Korolev: How One Man Masterminded the Soviet Drive to Beat America to the Moon

by James Harford

Release Date: 11 March, 1999

Edition: Paperback

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An account on the man behind soviet space program

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.

Excellent, informative profile of the Soviet "VonBraun."

For any student of the Soviet/Russian space program, "Korolev" fills in the missing gaps in our understanding of the genesis of their thrust into space. The book is informative yet clear in the realization that the heavy bureaucracy, lack of money and technological advances and the "dual" moon programs pre-empted the Russians to effectively compete with the United States in the race to the moon. The author also gives us a keen insight into the cruelty of Josef Stalin and the persecution of the leading Soviet scientists.