Spaceman: An Astronaut's Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe
4.7 | 1,483 ratings
Price: 21.83
Last update: 12-27-2025
Top reviews from the United States
- ClaudiaGreat bookInteresting book. He loved it! Quick shipping
- A. MurphyLots of great lessons!I purchased this book for my 14 year-old son to read on our summer road trip, but after reading the prologue was thoroughly intrigued. Books about space and astronauts are not usually in my wheelhouse, but this was a good reminder to go outside my comfort zone once in a while, because it can be so rewarding.
Massimino is an interesting guy and humble too. His peculiar mix of earnestness, self-deprecation and gratitude were a winning combo that came across throughout the book. Massimino’s writing made this book a pleasure to read because he was so inspiring, but I also found it fantastically interesting. I learned a lot about space and space travel from this book that I did not know. I love it when a book can expose me to whole new worlds and give me a new perspective.
I gleaned so many wonderful lessons from this book that I wrote a piece on it over on LinkedIn. I was particularly glad that my son read this book and got those lessons too. Namely, that there are multiples paths to your goal, get outside your comfort zone, learn from your failures, rely on your team and most importantly that attitude is everything. Mike Massimino restores my faith in the ideas of hard work, optimism and gratitude. We could all learn a lot from his can-do attitude. - wiz_programmerLaunch was awesome!Gripping. Inspirational. Funny. Heartbreaking. Moving. What else can I say? JUST READ IT! Launch was awesome, indeed!
One minor problem is the grammar. Even with those minor issues (probably a dozen or so that I noticed), it was still great. Plus, it added an authenticity to the author's story. - bxm 5Interesting perspective of the SSP from the Astronauts point of view.Interesting and disappointing to read about Mike's path from childhood through NASA and his great human space flight adventures. Interesting in how he achieved his goals and did amazing things. Disappointing in his (and others) view of how the SSP did not meet it's objectives and was a Disappointment.
This is from my perspective from someone who worked on the SSP from 1980 through its end in 2011. - CB in AKInspiring, exciting, moving. Human.Massimino takes us for a ride. We learn about his journey. He is a humble hero who reminds through his exciting story that luck and skill are necessary, but inspiration and drive are as well. He is like the mountain climber who knows that the quality of the journey is as significant as the goal. He understands the prime value of teamwork and a good sense of humor. He is an excellent writer.
- MSalsgiverOne of the best astronaut memoirsPut this one right up there with Mike Collins' "Carrying the Fire."
As a nearly-life long space freak, I soak in everything related to human space flight. I have wanted to be an astronaut since I was six years old. Like many out there who are intensely interested in the space program, I've met many astronauts (one of my claims to fame is that I have shaken hands with every human who has so far walked on the Moon!), and even come to know a few.
Mike Massimino is definitely one I want to get to know.
Besides being a terrific autobiography, this is one of those books that makes you really feel like "you're there." When Mike writes of being selected to be an astronaut, I actually teared up -- he wrote in a way that made me feel like I was the person being selected by NASA. Massimino's description of his first extravehicular activity (EVA -- "spacewalk") is one of the best "what-did-it-feel-like-and-what-were-you-thinking" descriptions ever. I felt like I was actually out there with him, being a "Hubble Jedi" right beside him.
The book is funny, informative, entertaining, moving, and educational. Massimino's writing style almost perfectly emulates the way he speaks. He is a normal kid from Brooklyn who, by skills, capabilities, intelligence, persistence and sheer luck, went on to do extraordinary things. After reading this book, I had an intense desire to meet Massimino and sit down over dinner and drinks and talk until he kicks me out.
At 344 pages, "Spaceman" is an average-sized book. It is not an average life story. I read it over the Christmas break in seven hours and did not want it to end. If you have even one-tenth the interest I have in the space program, buy Massimino's "Spaceman."
This book is that good. - Beverly StubblesGreat Astronaut AccountWhen I first heard Mass's interview on NPR, I knew I had to read his book. I was not disappointed. This is one man's story of a dream and the determination to achieve it despite serious and real obstacles. It reminds us all to persist..to believe and pursue ourgoals, and to enjoy the acquisition of knowledge and skills required. My daughter worked on that last Hubble mission. His accounts of the NASA experience was especially meaningful for me. I grew up along with NASA. I am saddened by the current status of US spaceflight but I have no doubt that there are more future astronauts yearning for a stronger US program. Their persistance and commitment will reflect yours, and in the same spirit of all the astronauts preceding them can and will prevail. We the people must never forget. We must never stop supporting these crucial programs. Thank you, Mass, for giving us your story, for reminding us to pursue greatness, to overcome our fears and keep improving our own skill sets, to make the future brighter for all who follow us.
- JmacykI enjoyed Mike Massimino's book Spaceman so muchI enjoyed Mike Massimino's book Spaceman so much. He is truly a gifted astronaut, writer, speaker, and storyteller. I only regret that I have never met him during any of my visits to Kennedy Space Flight Center, Johnson Space Flight Center, or Marshall Flight Center. For someone like me who is a space exploration wanna-be, this book brought back many memories of training at Space Camp for Educators and Zero G Discovery Flights as well as reminders of those astronauts we love and those we have lost. Mike tells all about the integrity of the job and the model perseverance that one must posess in order to become an astronaut - a true teacher's tale of how to keep a student motivated to go above and beyond!