Dr Space The Life Of Wernher Von Braun Deals on Wernher Von Braun

Dr. Space: The Life of Wernher von Braun

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Editorial Reviews

Written by veteran aerospace journalist Bob Ward, who spent years investigating his subject, this biography presents a revealing but even-handed portrait of the father of modern rocketry. As he chronicles Wernher von Braun's life, Ward explodes many myths and misconceptions about the controversial genius who was a hero to some, a villain to others. The picture of von Braun that emerges is of a brilliant scientist with limitless curiosity and a drive to achieve his goals at almost any price from, developing the world's first ballistic missile used against the Allies in World War II to helping launch the first U.S. satellite that hurled Americans into space and the Saturn V super-booster that powered them to the moon. Along the way readers are introduced to the human side of this charismatic visionary who brought the United States into the Space Age.

Customer Reviews

The man who put America in space

Reviewed by J. Rudy, 2009-11-03

"Dr. Space" by Bob Ward is story of America's first space icon -- Dr. Werher von Braun. This is not the story of von Braun the technician-- it is the story of von Braun the leader. It's the story of a man who adopted a new country, and how he led that country into space.

Bob Ward writes "In his day, von Braun enjoyed the popularity equal to that of a movie star. Yet despite all the publicity and the flood of fan mail he received, he seemed [...] {to prefer } to focus on the reason for it." In this book, Ward takes the reader on von Braun's journey from the German rocket works at Peenemunde, to the heartland of America.

Von Braun and his team made their first Amerian homes at Fort Bliss, Texas, where they were "Prisoners of Peace". With the fresh wounds of World War II, the Army decided it was best to keep a low profile as they servered as technical experts on the nascent American rocketry program. No program of this size could be kept secret for too long, so eventually the team integrated with the local community. The team eventually moved to Huntsville, Alabama, where once again they proved their worth to both the American space industry and to the local community.

In addition to looking at not only this team, Ward looks at some of the larger issues of the day. Not only were the American's in a space race with the Soviets, there was infighting within NASA. When von Braun's team was not selected for the sub-orbital program, he wisely placed an excess rocket in "long term storage tests". He knew that the winning design team was going to have integration issues, because he had faced those same issues years before. With the not-so-surprising launch of Sputnik, von Braun was able to bring the rocket out of storage, compressing the timeline needed for America to catch up with the Soviets.

This book gives the reader insight into many of the major space programs of the 50's & 60s. Von Braun's influence was even felt into the 1980's Space Shuttle program.

The other side to the von Braun story is what he gave back to the community. The city of Huntsville, Alabama dedicated their Civic Center in his honor because of his outstanding contributions to the community.

There are some who feel that von Braun did not do enough while he was in Germany. Ward publishes a personal letter from von Braun to Mr. Alan Fox as to why he did not do more to help the slave laborers used in the Mittewerke factory in wartime Germany. This is a very polarizing issue for which there is no middle ground -- read the letter and make your own opinions.

Overall, this is a well-written book about an incredible man.

Very good, But.........

Reviewed by G. Kennedy, 2009-09-06

This view of Von Braun is well written and generally one of the better books on the subject. Although the writer knows Von Braun personally, and is subject to Von Braun's famous "charm", he does try to present many of Von Braun's faults as well as his strengths. He includes much of the detail of Von Braun's days in Germany which is often overlooked, and mentions the arguments of some of Von Braun's detractors, though not in enough detail. He also goes much deeper into Von Braun's personal relationship with others than most books about him do. This includes his relations with the famous, the not so famous, and the totally unknown.
I can't give this book a full five stars though for two basic reasons. First, Ward, not a historian, makes several somewhat silly mistakes like noting Al Shepard as the Astronaut who was grounded for heart problems (it was Slayton not Shepard). But worse, for me, was the fact that Ward is too often very politically biased. At times he makes politically bias statements that really have little to do with Von Braun. He should have left his own political opinion out and stayed on the subject.
While I can recommend this book for anyone interested in Von Braun, just be aware that it does have it's faults.

Distinguish Marketing from Novelty: I Recommend this Book for Historical Value

Reviewed by Dr Victor S Alpher, 2009-02-11

I doubt that many readers here would dismiss a book because of laudatory marketing on the dustjacket--but it happens. Further, to criticize a book so meticulously referenced because the author met the subject and may have had a favorable impression would bring publishing to a halt.

This will not be the first or the last book on Wernher von Braun; however, it has come at a time when some historical re-evaluation is needed. WvB's dream was not merely to travel to space, but to someday inhabit it, and he believed that a human expedition to Mars was well within our scientific and technical capability, probably long before manned missions to the moon were abandoned.

We DID find out that the craters on the moon are largely NOT volcanic, and I have met the person who put forth THAT theory 20 years before it could be evaluated by evidence, Ralph Belknap Baldwin. His impressive writings on another subject, the Proximity Fuze, are largely ignored by scholars...for another day. On to WvB.

I'm sure there are many who breathed a sigh of relief when he finally succumbed to cancer. Or, perhaps, that he were not born of Prussian nobility. Yet, despite great odds against him (SS officer position, being awared the War Merit Cross with Swords), he managed to move the entire Pennemuende operation from the Baltic Sea to southern Germany, to mastermind surrender to the Americans and protect vital documents against Soviet plunder. For that alone he could be remembered. Yet, he did much more. He was in no position to thwart National Socialism, any more than many Americans are in a position to thwart a motion toward American Socialism. Yet, as a cog in a military-industrial machine, he managed to keep his scientist's heart and dreams, to endure the barriers to the patience of a likely genius (no, I did not meet him or measure his IQ, though it would have been a challenge).

This is the most engaging writing I've seen on the subject of Wernher von Braun's life, it is recent (2005), and I recommend it to anyone interested in the subject of the man, WWII history, the Cold War, the Space Race, socio-politics of the 20th century, and the U.S. Military-Industrial Complex. There are insights here, and important leads for researchers, and for those alone, it is highly recommended. Should it be criticised because the author attributes the term Iron Curtain to Churchill and not to Dr. Josef Goebbels, who used it long before? Of course not, 'twould be silly indeed.

As a caveat, understand I am the son of a man who worked on "classified" ordnance projects during the War, which I am researching at length, and on that basis, those who will disqualify my opinions on that basis are welcome to have a go. Otherwise, if you have read this far, you probably will want to read "Dr. Space."

Very Interesting

Reviewed by D.J. Young, 2007-07-14

I found this to be a very interesting book to read. Wernher von Braun is one amazing man and and lived a very different and amazing life. This books gives you a bit of a look inside the man, what made him tick. There are a lot of interviews with people who worked with him or new him. The book is well written and is a must read if you are into the history of the NASA space program.

Excellent Read!

Reviewed by Harris Atkins, 2006-08-12

I really enjoyed this book. I worked at ABMA and later NASA during the late 1950's and early 1960's as a student trainee and it was pretty heady stuff for a young guy from South Georgia to be involved with members of Dr. Von Braun's team. Ward provides excellent insights into Dr. von Braun as an individual and his role in the nation's "space race". While at times it comes across as a little " promotional" it's an excellent story and makes one wonder what our space efforts would be like today if had he been chosen as head of NASA