The Space Barons

An Incredible Modern Story Well Told

The book we've all been waiting for. I've been deeply engaged in this industry since the start of the incredible story that Davenport tells and I can say that this is the most comprehensive and professional treatment of the commercial spaceflight revolution to date. The author is a professional reporter and a fine wordsmith who understands his context and characters. He weaves a tale of adventure, excess and excitement on the final frontier that will keep even non-space cadets enthralled. This is a character based study and is not particularly distracted by the technologies or the data. You won't find the seconds of ISP rating on the latest SpaceX second stage engine configuration or the coefficient of drag on Virgin's VSS Unity. What Davenport does in nail the big personalities and unusual motivations that drive this generations boldest entrepreneurs to go where none have gone before.

The narration is also excellent. Collyer conveys the tension and enthusiasm of the story without distraction. He gets the names and technical pronunciations correct as well (a thing that always bugs me in tech books).

"Space Barrons" is a great summer read for anyone but it is a must-listen for any aspiring Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson or Elon Musk. I hope they all download it and are motivated to do impossibly great things someday, themselves.

4 sur 4 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

Boring Book on Exciting Topic

This book was 2-3 times longer than it needed to be, which means too much filler and an overall boring experience. Bummer.

1 sur 1 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

An early tale of the future.

I can’t wait to read this book to my great grandkids one day and show them what was going on when I was in my 30’s with space travel. They’ll almost certainly wonder why we were so far behind even in the face of how far ahead we are in 2019. Simply amazing.

I'm a Space Nut... And I LOVED It!

I've been fascinated by space travel since I was a kid--I went to Space Camp in Huntsville twice. One time our team won "Best Mission" and I'm proud to say I was Commander of that mission.

Unfortunately, to date that highlight of my space career was when I was 13 years old. "The Space Barons" reignited that childhood spark and wonder for what space travel can ultimately be, while providing some insight into the modern-day commercial space race that's shaping up... its huge upside... and the very real risks that come with it.

It's tough to humanize billionaires, but Davenport does it with ease. Sometimes unintentionally, when Jeff Bezos makes a very (ahem) in retrospect hilarious comment about his "really big rocket" he's working on... but I digress...

Really great book and well-performed for any space nut!

Very good overview

If you’ve read other books on Bezos or Elon, some of this content will be repetitive. Overall - very good, quick read.

Biography like backstory of private space industry

What made the book interesting, for me, was the meticulously researched backstories behind each of these space companies and their respective founders. Much emphasis has been put into describing what were the exact events that defined these companies success or failure and what circumstances and thoughts were behind those decisions.
The book has a biography like vibe. Reading it you will understand what held the private space industry in Only this time it's about handful of people instead of one. If you like biographies or anything related to space you will most likely enjoy this book. :)

Amazing!

This book is a great choice for anyone interested in knowing more about the development and success of two awesome companies (space x and Blue Origin) that have pushed the foundation for space travel!

It said this headline was optional but it was not

I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting to read about the struggles that were over come. It did leave me wanting as the book only gets to 2017.

Fascinating summary of space industry

The summary of Blue Origin, SpaceX, and Virgin Galactic's rise is interesting. Not a fan fiction effort but informative and professional treatment. I ended up liking the narration, albeit only after a couple chapters. Rather short book really. Does a good job of capturing the personalities of the protagonists.

Interesting look at current views of space

If, like me, you have been disappointed with our country's space exploration in recent years (lack of), this is an interesting book about the private companies who are eagerly taking on the challenge. I drive a Tesla Model 3, and Elon Musk is, in my opinion, a person who is trying to make the future more positive and exciting. I still don't know why Musk has been treated so harshly. I learned more about SpaceX. I did not know as much about Bezos and others also joining in, so that was educational, too. I enjoyed the narrator and recommend this to all who are interested in man's future in space. #tagsgiving #sweepstakes