Dear Neil Armstrong

"These letters written to Neil Armstrong, the commander of the first Moon landing, offer a compelling time capsule into public perceptions of the event. Historian James R. Hansen has assembled and edited this collection to bring out the thrill at the time as well as the lasting meaning of reaching the Moon." —Roger D. Launius, author of Reaching for the Moon: A Short History of the Space Race

"Dear Neil Armstrong traces the First Man's journey after Apollo 11, navigating the sometimes difficult, sometimes colorful world of public life, while trying to maintain some semblance of privacy. It's a compelling vision of what the world expected from the first moonwalker and how he tried to live his life post-fame. A must-read for all Armstrong-philes, as well as those seeking insight into the tall order he had to fill as a public servant after Apollo." —Emily Carney, Founder of the Facebook Space Hipsters Group

"From the deeply philosophical to the flippant and goofy, reactions to Neil Armstrong's first steps on the Moon were as varied as the people who followed the historic mission. The amount of unwanted advice and requests for gifts the Apollo 11 commander received is breathtaking and revealing. More touching are the many letters from people who wanted instead to do something for him, as a way of expressing their deep admiration and respect. These letters show that no matter what immense technological achievements take place, human nature, in all its quirky glory, will remain entertaining and unpredictable." —Francis French, author of In the Shadow of the Moon

"Dear Neil Armstrong: Letters to the First Man from All Mankind is a must-have book for all space enthusiasts." —National Space Society

"Dear Neil Armstrong will appeal to those seeking a deeper understanding of what the Apollo program meant… the collection Hansen has put together is a must-have for those seeking to understand the more profound social and cultural meaning of Apollo, namely how the world viewed this particular man and what it desired of him in return." — From Balloons to Drones

"The letters included in Dear Neil Armstrong, along with responses from Armstrong and his assistants (who are profiled in the book's appendix) and commentary from Hansen, offer an enlightening look at Armstrong and his interactions with the public." —The Space Review

"This is a wonderful book, documenting the over-whelming amount of cards and letters received by Neil Armstrong, the first human to set foot on the Moon in July 1969." —Inside Outer Space

"Hansen's two volumes of letters is an excellent collection of primary source material from the public on a man who was known to have been intensely private." —Quest