The Right Stuff: Relationship of Book with American History (Book Report Sample)

Book Report: The Right Stuff
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Book Report: The Right Stuff
Part A: Book Report
The Right Stuff is a book written by Tom Wolfe that relates to the lives of the pilots in the United States Post War research who used the high-speed rockets as well as experimented with them as the author documented astronauts’ stories about the “Project Mercury.” The book is non-fiction and was published in the year 1979. The author wrote this book because he was inspired by the by the motives and desire to dig out on the why the astronauts risked their lives to go in space. As such he reveals the enormous risks and problems that the test pilots underwent. As such, the book is set at a time space travel was a new wave across the world.
The author consulted a general, Chuck Yeager, and after a review of his script, he was that test pilots such as Chuck should form the milieu of the period. Arguably, the book depicts a story about space exploration as well as space race. The background begins with a depicting how Russians had put efforts in space exploration then entirely it focuses on the early portions of the US space program. The book covers on one successful operation, Project Mercury. There were seven astronauts involved in the operation namely; Gordon Cooper, Scott Carpenter, John Glenn, Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard, and Deke Slayton. The author focuses mostly on their individual lives and their wives rather than the technicalities of space flights and travels.
Furthermore, the plot involves the political dynamics and arguments that explain why human beings are put into space, as such; it asserts that the Project Mercury was a burden since the astronauts were just sent there for promotional purposes. The author, later on, stipulates fewer reasons as to why human beings are put into space. Hence, he outlines the first option was to put a chimpanzee into space, which they did. Another alternative was the use of athletes who had physical stress, like the circus trapeze artists. The author suggests that President Dwight Eisenhower wanted the pilots to be put in space. He articulates that when Grissom lands in the ocean and gets out of his space capsule, he goes on and saves the capsule instead of saving the pilot due to the value imposed on the data.
Lastly, the author explains how Chuck Yeager was shut down by the NASA officials, who opted to take on fresh college graduate pilots and not the recognized or experienced men who such as the Flying Sergeants of the USAAF during the World War II. Also, he talks about astronaut Scott Crossfield, who was one and the same in character with Chuck Yeager, fierce but friendly rivals for altitude records and speed.
Part B: Relationship of the Book with American History
As a nonfictional book, the author reveals the efforts of America in space exploration and space travel. As such, when he suggests puts down that the chimpanzee was the first to be tested on the project; it suggests the American scientific procedures in checking the existence of life in mercury. Also, the author puts the politics that are involved with the Astronomy sector in the US. The wrangles and arguments that are within the ranks in NASA are depicted in the story.
Also, the book relates to the lives and stories of the citizen of America within the astronomy industry as well as air transport industry. Additionally, it is evident that there are some controversial arguments ganged up against NASA. As such, this book reveals some aspects of NASA such as their decision to choose the new graduate pilot instead of the qualified flying sergeants of the USAAF during the Second World War. Overall, the book relates to the historical events in time in the US, such as the 1977 September Voyager Program.
Also, the book outlines how Americans perceived the science of astronomy as well as the benefits and consequences that accompanied such discovery. Space exploration has been an interest of the US; as such this book reveals these aspects actively. Also, the book reveals the significance of space exploration to other people apart from the pilots who took part in the Mercury Program.
Lastly, the book is an overall depiction of the real stories of astronauts in NASA; it also reveals the difficulties that the American wives to the astronauts and pilots face in the light of serving the nation. As a matter of fact, today, many wives and children in the US stay for months without seeing their counterparts who take part in the army or the space exploration team. As space exploration comes with more demand and new discoveries, labor is demanded hence more families will miss one of their loved ones.
Part C: My Opinions about the Book
I have always had an interest in astronomy as well as space exploration books. Tom Wolfe’s piece “The Right Stuff” is one of the best non-fiction books I have ever come across. There are some reasons as to why I like this book.
First, the autho...