#14: Jeff Shesol, Mercury Rising: John Glenn, John Kennedy, and the New Battleground of the Cold War

[kareila]

This is a very compelling retelling of the genesis of the Mercury program, dividing its focus equally between the political pressures that fueled the "space race" and the experiences of the original seven American astronauts, with a particular focus on Glenn. I had long ago understood that Glenn had the most popular appeal of the Mercury Seven, but this book supplied evidence explaining why that was the case, and also hinted at the friction that existed between him and the other astronauts (apart from Scott Carpenter). The irony is that the exceptional traits that made him such a hero also kept him at arms length from most of his fellows.