Michael Collins: Gemini 10 and Apollo 11

Book: Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut’s Journeys

Who? Michael Collins, Pilot of Gemini 10 and Command Module Pilot of Apollo 11.

Written by: Collins himself – no ghost writer was used. Originally written in 1974, with an updated version including a new preface printed for the 40th anniversary.

Style: Written primarily in the first person. The style does change occasionally, with pre-mission explanations written in the past tense and the missions themselves written in the present tense. A lovely change of pace.

Covers period: A brief chapter is dedicated to Collins earlier career, but the bulk of the book covers astronaut selection and training, Gemini 10 and then Apollo 11.

Pictures? Yes, and lots of them. Collins captions are worth the purchase price alone.

REVIEW

I was in the odd position, going in to the reading of this book, of having heard of it but not read it. But what I had heard was spectacular praise, with some calling Carrying The Fire the ultimate astronaut autobiography. This put me in two minds: I was anticipating the book, but also well aware it could fall short of expectations.

To many, Collins was the least important part of the historic Apollo 11 mission. He orbited the moon in Command Module Columbia while Armstrong and Aldrin played geologist on the lunar surface, and his Gemini flight was relatively glitch-free. Collins then retired from the space programme. Could he really have that much of a story to tell?

The answer is, quite simply, yes.

This is, without doubt, the greatest astronaut autobiography one can read. Collins is involving, humourous, technical without being overwhelming, inventive, intelligent… the list of praise goes on and on. Carrying The Fire is one man’s journey into space – twice – and unlike many books of the same genre, this is unmistakably the story of the man rather than the programme.

Collins’ personality – dry, cutting, witty but never condescending – shines on every page of this spell-binding autobiography. Although he writes that it was not fully intended to be an autobiography, more an explanation of what astronaut selection and training was like, the overwhelming sense of this astronaut shines through. Laugh-out-loud funny in paces, Collins places you alongside him for his astronaut career, and he whispers in your ear throughout.

We begin with a brief account of Collins’ pre-NASA career, and then move on to his attempts to be selected for the astronaut group eventually dubbed “the New Nine”. Rather than resent his omission, Collins cheerfully writes that the New Nine were the best group of astronauts NASA recruited. Carrying The Fire then goes on to detail his eventual selection, his thorough enjoyment as back up of Gemini 7, and his first flight as Pilot of Gemini 10.

Collins writes with style and panache, his dry humour sparkling up even the most dull of anecdotes. He explains technical details and includes diagrams, as well as brief descriptions of what each of his fellow astronauts was like. Though not likely to win him new friends, this is a brief and delightful insight for the curious reader, as Collins pulls no punches while still managing to be respectful. His description of Apollo 11 comrade Buzz Aldrin is notable for its originality alone.

The problem with astronaut biographies is that they can be painfully dry, resulting in an endless list of mission details and then a brief paragraph summing up the writer’s “feelings”. If lucky, there is the occasional anecdote. These divisions in other books are obvious, and what is startling about Collins is his ability to mix the three together. Rather than a chunk of text on mission details and then a chunk on his feelings, he writes it as one big experience – a freshing change from the somewhat secular feel one becomes accustomed too.

And Collins is funny. It takes a lot to make me laugh aloud when reading, but the wit of this astronaut had me smiling and laughing throughout. He also delves into the realms of philosophy without ever appearing preachy, and talks of his own feelings and emotions while still retaining a personal privacy.

Carrying The Fire is not just unusual in its writing style and general feel, but in its candour. Collins writes of an argument between Aldrin and Armstrong during Apollo 11 training (which was later filmed and included for the drama From The Earth To The Moon) and speculates on the character and motivation of his colleagues. He also, to my surprise, named the person he rated top during the oft-mentioned colleague evaluation stage, choosing Dave Scott as the best of the astronauts. This is unusual; while the peer review is indeed oft-mentioned, few ever mention who they actually selected!

Another pleasant surprise was the utilisation of tenses. During the explanation of training and other such moments, Collins uses the usual past tense. However, for actual missions, he switches to the present tense – this increases, all the more, the feel of being a bird on his shoulder throughout his career. You feel and experience his excitement as the missions progress, and I have never enjoyed an account of Gemini flights – in particular – more.

This would be the point where I would usually talk of the flaws of the book, but they are few and far between. Carrying The Fire is an absolute joy from beginning to end, which covers everything one could ever hope for. It is personal but professional, witty but intelligent, praise-giving but modest. I finished the book with a new appreciation for Collins’ character and achievements, almost feeling as if I witnessed them with him first hand. A triumph.

Overall Rating: 5/5