Leaving Earth

Drawing on his vast store of knowledge about space travel, as well as undreds of interviews with cosmonauts, astronauts, and scientists, Zimmerman has superbly captured the excitement and suspense of our recent space-traveling past. For space and history enthusiasts alike, Leaving Earth describes a rich heritage of adventure, exploration, research, and discovery.

Really interesting! This made me I feel like I'd been traveling to the US/Russian space stations. This book also makes you appreciate the adventure of space travel, and the riches of life on earth. I sort of knew, but now do more vividly - that bone loss is so pervasive in long-term microgravity exposure, and that only rigorous exercise - 2 or more hours a day keeps it below .5 % per month.

This was a good read - and a great window on late Soviet, into post-Soviet history, as well as insights in to Russian culture. My wife was reading a book about Russia (a memoir from the '80s by a woman who went to Russia with her husband, a Russian studies graduate student) so we had lots of parallel things to discuss. Recommended!