Jeff Shesol

A compelling history of the Mercury space program, it's failures, triumphs, and it's political and cultural significance. Culminating in a tense, almost thriller like, account of John Glenn’s orbital flight and it's impact on a troubled US in the early 1960s. Well researched and written; I certainly discovered some things I'd not read elsewhere about the Mercury missions.

But perhaps this book’s greatest achievement is adding depth and nuance to the character of John Glenn who is all too show more often depicted as a the one dimensional “straight-laced puritan” of the astronaut corp. This account shows him as a man with fears, flaws, and hopes alongside the driven focused work ethic. Highly recommended if you have any interest in the early days of space flight. show less

Numerous books have been written about Franklin Roosevelt's effort to "pack" the Supreme Court in 1937. Jeff Shesol's is not only the latest but it ranks as the best. He does an excellent job of tracing the origins of the plan to the legal and constitutional battles over New Deal legislation in the mid-1930s, battles which threatened the very core of Roosevelt's agenda. He describes the cases in clear and accessible prose, bringing both the personalities of the major figures and their show more ideologies to life and making their struggle in the courts and Congress every bit as dramatic as it was when it unfolded. This is a must-read for anyone interested in well-written history, and an indispensable guide for anyone seeking to learn about the packing plan and its importance in U.S. history. show less

5757. Mercury Rising John Glenn, John Kennedy, and the New Battleground of the Cold War, by Jeff Shesol (read 29 Sep 2021) This account of the 1962 Mercury project, published in 2021, is a superlative telling of the events of the early 1960s and of John Glenn's triple orbiting of the earth in February 1962. Even though I closely followed the events of that time this telling is so exciting I was utterly absorbed by the book, and continually needed to remind myself as I read that John Glenn show more not only survived but went on to serve as a U.S. Senator from Ohio. I never had any doubt as I read that the book deserved five stars. No matter how much you have read about space events this is a book you will want to read. show less

A unique look at a pivotal event in the United States, MERCURY RISING, by Jeff Shesol, looks at the men and the politics of John Glenn's historic first American space orbit on February 20th, 1962. Rather than considering this monumental accomplishment from a scientific and mechanical point of view, Shesol looks at the people and the climate first and the technical part second. That being said, Shesol thoroughly describes the technical aspects of space flight, the ships used, and everything show more else that comes with space travel and covers those topics in ways that unscientific minds can understand. The focus of the book is mostly on Glenn, Kennedy, and the space race itself. I enjoyed reading about all of the politics along with Glenn's personal journey, but there are times in the book that just felt a little redundant. The delays before Glenn's launch to space generated frustration throughout the country, from politicians, to reporters, to Glenn, and even the general public. The book spend a lot of time taking the reader through each delay and it felt like I was reading the same few pages over and over again for a while. At the end though, when Shesol walks the reader through that amazing voyage, he expertly and efficiently describes everything, from the ship, to Glenn's perceptions and feelings, to everyone on earth's reactions to such an astounding flight.
For someone who was not around in 1962, I feel like I can better appreciate everything that led up to that first flight and how it impacted the world now that I have read this book.
Thank you to W. W. Norton & Company, Jeff Shesol, and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! show less