DESC: Cynics have been known to cite the fact that we can put a man on the moon as a precursor to lamenting our lack of achievement in other areas. In the field of science writing, one might previously have been tempted to proclaim that "We can put a man on the moon, but we can't write a decent book about putting a man on the moon." Craig Nelson has remedied this lack with ROCKET MEN, the definitive account of the Apollo 11 mission, which combines a thrilling, minute-by-minute depiction of the launch and landing with an insightful analysis of the profound social and global relevance of the momentous event. Nelson also charts the individual trajectories of the major players in the moon landing, particularly Neil Armstrong, Edward "Buzz" Aldrin, Michael Collins, their families, and their base commander Jim Lovell. Nelson reportedly scoured over 23,000 pages of NASA documents and oral histories in his research for the book, a proud achievement which nonetheless pales in comparison to his subject matter.