Shoot for the Moon Audiobook By James Donovan cover art

Shoot for the Moon

The Space Race and the Extraordinary Voyage of Apollo 11

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Shoot for the Moon

By: James Donovan
Narrated by: Allan Robertson
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $24.95

Buy for $24.95

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

"This is the best book on Apollo that I have read. Extensively researched and meticulously accurate, it successfully traces not only the technical highlights of the program but also the contributions of the extraordinary people who made it possible." (Mike Collins, Command module pilot, Apollo 11)

For the 50th anniversary, the epic story of Apollo 11 and the astronauts, flight controllers, and engineers who made it happen, by the author of the best-selling A Terrible Glory and The Blood of Heroes

On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the Moon, a moment forever ingrained in history. Perhaps the world's greatest technological achievement - and a triumph of American spirit and ingenuity - the Apollo 11 mission, and the entire Apollo program, was a mammoth undertaking involving more than 410,000 men and women dedicated to putting a man on the Moon and winning the Space Race against the Soviets.

Seen through the eyes of the those who lived it, Shoot for the Moon reveals the dangers, the challenges, and the sheer determination that defined not only Apollo 11, but also the Mercury and Gemini missions that made it possible. Both sweeping and intimate, and based on exhaustive research and dozens of fresh interviews, best-selling author James Donovan's Shoot for the Moon is the definitive and thrilling account of one of humankind's most extraordinary feats of exploration.

©2019 James Donovan (P)2019 Hachette Audio
Adventurers, Explorers & Survival Aeronautics & Astronautics Historical Science & Technology United States Space Station Aviation Transportation Air Force Interstellar Inspiring US Air Force Space
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Critic reviews

One of Publishers Weekly's Best Books of 2019

"Donovan combines his masterful research skills and narrative gifts in recounting the full story of the most famous Apollo trip...Donovan's history is a powerfully written and irresistible celebration of the Apollo missions."—Booklist (starred review)

"Exceptionally researched, this exciting, sometimes harrowing book highlights the work not only of the pioneering astronauts but also of thousands of technicians and engineers. This is a perfect volume to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing and all that led up to it."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"If you're looking for telling of the manned space program's story, you should start with James Donovan's Shoot for the Moon."—NPR

What listeners say about Shoot for the Moon

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    240
  • 4 Stars
    35
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    214
  • 4 Stars
    40
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    226
  • 4 Stars
    24
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Glorious event, well presented.

This extraordinary event is an engineering achievement #1 of all times, and probably the best that mankind ever produced.

Presentation was well above expectation; exciting and clear.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent book!

What an entertaining and informative recounting of the Space Race! I’ve always been fascinated by the events surrounding this part of our history. Excellent book that helps listeners really understand all aspects of these fascinating events and the people that lived them.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Unbelievably well written and well narrated!

If you were a youngster in 1969 as I was, you definitely remember watching the live coverage of the walk on the moon. The entire world stopped and took part. Mr. Donovan has written a highly accurate detailed account. If you have an engineering background of any kind you will highly enjoy this work. Mr. Robertson was the perfect voice for this narration. Well done to you both.

jhysaw

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A very compelling story. Except for the pronunciation of Gemini.

I loved this book, it brings our country back to a bygone era. The personal stories and the simple explanation of complex engineering are fantastic.
My only critique is the way the reader pronounced Gemini. It was really hard to listen to.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wow

The detail and storytelling are great!! This is an in-depth look at the American space program. This should be a must read for every history program in high school.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Well Told, But Over Plowed Ground

If you do not know much about the Apollo program, and are looking for a well-written book detailing the space race through the Apollo 11 flight, this is a good choice. It covers the entire story well, but avoids details that are tedious except for space junkies. The narration is good. The last part covering the lunar landing in detail is well done.

However, this is all plowed ground, and there are no revelations here. There are many other books that are at least as good. Andrew Chaikin's "A Man on the Moon" comes to mind. One of the best accounts is by one of the participants. I highly recommend Michael Collins' "Carrying the Fire."

Apollo 11 continues to fascinate, and I'm sure there will be other treatments as well

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Best AUDIBLE so far!

Wow! Phenomenal book and experience... will listen again soon!! Wonderful writing and narration!! So well done.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love the adventure.

I was 13 when Apollo 11 landed on the moon. I loved it then and now.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

My First Audible Book I ever bought

I really enjoyed this book it was so interesting and had more jam packed technical information that you thought this Author was a former Nasa Astronaut.When I heard that Buzz Aldrin said it was the best Book he ever read on Appllo 11 and he was there.Fantastic! Exciting ! Read! I have played it 3 or 4 times .Works great with Amazon's Alexa! She knows how you are progressing by chapter and stops and starts the Book on a dime.Going in for My Fifth read!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book, poor narration

I really enjoyed the way the story is told, but the narrator sometimes almost mumbles his words making it difficult to understand and forcing me to rewind multiple times and keep changing the volume.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!