“American Moonshot is a thoroughly terrific work which should reach the widest possible audience. As a study in leadership, it is absolutely first rate. As history, it is inspiring and enthralling. And to cap it all, it is a completely riveting story about the Space Age. I love this book.”
—Doris Kearns Goodwin is author of the Pulitzer Prize winning book No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front During World War II
“Prepare to recall what it was like to be inspired and thrilled by American greatness. Doug Brinkley recounts, with deep research and exciting narrative, the bold spirit and faith in innovation that was embodied in Kennedy’s decision to launch a mission to the moon. His vision restored a vitality to America, something we could use today.”
—Walter Isaacson, author of Kissinger and Albert Einstein
“In an age when so little seems possible, Douglas Brinkley has taken us back to a moment when everything did. In telling the riveting story of John Kennedy and the race to the moon, Brinkley explores the complexities of politics, diplomacy, technology, and, perhaps most important, of human nature itself. This is a great book.”
—Jon Meacham, author of Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush
“Douglas Brinkley is a historian with a heart as big as his intellectual range, and his love of this assignment shines through on every page. Moonshot looks at the Kennedy presidency through the prism of space and the space program through the prism of Kennedy—and shines on both levels, making connections that render these two important, well-chronicled Cold War phenomena in a fresh and satisfying way.”
–Diane McWhorter, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Carry Me Home: Birmingham, Alabama—The Climactic Battle of the Civil Rights Revolution
“At a time when national demoralization is so prevalent, Douglas Brinkley’s American Moonshotcould not be more timely. His reconstruction of JFK’s bold commitment to space exploration and the heroic efforts of the men who made the “moonshot” a reality reminds us that America was and can be again a great principled nation that leads the world on to new frontiers.”
—Robert Dallek author of An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917 – 1963
“American Moonshotis masterful. Pulsing with fresh new research, Douglas Brinkley’s latest book captures that Cold War moment when America made a magnificent leap into the heavens. Brinkley weaves the presidency, biography, and science into a gripping narrative, rewarding readers with a tour-de-force of the Space Race. This is history at its best.”
—Yanek Mieczkowski, author of Eisenhower’s Sputnik Moment: The Race for Space and World Prestige
“Douglas Brinkley is not only a scholar, he’s a true storyteller. American Moonshot evokes an era, and brings to life the vivid personalities that accomplished one of the greatest feats in history.”
—Lawrence Wright, author, God Save Texas and The Looming Tower
“Graced by Douglas Brinkley’s remarkable gift for writing richly textured, sympathetic social, cultural and biographical history,American Moonshotdelivers an epic narrative: it is the sweeping story of how humankind’s impetus for space exploration evolved from the early visionaries in Russia, Germany, and the United States at the dawn of the 20th century through the scientific and technological achievements–albeit associated human horrors–of two world wars, giving birth to the “Space Age”. Brinkley’s special insights into the life of John F. Kennedy make this book a particularly intimate and fascinating read.”
—James R. Hansen, author of First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong
“May Brinkley’s well researched and elegantly told tale introduce new generations to the glory, romance, and innocence the American people once upon a time celebrated as one. Kennedy is the principal focus, but this more than presidential history. The author’s innovative approach really presents a rich collective biography of all the engineers, astronauts, managers, and politicians who inspired and launched the Apollo Moon Program. A-OK!”
– Walter A. McDougall, University of Pennsylvania professor and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning …the Heavens and the Earth: A Political History of the Space Age
“Douglas Brinkley’s one-volume history is a riveting narrative of the unique people who have come to call themselves American. There is no dust on those pages as the author brilliantly tells our national story with skill and brevity.”
“What a delight it is to encounter indefatigable historian Douglas Brinkley in my dotage. His optimistic, prodigious nature conjures memories, for me, of the young samuel Eliot Morison. Brinkley’s American Heritage: History of the United States--with its sober-minded economic thrust—is both smart and uplifting.”
“A herculean treatise is made readable by American Heritage in its presentation of a detailed, accurate, and fascinating account of 500 years of American history. Professor Brinkley’s lucid writing and wit make this an outstanding publication for both the history buff and the scholar alike. This worthwhile volume will be a welcome addition to the bookshelves of all Americans fascinated with history or simply interested in how we evolved into the society we are today.”