Hello, Earthlings! In my free time, which is sometimes available, I read a lot. At the top of my list, of course, are books about space. It may seem that there are a huge number of them, but if you start to look into it, there are very few popular science books on the subject. There is serious reference literature, and there are also plenty of children's encyclopedias. But there are only a handful of books that a non-professional could read to get a feel for the spirit of space romance and the complexity of this work. I have five favorites, and today I will share them with you. They are all very different, so I hope everyone will be able to find something to their liking. The most legendary The most legendary The first book on the list is “An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth: What Going to Space Taught Me About Ingenuity, Determination, and Being Prepared for Anything”. It was written by the only Canadian astronaut widely known to the world, Chris Hadfield. Try to name a second one without using a search engine. The only other person who comes to mind is space tourist and founder of Cirque du Soleil, Guy Laliberté. Chris Hadfield is known to almost everyone. Even if his name seems unfamiliar, you've probably seen the YouTube video of the astronaut on the ISS singing David Bowie's Space Oddity while playing the guitar. That's Chris Hadfield. https://youtu.be/nygNRHpLD10?si=alHdXk_lks3dkisM&embedable=true https://youtu.be/nygNRHpLD10?si=alHdXk_lks3dkisM&embedable=true I'm a little jealous of you if you're reading it for the first time. Well written, with a touch of humor, it does a great job of recounting Chris Hadfield's three flights — two on the Space Shuttle and one on the Russian Soyuz. The astronaut managed to visit Mir and work on the ISS, so expect lots of details. In short, if you want to read just one book about space, let it be The Astronaut's Guide. "Winters at Baikonur are never mild, but in 2011 the cold was terrible. During the celebrations before the December launch, it snowed, and the icy wind blew through everything: the fabric, rubber, and metal layers of the crew's spacesuits... Before the launch of our ship in December 2012, the Russians decided to take preventive measures. They made us white soft jumpsuits that covered all our other gear like armor. The newest The second in line is “Discovering Asteroids, Comets & Meteors 2025”, which came out in 2024 towards the latter end. It is authored by Agnes Clarke, an experienced teacher of astronomy and long-time skygazing enthusiast who leads novice stargazers into the arms of the starry firmament. Clarke is well-known for her straightforward writing and do-it-yourself manuals. She has the special gift: she makes her universe appear magical but within reach. This isn't a book on remote theory. It's a guide to what you can actually see. Focusing on next year's most prominent minor bodies, it leads you to discover bright comets, track near-Earth asteroids, and photograph spectacular meteor showers with nothing more than telescopes or even binoculars. Designed for amateur astronomers, stargazing families, and anyone curious about what's flying overhead, this book is packed with monthly sky charts, observing tips for different latitudes, and plain-language explanations of celestial mechanics. No jargon. Just practical tips to make the most of 2025's sky events. One of the best things about it is how Clarke threads science through stories. She tells us where these rocks in space were from, the history of the biggest sightings, and how they have shaped famous planets as well as myths globally. From prehistoric meteorite impacts to technology tracking today, the book keeps your feet on the ground with science but also lifts your eyes to the sky. Special attention is given to include future highlights, including several predicted naked-eye comets, asteroid flybys, and major meteor showers such as the Perseids and Geminids. Clarke even includes QR codes pointing to revised orbital data and observation aids. Briefly: if you’ve ever looked up and wondered what streaked across the sky — this is your year, and this is your book. But be warned: it might just spark a lifelong obsession with the heavens and send you pricing out telescope mounts before you’ve even finished chapter three. The most outrageous And here we have Mike Mullane's “Riding Rockets: The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut”. It was published in 2006. This book will either win you over or not appeal to you at all. There is no middle ground. And yes, it is practically 18+, although in those years it was not yet necessary to write this warning on the covers for schoolchildren. In general, these are the most mischievous memories of an astronaut that I have read in my life. Overall, all memoirs are similar to each other. In them, a modest and courageous protagonist tells the story of overcoming difficulties. But Mike Mullane, who made three space flights on shuttles, obviously decided to give everyone a piece of his mind when he retired. And he told the whole truth, spicing it up with some pretty dark humor in places. Perhaps Mullane was very lucky with his editor, who was able to put together a great story, or perhaps he worked hard himself. But apart from these memoirs, he has written several other books, albeit without much success. Here, the style is excellent: an experienced astronaut shares stories from his life with jokes and bawdy tales. Only from this book can you learn about erections in space, whether astronauts are allowed to sign autographs on their buttocks, what jokes are popular in this field, and what you need to do to get Judith Resnik to say, “You pig, Mullane”. The book preserves things that are not usually shown to strangers, things that are not customary to boast about — that is why it is so valuable. Just take the story of how a mistake in a comment to a journalist almost ruined an astronaut's career! “I said, "The sight of Discovery bathed in xenon lights, the realization that this was my shuttle, that only a few hours separated me from the climax, from the fulfillment of my lifelong dream, made me cry with joy. But the newspaper wrote: '“Astronauts cry with fear when they are taken to the launch pad.” “I said, "The sight of Discovery bathed in xenon lights, the realization that this was my shuttle, that only a few hours separated me from the climax, from the fulfillment of my lifelong dream, made me cry with joy. But the newspaper wrote: '“Astronauts cry with fear when they are taken to the launch pad.” In this book, you will see astronauts without a hint of heroism or pathos, but as ordinary people in a fascinating profession. Arrogant, ambitious, selfish, with only one dream in life — to fly into space. And for the sake of it, they are ready for anything, even “singing the Internationale and congratulating the communists from orbit”. The most systematic The penultimate book on the list is “Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and the Military”. The author is Neil deGrasse Tyson. Year of publication: 2018. Due to the separation of military cosmonautics and NASA, many people may have gotten the impression that American space exploration is exclusively a peaceful and scientific endeavor. This is in contrast to the Soviet program, where the military and scientific aspects have been closely intertwined since the launch of the first satellite. None other than one of the most famous popularizers of space, Neil deGrasse Tyson, set out to debunk this misconception. The result is a large and surprisingly comprehensive work covering the history of astronomy from its very beginnings. And yes, somewhere alongside scientific discoveries, slightly to the side and in the shadows, the military has almost always been present. And when astrophysics and space exploration came to the forefront of technological progress, the military moved even closer. Intelligence, remote sensing of the Earth, the use of space communications, spectrometry, inspection satellites — it is difficult to distinguish between science and military applications. Tyson does not try to stand on a stool in a white coat. Instead, he methodically shows how civilian science and military technology are intertwined, how a breakthrough in one will inevitably lead to progress in the other. The result is almost a detective story, as the military is behind most astrophysical discoveries and achievements in one way or another. Tyson writes not only about the US, but also about Soviet and Russian space exploration. He manages to refrain from making judgments and labeling, simply telling about this not always obvious side of the field. The downside of the book is its high level of entry. To get the most out of it, it is advisable to know the history of cosmonautics and the main projects of both the USSR and the US. Otherwise, reading it risks turning into a series of jumps to Wikipedia and back. The most unexpected And fifth on the list is “The Last Man on the Moon: Astronaut Eugene Cernan and America's Race in Space”, published in 1999. These are the memoirs of the commander of Apollo 17. It would seem that everything interesting related to the Moon already happened during the first five missions. What new can be said about the history of lunar flights and landings? Especially when there is a large and comprehensive work about Neil Armstrong with a similar title, First Man on the Moon. But in this book, you will find detailed information about the Gemini and Apollo programs. The author has room for a variety of topics — from how astronauts were selected for crews, including lunar crews, to stories about tragedies. The author honestly mentions that the death of the Gemini 9 crew in a plane crash gave him the opportunity to fly in space and increased his chances of going on a mission to the Moon. The story of how he spent two hours and eight minutes in open space during the flight on the Gemini 9A spacecraft turns into a thrilling thriller. This is more than the previous record of 21 minutes. Eugene Cernan, along with Thomas Stafford and John Young on Apollo 10, made the last preparatory flight to the moon. They completed all stages except for the landing, remaining 14 km from the surface. Next comes the story of how Cernan desperately sought to set foot on the moon. He did everything he could to become a member of the last mission. At the same time, his actions, such as arguments with NASA management, jeopardized his chance to fly on Apollo 17 several times. In the end, he succeeded. Eugene Cernan is still considered “the last man on the moon”. Cernan's memoirs are distinguished by their remarkable humanity. He warmly recounts the life of an astronaut and shares stories about his family — for example, how his wife played the role of “Mrs. Astronaut”. This is a unique ‘job’ that has remained virtually unchanged for over 50 years. So yes, there is a lot of “reality” in the book. I think The Last Man on the Moon is the most fascinating memoir I've ever read. I think The Last Man on the Moon is the most fascinating memoir I've ever read. I think The Last Man on the Moon is the most fascinating memoir I've ever read. That's all for now. If you're familiar with any of the books on the list, share your impressions in the comments. And of course, throw in your suggestions — maybe they'll soon grace someone's bookshelf. That's all for now. If you're familiar with any of the books on the list, share your impressions in the comments. And of course, throw in your suggestions — maybe they'll soon grace someone's bookshelf. That's all for now. If you're familiar with any of the books on the list, share your impressions in the comments. And of course, throw in your suggestions — maybe they'll soon grace someone's bookshelf.
