Gus Grissom

The Lost Astronaut (Indiana Biography Series)

By: Ray E Boomhower

Narrated by: Douglas R Pratt

Selected as one of NASA's original Seven Mercury Astronauts, Gus Grissom would go on to become the first man to fly in space twice and later give his life to the NASA space program.

In the most comprehensive biography on the subject yet, Gus Grissom: The Lost Astronaut offers a more personal side and fuller picture of Grissom’s life and character. Author Ray E. Boomhower explores Grissom’s life from his days as a child to his service as a combat pilot. He delves into the process by which NASA selected its original seven Mercury astronauts, the jostling for position to be the first American in space, and Grissom’s near-fatal Liberty Bell 7 flight that haunted his subsequent space career. Boomhower spent hours interviewing Grissom’s family and friends, including his wife Betty, who share the belief that this story is one worth telling to a new generation that about his illustrious career.

The book is published by Indiana Historical Society Press. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.

©2004 Indiana Historical Society (P)2021 Redwood Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Thoroughly researched, this book does the badly needed job of rescuing his memory from the pages of Life and Tom Wolfe, his major previous limners." (Booklist)

Outstanding book!

I’m a big fan of Gus Grissom so I really didn’t think there was much about him that I didn’t know. But this book proved me wrong. Lots and lots of fascinating tidbits. Very well written. Constantly gives a brief overview of what was going on around Gus to put his particulars in perspective. Very well done. And the narration by Douglas Pratt is excellent. I really enjoyed this book.