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Summary: The other side...
Review: Go beyond the Propaganda with this book.Massively documented, dense and well written, this book is a treasure to anyone interested in the space race, the men and women behind it, the politics involved, between nations, ideologies, and especially between individuals. With "Korolev", you follow the rise and fall (to the Gulag), and rise(!) of the man that took on himself to beat the Americans, fighting against the Party, the lack of interest from his leaders, his enemies, and of course, some technological problems. It's hard to comprehend what could have motivated anyone to work during this troubled era with such devotion and faith in his country, even after having been sent for no reason to Siberia for 7 years during the Stalinist Terror. And yet, it's this period of space history that saw Sputnik, Gagarin, Vostok and Venera, as well as a number of "circus acts", as they said, that scared the USA about a possible "Communist Moon". It's also the Soviet space program that will create the most ingenious space technology ever built (read "Russia In Space" about the RD-180, or the NK-33 rocket engines, built in the 60's). It's worth noting that the author never tries to revise history: facts, facts and facts, explained in their context. I am just waiting for such a book to be written on the US space program, the only country with China that still uses propaganda... After all, NASA has been created for the Moon race during the Cold War.
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Summary: So that is what happened
Review: I began to read as the space race started and I saw and heard stories about failed and lost Russian space flights. Now that the Soviet archives are so open it is wonderful that all of this information is gather in one book so I can see what is true and what is rumor and where so many of these stories came from. This book clarified so much of what I heard during the 1960s. I see an unflattering review here from The NY Times Review of Books by Alex Roland with a remark about information available from other sources. What a snob! First, I keep my eye out for technical books aimed at the general public I don't know of any other book that collects so much relevent information and also tracks down rumors (without getting into unfounded x-file-ish theories). Yes, if I'd made it my career to study aeronautics then this Korolev book might not so special. What might I read? Oh, here's a book "Atmospheric Flight.." by Mr. Roland. What a snort!
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Summary: An account on the man behind soviet space program
Review: I discovered this book accidentally. Before reading this book the only soviet space personalities that I knew were Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova. I guess I am not alone on this. Reading this book gives me an understanding that Russian space program went back much earlier than that of American. A lot of useful information about Russian space science and program, and its aspiration can be gained from this single book. This book talks a lot about Korolev, it also give good exposition on Soviet space program. One may wonder why Korolev has never been a household name like Gagarin, and how come the American is the first one landed on the moon.
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Summary: A review of Hartford's biography of Korolyev
Review: Sergei Pavlovich Korolyev was the "chief designer" responsible for the development of the world's first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and artificial earth satellite (Sputnik 1). The authoritative biography of Sergei Pavlovich must probably await a translation from the Russian. More technical detail is required beyond what is available in Hartford's book. Still, the present volume is the best current study of Korolyev available in English. The book is more than adequate for a popular readership but will occasionally annoy the professional with errors like the one on page 255 where Hartford claims that the Soyuz reentry capsule is spherical and the orbital module is bell-shaped. The opposite is true. I also felt there was a bit too much speculation mixed in with the historical fact.
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Summary: Great insight into the Soviet space program
Review: This book is very well resarched and gives deep insights into the Soviet space effort unknown in the West. A must to read for anyone really interested in space. Before only the American side was presented to the public, while the Soviet side well hidden. Very interesting is the the fate of the N-1 Moon rocket. It is impossible to believe that the Soviets had not only one manned Moon program but two competing ones.
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Summary: Highly recommendable biography of a Soviet enigma
Review: Those of us who remember the Cold War easily recall the freightening threat implied in the Soviet space triumphs. We were amazed that a culture that, supposedly technologically inferior to the West, could excel where we lagged behind. In the West, we had Dr von Braun as our hero but the Soviets' was a faceless enigma identified only as the "Chief Designer."Kept under tight security almost until his death, Sergei Korolev, the Chief Designer, was a genius every bit as brilliant and driven as von Braun. Here is the first biography dedicated to this important figure in the history of space flight and one that is possible only after the fall of the Soviet Union opened secret archives. James Harford's book is written in a flowing, graceful style that many novelists would envy and puts many a dry biographer to shame. KOROLEV is a highly readable - and enjoyable - look at a hitherto unknown slice of histroy that can be recommended to anyone interested in technology, space history, or just a fascinating read.
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Summary: Amazing History
Review: Very good. It misses more graphics and diagrams, explaining and positioning all those participants in the Soviet program, to ease the reading. Buy it before it becomes out of print. A good online help/support, for now, is Mark Wade's ENCYCLOPEDIA ASTRONAUTICA (in the Web).
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