Tom wolfe began the right stuff at a time when it was unfashiona. Its men like chuck yeager, the greatest test pilot of all and the fastest man on earth. The right stuff is a 1979 book by tom wolfe about the pilots engaged in u. The author raised reportage to dazzling new levels in his quest to. Nixon had left the white house in disgrace, the nation was reeling from the catastrophe of vietnam, and in 1979the year the book appearedamericans were being held hostage by iranian militants. But most readers outside the slick urban wolfe orbit will find credibility fatally undermined by the selfindulgent digressions, the stylistic excesses, and the broadly satiric, antiallamerican stance. Tom wolfe is the author of more than a dozen books, among them such contemporary classics as the electric koolaid acid test, the right stuff, the bonfire of the vanities and a man in full. Id forgotten much of what had been covered in tom wolfes book, but the added perspective of some 30 plus years gives new resonance to his take on our space program and politics of. With the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, i thought the rereading of the right stuff might be worthwhile. Now tom wolfe has written a book about project mercury, americas first manned space program, and about the test pilots from whom the. Wolfe humanzies the cocky heroes that made americas space program successful. Tom wolfe began the right stuff at a time when it was unfashionable to contemplate american heroism.
The first edition of the novel was published in 1979, and was written by tom wolfe. The story contrasts the mercury seven and their families with test pilots such as chuck yeager, who was co. Free download or read online the right stuff pdf epub book. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. It is this, the inner life of the astronauts, that tom wolfe describes with his almost uncanny empathetic powers, that made the right stuff a classic. The main characters of this non fiction, history story are john glenn, gus grissom. Celebrated author and journalist tom wolfe died today at 88. Id forgotten much of what had been covered in tom wolfes book, but the added perspective of some 30 plus years gives new resonance to his take on our space program and politics of that period. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The right stuff is based on extensive research by wolfe, who interviewed test pilots, the astronauts and their wives, among others. A wonderful novel and perfect book club choice, the right stuff is a wildly vivid and entertaining chronicle of americas early space programme. Tom wolfe, the author of the right stuff 1979, one of the most iconic literary books about spaceflight, died this week. As good as the right stuff is as a movie, the book is even better.