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    The Sky Below: A True Story of Summits, Space, and Speed
    The Sky Below: A True Story of Summits, Space, and Speed
    The Sky Below: A True Story of Summits, Space, and Speed
    Audiobook8 hours

    The Sky Below: A True Story of Summits, Space, and Speed

    Written by Scott Parazynski and Susy Flory

    Narrated by Scott Parazynski and Homer Hickam

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    “Scott Parazynski’s drive, curiosity, inventiveness, and great humor shine through the pages of The Sky Below and will certainly inspire future generations to pursue their dreams with every fiber in their being.” —John Glenn, NASA astronaut

    An epic memoir from a man whose life is defined by exploration and innovation, The Sky Below re-creates some of the most unforgettable adventures of our time. From dramatic, high-risk spacewalks to author Scott Parazynski’s death-defying quest to summit Mount Everest—his body ravaged by a career in space—readers will experience the life of an elite athlete, physician, and explorer.

    This intimate, compelling account offers a rare portrait of space exploration from the inside. A global nomad raised in the shadow of NASA’s Apollo missions, Parazynski never lost sight of his childhood dream to one day don a spacesuit and float outside the airlock. With deep passion, unbridled creativity, resilience, humility, and self-deprecation, Parazynski chases his dream of the ultimate adventure experience, again and again and again. In an era that transitioned from moon shots to the Space Shuttle, space station, and Mars research, Parazynski flies with John Glenn, tests jet packs, trains in Russia to become a cosmonaut, and flies five missions to outer space (including seven spacewalks) in his seventeen-year NASA career.

    An unparalleled, visceral opportunity to understand what it’s like to train for—and deploy to—a home in zero gravity, The Sky Below also portrays an astronaut’s engagement with the challenges of his life on Earth, including raising a beautiful autistic daughter and finding true love.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateAug 1, 2017
    ISBN9781522639169
    The Sky Below: A True Story of Summits, Space, and Speed
    Author

    Scott Parazynski

    Scott Parazynski was inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2016, and is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including five NASA Space Flight Medals, two NASA Distinguished Service Medals, two NASA Exceptional Service Medals, the Aviation Week Laureate Award, the Antarctica Service Medal, the National Eagle Scout Association’s Outstanding Eagle Scout Award, and the Lowell Thomas Award from the Explorers Club. Now a tech start-up CEO and a prolific inventor, he ventures into some of the world’s most extreme environments in the name of exploration and innovation. Scott and his wife, Meena Wadhwa, a renowned planetary scientist, divide their time between Houston, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona. His most important role to date is serving as a doting husband and father of two children.

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    Reviews for The Sky Below

    3.5/5

    40 ratings6 reviews

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      As an ex-mountaineeer and a lover of space & space travel I found this to be an engaging and compelling read. The narrative covers the full spectrum from his youth to the present, presenting both highs & lows. You get some insight into the workings of NASA and the bonds of friendship that form between astronauts and ground support personnel and just how much teamwork is needed. As the astronaut at the "tip of the spear" in repairing the solar array on the ISS Scott vividly details the event, distributing the narrative along the involvement of the team. The descriptions of his two attempts on Everest are as adventure filled as his exploits in space. I highly recommend this book, especially, to young people who have aspirations and dreams. Normally this book would not have taken this long for me to finish but other things were going on.
    • 3/5
      I enjoy reading about the space program. The accomplishments are impressive but the human aspect of the story was such a rolling train-wreck. Thank you, Scott, for being willing to share the details of what you could and could not accomplish. The drive that enabled you to accomplish so much seems to have also driven you away from your family. I'm sorry that you and your family have to endure that and I understand that it is a mixed blessing.
    • 3/5
      Scott Parazynski documents highlights of his you youth, medical training, the realization of becoming an astronaut, and more, in this ebook enhanced with color images and video.I find the earlier portions of the book more interesting than the last few chapters, where his ego and selfishness come out clearly, with disastrous personal results. He seems bothered by the consequences of his actions, it not so much that he decides to make any changes.The best segments are the earlier descriptions of applying to be an astronaut and his training. Perhaps that is because during these portions of his life he was not yet established, so he needed to rely upon working with others to obtain his goals.Finally, this ebook goes beyond the typical embedded photos by including animations and short videos. These help understand some of the technical details discussed as well as showing you highlights of a few of Scott’s adventures. For someone so accomplished it is a shame that he is so self-absorbed. He came across as someone I would find interesting to meet and have a conversation with, but I wouldn’t like him as a person.
    • 3/5
      There are only a few experienced space travelers and author Scott Parazunski is one of them. The autobiography covers the strong ego and determination he needed to succeed in his extreme endeavors. There is a mixture of technical descriptions, remote places, and an ultimate experience junkie attempt to balance accomplishments with the challenges of marriage and a gifted child. Telling his story in first person allows the reader to experience the physical challenges but provide a very limited perspective of his relationships. I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway. Although encouraged, I was under no obligation to write a review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
    • 4/5
      This is not a very technical book, which makes it easily accessible to all, and I highly recommend the Kindle version because it has lots of pictures, demos and mini videos sprinkled throughout the book which really add to the read. I remember several of the lunar events and voyages recounted in this story. An interesting look at the life of an astronaut. And a mountain climber, 'cuz he was both. Scott is a very intelligent man with a need for adventure. He tries to be pretty humble, but it doesn't always ring true to me. I am sure it was not easy it would have been to be married to him: his adventures took him away from family for long periods of time. If you are a science geek, you will enjoy this one. 3.5
    • 5/5
      A book that was thoroughly enjoyedI am only a few months older than Scott, so I grew up watching the same forays into space that he saw as a child. He was able to achieve his dream of going into space, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about his journey. This book is about more than just space exploration, however. There is much to explore on Earth, and Scott is able to pursue other dreams also. His life has been full of many experiences, and I appreciate the opportunity to read about them. I read this on my tablet through the Kindle app, and this added so much to the reading experience. The video clips, simulations, and photos were all wonderful.