An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth: What Going to Space Taught Me About Ingenuity, Determination, and Being Prepared for Anything

In this book, Chris Hadfield described his experience of life as an astronaut. There are detailed descriptions of the long and elaborate application process to be an astronaut, the extensive general training and special mission-oriented training. He had flown in space three times, on the Shuttle, on the Russian Soyuz, as well as 144 days on the International Space Station, during which he was commander a good portion of the time. His writing style was easy to read, informative and detailed. Readers of the book owe him a great debt for the first-hand knowledge about every aspect of the space program, particularly the effect of zero gravity on the human body and daily activities. In particular, he pointed out that, “If the only thing you really enjoyed was whipping around earth in a spaceship, you’d hate being an astronaut, as the ratio of prep time to time on orbit is many months to a single day in space”. Anyone dreaming to being an astronaut should also take note of Hadfield’s description of the miserable physical and mental states he was in when he returned to earth after almost 5 months in the state of weightlessness, and how long it took him to be back to be normal physically and mentally.Throughout the book, the author highlighted common sense guides to life on earth which are particularly important to life in space. Some examples:1. Don’t assume you know everything but try to be ready for anything2. It is a plus if you view criticism as potentially helpful advice rather than as a personal attack.3. Promote colleagues’ interests. In a crisis, they may be the only people who can help you.4. Think about what to do if things go wrong as well as right, that is the power of negative thinking.There were several dramatic episodes. These include: the prolonged uncertainly, after he was designated commander of the international space station, whether Hadfield would pass the medical scrutiny to fly again; the emergency spacewalk to fix the ammonia leak; and the discovery of a snake in the cockpit during space flight and how the crew handled the situation..In conclusion, this is a most informative book about the space program and space flight, told by a perceptive astronaut who had experienced every aspect of it. As a token of appreciation to the author, I added one more view to the 53 million views of his “Space Oddity” video.

This book has 2 themes working alongside each other.First of all it is an account of the challenges, experiences, and wonders of being an astronaut. Chris Hadfield does an amazing job of describing everything from the tedious tasks that goes into preparation for a mission to the weird and surprising things that goes on in zero-gravity. He goes into a LOT of details about both Shuttle and Soyuz hardware. And I loved it.The second theme is a more philosophical life lesson. A part that I both appreciated and got a little annoyed by. While I loved the mantra "Sweat and smile at the small stuff" and see great potential of implementing that in my own life, the book sometimes had a lecturing tone of voice that rubbed me the wrong way.But all in all - a great and recommendable read.

In An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth, former CSA astronaut Chris Hadfield shares a variety of tales from his extensive career both on and off the planet, as well as the personal philosophy that helped him through it all.Hadfield is the kind of individual that you want as role model your children. His work ethic is exemplary, and he emphasizes the critical nature of ongoing personal education and development as key to his success. Don't determine your self worth based on where you end up, he says, but on the effort you will put in to get there. If something is worth doing, it is worth committing to and doing well, regardless of the payoff. Perhaps not revolutionary ideas in and of themselves, but backed by the life story of someone who has embraced these principles and embodied them. Hadfield's career is a feel good story for anyone who believes in the power of hard work and education.While An Astronaut's Guide spends a lot of time on the author's attitudes and ethics, it's by no means a self help book. The text is also a candid biography, giving great insight into the years of development that went into building the career of a star (no pun intended) astronaut. Hadfield reminisces on his youth, his time as a military test pilot, and his many additional years training at NASA before ever reaching space. We learn how the intense commitment involved can affect personal relationships and family dynamics. It becomes clear that today's select few astronauts represent, in many ways, the pinnacle of humanity: it's a lifestyle that demands levels of intelligence, dedication, and both physical and mental training that very few of us could hope to successfully achieve.Chris Hadfield first reached fame several years ago through a series of educational and entertaining social media postings made from the ISS. We learn that these were motivated by his love of the space program, and, with the help of his son back on Earth, he wanted to do his part to boost public awareness and interest. The videos became a hit and internet stardom followed. I'm the kind of person who finds any story about life beyond Earth hard to pass up, simply for the curiosity and wonder they evoke. From the vastness of the cosmos to the minutia of how to brush your teeth successfully in zero gravity, it's all fascinating stuff, and Hadfield, who flew on three separate occasions, brings these anecdotes in spades. The same attitude that lead him to educational social media carries through in his writing, and we're gifted with numerous stories that run the gamut from the profound and enlightening to the humorous. The author is consistently candid about the astronaut experience, and these sections proved particularly hard to put down.All in all, it's difficult not to recommend this book. If you're already a fan of space travel, or the space program, you will receive a bevy of stories and insights from a man who spent decades at NASA and commanded the ISS. And if you aren't a space enthusiast yet, you might just be one by the end. But even without all of the fantastic anecdotes, Chris Hadfield is still an eminently likable and admirable personality with a lot of unique life experience to share. Worth reading whether you're an aspiring astronaut, or just aspiring to become a more enlightened human being.

Comprei o livro pelo título e não me arrependi. Chris Hadfield escreve de forma engajante, mesclando lições de vida com sua carreira na NASA/CSA. Você vai aprender muito sobre a vida e desafios que profissionais da área passam.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! Chris Hadfield's every decision to propel himself closer to his dream of being an astronaut is inspiring. I often cite this book as one of my favourites (I am fascinated by humans being/living in space) and it is one I reread when the mood takes me.

Chris Handfield take you to an easy and amazing book to his experiences in space, it really shows me a new perspective to dream.English is not my first language so this book helps me to practice and now some new things I did not consider an astronaut face.Is a good book, one of my new favorites and it really makes a good time to read and learn.

"An Astronauts Guide to life on Earth" is a fantastic read.Not only do you learn amazing facts about space and life onboard the ISS, you learn about determination, humility and team work.A great read.

The inspiring professional and personal life of a man who has achieved what is - probably - the most exclusive success: being an astronaut and walk in space. Chris Hadfield narrates the different steps in his career, and the professional and human challenges he had to face in order to climb to the stars. A very determined yet humble man, he makes no attempt to deny how hard and demanding it all was, but also how good he turned out to be in all that was asked to him, thanks to his talent - of course - but mostly to his dedication. There is not a hint of arrogance in this, however it is undoubtable that, to do what Hadfield has done, you can't be an ordinary person.His descriptions of life and work on board of the International Space Station - and of the travels to/from the ISS - are particularly vivid and interesting, going way beyond the usual chatting about how astronauts pee in zero-weight conditions. Very wise reflections are offered, in addition, on the very practical and progress-wise outcomes of the activities carried out on the ISS.I find the stories of such highly-skilled men and women to be incredibly inspiring. Most of the human beings will never be asked to study such high-level technical topics and do terribly risky stuff, yet it is mind-opening to consider how deep and how far we humans can go, if we use our skills and are determined to excel.Very recommended reading.P.S. This man recorded "Space Oddity" on the ISS (YouTube it, it's gorgeous) with permission by David Bowie... Aren't you curious to know more about such an incredible person?