Rating: 
Summary: A thrilling, exhiliarating autobiography
Review: Marine Colonel John H. Glenn, Jr., was selected as one of the original seven Mercury astronauts in 1959, and made his historic orbital flight aboard Friendship 7 on February 20, 1962. But as this book reminds us, Glenn was involved in many other grand events in our nation's history. He was a fighter pilot in the Marines during World War II and Korea in the 1940's and 1950's, he served in the Senate for four terms in Ohio, and finally, in the fall of 1998, he made a historic return to orbit aboard the space shuttle Discovery. This book captures the details of those events, sweeping the lifetime of this small town boy from the midwest, a true American icon. I thought it was very thrilling, and was interested in hearing of his accounts of his spaceflights , Senate career, and combat flights in the wars. Others have said it was boring because Glenn has almost never faced adversity in his life, but I thought it was entertaining nontheless. His accounts of the Friendship 7 and Discovery missions are nearly minute-by minute, very detailed, and I thought it was very well done.
Rating:
Summary: A great autobiography
Review: Most books on the Apollo era focus on the events, but here we get to see the life of one of its central individuals. Sure, Glenn's politics are confused, sometimes being a conservative, and sometimes supporting the embarassing Clinton Regieme. But Glenn remains an American Hero along with all of the astronauts. It's shame that he never got a chance to explore the Moon. Other great books on Apollo include "Moonshot," "Apollo 13," "A Man on the Moon" and "Chariots of Apollo."
Rating: 
Summary: A Remarkable Life But....
Review: Not such a remarkable autobiography. John Glenn has lead one of the most interesting lives of the 20th century so why is his book so dull? Perhaps it's because he has never had a crises of faith, never had a fight with his wife, never had a disagreement with his parents, never questioned the values of his childhood.How very odd. Glenn has done more with his life than any ten people I know and yet I find myself wondering if he has ever suffered any adversity.
Rating:
Summary: "John Glenn: A Memoir":An Honored Look At An Honored Life
Review: Senator. Astronaut. American Hero. These are all words that come to mind when the name "John Glenn" is mentioned. But how much do you know about John Glenn the person? If you want to know the minutiae of Glenn's flight as a Mercury and shuttle astronaut then this is not the book for you. For "John Glenn: A Memoir" is a walk down Glenn's busy road of life, from his upbringing during the Depression to his second spaceflight, aboard the shuttle in 1998. If it's true that Neil Armstrong said that everybody was given a finite number of heartbeats, and that he didn't want to waste any doing anything frivolous, then Glenn must have been one of his followers. The times and culture of those years helped shaped Glenn's beliefs and philosophies, just as Glenn helped shaped America during his military service, his days as an astronaut, and as a senator. More than just a recitation of names and events, Glenn presents an enlightening perspective on himself and of those events in the world that made him who he is.
Rating:
Summary: John Glenn: All-American
Review: The author's early years in safe, small-town New Concord, Ohio, influences his progression from airplane flying to Marine Corps service, morality decisions in war to space exploration and finally in political leadership. For those who can identify with John's delineating background, there is no surprise to understanding his goals right up to his "geriatric" experience in space. For others this is a confirming expression of the vital roll of family, school, community and church in life-shaping character. Descriptions of the elements of flight, of space, of political maneuvering, of family cohension despite a fequently absent father were instructive and welcome. John's life-long love for Annie and his solid encouragement as she conquered her speech impediment were heart-warming. John, patriotic American citizen, I salute you.
Rating:
Summary: A Year For Memoirs-- Glenn's is First Rate
Review: The millenium has brought out any number of celebrities worthy of their celebrity who now take a look back and recount history and their place in it. We have Nabokov on his science (Nabokov's Blues), Goodall on her science and more (Reason for Hope), Sagan (Billions and Billions) and here, John Glenn, unlike the others a politician as well. Glenn does a first rate job of conveying how his own life and accomplishments inculcate essences of the last decades. Like the other books of this genre this year, it is a rich blend of biography with meditation and retrospective. John Glenn has always seemed to come off best in his actions, and his recountings of those actions in the written word than as a speaker or politician. It is a credit to him, and his story, that he is among those authors offering us a clear "rearview" as we approach the year 2000. This book is worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring
Review: The story of John Glenn's life is a very inspiring one, this memoir reminds us all in eloquent terms of the values of honesty, hard work, dedication, and love for one's family and country. I am proud to have this wonderful volume on my bookshelf, it is a fitting companion to the year's most inspiring books---Faith of My Fathers, The Greatest Generation, The Triumph and the Glory, and The Testament. Godspeed, John Glenn.
Rating: 
Summary: Critical Reflections
Review: There have been many assessments of John Glenn since February 1962, but perhaps none so critically important as those he has made in his Memoir's. All of us have fallen short of fully living our values and maintaining our ethical standards as we move through a life filled with temptations; we are but mortal. While Glenn is certainly an American hero of the highest caliber, and one of my favorites, his shortcomings remain a puzzle to me. The paradox of John Glenn is found in the staunch moralistic tone of his life before his Senate career, and his stance after taking that oath of office. His criticism of the moral behavior of his fellow Mercury astronauts in 1960 is in stark contrast of his support for a president who was equally as guilty some 40 years later. His support for a political agenda that represents a normalization of deviancy leaves me wondering if his professed Christianity is truly a "born again" commitment or simply cultural attribute that can be influenced by power. Glenn agonizes over his "guilt by association" in the Keating affair and presents a rather weak defense. He states that one of his reasons for entering politics was to prove that good men can survive and triumph in an atmosphere where power corrupts. Yet he leaves himself open on several occasions to simply reinforce the notion. Glenn reviews his life in a manner that I found interesting and informative. As an avid space historian, he filled in a few areas of his life and the early manned space program that were unknown to me. Of interest too, are the occasional factual errors that have crept into the book, perhaps because much of the final composition was probably done by his co-author, Nick Taylor (who, overall, did a great job). Gordon Cooper's flight did not terminate early because "his spacecraft lost orbital velocity" but went the full 22 orbits. And, Gus Grissom was not "the first person to fly in space three times". He would have been had he not been killed in the Apollo fire. That privilege belongs to Wally Schirra who was the only astronaut to fly Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo. John Glenn accomplished more in his three careers (Marine, Astronaut, Senator) than most of us will do in any one lifetime. We pray that his legacy will truly be greater than three Migs, 137 orbits and 9,414 senate votes.
Rating:
Summary: Critical Reflections
Review: There have been many assessments of John Glenn since February 1962, but perhaps none so critically important as those he has made in his Memoir's. All of us have fallen short of fully living our values and maintaining our ethical standards as we move through a life filled with temptations; we are but mortal. While Glenn is certainly an American hero of the highest caliber, and one of my favorites, his shortcomings remain a puzzle to me. The paradox of John Glenn is found in the staunch moralistic tone of his life before his Senate career, and his stance after taking that oath of office. His criticism of the moral behavior of his fellow Mercury astronauts in 1960 is in stark contrast of his support for a president who was equally as guilty some 40 years later. His support for a political agenda that represents a normalization of deviancy leaves me wondering if his professed Christianity is truly a "born again" commitment or simply cultural attribute that can be influenced by power. Glenn agonizes over his "guilt by association" in the Keating affair and presents a rather weak defense. He states that one of his reasons for entering politics was to prove that good men can survive and triumph in an atmosphere where power corrupts. Yet he leaves himself open on several occasions to simply reinforce the notion. Glenn reviews his life in a manner that I found interesting and informative. As an avid space historian, he filled in a few areas of his life and the early manned space program that were unknown to me. Of interest too, are the occasional factual errors that have crept into the book, perhaps because much of the final composition was probably done by his co-author, Nick Taylor (who, overall, did a great job). Gordon Cooper's flight did not terminate early because "his spacecraft lost orbital velocity" but went the full 22 orbits. And, Gus Grissom was not "the first person to fly in space three times". He would have been had he not been killed in the Apollo fire. That privilege belongs to Wally Schirra who was the only astronaut to fly Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo. John Glenn accomplished more in his three careers (Marine, Astronaut, Senator) than most of us will do in any one lifetime. We pray that his legacy will truly be greater than three Migs, 137 orbits and 9,414 senate votes.
Rating:
Summary: Hero stories for a new generation ...
Review: There is nothing more I love to share with my young son, than a bedtime story about a real American hero. I'm so happy that John Glenn took the time to write down and narrate his story for his grand kids. My young son now 23 months is enjoying his tapes as a bedtime story too. Hard work, honesty, love, patriotism, sacrifice and dedication to do a job well, what more could you ask for in a story. When John Glenn flew into space in Oct 1998 I couldn't wait to get my son the NASA Mission Patches from Mercury 7 and the Shuttle Flight for his jumpers. He wears them proudly today. I hope more astronauts take John Glenn's lead to tell their stories. They may or may not be big sellers but they are very important stories which a special group of people would love to hear.
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