It Doesn't Take a Rocket Scientist: Great Amateurs of Science Book

It's difficult to believe there has ever been a more accomplished human being who was more modest than Neil Armstrong.

On July 20, 1969, Neil A. Armstrong became the first human to step on the surface of a world beyond our Earth. He was 38 years old.

Armstrong landed on the lunar surface as perhaps the premier aviator of his generation. He'd been flying for 22 years (having earned his pilot's license as a teenager before being old enough to apply for a driver's license). His aviation achievements were unparalleled: dozens of successful combat missions in the Korean War, first test flights of the rocket-powered X-15, first ever docking in space, survivor of near disasters in space, among other adventures.

And, truth be told, this aviator and engineer was more interested in flying to the moon than walking on it.

But, for all of his achievements, Neil Armstrong was reclusive. His introversion often made him misunderstood. And in this authorized biography, James Hansen reveals for the first time who Neil Armstrong really was.

Armstrong gave Hansen access to private documents and unpublished sources. Hansen conducted interviews with more than 125 subjects (including more than fifty hours with Armstrong himself). And the resulting book delivers the first (and only) detailed accounting and in-depth analysis of this reluctant hero.

"First Man" also contains the most thorough telling of the first lunar landing I've ever read. (And I believe I've read them all). That alone makes the book essential reading.

But there is so much more in these pages.

After walking on the moon, Armstrong could have done anything. His only desire was to return to his rural home in Ohio and to teach engineering at the University of Cincinnati. So, that's what he did. Neil Armstrong worked on his farm, taught the next generation of engineering students and continued his childhood fascination with flying.

He never cashed in. He never sold out. There would never be a Neil Armstrong action figure (or any other product). And he never charged a fee for a personal appearance, photograph or autograph.

Neil A. Armstrong lived a life of service, achievement and modesty. He made commitments to things bigger than himself. He honored those commitments. He racked up unprecedented achievements. And he went on with his life without bragging or boasting.

His biography is not a light read. Armstrong chose James Hansen to write his biography in part because Hansen is an Engineering professor. As a result, the text frequently contains detailed explanations of engineering and physics. These make for arduous reading. I frequently found myself re-reading pages in an attempt to understand the information being conveyed.

I'm confident that's precisely the way engineer Neil A. Armstrong wanted it.

And, when I finished reading "First Man", I was convinced of one thing the book never discusses. The Apollo program had an incredible talent pool of Astronauts. NASA probably couldn't have gone wrong in selecting any one of them to be the first human to attempt landing on the moon. (And competition for that opportunity was intense.) But when NASA selected Neil A. Armstrong they picked the absolute BEST candidate to be the first human to walk on the moon.

Neil A. Armstrong is more than a genuine American hero. Much much more. And "First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong" reveals why.