Apollo 13, (XXX, 418 pgs) co-authored by mission commander Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger, is a brilliant account of that mission and the tremendous effort that went into assuring that the spacecraft returned safely to earth. This book, previously titled Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13, was the inspiration for the incredibly successful film of the past summer, which was directed by Ron Howard and starred Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell. Understandably, the book is able to delve more deeply into Lovell's life, including details of previous missions of which he was a part and life experiences which steered him towards the space program. In this way, the biographical nature is ultimately more satisfying than the more detached narrative which the film used to tell the same story. In addition, the book is also able to include many of the more technical aspects of the mission which the film could simply not always acknowledge. Although these details can become a bit tedious at times, in the end the reader has a greater knowledge of what is actually happening, and consequently better appreciates the enormous odds which were beaten to ensure the safe return of the crew.
Most importantly, Lovell subtly uses the book to point out some of the many problems which inevitably plague an administration like NASA. The evolution of the near disaster is traced all the way back to the manufacturer, and the intricate parts of the command module which eventually led to the explosion are carefully dissected. Apollo 13, unlike the film, is not an entirely a feel-good venture. Lovell attacks the policies which led to the deaths of three of his fellow astronauts in the Apollo 1 launch pad fire and allowed a flawed spacecraft to fly. It is his experience and knowledge of both the politics at NASA and the action in the spacecraft which make separate this great book from merely a good film. MR