Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home From The Moon (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
nonfiction/memoir. 1st 2 chapters cover the Apollo 11 mission; next 4-6 hours take Buzz to Korea War and through a LOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNGG battle against depression and alcoholism. Granted, this is a difficult battle, and it understandably could take up a big portion of a person's life, but unfortunately it does not make for good reading/listening. It's the equivalent of arguing with an irrational person for hours and hours--because that's what it is to try and get help for a person that doesn't accept the help, over and over and over and over and over again, for multiple chapters. So we skipped a whole disc, and ultimately quit listening. It took courage to write this book. After returning from the moon, Buzz Aldrin spiraled into depression and alcoholism. Having bouts of depression myself, it is not an easy thing to confess to. Too many people do not understand depression, and telling someone to "cheer up! " doesn't cut it. Further, despite great strides, there is still a considerable stigma associated with depression and even more stigma attached to addiction disease. It took courage for someone very much in the public eye to admit this. A wonderful, honest, gut wrenching memoir peppered throughout with Space anecdotes and plaintive advocacy for civilian space travel.
What do You think about Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home From The Moon (2009)?
long winded and boring. For true fans of space travel looking for insight you will be disapointed.
—bujarmorina
Met Buzz Aldrin at a Borders in South Coast Plaza. Neat old guy. Just starting reading.
—Brie
The only good thing about this book is the title. Everything else is downhill from there.
—Sab
Turns out the second man on the moon is a jerk.
—Skyler
Love this personal account from Dr. Rendezvous
—jravalski
