An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth

Chris Hadfield

Oct 2013 · Random House Canada

About this eBook

As Commander of the International Space Station, Chris Hadfield captivated the world with stunning photos and commentary from space. Now, in his first book, Chris offers readers extraordinary stories from his life as an astronaut, and shows how to make the impossible a reality.
 
Chris Hadfield decided to become an astronaut after watching the Apollo moon landing with his family on Stag Island, Ontario, when he was nine years old, and it was impossible for Canadians to be astronauts. In 2013, he served as Commander of the International Space Station orbiting the Earth during a five-month mission. Fulfilling this lifelong dream required intense focus, natural ability and a singular commitment to “thinking like an astronaut.” In An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, Chris gives us a rare insider’s perspective on just what that kind of thinking involves, and how earthbound humans can use it to achieve success and happiness in their lives.
Astronaut training turns popular wisdom about how to be successful on its head. Instead of visualizing victory, astronauts prepare for the worst; always sweat the small stuff; and do care what others think. Chris shows how this unique education comes into play with dramatic anecdotes about going blind during a spacewalk, getting rid of a live snake while piloting a plane, and docking with space station Mir when laser tracking systems fail at the critical moment. Along the way, he shares exhilarating experiences, and challenges, from his 144 days on the ISS, and provides an unforgettable answer to his most-asked question: What’s it really like in outer space?
Written with humour, humility and a profound optimism for the future of space exploration, An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth offers readers not just the inspiring story of one man’s journey to the ISS, but the opportunity to step into his space-boots and think like an astronaut—and renew their commitment to pursuing their own dreams, big or small.

Ratings and reviews

Loved every minute of this book! Chris Hadfield has an easy-going, amusing, conversational style that left me smirking, smiling, or flat out laughing throughout! His advice and encouragement on everything from dream conception to dream realization, and living life contentedly in between, has made me view my choices and attitudes in a whole new light. A must read!

Parents bought me the hardcover edition for Christmas, and it was enjoyable. Slow in parts, but it really gives you a sense of how astronauts like Hadfield got to where they were - through hard work, and attention to detail!

Insightful, humorous and heart warming. A great glimpse into a world we don't always think or know too much about. An inspirational read that has made me rethink how I look at the small and the big things.

About the author

CHRIS HADFIELD is one of the most seasoned and accomplished astronauts in the world. A veteran of three spaceflights, he crewed the US Space Shuttle twice, piloted the Russian Soyuz, helped build space station Mir, conducted two space walks, and served as Commander of the International Space Station. He was also NASA’s Director of Operations in Russia. Chris is the co-creator and host of the BBC series Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes?, and helped create and host, along with actor Will Smith, the National Geographic series One Strange Rock. Hadfield's zero-gravity video version of David Bowie's "Space Oddity"—the first music video recorded in space—has been watched over 50 million times, and his TED Talk on fear has been viewed over 10 million times. He advises SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, and other space companies, chairs the board of the Open Lunar Foundation, leads the CDL-Space international tech incubator, and teaches a MasterClass on space exploration. His books, An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth, You Are Here, The Darkest Dark, and his debut thriller, The Apollo Murders, have been international bestsellers, topping the charts for months in Canada.