I still get a kick out of hearing about the Apollo program. In fact, I am a little baffled by the fact that everyone isn't still amazing by what we did during that period.
Only a fist full of guys have stepped on the moon. Charlie Duke is one of them.
I really enjoyed his book "Moon Walker." Duke talks about his time working his way up through the military ranks, and getting involved with NASA.
The book talks a lot about his time to, from, and on the moon. Obviously, that is the story most people want to hear. Duke doesn't let the reader down.
I was glad the he talks about many of the little details. Using the bathroom in space, the troubles of drinking orange juice while in a space suit, and other odd issues are covered.
Duke really comes off as a nice guy, and I am glad that he and his wife stick together for so long. The story of them meeting, dealing with astronaut issues (he IS away from home a lot) and finding a way to keep things going is very nice.
Charlie spends time talking about the stressors of the Apollo program ending. He has trouble figuring out what he should do next. Ultimately, he gets involved in beer distribution, but he later leaves that behind, feeling some ethical issues tugging at him.
Charlie does go on an extensive religious kick at the end of the book (he is very open about his Christianity). For those not interested in reading about his religious views, he does save it for the end. The first 250 pages or so are pretty much the story of his life and space exploration. The last 30 pages or so are his testimony. Someone not interested in that part could still read about Duke's life and not feel preached to if they skip the end.
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