Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War (Vintage) | 
 enlarge | Author: Michael Neufeld
Publisher: Vintage
Category: Book
List Price: $18.95
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Rating:  19 reviews
Sales Rank: 45673
Media: Paperback
Edition: Reprint
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 624
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.3
ISBN: 0307389375
Dewey Decimal Number: 629.4092
EAN: 9780307389374
ASIN: 0307389375
Publication Date: November 11, 2008
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Product Description
Michael J. Neufeld, curator and space historian at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, delivers a brilliantly nuanced biography of Wernher von Braun.
Chief rocket engineer of the Third Reich and one of the fathers of the U.S. space program, Wernher von Braun is a source of consistent fascination. Glorified as a visionary and vilified as a war criminal, he was a man of profound moral complexities, whose intelligence and charisma were coupled with an enormous and, some would say, blinding ambition. Based on new sources, Neufeld's biography delivers a meticulously researched and authoritative portrait of the creator of the V-2 rocket and his times, detailing how he was a man caught between morality and progress, between his dreams of the heavens and the earthbound realities of his life.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 14 more reviews...
High on detail, low on "readability" December 28, 2008
This is an excellent reference on Von Braun, but as a book to read over a few weeks, its rather dry, and a bit too plodding in the details.
Also, curiously, though there is much discussion of his connection to the SS and Nazi party, there is almost no discussion at all of Allied deaths from the V2 rockets, which numbered in the thousands. Though this number is glossed over 1 or 2 times, there is very little mention of specific destruction in London, etc., which I would have expected from a book that went into so much detail of the V2 program. Though the destruction itself may not be a biograpgical fact pertaining to Von Braun, it certainly helps us to understand the so called "Faustian bargain" he made in accepting his role within Nazism and the German war machine.
 Great History of Rocketry September 18, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book is not only an outstanding objective analysis of the life of Wernher von Braun, but also an excellent history of German and U.S. rocket development. As an author of two non-fiction books myself, I can attest to the enormous amount of work that goes into research for a book of this type. Dr. Neufeld provides a great deal of new and fascinating information on von Braun's early career as the architect of the Nazi rocket program that led to the bombing of England with the "buzz-bomb" and V-2 rockets that were developed under his guidance. Neufeld's study of the U.S. rocket program under von Braun's leadership is no less compelling. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of rocketry and the space program.
Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War - Detailed biography August 14, 2008
"Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War" was a very interesting and informative book. I have only now discovered how controversial von Braun's life was from these Amazon reviews as well as from this book. While this may be sad commentary on my narrow view as an engineer, I always admired von Braun despite knowing that he worked for the wrong side during the war. Before I really get into the fray let me just say that this book appeared scholarly, well written and should be read by admirers and critics of von Braun.
I felt this book contained almost too much detail, and often found myself "speed reading" over certain details of his family life but never those concerning his controversial life. I believe this fine book was the result of a fairly unbiased point of view and find myself agreeing with the book's closing remarks.
I was also very saddened to read that great efforts were made by his influential friends to convince federal authorities to award his life's work with some grand gesture. It was further saddening to learn that several figures in government circles having the power to influence this decision refused to do so because of his early work in Germany. It is only clear to me now that von Braun was never completely forgiven for developing the V-2, and only permitted to use his talent for our side during the cold war. Perhaps he should have been greatful for that alone, but I believe he wished for much more.
When he was finally awarded a great civilian medal for his technical and managerial accomplishments (by President Carter), the man who received this hard won gesture was a fragment of his former self. He was described by friends as a "skelton wrapped in skin" while enduring relentless pain under the equivalent of hospice care. Of course, camp workers were denied anything like hospital care, but I really feel he paid the ultimate price we all must, and with what I believe was a heavy heart. He must have understood full well that he was never forgiven for his early work and probably never would be. He ultimately suffered a painful and protracted death of cancer.
As an individual inspired by von Braun's accomplishments I think he made as great an impact on the history of space and rocket research as one person could possibly accomplish. He had a grand vision of man's future in space, and shared that vision with all of us brilliantly. We were made a part of his dream and I believe the country remembers how special those days were as we closed in on the moon. The price he was willing to pay to accomplish his personal goals for that future supported war efforts in two countries and pushed the barriers of technology. That, in part, is the reason the author calls him the Faust of 20th century. He is acknowledged by everyone to have been a compelling public speaker, a talented engineer and an excellent manager, but I think he was also a very great American.
 Good but not for the reason you think May 24, 2008
0 out of 9 found this review helpful
Neufeld inadvertently provides evidence that the Apollo moon landings were a hoax. Chapter 15 describes an absurdly misorganized, disorganized and impossible schedule that reduces the actual time to build and test hardware to a mere five years. Piled atop the emerging anomalies of impossible moon footprints absent moisture binder, suicidal moon rover wheelbase for 1/6th gravity, persistent lack of information regarding the workings of nickel porous plate water sublimators, ridiculously small fuel tank for the 10,000 lb. LM ascent vehicle required to climb 60 miles to 4000mph, silence and absence of ESA SMART-1 lunar survey photos that don't reveal Apollo landing sites, etc., Neufeld's book would be better if it honestly explored Von Braun's masterful ability to lie both to Hitler and the American people while ironically serving them thus to fulfill their eager delusions.
Call him a Nazi, he won't even frown.... May 7, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
...''Nazi, schmazi''. Said Wherner von Braun. ''WHERE THE R0CKETS G0 UP, WH0 KN0WS WHERE THEY C0ME D0WN, THAT'S N0T MY DEPARTMENT!!!''
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