wuchea's review against another edition
5.0
Highly enjoyable read - covers a lot of ground and serious science with a readable, lighthearted tone.
sarahannkateri's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting look at the less-discussed aspects of life in space like showering, going to the bathroom, and getting along with one's fellow astronauts. Amusing at times, but I didn't find it as funny or enlightening as some of Roach's previous books. Good read for those interested in space.
lisa_berrones's review against another edition
2.0
I had high hopes for this since I love Mary Roach but this was simply not as good as her other books.
smalefowles's review against another edition
4.0
All these pop science books are like potato chips--super fun to eat, but afterwards I'm still really hungry. It feels gratifying to be 'learning something,' but I forget almost everything almost immediately. Perhaps that's always true, though.
Anyway, this one deserves four stars because this author is wacky, and this book actually made me laugh out loud pretty often. I don't like humor books, but I like laughing, so that was pretty great.
Anyway, this one deserves four stars because this author is wacky, and this book actually made me laugh out loud pretty often. I don't like humor books, but I like laughing, so that was pretty great.
quigleybeau's review against another edition
4.0
“The report didn’t mention anal leakage, but I will.”
“The Soviet space agency did not traditionally give cosmonauts steak and eggs before launch; it gave them a one-liter enema.”
“The Soviet space agency did not traditionally give cosmonauts steak and eggs before launch; it gave them a one-liter enema.”
jcpdiesel21's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a pleasure to read and answered questions about space that I never knew I had. Although Roach's conversational tone was difficult to get used to at first, I enjoyed her humorous writing style and how she was game for pretty much anything to explore so many different facets connected to space. I found it took me longer than usual to get through such a slim book, probably because I had to pause after each chapter to hop on the internet to look something up that I read about or try to wrap my brain around the facts presented. The footnotes were a bit lengthy at times, but always informative and amusing, and many could have spawned their own books. Given the fun that I had reading this, I would definitely try another book by Roach.
ein's review against another edition
4.0
Довольно занимательное чтиво о всех тех неожиданных трудностях, которые ожидают в космосе астронавтов. Много интересных фактов: например, в 50-е никто не знал, что будет в невесомости с живым организмом, поэтому проверяли вообще все: можно ли там дышать, видеть, есть... С другой стороны, стиль у книги довольно желтушный: авторша двадцать страниц обсасывает вопрос, дрочил ли во время полета первый шимпанзе-космонавт.