One Giant Leap: Neil Armstrong's Stellar American Journey

On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon, uttering the words "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." This biography by Leon Wagener is the first to explore Armstrong's life in depth. Armstrong grew up on a farm without electricity and spent his career as an astronaut facing daily danger in pursuit of lunar exploration. After achieving what many thought impossible and returning to Earth, he retreated to a farm in Ohio, subsequently becoming known as a recluse. Wagener draws on hundreds of interviews with Armstrong's family and friends, as well as access to NASA files, to tell the story of his life and career. The book covers Armstrong's long quest to reach the moon and his achievement in breaking free of Earth's bonds, presenting the life of an American hero whose accomplishments are compared to major moments in human history.