Book Description
NASA astronaut Michael Collins was the first man to walk in space and also piloted the first manned craft to land on the moon.
Customer Reviews:
great book.......2007-09-10
I read this when it was first published, and read it again twice. It's wonderful - it gives you a sense of what the astronaut program was like, what it was intended to do, and what it did. And above all, a great appreciation for pioneers - anyone who's willing to go into the unknown.
Great book from a great astronaut.......2007-08-09
It's been many years since I read this book as I purchased it shortly after it was initially published in paperback. As I remember and I have to promise myself to reread it, this really is one of the finest if not the finest book written by an astronaut. It really showed me what it was like to be part of the crew of the first landing mission to the moon even though it was "only" from the perspective of the guy who got to stay in orbit while Armstrong and Aldrin got all the glory from the surface of the moon. I really believed that Collins really was comfortable with that role and never expected to get a landing assignment down the road.
Really great book.
one of the best of the genre.......2007-07-18
This is a great first hand peek behind the people with 'The Right Stuff.' The book is very balanced, chatty (& sometimes catty), instructive, technical and humorous. Collins is a natural storyteller with an eye for the absurd and the ridiculous. It will please space buffs and non-space buffs alike. Collins puts a real human slant on the epic of the race to the moon which is infinitely more fascinating than the cardboard one-dimensional heroes we were presented with by the media in the sixties.
Best book written by an astronaut, period.......2007-05-10
Michael Collins' "Carrying the Fire" is the best first-person account written by a Gemini/Apollo-era astronaut. Collins' narrative is told from a layman's perspective and does a great job of explaining the more complex aspects of lunar spaceflight in terms all can understand.
Collins also portrays his, in my opinion, major contributions to the space program and personal abilities in a very humble, almost self-deprecating fashion; all an unusual trait for an astronaut. There is a striking comparison between Collins' descriptions of his own endeavors and abilities and those by other authors, such as Deke Slayton in "Deke" or Gene Cernan in "Last Man on the Moon".
I read this for the first time over 20 years ago, and continue to take it off the shelf from time to time. It's easily one of my top five favorite non-fiction titles.
Factual errors.......2007-03-28
One major error was related to the fact that Mike refers to Cliff Charlesworth's team as the White Team. In fact, the White Team was run by the lead Flight Director, Gene Kranz. Cliff ran the Green Team.
Customer Reviews:
Stick with NASA.......2006-07-06
A very well written book by a very intelligent man. However, I am not a corporate manager or am I interested in corporate management. The first half the book was very good; about growing up, West Point and NASA but the second half of the book was Mr. Borman blaming the unions for the failure of Eastern Airlines. I don't care about the failure of Eastern Airlines and I don't buy a book written by a great astronaut to find out why it failed. I buy books by astronauts to learn about the trials, tribulations and successes in one of the greatest eras of American history, early space exploration. I don't feel this book was an autobiograhy of an astronaut but the purging of a very bitter and disallusioned man after a failure of grand proportions. If you want to learn about the problems of management versus unions this would be a great read, if not, stop at the begining of the Eastern Airlines debacle. Mr. Borman was and is an American hero who should be celebrated for what he gave his country but nobody cares about Charlie Bryan. I had to constantly keep reminding myself this book was written in 1988, not 1968 or 2006. My copy of this book is an Easton Press Limited Edition gold bound series, numbered and autographed by Mr. Borman. I will always cherish this book but I will not read it again.
Interesting Story By a Great Leader.......2004-08-31
An interesting tale from beginning to end. This is a frank account of Mr. Borman's life in and out of the astronaut business and beyond. About half of the book is Borman's life before and during his tenure in the space program, the rest is his experience with Eastern Airlines which is very interesting. The tale of how the unions destroyed one of the largest U.S. air carriers is sad but perhaps the perspective of Borman is a little bit skewed. This book however is still a good read.
Honest, Common Sense, Ethical, No Frills Management Style.......2002-08-06
One reason I picked up Countdown at Half-Price Books was because I remember Frank Borman doing commercials for Eastern Airlines when I was a kid. Although I expected more of his book to be about the Apollo days, I was by no means disappointed. This book is actually three books: One about Borman at West Point, the other about Borman in the Air Force, and the one about Borman at Eastern Airlines. The one I liked the best was about Eastern Airlines.
Like Frank Borman, I am an engineer myself (I grew up on NASA's back gate) and I really enjoyed his "tell it like it is" and get "back to basics approach" at Eastern. When Borman became President of Eastern in 1975, he got rid of the private jets, the fancy cars, the plush office furniture, and said "get to work." He also streamlined the middle-management and got rid of the "deadwood" and implemented a lot more "common sense." He thought Eastern buying SST's would be ludricrous on the Miami to New York route (because they would have to begin descent too soon), got rid of planes that were fuel inefficient (especially after looking at maintenance logs and finding that repairs were costing three times of what new planes were), and I don't know of any corporate president that had enough class to negiotiate leasing four Airbus aircraft at no cost. Leasing Airbuses was an awesome and risky move that paid off. Several airlines today use Airbus (Northwest, USAir, United) and Borman helped pave the way for America to buy these. Being a pilot and an engineer, Borman would even fly some of these planes himself. These are three examples of why engineers today are needed in higher management positions.
Borman also made the people of Eastern unite after he became President. He would visit them at airports and fly on planes with them, looking at "lets all work together and accomplish the mission. We have to earn our wings every day." Borman was always honest with his fellow employees about what was going on (no bulls--- )and followed through with "Duty, Honor, Country". Eastern Airlines profited more from 1976 to 1980 under Borman's leadership. What killed Eastern in my opininion was Airline Deregulation and the unions fighting against Eastern, primarily the IAM. Borman tells much of this story.
One thing that threw me off as I read this was how many airlines were in business when I was a kid that aren't there anymore (Braniff, Piedmont, Pan Am, People's Express, Air Florida, etc.) I know Braniff was an example of executives taking care of their own interests (fancy cars, meals, penthouse office suites,etc.) Frank Borman always had his head and his heart in the right place -EASTERN. I learned a great deal from Countdown-we need more executive officers like Frank Borman.
Frequent Flier Dilemma.......2002-07-09
I have yet to see a better and more credible depiction of the upside/downside of astronaut persona. In his modest and understated way Frank Borman describes his career through the military, the astronaut program, and the private business sector. A genuinely honest man who embodied the best values of middle America, Borman commanded two of the most visible and critical flights of the early manned space program: the epic endurance flight Gemini 7 in 1965 and the stunning circumlunar Apollo 8 adventure of Christmas Eve 1968. Widely respected in NASA and government circles, he was selected to lead the investigation of the Apollo fire which killed his comrades Grissom, White, and Chafee. He was, in every respect, an upright military man who embraced the challenge of the space race with dogged tenacity.
So why, with every page, does the reader feel like he is moving inexorably toward a train wreck? Perhaps because Borman's candor compels him to chronicle the downside of his single-minded determination and doggedness. It is hard to say if the author intended to give us this psychological two-edged sword, or whether it is simply the fruit of honesty. In either case the clues are there: with every career choice, with every renewed commitment to NASA, Borman etched his name on the honor roll of American space heroes. And, in the process, insulated himself from family and society, with painful consequences.
Borman's personal world begins to unravel, ironically, at the time of his greatest triumph, the Apollo 8 mission to the moon. His wife Susan, already stretched thin by years as a dutiful military wife in the spotlight and totally unnerved by the Apollo 1 fire, drifted into the murky world of alcoholism. Borman admits that, totally absorbed as he was with the Apollo Program, he was completely out of touch with her drinking, relieved that at least his wife was not using prescription tranquilizers, then in vogue among astronaut wives. [Andrew Chaikin's "A Man on the Moon" describes Susan Borman's problems during Apollo 8 in much greater detail than Borman could bring himself to describe.]
Sadly unaware of the unfolding tragedy at home, Borman retired from the Air Force and proceeded to make the grand-daddy of all bad career choices, particularly considering the choices at hand. It is not clear from the text whether the author truly understood the complexities of Eastern Airlines' financial difficulties, or the character of the people he would need to do business with. Borman does concede that he knew next to nothing about unions, which would be his undoing at Eastern along with deregulation and a sagging economy. Despite his earnestness and hard work-and no one worked harder-the book ends at February 23, 1986, the night of the Eastern bankruptcy, a broken ex-astronaut crying in his wife's arms.
It is a troubling ending. It is also a reflection of the conundrum of the race to the moon. The United States would never have overtaken the Russians in the space race without men like Borman who sacrificed everything for the goal of national success. But this work reveals another side of the space race: how the race to the moon collected men like Borman, took those assets of steely self-determination, and turned them against the astronauts themselves. This is a cost of the Apollo Program that is rarely discussed, and we, like the dazed author at the end of the book, have to decide for ourselves if the cost was worth it.
This philosophical twist, perhaps unexpectedly, is the author's biggest contribution to space literature. Borman's account of his missions reveals little new material, and he remains too private a man to titillate the reader with his uncensored thoughts about, say, Jim Lovell, with whom he spent an eternity in the closest of quarters. As a narrative of the race to the moon, this is a superficial work from one so intimately connected to the space program. But my guess is that Borman's real interest in writing his autobiography was less about space hardware and more about figuring out just what the hell happened to him.
Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?.......2001-04-28
Borman's "Countdown" tells the riveting tale of his boyhood, his Air Force days, his immense contributions to the space program, and his airline career. His participation in the Apollo 1 fire investigation and subsequent Senate testimony were instrumental in getting the moon program back on track, for to everyone concerned - astronauts, Congressmen, and the press - Borman's integrity was unquestionable. This comes across immediately to the reader through Borman's narrative, but not through self-serving "Boy Do I Love Me" puffery. Indeed, Borman's sincere modesty immediately reassures the reader that this is a man who lives the motto "To Ride, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth".
Some of the ugly, goofball politics of the time come up as Borman and his crew are humiliated by Cornell students egged on by none other than Carl Sagan. I never really thought much of Sagan before reading Borman's book, and I think far less of him now; though in the interest of fairness I will say that Sagan's motivations were more selfish than political (he always objected to the expense of manned spaceflight, and instead advocated unmanned exploration as the best way to obtain the hard science he insisted on - this came up in a lecture Sagan gave in Seattle shortly before his death while undergoing cancer treatment), he comes across as the petty, self-serving geek he really was, not the "Mr. Friendly Scientist" he portrayed himself as in his works. Borman and his men deserved far better.
The wanton destruction of Eastern Airlines by the active sabotage of the Machinists Union is also well documented. Borman's no-nonsense, high-speed, low-drag leadership style was lost on the proto-human union bosses. It's really too bad Eastern went under, but having read what was truly going on, I now know that it wasn't Borman's fault. It speaks volumes for Borman's character that despite some bitterness and finger-pointing on his part (though his points were well-made), he accepts responsibility for his mistakes and shortcomings in the loss of Eastern, displaying the same integrity with which he has led all of his life. It's a really good book by a fine man. As another reviewer said, we desperately need more men like him. Sadly, in this politically correct, touchy-feely age, Borman's kind are a vanishing breed, and his book answers the question that titles this review. The battle to save Eastern was foretold decades ago by Ayn Rand. Borman didn't want to shrug, but was forced to. I hope the Machinists are happy now.
Average customer rating:
- Preschool classic
- Classic
- We love I want to be an Astronaut
- Not great...
- I want to be Astronaut
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I Want to Be an Astronaut
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
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The Best Book of Spaceships (The Best Book Of)
ASIN: 0064432807 |
Book Description
Blast-off! Up into the shy goes the space shuttle. Into orbit, the astronauts get a taste of ready-to-eat food, experience zero gravity, go for space walks, and even fix a satellite. It's fun to fly aboard the shuttle...and then come back to earth.
`A young girl declares her longing to `fly on the shuttle into outer space.' The familiar acts of eating, sleeping, and working become intense and special as she and the rest of the crew go about their business. The illustrations positively glow in this simple, lyrical picture book that will have nearly everyone off and flying.' SLJ.
Notable Children's Book of 1988 (ALA)
1988 Fanfare Honor List (The Horn Book)
Best Illustrated Children's Books of 1988 (NYT)
Oustanding Science Trade Books for Children 1988 (NSTA/CBC)
Customer Reviews:
Preschool classic.......2007-07-08
As with all Byron Barton books, "Astronaut" is a preschool classic -- simple pictures, few words. I bought it for my 3-year-old grandson who wants to be an astronaut "because they get to wear helmets with their snowsuits." GrammaVona
Classic.......2007-06-16
Easy to read, Made well. Classic book for young children.
Recommend totally!
We love I want to be an Astronaut.......2006-11-10
As a former elementary school teacher, I'm very familiar with the work of Byron Barton and his appeal toward young children. When my own son became interested in space, I knew he'd love this book. The illustrations are detailed but large-perfect for the young eye and provide plenty to talk about to extend the book. This book even makes me want to be an astronaut!
Not great..........2006-03-19
I bought this book because my son started talking about outer space and rockets, etc... I also bought it because we have several other Byron Barton books and my son really enjoys reading and looking at. However, this book is a little boring, doesn't keep his interest and isn't on the same level as the other Barton books.
I want to be Astronaut.......2005-07-19
My four years old son enjoyed read about outerspace. This book is very good with big pictures that he likes. I'm glad that you show this book on Amazon.com. Thank you! Cindee Hansen S.L.C. Utah
Book Description
Buzz Aldrin retraces the incredible journey that led him to the Moon!
It didn't begin when I stepped on board Apollo 11 on July 16, 1969. It began the day I was born – Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr., whom everyone called Buzz. Becoming an astronaut took more than education, discipline, and physical strength. It took years of determination and believing that any goal is possible – from riding a bike alone across the George Washington Bridge at age ten to making a footprint on the Moon.
I always knew the Moon was within my reach – and that I was ready to be part of the team that would achieve the first landing. But it was still hard to believe when I took my first step onto the Moon's surface. We all have our own dreams – this is the story of how mine came true.
Ages 6+
Customer Reviews:
Wrong age range listed.......2006-12-21
The age range for this book is listed on the cover as 6-9 and not 9-12.
Daughter Loves this Book.......2006-02-24
My 2.5 year old daughter loves this book. I read it to her a few times a week. It is just the right lenght for her to fall asleep.
Amazing and Inspiring.......2006-01-07
One of the greatest joys of this parenthood has been watching my four-year-old daughter come to understand that this is a true story, that men actually traveled to the moon and walked on its surface. Even though the moon landings were something I grew up with, the story grows more powerful with each retelling. It is one of her favorites and one of mine as well.
Sometimes you are remembered for being second.......2005-12-16
Edwin Eugene "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr. was the second man to walk on the moon when he followed Neil Armstrong on July 16, 1969, while Michael Collins circled the moon in the Apollo 11 spacecraft. In "Reaching for the Moon," Aldrin tells the story of his life that led up to walking on the moon, taking key episodes from his life and presenting them as life lessons to his young readers, such as sinking in a lake because he would not let go of a bucket of rocks he had collected ("I knew that if something was important to you, you had to hold on"). Aldrin also shows how various things in his life foreshadowed what he would do on the moon (e.g., his mother's maiden name was Moon and his first airplane flight was in a small plane painted to look like an eagle).
The book follows Aldrin from his childhood and playing sports in school to graduating from West Point and joining the Air Force. After flying combat missions in the Korean War, Aldrin applied to the astronaut program and was not accepted until the second time he tried. The number two also comes up when Aldrin's first space flight was a Gemini mission. The description of the Apollo 11 mission is quite straightforward and Aldrin emphasizes the importance of what they were doing without every talking about how it came to be that he was the second man on the moon instead of the first (the reasoning was actually quite simple: Armstrong was a civilian, Aldrin was still in the military, and the U.S. government did not want a soldier to be the first person on the moon). Everybody remembers Armstrong's first words on the moon, but Aldrin recalls his own apt description of the moon as "Magnificent desolation."
Aldrin's narrative ends with the plaque that he and Armstrong left on the moon and ends with a message promoting space exploration to his readers. Aldrin does not touch on the depression and alcoholism he had to contend with after leaving NASA and which he detailed in his autobiography "Return to Earth." But you cannot fault Aldrin for his choice of perspective in this book. In his dedication Aldrin calls the original astronauts explorers of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions to be the first generation of space explorers. The second generation would be those flying shuttle missions to the space station, while the third generation of future space explorers would be the young students who read this book. The paintings in "Reaching for the Moon" are by Wendell Minor, and older readers will note that in the two-page painting of the George Washington Bridge below the bridge on the New York City side is the little red lighthouse of children's book fame.
Great Kids Book.......2005-09-10
We Love This Book ! With the space shuttle being on the news so much, my 4 year old daughter became interested in space. We got this book for her and now she wants us to read it every night.
Average customer rating:
- excellent read
- Definitely the Right Stuff
- Impressionistic, with little analysis or insight into the period
- Right Stuff, Wrong Movie
- The Right Stuff; the Right Edition
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The Right Stuff
Tom Wolfe
Manufacturer: Bantam
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ASIN: 0553381350
Release Date: 2001-10-30 |
Amazon.com
Tom Wolfe began The Right Stuff at a time when it was unfashionable to contemplate American heroism. Nixon had left the White House in disgrace, the nation was reeling from the catastrophe of Vietnam, and in 1979--the year the book appeared--Americans were being held hostage by Iranian militants. Yet it was exactly the anachronistic courage of his subjects that captivated Wolfe. In his foreword, he notes that as late as 1970, almost one in four career Navy pilots died in accidents. "The Right Stuff," he explains, "became a story of why men were willing--willing?--delighted!--to take on such odds in this, an era literary people had long since characterized as the age of the anti-hero."
Wolfe's roots in New Journalism were intertwined with the nonfiction novel that Truman Capote had pioneered with In Cold Blood. As Capote did, Wolfe tells his story from a limited omniscient perspective, dropping into the lives of his "characters" as each in turn becomes a major player in the space program. After an opening chapter on the terror of being a test pilot's wife, the story cuts back to the late 1940s, when Americans were first attempting to break the sound barrier. Test pilots, we discover, are people who live fast lives with dangerous machines, not all of them airborne. Chuck Yeager was certainly among the fastest, and his determination to push through Mach 1--a feat that some had predicted would cause the destruction of any aircraft--makes him the book's guiding spirit.
Yet soon the focus shifts to the seven initial astronauts. Wolfe traces Alan Shepard's suborbital flight and Gus Grissom's embarrassing panic on the high seas (making the controversial claim that Grissom flooded his Liberty capsule by blowing the escape hatch too soon). The author also produces an admiring portrait of John Glenn's apple-pie heroism and selfless dedication. By the time Wolfe concludes with a return to Yeager and his late-career exploits, the narrative's epic proportions and literary merits are secure. Certainly The Right Stuff is the best, the funniest, and the most vivid book ever written about America's manned space program. --Patrick O'Kelley
Book Description
When the future began...
The men had it. Yeager. Conrad. Grissom. Glenn. Heroes ... the first Americans in space ... battling the Russians for control of the heavens ... putting their lives on the line.
The women had it. While Mr. Wonderful was aloft, it tore your heart out that the Hero's Wife, down on the ground, had to perform with the whole world watching ... the TV Press Conference: "What's in your heart? Do you feel with him while he's in orbit?"
The Right Stuff. It's the quality beyond bravery, beyond courage. It's men like Chuck Yeager, the greatest test pilot of all and the fastest man on earth. Pete Conrad, who almost laughed himself out of the running. Gus Grissom, who almost lost it when his capsule sank. John Glenn, the only space traveler whose apple-pie image wasn't a lie.
Customer Reviews:
excellent read.......2007-05-12
As a 'random' book to pick up and read, I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of information provided in this book. I also enjoyed the writing style. Excellent excellent, must-read book!
Definitely the Right Stuff.......2007-03-18
This book is one of the best accounts of, indeed any scene, I have ever read. Wolfe, with his half academic half layman writing style, explores the men and indeed the whole phenomenon, that was the American space program in the 50ies and 60ies. In a delightful manner he gets to the heart of what makes the people involved "tick", and does a great job in bringing their feelings and through to the reader. The reader can truly emerge him/herself in this exciting world of fast planes, fast cars, hope, fear and glory.
The only thing "wrong" with this book is that it is too short. I would've loved to see 50-75 more pages telling more about the "aftermath", as it were, but that is merely because the book was such a jolly good read to begin with. And, I must add, I'm not even interested in planes, speed or space programs or indeed American history.
Highest possible recommendation.
Impressionistic, with little analysis or insight into the period.......2007-02-07
You carry your expectations to a book, and this one was a disappointment to me. This book, in my view, offers a sophisticated version of hero worship. But, while showing many of the foibles of the characters, it is worshipful and indeed, facile myth generation. You get a bunch of you-are-there style descriptions - the kind of light stream-of-consciousness that made Wolfe famous as a hip young beat journalist - and they are fine as far as they go, but at least for me, I felt there is far too little substance behind it.
In spite of Wolfe's somewhat cynical veneer, the characters fall into some pretty simplistic stereotypes. You get the tough, natural aristocrat, Chuck Yeager, the real yet unknown superstar, and then you get the media-sensation astronauts, who are promoted for political propaganda reasons. Thus, there is John Glenn ("the clean marine") and a host of other less colorful characters. I did not feel I got to know much about them. Glenn, whom I worked for in the Senate 20 years ago, comes off as the most boring of straight men, which I don't think encompasses him well at all.
Then there is the period of history in which it all takes place, the Cold War. Wolfe offers nothing much of interest about this frightening period of technological competition between the US and USSR. I felt it was just kind of a useful background for Wolfe. This stands in stark contrast to Wolfe's wonderful Electric Coolaid Acid Test, which really plumbed a lot of the 1960s psychedelic spirit - that was why I expected so much more, I suppose.
I would recommend this as a fun read, but not much beyond that. It is strictly throwaway and does not demand much concentration or stimulate the reader to dig deeper elsewhere, which for me signals a failed reading experience.
Right Stuff, Wrong Movie.......2006-10-14
If you've only seen the dreadful movie version of this book, stop reading these reviews and click back to the ordering page right now! There's little relationship between the bombastic (and highly inaccurate) film version and Wolfe's wonderfully detailed and nuanced book. Although his "New Journalism" style is becoming a bit dated compared to the newer space histories and autobiographies, there's still no better introduction to the whole "figter jock" mentality that permeated NASA's astronaut culture at least through the 1980s, even among the non-pilot astronauts.
The Right Stuff; the Right Edition.......2006-08-24
This book was my introduction to Tom Wolfe - and what an introduction it was.
The country was mired in a black hole. President Nixon had resigned the Office of the President in disgrace. There was the continuing debacle in Iran. The anti-hero was king.
Who would have guessed a book about old-fashioned heroism could capture the public's attention?
Yet that is exactly was Wolfe penned. Beginning with the early test pilots and then proceeding to NASA's Mercury program's assault on the final frontier - space. A tale of good, old-fashioned American heroism; a thought, which to many in 1979 that was foreign, or at best, long-forgotten.
The book was controversial. As a New Journalist, Wolfe inserted himself into the lives of his "characters" as each in turn becomes a major player in the space program. It was a true story that tintillated the reader's imagination. No novel could have done it better.
Beginning with an opening chapter on the terror of being a test pilot's wife, the story cuts back to the late 1940s, when Americans were first attempting to break the sound barrier. Anyone who has ever read it will never forget its Blue Uniform litany. Test pilots, we discover, are people who live fast lives with dangerous machines on the edge. I recall having to punch myself to be reminded that I was not reading a book about the stock brokerage business.
Although Wolfe's command of the English language is unparalleled, this edition is enhanced by the inclusion of images culled from Life and Look magazines, NASA and the Library of Congress. The photos chronicle the lives of the people and the social and political climate that created our country's nascent space program.
The Right Stuff is my favorite book. Tom Wolfe is my favorite author. This edition is a tribute to both. Yet more than that, it is a tribute to the people and the spirit that made this story possible.
Average customer rating:
- Good and creepy
- I gravitated towards this book
- One time, I read a Tess Gerritsen book...and nothing happened
- Not her best work
- quite believable and well written sci-fi..
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Gravity
Tess Gerritsen
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
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Bloodstream
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Harvest
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The Sinner (Jane Rizzoli, Book 3)
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The Apprentice (Jane Rizzoli, Book 2)
ASIN: 0671016784 |
Amazon.com
Tess Gerritsen used to be a doctor, so it comes as no great surprise that the medical aspects of her latest thriller are absolutely convincing--even if most of the action happens in a place where few doctors have ever practiced--outer space.
Dr. Emma Watson and five other hand-picked astronauts are about to take part in the trip of a lifetime--studying living creatures in space. But an alien life form, found in the deepest crevices of the ocean floor, is accidentally brought aboard the shuttle Atlantis. This mutated alien life form makes the creatures in Aliens look like backyard pets.
Soon the crew are suffering severe stomach pains, violent convulsions, and eyes so bloodshot that a gallon of Murine wouldn't help. Gerritsen brilliantly describes the difficulties of treating sick people inside a space module, and how the lack of gravity affects the process of taking blood and inserting a nasal tube. Dr. Watson does her best, but her colleagues die off one by one and the people at NASA don't want to risk bringing the platform back to earth. Only Emma's husband, a doctor/astronaut himself, refuses to give up on her. As we read along, eyes popping out of our heads, all that's missing is one of those bland NASA voices saying, "Houston, we have a problem--we're being attacked by tiny little creatures that are part human, part frog, and part mouse."
Other examples of Gerritsen's controlled medical horrors: Bloodstream, Harvest, and Life Support. --Dick Adler
Book Description
Now former physician and New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen expands the scope of her landscape of terror in an elegantly crafted, thoroughly menacing new medical thriller. A young NASA doctor must combat a lethal microbe that is multiplying in the deadliest of environments: space.
Emma Watson, a brilliant research physician, has been training for the mission of a lifetime: to study living beings in space. Jack McCallum, Emma's estranged husband, has shared her dream of space travel, but a medical condition has grounded and embittered him. He must watch from the sidelines as his wife prepares for her first mission to the International Space Station.
Once aboard the space station, however, things start to go terribly wrong. A culture of single-celled organisms known as Archaeons, gathered from the deep sea, is to be monitored in the microgravity of space. The true and lethal nature of this experiment has not been revealed to NASA. In space, the cells rapidly multiply and soon begin to infect the crewwith agonizing and deadly results.
A recovery attempt ends in catastrophe; the NASA shuttle crashes, and the space station is left dangerously crippled. Emma struggles to contain the deadly microbe, while back home, Jack and NASA work against the clock to retrieve Emma from space.
But there will be no rescue. The contagion now threatens Earth's population as well, and the astronauts are left stranded in orbit, quarantined aboard the station -- where they are dying one by one....
Customer Reviews:
Good and creepy.......2007-09-28
This one pulled me in and kept me awake late into the night with its vivid descriptions of a creepy biohazard aboard the space shuttle and International Space Station. The book also has one of the best descriptions of a space launch this side of Michener's Space and Wolfe's The Right Stuff. The combination made this book a 5-star winner. Highly recommended.
I gravitated towards this book.......2007-07-08
I am a reader of sci-fi and horror books. I love action, adventure and humans battling creatures. I didn't pick up this book for the "medical suspense," I picked it up for the "Alien" vibe I got from the synopsis. And I am pleased to inform you that if you're more like me then you will not be disappointed with Gravity.
The book is said to be a mix of "Apollo 13" and "ER", but I'd say it's more like a cross between "Outbreak" and "Alien". It's basically about this mysterious virus that unleashes itself among 10 astronauts aboard the International Space Station. How did it get aboard the ship? Is this an experiment? bioterrorism? a mistake? The virus is extremely deadly, and extremely unheard of so nobody will allow the Astronauts to come home. The astronaut's loved ones will fight for their return not knowing that this virus could wipe out mankind if it falls into the wrong hands.
The book is very well written, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes sci-fi and action-adventure thrillers as well as the medical novels.
My only minor complaint is the latest paperback cover art with the body under the white sheet...umm they're in outer space!
One time, I read a Tess Gerritsen book...and nothing happened.......2007-05-23
Tess Gerritsen's novels were always second- or third-tier for me, something I'd get around to eventually after reading everything of priority on my list. At last, however, I was forced into my lower tiers for a school assignment, and so I picked a comfortable spot in Starbucks and dove into GRAVITY.
A mind-numbing experience in boredom ensued. The book opened with a bang, something I prefer in my fiction, so I thought all was gravy. And then the second chapter busted straight out of the gate, and I thought I'd died and gone to fiction lover's heaven. But something curious happened next: The second chapter was a hoax. Never happened, at least, not in the way it first appeared. I immediately docked Gerritsen points for false conflict. Hoping she wouldn't repeat this error, I kept reading.
But it proved to be more of the same. The first chapter that came on like gangbusters? Never referenced again until late in the book, when the action really did start heating up. But by that time I was too disengaged from the story because of all the hurry-up-and-waiting Gerritsen had put me through. And that's GRAVITY in a nutshell: False conflict after false conflict intermingled with melodramatic love scenes. It all made me feel like something was happening, when in truth the story had stalled like Apollo 13 on the launch pad during a hurricane.
It's not that Gerritsen is necessarily a bad writer; on the contrary, she had plenty of extremely vivid visuals throughout, some thrilling and scary moments, and a steady narrative hand that showed promise as a suspense author. But she too often telegraphed the surprises and undercut the suspense with boo scares. I might give Gerritsen another chance, but not anytime soon. If you want real suspense, read INTENSITY by Dean Koontz instead.
Not her best work.......2007-03-11
I'm a huge Tess Gerritsen fan and this is probably the first one that didn't put me over the top. I was fascinated by the space station information, but certainly there was some dramatic license taken. Especially the "rescue" seemed implausible. While the medical backdrop is usually what I like best about Ms Gerritsen's books, this one was, pardon the pun, a little out of this world.
quite believable and well written sci-fi.........2007-02-09
This is one of the best and well written sci-fi thrillers I have read. Good thing about this is its almost believable. Though the esoteric nature of the subject makes the story more believable I have to accept that its a well written story with a well thought out plot. Great work from Gerristen. To give an idea how much I liked it, I took the public transport instead of my car to work for few days so that I can read the book during commute :)
-Santhosh.
Download Description
Riding Rockets is a story of life in all its fateful uncertainty, of the impact of a family tragedy on a nine-year-old boy, of the revelatory effect of a machine called Sputnik, and of the life-steering powers of lust, love, and marriage. It is a story of the human experience that will resonate long after the call of "Wheel stop."
Customer Reviews:
Buy it.......2007-10-08
What an incredible book. A real page turner. An honest and personal account of the shuttle program.
Simply Outstanding - Wonderful Read!.......2007-10-06
This was an amazing book! Extremely entertaining from start to finish. An honest, in-depth account of the early space shuttle program is overdue and Mike created just that. With 3 flights under his belt, Mike is more than qualifed to tell this story. I highly recommend this book.
Riding Rockets Rocks.......2007-08-31
This not the normal book about space adventure; it tells the real story with true humor. Enjoy!
A true inside look at the STS program.......2007-08-11
WOW!!!!!!!!!! Want to know what it's really like to be inside the Shuttle astronaut program... this is your book!! Col. Mullane gives us a true inside feel for what it's like to be an STS astronaut. Hardly a page went by that I didn't laugh out loud!! Oh dear... I also found out that I too am from Plant AD!!
Riding Rockets takes you on an incredible journey!.......2007-06-29
Your blood pressure will boil as you read Mike's detailed descriptions on his three Space Shuttle assignments. There is so much more, however, and all of his stories from beginning to end are simply amazing, funny, witty, and tear-jerking. A boring page does not exist and you'll be sad when you realize you've read the last page.
Download Description
"On July 20, 1969, the world stood still to watch thirty-eight-year-old American astronaut Neil A. Armstrong become the first person ever to step on the surface of another heavenly body. Perhaps no words in human history became better known than those few he uttered at that historic moment. Upon his return to Earth, Armstrong was honored and celebrated for his monumental achievement. He was also -- as James R. Hansen reveals in this fascinating and important authorized biography -- misunderstood. Armstrong's accomplishments as an engineer, a test pilot, and an astronaut have long been a matter of record, but Hansen's unprecedented access to private documents and unpublished sources and his interviews with more than 125 subjects (including more than fifty hours with Armstrong himself) yield this first in-depth analysis of an elusive American celebrity still renowned the world over. In a riveting narrative filled with revelations, Hansen vividly re-creates Armstrong's career in flying, from his seventy-eight combat missions as a naval aviator flying over North Korea to his formative transatmospheric flights in the rocket-powered X-15 to his piloting Gemini VIII to the first-ever docking in space. These milestones made it seem, as Armstrong's mother, Viola, memorably put it, ""as if from the very moment he was born -- farther back still -- that our son was somehow destined for the Apollo 11 mission."" For a pilot who cared more about flying to the Moon than he did about walking on it, Hansen asserts, Armstrong's storied vocation exacted a dear personal toll, paid in kind by his wife and children. For the thirty-six years since the Moon landing, rumors have swirled around Armstrong concerning his dreams of space travel, his religious beliefs, and his private life. In a penetrating exploration of American hero worship, Hansen addresses the complex legacy of the First Man, as an astronaut and as an individual. In First Man, the personal, technological, epic, and iconic blend to form the portrait of a great but reluctant hero who will forever be known as history's most famous space traveler. "
Customer Reviews:
ABSOLUTELY AN HISTORICAL MUST!.......2007-10-06
WHETHER YOU LIVED THROUGH THE ERA OF THE LANDING ON THE MOON OR ARE A YOUNGER PERSON WHO HAS ONLY HEARD THAT THE USA WALKED ON THE MOON, THIS BOOK IS THE ABSOLUTE HISTORICAL AUTHORITY FOR NOW AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
IT IS FILLED WITH DETAILS AND EVENTS THAT ONLY NEIL ARMSTRONG HIMSELF COULD PROVIDE. I AM SO GRATEFUL TO DR. HANSEN TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WRITE THIS BIOGRAPHY WITH THE COOPERATION OF NEIL ARMSTRONG HIMSELF. THIS WILL BE THE ONLY BOOK OF ITS KIND!!
Extremely difficult read.......2007-08-27
I was very disappointed in the book First Man. Mr. Hansen is apparently writing to an audience which includes only pilots, engineers, or other astronauts. I found it an exceptionally difficult read, filled with pages of inane (to the lay reader) information about formulation and testing of numerous aircraft. I purchased the book in order to read a biography about a great American hero; instead, I got an in-depth lesson on engineering, flight, robotics, etc. My advice? Forget about this book if you are interested in learning about Neil Armstrong the man.
Finally.......2007-07-10
Neal Armstrong is a national hero, brave beyond compare and worthy of all the lifetime accolades he's received... save one. He has never been generous with the experiences that cost the nation over 25 billion Dollars. Even in this book it's a small part; this book is primarily a biography, not an account of the lunar landing.
I'm sorry, I just have a really hard time thinking well of this man. In my opinion it's not right to treat these accounts as belonging solely to him when we paid such a high price in Dollars... and others paid for with their lives.
Great book about a great man.......2007-05-09
Even if you think you know everything about Neil Armstrong and America's historic mission to be the first to land men on the Moon, this remarkable book by Dr. James Hansen contributes a host of fascinating new insights into not only the character of Apollo 11's enigmatic commander but also into the nature of the spacefaring enterprise itself. It is a book for all time."
One huge disappointment for man... one giant mess for reader kind..........2007-05-04
I have read article after article on Neil A. Armstrong. I have read snippets in the biographies of many other astronauts and NASA administrators. I've read news stories and seen so many documentaries that I could probably tell the story of his NASA experience better than Neil himself. This story lacked anything resembling excitement. It failed from the first page to be interesting and couldn't even interest me when talking about his great accomplishment of landing on the moon. There was no conflict. There was no interaction. There was no impressions of Neil as it relates to his fellow astronauts. There were no pieces to the puzzle of a man who remains just as mysterious on the last page as he was before the book is ever opened. Sadly, this author accomplishes only one thing... Taking an interesting character from history and making him seem about as exciting as watching paint dry.
Book Description
Astronaut Tom Jones had trained for years for one climactic moment: his first step through an airlock into the vast nothingness of space. What neither he nor anyone else had counted on was a door that refused to open. But that is the nature of space flight (as recent experience tragically proves) -- anything can, and sometimes does, go wrong. Fully aware of the possibility of disaster, astronauts still dare to venture to the edge of the cosmos in search of knowledge and adventure. Sky Walking is the story of one of those brave explorers. Jones spent eleven years in the NASA astronaut program, making four trips into space. He ultimately spent fifty-two days orbiting Earth, including more than nineteen hours outside during extravehicular activity -- that is, sky walking. Jones's readers get the inside story, written with a lyrical pen, on life in the new century with NASA, the space shuttle, and the International Space Station.
They'll read about the shock and thrill of liftoff, find out how strange it was for a former Cold Warrior to find himself working hand-in-hand with his former rivals, the Russians, and get a vicarious feel for the overwhelming experience of a walk in space -- orbiting Earth at more than 17,000 miles per hour, 200 miles up, with only a spacesuit separating Jones from oblivion.
Customer Reviews:
Makes space flight dull and boring.......2007-04-10
Not the Right Stuff for me.
The writing is wordy, attempts to be profound and "educated" at every turn, and fails.
His single most dramatic story, the stuck hatch, is anti-climatic.
His second most dramatic story: too much air getting into the food packets.
There is very little "inside scoop" here, as NASA is portrayed as all glorious, and almost perfect. Yet we know, and see demonstrated on a regular basis, that the opposite is true.
Find this locally if you can, and browse through it first to see if its the right stuff for you.
A memoir by one of the "new breed" of astronauts.......2007-03-01
There are many excellent books written by and about the Right Stuff astronauts who flew during the earlier days of the space program. However, until recently, there has been a nearly total lack of books by and about the shuttle astronauts who fly now. For better or worse, today's space program is as different from the program of the early days as the shuttle is different from the Apollo capsules. And today's astronauts are different, too.
Mike Mullane was the first of the shuttle astronauts to write about his experiences in his book Riding Rockets. However, Mullane was a member of the group that made the transition from the Apollo program to the shuttle program, and the tone of his book is almost wistful; he clearly wanted to be one of the Right Stuff guys-- and he means guys-- but he ended up being a shuttle technician.
Sky Walking is a memoir by a very different sort of astronaut. Tom Jones was very young during the "glory days" of the space program, so he has no Right Stuff preconceptions about astronauts as death-defying heroes. Rather, he is an Air Force Academy graduate who flew B-52s, earned a PhD in planetary sciences, and became a dedicated, professional shuttle program technician. That could have made for a dull, technical book if it weren't for his intellect and, more importantly, his powers of observation and ability to reflect on what he experienced.
Jones flew four shuttle missions and took three space walks on his final mission, which was dedicated to construction on the International Space Station. His accounts of what space walks are like-- and of the hundreds of hours of training that precedes each one-- are first rate. His descriptions of the ISS and of the issues surrounding its planning, funding, and construction are excellent. I don't know of any other insider's book that deals with the ISS in such detail or with such authority. This is because Jones was an administrator in the ISS program between his third and fourth shuttle flights.
The subtitle says that this is "an astronaut's memoir," and that's exactly what it is. Jones takes us trough his selection as an astronaut, his general training, his years of waiting for flights, his training for those flights, and the flights themselves. There is considerable technical information in the book, but Jones does an excellent job of clarifying it for non-experts. The real focus is on Jones himself-- what he sees, thinks, and feels about what's happening to him.
This is an outstanding book. It answers the two basic questions many of us have always had: "What's it REALLY like to fly in space?" and "What are those people REALLY like?" I thoroughly enjoyed Sky Walking, and I recommend it most highly.
The Next Best Thing to Traveling to Space Yourself.......2006-12-19
Sky Walking is the best account of the experience of space that I have ever read. It takes you deep into the physical and emotional sensations of space travel where you the reader experience what astronauts experience right down to the mundane task trying to locate an item that has floated away in the cabin or trying to use an exercise bike with zero gravity. Tom Jones is an articulate writer capable of constructing wonderful imagery and some choice metaphors about every aspect of space travel from training to launch to rentry. His descriptions of his space walks and working aboard the International Space Station are particularly memorable. Jones is also not afraid to render an opinion about this America's commitment to space what can and should be done to maintain NASA as a shining symbol of American capability. I highly recommend this book to anyone with a curiosity about what space travel is really like.
-- Jerry Burton, author of Zora Arkus-Duntov the Legend Behind Corvette and Corvette, America's Sports Car, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.
Sky Walking Reaches High on Many Accounts.......2006-12-17
This is a highly readable and expertly written account by Tom Jones about his astronaut career.
He writes from his heart, and has clearly thought a lot about how to effectively communicate his experiences.
His use of imagery puts this book in the realm of literature, though it is definitely non-fiction.
A must for your Christmas list if you are or once were an aspiring astronaut, an aspiring writer of topics related to space and technology or just interested in knowing what it is like up there. It is a great read; I laughed, I cried, learned something about space, space policy and history, and was amazed by it all!
Another great astronaut biography.......2006-12-16
"Sky Walking" is the second space shuttle astronaut biography I have read after Mike Mullane's "Riding Rockets". I enjoyed both books a lot but they are very different in style. Mike Mullane's book concentrates mostly on humorous anecdotes from his astronaut career (although there are serious parts) whereas Tom Jones has more of the detail involved in astronaut training and I would have to say that if you want to know the fine details about being an astronaut, get this book. I haven't seen anything better in this regard.
Tom Jones started his astronaut career in 1990, just about the time when Mike Mullane was winding down (he was in the 1978 astronaut class) so the two books cover virtually the whole Space Shuttle era. Tom eventually flew four missions, the last being the outfitting of the Destiny laboratory on ISS in 2001. As the title suggests, there is a lot about space walking but Tom didn't get to do any until the last mission. He was scheduled to do a spacewalk on STS-80 but, as described in the first chapter, the airlock wouldn't open.
The book is simply packed with detail on mission training and the space walk training in the NASA WETF and NBL training facilities is described so well that your body almost starts to ache in sympathy. Being an astronaut is definitely not an easy job. As you would expect, there are numerous anecdotes throughout, one of my favourites being Story Musgrave staying on the Shuttle flight deck during the STS-80 re-entry so he could video it. Certainly a man with the right stuff.
If you just want to get an overview of astronaut training rather than the full detail I would probably recommend Mike Mullane's book ahead of this one. There isn't as much humor in "Sky Walking" either but it's still worth five stars.
Average customer rating:
- This is it!
- This will ROCK YOUR SOCKS OFF!
- This book changes your beliefs...
- Profound
- The Ra Material & Law of One books
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The Ra Material: An Ancient Astronaut Speaks (The Law of One , No 1)
Don Elkins ,
James Allen McCarty , and
Carla Rueckert
Manufacturer: Donning Company Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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The Law of One: Book II (Law of One) (Law of One)
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A Wanderer's Handbook
ASIN: 089865260X |
Book Description
Who are the ancient astronauts? Why did they first come to Earth? Why are they returning now? What part did they play in building the great monuments of antiquity? What part did they play in the formation of present and earlier civilizations? With what other beings do we share our universe? And where does the Earth fit into the cosmic scheme of things?
Almost twenty years of experimental work with telepathy led to the "breakthrough" contact recorded in this book. The Ra Material is an account not only of the events leading up to this contact, but of over 200 pages of verbatim transcripts of each and every conversation!, illustrated, 5 1/2" x 8 1/2"
Customer Reviews:
This is it!.......2006-04-28
I discovered this material in the early '80s about the time it was released. I was blown away then and still am. I'll never forget the feeling - something similar to having uncovered a profound and precious secret. I remain convinced that other than ACIM, this may be the ONLY channeled material out there that is what it purports to be. Much more recently, I've begun kinesiologically calibrating books, people, spiritual teachers, institutions with the method taught by Dr. David Hawkins. The Law of One books collectively calibrate (or they did with my calibration) at over 800, in fact somewhere in the neighborhood of 850 if I remember correctly. Astounding, considering that Hawkins states that less than 5% of channeled material calibrates over 455.That's about all I can say. Uh...Adonai.
This will ROCK YOUR SOCKS OFF!.......2005-02-17
There is a lot of channeled material out there, some good and some not so good. I think it is important to use discernment when reading channeled material, just as it is important to use discernment when reading anything, or when listening to a preacher talk.
Ultimately, the truth is inside of us, but we don't know it. So it helps to have it confirmed by `outside' sources. Sometimes we come across something that has that ring of truth in it, and we know it is appropriate for us in this point of time in out lives. Not necessarily appropriate for everyone at all times, or even for ourselves at all times, but appropriate in the now, for where we are at right now.
Thus, I have encountered many books and other sources of info that have all had varying degrees of what I consider `truth', but no one of them being THE TRUTH. (I have long ago dismissed the bible as THE truth, but consider it to have SOME truth in it, while most of it has been distorted.)
The Law of One books are the closest I have found to being THE truth. Many of the channeled works out there are cheesy, or they come across too `authoritative' ie `...in such-and-such year this WILL happen...', `...that IS the way it IS...', etc.
Ra, on the other hand, does not claim to be an authority. Rather, this entity repeatedly tells us to please use discernment and accept only that which resonates as truth within ourselves. Then proceeds to give info that totally rocks your socks off!
This stuff is deep, very deep. I have never read anything else, channeled or not, that even comes close to such high caliber! It is just completely obvious to me that the info really is coming from a higher being, cuz no way anyone could have made all this up!
OK, maybe someone could have. But this info came thru a woman in a trance, and she did not even know what she was saying until she woke up. Even very specific details are consistent throughout the text, over the course of several years of channeling.
But, my purpose is NOT to try to convince you. B4 the skeptics start, let me say that I am NOT trying to prove that this channeled work is authentic - if you are searching for absolute proof, then clearly this book (or any channeled work) is not for you. Better to stay in an organized religion and do as they tell you.
However, if you are a serious seeker who is not afraid to think for yourself, then I highly recommend you give these books a try. Prepare to have your mind opened!
If you're still with me, then maybe you'd like to know what the books are about. OK, for starters: the nature of life, the universe, how the pyramids were built, who the aliens are, the chakras, other dimensions, the important elements of a spiritual path, the nature of sexuality, etc. and lots of other interesting topics. But that is not what makes these books stand out - other books have tried to address these topics as well.
What makes the Law of One stand out is the explanation of `Good' vs `Evil'.
If you find the idea of a `good God' being in a constant war with the `evil Satan' oversimplistic, or if you believe that God is all-powerful and beyond good and evil, or if you have a hard time believing that God will `lose' most of the world's population to the `devil', and you are searching for a more intelligent explanation of why there is evil in the world, then these books might be for you.
Or, if you are tired of all the `doom and gloom' prophecies and would like to rekindle hope, then these books might be for you.
Be forewarned: these books are NOT light and fluffy. And whatever you believe, they will challenge you. But they will also inspire you, and give comfort.
This book changes your beliefs..........2004-08-22
This book contains very interesting information inside which I'm not sure if they are true or false.. But, it is so detailed and realistic that I want to believe it and after I read the book, I realized that it may be like the book says.. Ra Materials answer all the unknown about cosmology, from where men came, what will happen etc... Even if the book is full of false information, it is worth reading because of it's interesting theme..
Profound.......2002-07-25
The Ra material is the transcription of the taped communications between researcher Don and the entity RA, a being that is talking through Carla, often referred to as the "instrument" throughout the book (s), in a state of deep trance. The transcriptions are carried out by Jim and the three are always present during all sessions, creating a triangulation of light that allows for RA, a sixth dimensional being, that calles itself a "socialmemory complex", to come through and speak.
RA has choosen this group because of the purity of their intent and makes himself available to them for questions about the Universe, the Creator, the dimensions, Karma, the law of One and any other material that might aid people in understanding universal truths that might be helpful for mankinds evolution.
The materail is very esoteric and requires some concentration. However, it is well worth the effort, as it is enlightening, very precise, accurate and informative. The explanations around the shift in dimensions we are about to undergo on the planet, that Ra defines as the harvest, are devoid of hype and sensation. Harvest is a process that all beings and planetary bodies eventually encur, following physical/spiritual law just as eclipses do or the seasons.The science of the harvest ( ascension) is explained in depth here as is the chakra system and it's role in Soul evolution.
Also extremely interesting the explanation of the polarization of entities into Service to Self orintated entities and Service to Others orientated entities and the implications these have in the ascension process and the roles they play within the bigger picture.
A really deep read and well worth the effort. I have read all four volumes and I am about to tackle vol 5. I thoroughly recommend it.
The Ra Material & Law of One books.......2000-05-14
This "contact" is the only example of so-called channeled material to which I would give an unqualified endorsement -- if by "channeled" one refers to communication with another entity, not one's own subconscious or superconscious, nor "angelic" or hierarchical sources, while in trance.
Guaranteed to interest students of forteana, metaphysics, and matters of the spirit... But, to those of you on the straight and narrow spiritual path, a cautionary note is advised whenever the possibility arises of engaging in "spiritual gossip" that may accompany the "true teachings". And said Goethe: "Thought widens, but paralyzes; whereas action enlivens, but narrows."
Hope I haven't confused you too much with this electronic "contact". Happy distorting.
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