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Reviews
Sex on the Moon: The Amazing Story Behind the Most Audacious Heist in Histroy by Ben Mezrich
greglhoward's review against another edition
2.0
This book was entertaining, but hardly a classic. My favorite part was how attractive everyone in the book was. It'll make casting a movie easy, I guess.
lweihl's review against another edition
3.0
This was ok. I had never heard of the moon rock heist so it was interesting just to hear the story. It wasn't a riveting story or anything so i'm glad I did it on audio book.
lizaroo71's review against another edition
4.0
thad sees a flyer at his university's career services center. it is looking for interns at NASA's prestigious intern program. thad decides he will chart a new course in his studies to become an astronaut. this charts a new course for his studies. he goes home to tell his wife who braces this idea with enthusiasm.
once thad does get into the program, he decides to reinvent himself. married at the age of twenty, thad has been excommunicated from his mormon family after admitting to premarital sex with his then girlfriend sonya. the two marry and make a life of their own. but thad feels like life at NASA can become a new opportunity for him to remake his personality. rather than the shy rule-bound boy from utah, he will be brazan and embrace all challenges in front of him.
his outgoing personality earns him a following among the young interns and soon he finds himself a ringleader of sorts. challenging the interns to take risks within the hallowed walls of NASA. he says he will get into the shuttle simulator and when he does, it seals his status as a madman.
but thad doesn't stop there. he becomes enamored with the idea of touching rocks from the moon. when given the opportunity to help catalogue the 1,000 or so specimens on site, he jumps. this is the catalyst for the idea to the rocks. the ones he wants to take have been "contaminated" by research and are essentially "trash." thad rationalizes that another man's trash will be his treasure and he begins to plot how he can actually take the rocks.
this is an interesting read. it seems crazy that thad actually thought he would get away with such a crime. i found it particularly interesting as NASA is about twenty minutes up the freeway from me.
once thad does get into the program, he decides to reinvent himself. married at the age of twenty, thad has been excommunicated from his mormon family after admitting to premarital sex with his then girlfriend sonya. the two marry and make a life of their own. but thad feels like life at NASA can become a new opportunity for him to remake his personality. rather than the shy rule-bound boy from utah, he will be brazan and embrace all challenges in front of him.
his outgoing personality earns him a following among the young interns and soon he finds himself a ringleader of sorts. challenging the interns to take risks within the hallowed walls of NASA. he says he will get into the shuttle simulator and when he does, it seals his status as a madman.
but thad doesn't stop there. he becomes enamored with the idea of touching rocks from the moon. when given the opportunity to help catalogue the 1,000 or so specimens on site, he jumps. this is the catalyst for the idea to the rocks. the ones he wants to take have been "contaminated" by research and are essentially "trash." thad rationalizes that another man's trash will be his treasure and he begins to plot how he can actually take the rocks.
this is an interesting read. it seems crazy that thad actually thought he would get away with such a crime. i found it particularly interesting as NASA is about twenty minutes up the freeway from me.
balletbookworm's review against another edition
3.0
Ehhhh. The story in and of itself (thieving moon rocks from NASA) is interesting but after a while I didn't care about Thad at all. There's a level of "I deserve this bc I didn't get caught before" that set my teeth on edge. Also, I feel super-bad for his wife. The best part of the book is the planning/actual heist.
Also, Casey Affleck is not a good book narrator, tbh.
Also, Casey Affleck is not a good book narrator, tbh.
aprilalwayswithabook's review against another edition
2.0
That is a giant selfish douche and it annoys me when giant selfish douches are portrayed as exceptionally smart heroes. He's not. Mezrich would have benefitted from maybe talking to someone other than Thad to get a little more holistic knowledge of his crimes.
mjwerts's review against another edition
2.0
The description of this book promises an exciting read with quirky characters. The reality of Sex on the Moon is neither of those things.
This book tells the story of Thad Roberts, a young man whose vision of his life and himself vacillates between ambitious dreamer and insecure, insignificant wannabe. Neither of these are accurate. Throughout the story, it becomes clear that Thad is really just a horny twenty-something with envy issues who can't see the enviable life he has.
The book's description promises an epic heist, but it takes way too long to get there, and when it does get there, it's not that thrilling or clever. Instead, the writer spends a majority of his pages on Thad's history in an effort to depict him as a naive brainiac whose heist was simply a juvenile prank that went too far. It is a failed attempt. Thad's egoism makes it hard to understand his choices, and without a likable "hero," this caper tale fails to steal the reader's goodwill.
This book tells the story of Thad Roberts, a young man whose vision of his life and himself vacillates between ambitious dreamer and insecure, insignificant wannabe. Neither of these are accurate. Throughout the story, it becomes clear that Thad is really just a horny twenty-something with envy issues who can't see the enviable life he has.
The book's description promises an epic heist, but it takes way too long to get there, and when it does get there, it's not that thrilling or clever. Instead, the writer spends a majority of his pages on Thad's history in an effort to depict him as a naive brainiac whose heist was simply a juvenile prank that went too far. It is a failed attempt. Thad's egoism makes it hard to understand his choices, and without a likable "hero," this caper tale fails to steal the reader's goodwill.
teal2wine's review against another edition
3.0
I did the audio book which was only tolerable at 1.4x speed because the narrator spoke so slowly.
Taking this in as a fiction book is the only way to go. Hence the rating. I'd give it only 1 stars otherwise.
The lead character is so egotistical and "woe is me and everyone else who isn't me". Knowing folks in law enforcement and government jobs, the book took a lot of liberties on "scenes" involving that/them. Then only HE made friends with the NASA scientists?!?! 5 mph on the JSC? Really.
Read this as a movie and leave your brain at the door.
Taking this in as a fiction book is the only way to go. Hence the rating. I'd give it only 1 stars otherwise.
The lead character is so egotistical and "woe is me and everyone else who isn't me". Knowing folks in law enforcement and government jobs, the book took a lot of liberties on "scenes" involving that/them. Then only HE made friends with the NASA scientists?!?! 5 mph on the JSC? Really.
Read this as a movie and leave your brain at the door.
noahwags's review against another edition
3.0
This guy has got to be one of the most self-centered, entitled hypocrites ever. You think your 7 years worth of Physics work is more valuable than moon rocks? How about Gibson's 30 years work? But he's had his fill and now you're taking up the baton. Wow.
I thought the book was compelling, but Thad is an asshat.
I thought the book was compelling, but Thad is an asshat.
wonderwoman619's review against another edition
4.0
Found this book on the "new non-fiction" list at the library. I have to say the title intrigued me :)
The author of Sex on the Moon is also the author of the books that inspired the movies "The Social Network" and "21". It appears that Sex on the Moon will also become a movie in 2013.
Sex on the Moon is a captivating story of Thad Robinson and his experience working for Nasa. Half way through his 3rd years as a co-op at Nasa he decides to steal some moon rock to make some money. The story is fast-paced and very interesting!
The author of Sex on the Moon is also the author of the books that inspired the movies "The Social Network" and "21". It appears that Sex on the Moon will also become a movie in 2013.
Sex on the Moon is a captivating story of Thad Robinson and his experience working for Nasa. Half way through his 3rd years as a co-op at Nasa he decides to steal some moon rock to make some money. The story is fast-paced and very interesting!
amn028's review against another edition
3.0
A very interesting story that I somehow missed completely during the media storm. the author does a good job of setting the story and making the characters three-dimensional. the only downfall was the audiobook was read by Casey Affleck, who apparently is unsure of what punctuation does and would just steamroll through the words/sentences until he ran breath. at first it bothered me that he was so monotone but then he attempted to speak as a hyperactive 19 year old girl and put on a Belgium accent, and I wished he stuck with speed reading monotone man. I think you'd be further off reading the book rather than listening to the audiobook