To Earth with Love
Reviewed by Jayanti Roy

An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth
by Chris Hadfield.
Macmillan, London. Pages 296. Rs 330

The book written by Chris Hadfield, a Canadian astronaut, who has served on several important positions at space centres in Russia and America, describes his journey from a nine-year-old carefree kid who got inspired from Neil Armstrong to a commander of the International
Space Station.

It carries the reader along on each stage of the space journey — pre-launch, lift-off and landing and in the meanwhile hands over gems of practical wisdom to become a successful astronaut and also how to lead a joyous life on earth. The suggestions are wise, witty and honest, stemming from his personal experiences. We get to know about the incredible human effort it takes to send a man into space. Practice, patience, coordination among the team members and ability to cope with the unforeseen challenges are some of the factors that are worked on to make the impossible possible.

The lessons he learnt on his mission to space are universal. The book would be liked by people of all age groups— from adolescents, who dream of becoming an astronaut to adults interested in philosophical aspects of space travel.

HOME