Rating: 
Summary: Very Good, but pretty technical
Review: Tom Kelly's memoir of the development of the Apollo Lunar Module is a great book. I found it to be surprisingly forthright and honest about the accomplishments and mistakes that the Grumman team made during their first and only foray into manned spacecraft construction. Students of space history and engineers will probably get the most out of this book, which is loaded with technical detail. However, for those who read the book and come away somewhat bewildered from the acronyms and technical detail, Kelly does a very good job of conveying the excitement and enthusiasm for the challenge of landing a man on the moon that swept across America in the 1960's. Kelly also gives us a view of the major players in Apollo like Joe Shea, Chris Kraft, and the astronauts themselves, that is not really seen. Kelly gives us the perspective of an outsider, though an engineer, who meets these people for the first time and what it was like to work with them and what kind of an impression they left upon him. Overall, if you're a space nut, this is a good book for you, if you're not, be prepared for lots of engineering talk. But don't let that scare you away, Moon Lander is full of goodies about Apollo for everyone.
Rating: 
Summary: Very important perspective of the Apolo space program
Review: Tom. Kelly is giving us a unique perspective on the dynamics, which existed at the time of the space race.
He successfully and in a self effacing way, places the reader in the midst of the LEM project and makes us understand his foresight in the conceptualization of the LEM in advance of the competition, when orbit rendez vous was not yet an option for NASA. He explains the culture, which existed at the Grumman Corporation, which would be anathema at time with the one at NASA, which in a later time would result in difficulties in future governmental bids with NASA. (N American got other contract despite the failure of Apollo I) He explains very well the gargantuesc task of meeting the strict weight and reliability requirement for such a vehicle The LEM has proven to be successful during every lunar mission and became the escape vehicle in Apollo 13 mission.Mr. Kelly is one of many unsung hero of this remarkable period,
The book is very well written, and documented I strongly recommend. David M Burke MD
Rating: 
Summary: Good but lacking
Review: Well, as a reader of many books on the space program I found this book lacking. The missions portion of the books was little more than recycled from a hundred other books. The main point of the book seems to be that Grumman was always behind schedule and over budget. Ok, but not a great book
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