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princesspersephone's review against another edition
4.0
I remember being in college when Scott Kelly was on his year long journey in space. One of my professors was working at NASA on one of the many scientific experiments that Kelly was helping to conduct. It was THE COOLEST THING to me. It was an exercise physiology class and we had a special unit on extreme environments on physiology - including zero gravity. These astronauts quite literally donate their body to science. It was really great to hear Scott Kelly's personal account of just how he felt and the unique descriptions of different sensations, smells, sounds, and visions of space.
He didn't go into quite so much detail about what experiments he was doing, or the exact physiological changes that happen in space. But he does talk about the physical toll he takes and the different things that play a part in that. In terms of the psychological toll, I think that is what he weighed most heavily on in the book. To me this was a book of reflection on his life and how he got here while he was stuck, literally, as far away from humanity as possible for an entire year.
what would you miss most if you were that far away? what little things would you suddenly realize you have taken for granted? how would you navigate complex relationships, made that much more complex by this strange circumstance? What is it like being in such close quarters all the time with no personal space? how do you pass the time? how do you make the most out of this experience? What the first thing you would do when you come back to earth? what is the one thing you hope doesnt happen on earth while you are in space? How TF did you get here in the first place?
Scott Kelly answers these questions, and so much more. With a militaristic bluntness and sense of humor filled with candor and absurdity, he comes across as someone you would want to sit down and grab a drink with.
He didn't go into quite so much detail about what experiments he was doing, or the exact physiological changes that happen in space. But he does talk about the physical toll he takes and the different things that play a part in that. In terms of the psychological toll, I think that is what he weighed most heavily on in the book. To me this was a book of reflection on his life and how he got here while he was stuck, literally, as far away from humanity as possible for an entire year.
what would you miss most if you were that far away? what little things would you suddenly realize you have taken for granted? how would you navigate complex relationships, made that much more complex by this strange circumstance? What is it like being in such close quarters all the time with no personal space? how do you pass the time? how do you make the most out of this experience? What the first thing you would do when you come back to earth? what is the one thing you hope doesnt happen on earth while you are in space? How TF did you get here in the first place?
Scott Kelly answers these questions, and so much more. With a militaristic bluntness and sense of humor filled with candor and absurdity, he comes across as someone you would want to sit down and grab a drink with.
ginamelasecca's review against another edition
3.0
Not as entertaining as some books by other astronauts, but gives the reader a really good understanding of the space program and the life of an astronaut.
koko500's review against another edition
2.0
Partially read, 1/3 finished.
The tone/voice was not for me.
The tone/voice was not for me.
moveslikewind's review against another edition
Another that I plan to finish when the time is right
nenah_elizabeth's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
4.0
nlmckenna's review against another edition
5.0
I love space. It fascinates me so much, and I found Kelly’s story about how he became an astronaut and what his year in space was like to be very interesting! I listened to the audio version, and Kelly is the narrator which I found to be even better because you could really feel the story that way. Great read!
mg_in_md_'s review against another edition
4.0
I found this to be a fascinating, incredibly readable memoir and am glad that I decided to read it during the same month we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission. It was interesting to learn more about NASA's space shuttle program, what life is like aboard the International Space Station (ISS), and the current state of space exploration with a view to getting to Mars. The book's title is a nod to Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic exploration and could not have been more apt for this equally extraordinary story.
I liked the way the book was structured, alternating between Kelly's early life and path to becoming an astronaut and his year living in the ISS. If asked whether a book could change someone's life, there would be no better example to cite than this one. Kelly's decision to pick up and read [b:The Right Stuff|8146619|The Right Stuff|Tom Wolfe|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328307624l/8146619._SY75_.jpg|907221] by [a:Tom Wolfe|3083854|Tom Wolfe|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1368273666p2/3083854.jpg] truly changed the course of his life. Kelly's reflections about his life, career, and the impact of his chosen profession on his personal life and loved ones were insightful and honest. The book read like a conversation and was incredibly engaging from the first page to the last.
One of my favorite parts of the book was the description of the live Twitter Q&A event that took place during Kelly's year in space. The fact that was even technologically possible is incredible to me! During the event, Kelly recalled how he received a question from President Obama and was trolled by Buzz Aldrin for "only" floating above the Earth for a year. His description of the exchanges and his reflections were terrific and had me laughing out loud.
I used this for the 2019 POPSUGAR Ultimate Reading Challenge prompt "a book set in space" (but plan to add a bonus read since only part of the book takes place in space), and tentatively slated it for the July prompts for the 2019 AACPL Reading Challenge (a science book).
I liked the way the book was structured, alternating between Kelly's early life and path to becoming an astronaut and his year living in the ISS. If asked whether a book could change someone's life, there would be no better example to cite than this one. Kelly's decision to pick up and read [b:The Right Stuff|8146619|The Right Stuff|Tom Wolfe|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328307624l/8146619._SY75_.jpg|907221] by [a:Tom Wolfe|3083854|Tom Wolfe|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1368273666p2/3083854.jpg] truly changed the course of his life. Kelly's reflections about his life, career, and the impact of his chosen profession on his personal life and loved ones were insightful and honest. The book read like a conversation and was incredibly engaging from the first page to the last.
One of my favorite parts of the book was the description of the live Twitter Q&A event that took place during Kelly's year in space. The fact that was even technologically possible is incredible to me! During the event, Kelly recalled how he received a question from President Obama and was trolled by Buzz Aldrin for "only" floating above the Earth for a year. His description of the exchanges and his reflections were terrific and had me laughing out loud.
I used this for the 2019 POPSUGAR Ultimate Reading Challenge prompt "a book set in space" (but plan to add a bonus read since only part of the book takes place in space), and tentatively slated it for the July prompts for the 2019 AACPL Reading Challenge (a science book).
gabizago's review against another edition
5.0
When I started reading "Endurance: a Year in Space, a Lifetime of Discovery", I didn’t think that the story would be so interesting. I guess I never thought about the potencial implications for life on Earth of going to space. By analyzing how human bodies behave and age in space, we can better understand how to make things better on Earth. All the research and experiments that are done in the ISS benefit not only life on space but also life down here. And for me that’s why Scott Kelly’s book is so interesting and rich. By reading those pages, we can see stories of how he became an astronaut and also how things went the last time he was on ISS for a whole year. I really enjoyed reading about the daily routine in the ISS and the long journey of study and dedication that led him there. The book also includes several pictures of life in space and Kelly’s life. Next time I eat a tortilla I will smile knowing that I am eating space food.
I received an advanced reading copy from BookishFirst.
I received an advanced reading copy from BookishFirst.
natspeth's review against another edition
4.0
This is an excellent book given from a unique perspective that very few members of humankind have experienced. It has great messages of not giving up and the importance of goals. Being a fan of the space program and the research and discoveries that have come from years of study and work, this book covers the importance of continuing to study space and what it has to offer.