From the Bookshelf of Science and Inquiry…

An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth

Chris Hadfield

Start date: September 1, 2016

Finish date: September 30, 2016

Discussion: Book Club 2016

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Book Club 2016

* December 2016 - Wizards, Aliens
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* November 2016 - Neurotribes
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What Members Thought

Feb 28, 2016 Petra X rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016-150-reviews, medicine-science, biography-true-story, 2016-read, 10-star-books, reviewed, travel-adventure-countries

Update There is a PBS documentary, premiered March 2nd, A Year in Space about Scott Kelly's marathon space adventure which just ended. If you have read this book, you will enjoy the film immensely. So many explained in the book, are shown in the film. From the first where you see the three astronauts crammed into the rocket, you understand where each of them is sitting, why you can hear Russian and why it is a Soyuz space ship. And so it goes on. It is wonderful to see all the concepts and techn Update There is a PBS documentary, premiered March 2nd, A Year in Space about Scott Kelly's marathon space adventure which just ended. If you have read this book, you will enjoy the film immensely. So many explained in the book, are shown in the film. From the first where you see the three astronauts crammed into the rocket, you understand where each of them is sitting, why you can hear Russian and why it is a Soyuz space ship. And so it goes on. It is wonderful to see all the concepts and technology in the book in action in the film. Unmissable. (I don't think it would work the other way round so much, see the film, read the book).
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America is a meritocracy. Anything that can be seen as helpful or inspirational and so aiding the climb upwards usually is. So I understand why people think it is a self-help book. But it really isn't. What it is, is the extremely detailed memoir of a very genial man who loves to educate people as much as he likes to do things himself. This education is not in the form of "do this like I did and you will be a more successful person," but more "this is how I became an astronaut and this is how astronauts approach their work. We know most of us will work on Earth and never make it to the ISS, but being an astronaut is a team effort and we are major players in that team."

Since the space shuttle got retired the only way to the ISS is via the Soyuz spacecraft. These are extremely small so that all the really big astronauts immediately had their chances of getting into space dropped to nil. But it also begs the question, why aren't there more, many more, female astronauts? Women are smaller and lighter and consume less resources, whether air, water or food. No physical strength is required in space and the training on Earth is obviously quite achievable for women as there are female astronauts. Why aren't there more? Misogyny? This is a man's job but hey this is the modern world so we'll let 'em up every now and again? I don't know.

One of the great strengths of the book is the author himself who is an immensely likeable man with an attitude that everything is a learning experience. This again is not self-help, it's because every single thing that happens in space has to be dealt with with only the resources and training of the men aboard. There is a thick manual going back to the 60s where every problem that has been encountered has it's solution written down step-by-step for the astronauts to follow. So when they encounter a new problem, they need to think of the future and how their experience could help future astronauts deal with a similar situation.

The day-to-day life on a space station is quite often funny. I knew they slept in hanging sleeping bags but I didn't know their arms were free and as they slept their arms would drift up and wave around, along with their hair. Ball games, for recreational time, were played with large globules of water or other fluids. Garbage disposal is by sending everything back in the small supply rockets that are sent up to them. These little ships burn out before ever reaching Earth. Getting back to Earth is a wild 3 1/2 hour tumble that ends with a big bump.

I would suggest viewing the author's video of himself singing Bowie's Space Oddity and floating in the ISS to get a really good idea of just who the author is - a really great guy. ...more

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Feb 24, 2016 Petra X rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016-150-reviews, 2016-read, biography-true-story, travel-adventure-countries, reviewed, medicine-science

The final review is under the audio book. It was narrated brilliantly by the author, full of warmth, full of humour, full of wanting to share with us all.

Finished. Proper review to come. Five stars and no it's not a self-help inspirational book. Far from it as his mantra is Sweat the Small Stuff and we can't do that in real life unless we have OCD.

Update I've just read the most amazing thing. That it only takes 6 hours to get to the ISS. That's faster than getting from London to NY.

Today I lis ...more

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Sep 13, 2016 David Rubenstein rated it really liked it

Shelves: biography

I greatly enjoyed this book. Chris Hadfield is a remarkable man; his achievements speak for themselves. Despite his remarkable life, he comes out sounding rather humble. He always lets the reader know that each space flight is an incredible team effort. Being an astronaut is not mainly about going into space; it is about the process of training, learning, practicing, undergoing grueling difficulties, and helping others. It means taking a back seat to one's ego. It is about seeing other astronaut ...more

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May 13, 2017 Amanda rated it liked it

Hadfield's book was structured a little differently than I expected, but it was enjoyable and interesting. A little hokey at points, it's still a far sight better than most other inspirational/motivational/self-help-esque books. The dad jokes probably help with that. I think his personal philosophies are pretty good ones, although they're clearly influenced by the kind of environment he grew up in, and aren't always the most nuanced. "The Colonel Says", indeed.

I loved the space bits (no surpris ...more

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