New in Paperback: NASA: The Complete Illustrated History by Michael Gorn

Every time there’s a presidential race, it brings NASA to my mind. Maybe it’s because of the “space race,” but it’s also at least partly due to wondering why we haven’t gotten farther, achieved more. Shouldn’t we be able to buy timeshares on Mars by now? Shouldn’t we have colonies on the Moon? I don’t think I’m alone in these connections. Every time an election draws near, it seems as though we get treated to a new spate of books about space stuff. And here we are.

NASA: The Complete Illustrated History (Merrell Books) is the first paperback edition of a striking hardcover first published in 2005. As the subtitle tells us, it is a complete history on NASA which -- perhaps not so coincidentally -- turns 50 in 2008.

You don’t need an anniversary to enjoy the book, though. Author Gorn is an award winning historian with several other related books to his credit and the foreword was written by former astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

NASA: The Complete Illustrated History is clearly a must for space geeks, but many will enjoy this book that would reach for the stars.