George Leopold is a veteran technology journalist and science writer who has covered the nexus between technology and policy for over thirty years. Leopold has written extensively about U.S. manned spaceflight, including the Apollo and space shuttle programs. His work has appeared in the New York Times, the New Scientist, and a variety of other science and technology publications. He resides in Reston, Virginia, USA.
"...highlights a career, and a life, of someone willing to take
risks to achieve great things...provides insights into one of the
astronauts who was there at the beginning of the Space Age...an
exceptional read."--Spaceflight Insider
"Author George Leopold chronicles Grissom's entire life, from his
childhood in Mitchell, Indiana, through his military career to his
years with NASA. Because no one had written a comprehensive and
balanced biography, this book fills a literary and historical
void."--Rich Gotshall, The Daily Journal, Indianapolis, Indiana
"On July 21, 1961, in the middle of a family vacation, my parents
stopped to let me watch Gus Grissom's historic fifteen-minute
mission in Liberty Bell 7, the second manned Project Mercury
flight. At thirteen, I was already very excited about space
exploration. I could only imagine that someday I might follow in
the footsteps of my hero who was born at the opposite end of the
state from my northern Indiana home. Gus Grissom came from a rural,
hardworking background just like me, and my later path mirrored his
as I earned mechanical engineering degrees from Purdue University
and went on to fly with the US Air Force and then NASA. We both
pursued bold dreams. Through grit and determination, Grissom rose
from the pastoral Midwest to achieve those dreams, his life ending
tragically while Gus was still in his prime.George Leopold's
well-researched and inspiring biography of Grissom details an
imperfect man willing to risk his life for a chance to explore the
unknown. This book is a must-read for every space
enthusiast."--Jerry Ross, Astronaut, Author of Spacewalker: My
Journey in Space and Faith as NASA's Record-Setting Frequent
Flyer
"To say that Calculated Risk is a good read is an understatement.
It's a bookshelf-must for every engineer and NASA buff."--Chuck
Murray, Design News
During the 1960s, the Cold War was fought on many fronts and fields
of battle--nuclear weapon technology, Cuba and other geopolitical
hotspots, the Olympic Games, to name a few--but the race to space
may have meant the most to Russian and American egos, and astronaut
Gus Grissom played a leading role until his death by fire on a Cape
Canaveral launch pad in 1967. An engineer and test pilot, Grissom
fully understood the risks and complexity of space flight, and his
expertise assured his involvement in all facets of the Gemini
program, including the design decisions that cost his life. Through
interviews with dozens of Grissom's NASA coworkers, friends, and
family, this highly recommended biography offers an astronaut's-eye
view of early spaceflight and Cold War intrigue.--Matt Sutherland,
Foreword Reviews
George Leopold's Calculated Risk: The Supersonic Life and Times of
Gus Grissom rescues its subject's reputation by presenting his life
and career in full. The book is fascinating and haunting, and its
impressive research exonerates Grissom from the charge of being a
hapless astronaut who, in his peers' parlance, 'screwed the
pooch'...thrillingly told, taking readers into the cosmos with
Grissom, conveying the sense of wonder and danger that accompanied
these early voyages.--The Wall Street Journal
Gus Grissom was one of the original seven astronauts. A few of us
can still remember the impact they had on our nation, and the pride
we took in their extraordinary and exciting achievements. They
lifted us all and made us proud to be an American. Gus Grissom
radiated a quiet, determined competence in all that he did. He
understood and accepted the danger of his job but also knew its
immense value to our knowledge and understanding of the planet we
all inhabit. This readable and compelling biography superbly
relates the life of this proud son of Indiana and America.--Lee H.
Hamilton, former Indiana congressman, vice chairman of the 9/11
Commission and Distinguished Scholar with the School of Global and
International Studies at Indiana University
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