Turning points
This book shows how man fits into the scheme of space exploration and the means by which he becomes a functional and necessary element of the spacecraft. For the most part, it regards man in space today; but where it is relevant to do so from a technical or physiological viewpoint, it also looks at man's future activity in space. Since man was not designed by nature to exist in space, the major problem to be overcome is in adapting him to the space flight environment. This process is examined in five chapters that describe the hazards of manned space flight, the stresses upon the astronaut, the means of selecting the best men and simulating space to train them, and the methods of maintaining life in space. Chapter 6 looks at the all-important problems of maintaining contact with the astronaut by means of biotelemetry. Chapter 7 looks at some of the valuable medical "byproducts" that accrue to man on Earth as a result of research to place man in space. The future prospects for manned space travel in both the US and USSR form the contents of the final chapter. - p. 19.
Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Nonfiction, Mental Health. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.
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What the reading experience may hold
A fuller profile for choosing with more confidence—not just another copy of the preview.
Nonfiction · Mental Health
Use these as starting points rather than limits; the most memorable books often stretch beyond their catalog labels.
Catalog signals suggest mental-health concerns. These notes may not be complete; consult a publisher or reader-supplied guide when detailed warnings matter.
These notes are inferred from available catalog information and may not be complete. Check a publisher or reader-supplied guide if you need comprehensive warnings.
Balanced tone · Steady pace
Works well for a focused weekend or a few concentrated sittings.
A good fit if…
Readers who want a thoughtful experience and enjoy noticing the connections beneath a book’s surface story.
This book's DNA
A visual estimate based on this edition's categories, description, and length. Select a star to explore the signals.
This signal is descriptive, not a rating. It helps compare the kind of reading experience this edition may offer.
Spoiler-Free Emotional Arc
A broad estimate of the book’s emotional rhythm, shown without story events or outcomes.
This visualization is an interpretive estimate based on catalog description, categories, tone, pace, and content signals. It does not describe specific scenes.
A quick reading snapshot
Edition facts and catalog signals to help you decide whether this book fits what you want to read next.
- ISBN-13
- 978-0-1393-3168-8
- Language
- English
- Edition record
- OL4539115M
A more thoughtful way into this book
This guide uses the edition details and category signals above to help you choose deliberately. It does not replace the author's work or a full review.
Works well for a focused weekend or a few concentrated sittings.
Begin with its place in Nonfiction, then notice where the book resists that label.
Read for connection, not completion.
Mark one passage that sharpens the book's central concern and one that complicates it. That tension often reveals more than a quick summary.
Three questions to carry with you
- Whose perspective organizes the story, and whose perspective remains outside it?
- Which sources or lived experiences carry the author’s central argument?
- How does the book change the way you understand its larger subject?
Editorial framework by Wesley Bryan, BookenDeX Founder and Editor.
More Nonfiction books
These matches combine shared categories with author, publication-era, and reading-length signals.
Anxiety Disorders
by Brian F. Shaw
Why it fits: shares Mental Health and Nonfiction, a similar publication era.
Alone In Vietnam
by Robert B Boyd Jr
Why it fits: shares Nonfiction and Mental Health, a similar reading length.
Self Neglect
by James G. O'Brien
Why it fits: shares Mental Health and Nonfiction, a similar reading length.
"You Won't Remember Me"
by Marvin Hoffman
Why it fits: shares Nonfiction, a similar reading length.
A Journey from This World to the Next
by Henry Fielding
Why it fits: shares Nonfiction, a similar reading length.
A Theological Journey
by O.S.B. Ghislain Lafont
Why it fits: shares Nonfiction, a similar reading length.