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eveanareads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
kimberussell's review against another edition
4.0
OK, Space Program, take my money.
This book is half inspirational, half biographical. I was a fan of Hadfield's Twitter photos and YouTube videos from his ISS flight, so I was completely biased coming into this book. And it was great. Sometimes it went heavy on the "and I was number one in the class AND aced the sim AND have the best wife in the world AND I play great guitar!" But that's okay. You don't get to be an astronaut by being a B+ guy.
My only slight criticism is that the inspirational part leaps around in time.
My husband bought me an autographed hardcover copy of this book for Christmas. That's a humble brag.
This book is half inspirational, half biographical. I was a fan of Hadfield's Twitter photos and YouTube videos from his ISS flight, so I was completely biased coming into this book. And it was great. Sometimes it went heavy on the "and I was number one in the class AND aced the sim AND have the best wife in the world AND I play great guitar!" But that's okay. You don't get to be an astronaut by being a B+ guy.
My only slight criticism is that the inspirational part leaps around in time.
My husband bought me an autographed hardcover copy of this book for Christmas. That's a humble brag.
bergeronj's review against another edition
4.0
A little slow at times but enjoyable overall. Basically covers his career and then his time in space. Best part is talking about the oddities experienced in space and the whole process of training, launching, and returning
kstamant's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I absolutely LOVED this book, so much that I read it digitally, then found the audiobook and gave it a listen as well. I loved listening to him narrate his own story. I was very much inspired and I would recommend this read to anyone - even if you are not a space nerd like myself. I will be reading this book again in the near future.
callmejoce's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed Hadfield's story of his journey to ISS. I was an early follower of his photographs on Twitter and enjoyed seeing his account blow-up. He did such an inspiring job using social media to educate his audience about life in zero gravity on ISS and this book is a deeper dive into that story.
There are many lessons in this book. I especially enjoyed the chapter named Aim to Be a Zero. Also, as a highly creative person who thinks in pictures, not processes, I found his A-type hyper focus fascinating to read about.
There are many lessons in this book. I especially enjoyed the chapter named Aim to Be a Zero. Also, as a highly creative person who thinks in pictures, not processes, I found his A-type hyper focus fascinating to read about.
cutcamera's review against another edition
5.0
An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth is both inspirational and awe-inspiring. The way Col. Hadfield threads exciting stories of space travels and flying fighter pilots with tips on how to find happiness in the everyday makes it feel like the world’s coolest self-help book. I enjoyed it a lot.
danielhgold's review against another edition
5.0
Everyone should read this book! Instantly one of my favourites.
coronaurora's review against another edition
3.0
I can't really refute the life lessons extracted by Mr Hadfield in a life dedicated to a skill-heavy, high-stakes profession. Being involved in a skills-oriented profession myself in which stakes can be life-and-death (for others) myself, I was on the same page as Mr Hadfield with "sweating the small stuff" and "Be prepared, always".
I just felt that the work failed at the editor's table and there just seemed a bit too much of talking-at-reader and couple this with being structured and titled very oddly with the titles of sections seldom bearing much resemblance with the monologue contained within, after a while it just seemed like attending a confessional one didn't particularly ask for.
The detail of the routines, training, mores, personal-life sacrifices certainly dismantles the casual life-as-astronaut stereotype, but if you aren't absolutely smitten by the charms of this man's way of looking back and transcribing his life, justifying his life choices and the life lessons (and I certainly wasn't), the book goes on a bit.
There are some glorious nuggets of breathtaking reconstruction of outlandish situations Chris found himself and what his/his fellow's actions were at that point: these I felt exposed more life and character than the book around them: like a gritty eye while spacewalking which almost renders Chris blind, a bee (!) inside his visor , a snake (!!) inside his cockpit.
I just felt that the work failed at the editor's table and there just seemed a bit too much of talking-at-reader and couple this with being structured and titled very oddly with the titles of sections seldom bearing much resemblance with the monologue contained within, after a while it just seemed like attending a confessional one didn't particularly ask for.
The detail of the routines, training, mores, personal-life sacrifices certainly dismantles the casual life-as-astronaut stereotype, but if you aren't absolutely smitten by the charms of this man's way of looking back and transcribing his life, justifying his life choices and the life lessons (and I certainly wasn't), the book goes on a bit.
There are some glorious nuggets of breathtaking reconstruction of outlandish situations Chris found himself and what his/his fellow's actions were at that point: these I felt exposed more life and character than the book around them: like a gritty eye while spacewalking which almost renders Chris blind, a bee (!) inside his visor , a snake (!!) inside his cockpit.