book and the wonderful movie that followed. Being true to my instincts I will now read it again for the first time in 20 years. In a time when our heroes are overpaid athletes and overexposed celebrities (who cares about Brad and Angelina ?) it is high time we got our priorities straight and remember who our "idols" really are! Many of them are right here in this book.

One of Tom Wolfe's finest, and a terrific example of what he called 'new journalism'. Good as the movie was, the book's better. This started life as an article about Apollo 17, and evolved into a rollicking history of the space race, through the Mercury series of space launches. It portrays the lives of test pilots, both before the astronaut corps was born, and after. And, thankfully, it pays homage to the original hotshit test pilot: Chuck Yeager. It's one of my favorite books, and I've read it cover to cover a dozen times. I like the story and the history, but I love the way Tom Wolfe played with language. Buy it for the adventure, and love it for the words.

Don't know much about today's writers, so I decided to go back and read the Authors who have been highly lauded over the years. Since Tom Wolfe is no longer with us, I wanted to start with "The Right Stuff". I lived through the decades of the story and know the type of people involved. Tom Wolfe pulls you right into the time and the troubles that these men who wanted to go out into space or just fly jets. They were the pioneers of today's Space travel and they are portrayed not only as hero's but men with the adventurers spirit to have accomplished what we know now as America's best and brightest of the time. Excellent for anyone who wants to understand the effort it took to get to where we are today

It started a bit slow for me but I really enjoyed this book! It has spurred my interest in the Space Race greatly. It is full of juicy details. He brings the launches and missions to life wonderfully. I will reread this one again.

I got a second-hand mass paperback edition, rather than the Kindle version, which reviewers say was shot through with errors. I thought the book was great, making the personalities who created and manned the Mercury program come alive. I did have a question from the book. Wolfe made no secret of his feeling that the apex of the right stuff quality was to be found in the working test pilots. The astronauts had the right stuff, without question, but had a tough time keeping their edge since flying high-performance aircraft was not part of the astronaut training program. Wolfe also more than hinted that the manned spaceflight exploration by the X-15 and X-20 experimental models was a lost opportunity when that program was cancelled. I would have liked to see some informed speculation on whether an aircraft along the lines of the X-20 would be able to transition into orbital spaceflight, or was the X-15 program just a spectacular dead end? Perhaps "The Right Stuff" was not intended to consider such questions, but the book definitely lays out the view that the X-15 was cancelled for political, rather than technical, reasons.

From the first lines of this book, I was hooked. Tom Wolfe has such an easy way of bringing to life such an amazing time in American history. I have always considered the Mercury-Apollo missions the pinnacle of American space flight. Plus, as a child at the tail-end of the cold war, I grew up with a natural distrust of the Russians. The Right Stuff blends the history of the beginnings of the Mercury program while combining a healthy dose of patriotism; and it does all this in with such a conversational tone that I almost felt that I was listening to stories from my grandpa. Lately this has been the non-fiction book that I recommend to most and I don't hesitate recommending it to anyone. Don't miss this one.

When World War Two was over, the American Air force started to work with jet planes. Planes the were faster, more agile, and had more altitude. The Cold War was heating up when in 1957. The Russian launched Sputnik 1 into space. This set the Americans on a small edge. The American government was afraid the Russians would put nuclear weapons in space and launch them at America. So the U.S. decided to start their own space program. Only America wanted to put people in space. The Mercury Project was established and was indented to train and put people in space. The Astronauts were selected based on their aviation history with rocked planes. Then the candidates would be brought to a facility to be tested on to see if they were capable enough to be shot into space(did they have to right stuff). The seven astronauts were selected and mission started. The American space program was slow and by the time one capsule was working the Russians had launched many more. The program was finally successful when Alan Shepard went into space and when John Glenn orbited earth. The book introduces struggles that NASA and America overcame to go to space. There were many things that I liked about this book. The way the author describes the setting makes you feel as if you were there in the early 1960's with them. I really enjoyed reading this book because it explain a lot of the behind the stage astronaut activity not many know about. I was very interesting to learn about the tests and struggles the pilots had to go through to became astronauts. One of the only things that I didn't like about the book was the fact that the "story" did not really carry out. The book only focused on a six year period from 1957-63. There is no doubt in my mind that these were very significant years in the space race, but the book didn't mention the moon landing I really did enjoy this book though. There were not really any themes or messages in this book because it was a non-fiction book. If anyone is interested in space of history this would be a great book for them. Since this boo;k is about the space race it is focused on America's retaliation to Russia's launch of Sputnik 1. This book is about America building a space program and trying to bet Russia to space. If you ire into history this would also be a good book for you. This book is filled with historical information. The book takes place in 1957-1963. During the Cold War many historical space events occurred. The heat was on as Russia and America went heat to head in a battle for the stars. So if your into history or space, This would be a great book for you.

Great book; interesting reading especially if you are interested in America's space program.

Good book.

Cool stories that really captured the pulp genre. Loved all of them. Looking forward to reading more ! Thanks for a fun ride !

For anyone who likes non-fiction or 20th century history, this is a must read.

This story easily entered my Top 5 books within the first 2 chapters. It only grew from there. Wolfe's style, pacing, and his narrative voice demonstrate an extraordinary gift of storytelling surpassing many past and present peers. That narrator voice is pretty unique in writing - conversational and familiar, sharp and analytical, a bit of the South in it... Wolfe was not afraid to let his own opinions show (which I guess was the critical component of "New Journalism") but he doesn't attempt to pass opinions as facts aka John Reed, et al. You know it's a person telling it as they see it with the resulting knowledge that you know where they're coming from. Additionally, when he's relating how a witness perceived an event, it is still in the narrative voice, rather than adopting the voice of the person who used it. In many ways, this could have been a disastrous approach, but it works. You feel this is a guy telling you a story. There was hilarity on most pages, even in the morbid statistics. I loved the portions on the chimps. You really felt for Ham and Enos and the tortures they endured. The worse the picture became, the more Wolfe ratcheted up the wide-eyed, can-you-believe-this-crap comedy.

An amazing tribute to America's jet age pioneers. As pilots train and fight against AI, this are will never be seen again.

To be honest I was expecting a boring nonfiction read, but to my surprise Wolfe did an amazing job by introducing fiction in to real events. Learned a lot from his book while enjoying myself and the reading.

Tom wolf weaves an amazing story The first 100 pages are eye openers on what early jet test flight pilots were living. Enjoy

Really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to others.

Good details about the brave test pilots and Mercury Astronauts. You feel like you're riding with them on their sojourns into the heavens!

I read this years ago, and it's still just as great decades later. And this new format is so awesome.

With his unique style, Wolfe tells the tale of America's entrance into the Space Age. And he does it with verve and vigor. It's a lively, fast-paced read that focuses on status and manliness in mid-20th Century America.

I really enjoyed reading about the Mercury Project astronauts, but some of Wolfe's narrative was a bit slow and drawn out. However,t I'm definitely glad to have had the opportunity to read it.

I finally decided it was time to read the book. One of my all time favorite movies, but the book is so much more in depth on the people and events. Highly recommended -

Excellent

Brings the early days of the space race alive. I couldn’t put this book down. Makes you want to keep flying to the stars!

I hadn't read this in about 20 years. I forgot how funny this book is. Still a great read.

I bought the illustrated edition by accident, I thought I was buying the standard paperback version, but a great read for all that, in no way diminished by all the superb photos, why would it be?

With the craziness of 2017, I went searching for patriotism, and a sense of common destiny. I enjoyed the read.

Fun read, I saw the movie years ago and decided to see what the book had differently. Glad I did!

Excellent book excellent writer do not know why I waited so long to read it.

good book and always enjoy reading every few years

The book...

Absolutely love the movie and after all this time I just finally read the book. It added so much more to what I already knew about this time in our military/NASA history. It also included many details that were not in the movie. I was not alive back then but I believe just about anyone at any age could find this a compelling read. And then see the movie (or vice versa).

A great American story.

Tom Wolf perception and writing style cast a scathing eye on the testosterone drive, shenanigans, and mores of the period. I was one of the adoring public that admired and tracked "the astronauts" but never understood the tragic forces that drove so many young, talented men to almost frivolous deaths and fronted a public facade of "perfect families." Riveting

Great book. Wolfe is an excellent author. Nonfiction book that carries you along like fiction. Always interesting, gets your heart pounding from time to time.

Words still have the power to captivate. 50 years since the Right Stuff walked on the Moon. The Right Stuff still whispers to us.

A FIVE-STAR BOOK!!! Brilliantly written, and brilliant psychological interpretation. What a great ride! -- I mean read. :-)

I have not much to add to the other reviews, just wanting to support with five stars. This book is about pilots, herostuff, the dawning of the space age and is very well researched: if you want to know about fighter pilots lives, their training, the first space modules etc, this is one to buy. And above all, it has an amazingly smart style, combining humor, facts, drama and tragedy to one big true! comedy about...the right stuff. You will laugh and learn at the same time! One of the best books I have read so far.

After seeing the movie, it was a treat to read the book and get more insight. Movie follows the book pretty faithfully. It was a "easy" read.

This wonderful book will put you right in the capsule, on top of a giant rocket, ready to lift into space. It felt like I had a smile on my face for most of the time reading this book. Beautifully descriptive and humorous, I can't say enough about this great read...

Great book! Will be passing it along to my family and friends

Great book

Wolfe's novelized account of the early days of NASA and Project Mercury is amazing, not just for the breadth of its scope, but for the larger-than-life way he portrays the astronauts, test pilots, and other personalities involved. Wolfe does a spectacular job of capturing the peculiar mindset that compelled men to volunteer - willingly! - to climb aboard an unreliable rocket and cross their fingers. There's a great mix of human drama and technical detail, international politics and individual rivalries, not to mention a lot of humor. It's definitely worth a read for anyone interested in the space program or Cold War history.

Showing the birth of spaceflight from the perspective of the roughnecked astronauts that started it all, this really puts the whole thing into perspective for us landlubbers.

Great story, book is well written covering a lot of information left out of the movie.

Just had to reread after Yeager’s recent death and Perseverance’s triumph! Wolfe work is brilliant, exhilarating and so much fun to read again.

Amazing history of rocket flight and the people who conquered it. Go watch the great movie after reading this. Awesome

I have been bored lately, and looking for a new book to read. Kept finding books and series I had no interest in. Then, perchance, I saw Tom Wolfe's "The Right Stuff". I read it in the late '70s, saw the movie thought i'd been there done that. On a whim, I bought it and started reading it again. I am currently in Chapter Two which examines the culture of "The Right Stuff" mentality of the fighter jocks. WOW, and Wowser! It is still vibrant, captures the psyche of pilots and astronauts and tells the inside of a wonderful story. A Great Book is, apparently, still worth a re-read. THIS IS ONE OF THEM. Highly Recommended. It also captures the elan of the Country and a special political and cultural age in which I, and many of my friends, grew up, which seems to have passed. To me the experience is like ones I have had recently, getting re-acquainted with an old and dear friend. So satisfying.

Great read, not all technical. Our military pilots are terrific people. This is an insight into the best of them in a critical point of American History.

Tom Wolfe, may he rest in peace, was a wonderful writer with a wry sense of humor and an ability to see the absurd in our great American Republic. I lived the years of which he writes and he has caught the time perfectly. It was a perilous time - I and my classmates did shelter under our wooden desks in atomic bomb drills - and so soon after WW II the paranoia was probably justified to some extent. We looked at NASA's failures with great consternation and rejoiced in the eventual triumphs of the space program with satisfaction and joy. The astronauts truly did have the "right stuff" for that time. I can attest from my 12 years in the U.S. Navy that his descriptions of military fighter pilots are on the money. In their business, as in that of test pilots, the ego and the skills go hand in hand. Chuck Yeager was and is one of my American heroes. A great read capturing a unique period in American history skillfully and entertainingly.

Since I have been watching ABC's Astronaut Wives Club mini series this summer, I thought it would be fun to have some additional background on the space program. I initially thought I would read the book the show is based on, The Astronaut's Wives Club; however, after reading several negative reviews about the editing errors of the book, I decided on The Right Stuff. I will say this book is extremely enlightening and gives great background and facts on the space program. I am just not a huge fan of Wolfe's writing style as some of his catch phrases are too repetitive and can become annoying.

This was a re-read for me motivated by the death of Neil Armstrong. As an Air Pilot in the early-70's the "Right Stuff" was something we all knew existed but never discussed. Military flying through the 60's and 70's was a special time in history for a special kind of individual. On one hand we could be the utmost professionals, but at other times gut-feel and what some call "flying by the seat of our pants" prevailed. Today we look back on the Mercury Seven as larger than life heroes, but Tom Wolfe brilliantly unveils the trials, tribulations, and heartaches experienced by the Seven and their families. I hope to get my grandchildren to read this book when they become teens.

There were good moments, but Wolfe was unusually repetitive, for me unacceptably so. O.K. the astronauts were considered heroes by the public and were humanized by the author- a good thing. But move on, Wolfe! The best parts of the book were descriptions of the frustrations undergone by these fighter pilots as they underwent the rigors of training to become astronauts and their loss of control in their new endeavors. Sorry, for me "STUFF", the book, is not a classic. The astronauts were CLASSY, what they did was CLASSIC.

Una interesante mirada a una epoca muy particular de la historia reciente, y a la forma de vida de una comunidad especial, la de los pilotos de combate y pilotos de prueba.

Great book, exactly what I ordered, very quick delivery.

Great read for the "Space Race" interested

I don't even need to give you a long review. The book will speak for itself. I absolutely recommend for any space enthusiasts out there. I don't even read books normally - couldn't put this thing down.

I was a teenager when the first 7 astronauts were introduced to the American public. I remember the Life magazine coverage, Alan Shepard’s sub-orbital flight and all the flights that followed. From the book, it is clear that, at that time, we all viewed the astronauts through rose-covered glasses. The Right Stuff provided a more down-to-earth (no pun intended) picture of the astronauts and their lives during that time. As I was interested in space even before Sputnik, I found the book highly enjoyable and a great trip down memory lane. In parts of the book, though, it almost seemed as if the author was a bit hostile toward the astronauts (though that could just have been the book’s effect on me as it “removed” my rose-colored glasses).

I like this book, I like his style. you can see from different angles, how space era started.

Epic read!

Practically brand new book. Great transaction!!!

I enjoyed having a peek at the life of an astronaut. Well written;, an easy read with plenty of "the right stuff"!

A classic without being a bore. Nice little Shakespeare reference when describing an astronaut singing.

Amazing book. I learned much more than I already knew about X, Mercury, and Gemini. As i read this book I was enraptured by it's quick pace, personal stories, and interesting details.

Good book - I'm not always a Tom Wolfe fan, but this did a good job of sharing with the reader the backstory of America's space program, with a cast that includes a group of test pilots "pushing the envelope" across the high desert of Southern California, a team of "de-Nazified" German rocket scientists who preferred chimpanzees in their capsules, various American political & cultural icons of the era jockeying for a moment in the spotlight, and (of course) the seven men who became America's Mercury astronauts. She liked reading it, and I was glad to share it with her. The book also has the added benefit of giving needed context to the film of the same name, especially with regard to Chuck Yeager's story; a true American hero.

You've got to want to read this book to shuffle through it. Tough read but well worth it.

I liked it, read like a fiction book. Wish it would have kept going into Gemini & Apollo programs. Would recommend

Great insight into the characters, context and emotions of the time. A highly recommended book for anyone interested in the space race

Moving. Fascinating. America needs to be adventurous in space. Chuck, Gordo, Al, Wally, Gus, Scott, John, Deke, and the rest are American hero's. Our first steps in space were adventures by men, men with the Right Stuff. And they should be again

Real American history

I can't believe it took me so long to read this book. Now I can't put it down. I am a pilot and read a lot of aviation literature, and think this some of the best. The story is fascinating and Tom Wolfe is a wonderful writer.

Book I did not read when originally published. Saw the movie and enjoyed it. Read the book and enjoyed it.