John Houbolt

"The choice of how to get to the moon was critical to meeting President Kennedy's goal of a lunar landing 'before this decade is out.' Bill Causey's deeply researched and clearly written book depicts how the persistence of one man, NASA engineer John Houbolt, decisively influenced the tortuous and contentious process of making that choice. The book nicely fills a glaring gap in the history of America's journey to the moon, and reminds us that the lunar journey was far from straightforward." —John M. Logsdon, Professor Emeritus, Space Policy Institute, The George Washington University

"John C. Houbolt was another of the 'hidden figures' of NASA during the Apollo era. Bucking institutional blinders, Houbolt convinced the leaders of the space agency that lunar orbit rendezvous was the best way to conduct the Apollo program. William Causey's biography of Houbolt tells the fascinating story of how this lone engineer battled bureaucracy to help America achieve President Kennedy's vision, 'before this decade is out,' of 'landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.'" —Roger Launius, author of Reaching for the Moon: A Short History of the Space Race

"Causey's book joins the list of essential reading for people seeking to understand the forces that made possible the Apollo space program. He expertly recalls the venture from the perspective of the people who organized the expeditions, and the sole engineer who convinced the country's finest spaceflight minds that getting to the moon and back by 1970 required lunar orbit rendezvous. In the process, Causey paints a vivid picture of the inner workings of American government and the making of technical decisions in the mid-twentieth century." —Howard McCurdy, Professor, American University, Washington, DC

"This is an outstanding book and should be read by every space flight enthusiast." —National Space Society

"Well worth a read for those who wonder how NASA pulled off the impossible." —Francis French, Space Historian

"Among the many books that have come out in recent months to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first human flights to the Moon, John Houbolt stands out for adding new information to this story." —Quest: The History of Spaceflight

"If you are picking up this work, there stands a good chance you have more than a passing understanding of NASA's history and organisation, and while you might be familiar with the LOR story, Causey's telling through the lens of Houbolt is worth a read even if you think you have read it all already, and neither the scholar nor the buff will be disappointed. This is an essential and much-needed addition to the history of the Apollo Program. Causey's John Houbolt: The Unsung Hero of the Apollo Moon Landings is a critical and stimulating look at the individual of John Houbolt, but also at NASA writ large." —Dr. Brian Laslie, From Balloons to Drones

"John Houbolt: The Unsung Hero of the Apollo Moon Landings is not a complete biography of Houbolt's life: it ends once the decision for LOR is secured, with Houbolt leaving NASA shortly thereafter for private industry. It is, though, a detailed examination of the discussions at NASA in its first years about just how it was going to get astronauts to the surface of the Moon and back, and how one man, Houbolt, played a key, if often unheralded, role in that effort." —The Space Review

"Being quite familiar with many of the individuals and events of the Apollo Program, I eagerly advanced through the pages to see what possible surprises the author could lay before the knowledgeable reader—and there were many. Causey fills in several hazy areas (for this space historian), and his writing is clear and unambiguous. It's as though he had been present at the meetings he describes. This is an outstanding book and should be read by every space flight enthusiast." —National Space Society

"This book constitutes the most readable and thorough account of NASA's difficult and protracted decision-making process setting the path for Apollo. " —Quest the Journal of Spaceflight

"Causey's Houbolt examines NASA's decision-making process through the lens of an individual. This approach places emphasis on the members of NASA— this is their story and not the story of the astronauts riding rockets. That being said, Causey's book is no less amazing than the stories of the astronauts themselves and by pulling back the curtain, Causey deftly reveals the backstory and offers a fresh look at how NASA ultimately decided the method that would lead to footprints on the moon."—Balloons to Drones