Deke Slayton

Donald "Deke" Slayton was one of NASA's original Mercury Seven astronauts selected in 1959, though he was initially grounded from spaceflight due to a heart condition. He went on to serve as NASA's Chief of the Astronaut Office from 1963 to 1969 and subsequently as Director of Flight Crew Operations. Despite being medically disqualified from flying in space early in his career, Slayton eventually received medical clearance and flew as the docking module pilot for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. This historic mission marked the first joint U.S.-Soviet space flight and helped ease Cold War tensions. Slayton documented his experiences in two books: "Deke!: U.S. Manned Space from Mercury to the Shuttle" (with Michael Cassutt) and "Moon Shot: The Inside Story of America's Apollo Moon Landings" (with Alan Shepard). These works provide firsthand accounts of the early space program and the race to the Moon. Following his NASA career, Slayton worked in private space enterprises and served as president of Space Services Inc., a company focused on developing commercial rocket systems. His contributions to spaceflight extended beyond his own missions, as he played a crucial role in selecting and training multiple generations of American astronauts.

Readers value Slayton's unique insider perspective on the early space program. His personal accounts in "Deke!" and "Moon Shot" deliver candid details about astronaut selection, training, and missions. What readers liked: - Direct, no-nonsense writing style matching Slayton's personality - Behind-the-scenes stories about fellow astronauts - Technical details about spacecraft and operations - Frank discussion of conflicts and challenges within NASA What readers disliked: - Some passages focus too heavily on technical specifications - "Moon Shot" has less personal content than "Deke!" - Co-writing sometimes makes voice inconsistent Ratings across platforms: Amazon: "Deke!" - 4.7/5 from 218 reviews "Moon Shot" - 4.5/5 from 301 reviews Goodreads: "Deke!" - 4.3/5 from 506 ratings "Moon Shot" - 4.2/5 from 1,247 ratings One reader noted: "Slayton tells it exactly as it happened - no sugar coating." Another commented: "The technical details might overwhelm casual readers, but they're gold for space enthusiasts."

Moon Shot: The Inside Story of America's Race to the Moon (1994) Co-authored with Alan Shepard, this book provides a firsthand chronicle of NASA's Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs from the perspective of two astronauts who were integral to these missions.

Deke!: U.S. Manned Space from Mercury to the Shuttle (1994) A personal memoir covering Slayton's journey from test pilot to Mercury astronaut to NASA executive, including his eventual return to flight status and participation in the Apollo-Soyuz mission.

Michael Collins Wrote about his experiences as an Apollo 11 astronaut and provided insights into the Mercury through Apollo programs. His book "Carrying the Fire" offers technical details about spaceflight operations and training from a firsthand perspective.

Chris Kraft As NASA's first flight director, he wrote about mission control operations and early space program management. His memoir "Flight" covers the same time period as Slayton's books and provides the ground control perspective of Mercury through Apollo missions.

Gene Kranz Chronicles his experience as a NASA flight director during the Gemini and Apollo programs. His book "Failure Is Not an Option" details mission control operations and crisis management during critical space missions.

Tom Wolfe Documented the Mercury program and test pilot culture in "The Right Stuff" through extensive interviews with astronauts including Slayton. His research included direct access to the astronauts and their families during the Mercury program years.

Walter Cunningham Wrote about his experiences as an Apollo astronaut and provided analysis of NASA's organizational culture. His book "The All-American Boys" covers the same era as Slayton's works and offers perspective on astronaut selection and training.