Falling to Earth

<p> The command module pilot (CMP), the second in command of an Apollo spacecraft, was the least understood and least appreciated crew member by the media and the general public. In Falling to Earth , Al Worden, CMP of Apollo 15, clearly and candidly recounts the wonder, the challenge, the triumph, and the pitfalls of flying to the moon. <p>--Neil Armstrong, Gemini 8 and Apollo 11 astronaut<p> Ever wonder what it would be like to spend several days orbiting the moon--alone? Al Worden's expressive description of his Apollo 15 mission takes you there, and then on the 250,000-mile return, falling to Earth. This is not just another space mission book. In his intense, tell-it-as-he-sees-it style, Worden details what led to that wondrous experience and all that followed. <p>--John Glenn, first American to orbit the Earth<p> The space program first rewarded, and then punished, Al Worden--and he is better for it, as this exceptional book reveals. It's the full story, told with clarity, insight, and humor, altogether a wonderful read. <p>--Michael Collins, Gemini 10 and Apollo 11 astronaut, author of Carrying the Fire <p> A rip-roaring adventure--a wry and fascinating chronicle of a time when we actually knew how to fly people to the moon. <p>--Tom Jones, space shuttle astronaut, author of Sky Walking <p> Al Worden does a fine job telling his interesting life story, his important role as the command module pilot for the highly successful Apollo 15 flight--and his abrupt firing as a NASA astronaut. The ins and outs of this latter story and his personal fall to Earth make for especially fascinating reading. <p>--William Anders, Major General USAF (ret), Apollo 8 astronaut<p> The talented men who made the pioneering flights to the moon were test pilots and scientists, team players and egomaniacs, goodie two-shoes and skirt-chasers, all driven by a shared goal--to go higher, faster, further than anyone in history. Al Worden was one of the best of this elite group: the first