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  • The Right Stuff

  • Written by: Tom Wolfe
  • Narrated by: Dennis Quaid
  • Length: 15 hrs and 42 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (118 ratings)

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The Right Stuff cover art

The Right Stuff

Written by: Tom Wolfe
Narrated by: Dennis Quaid
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Publisher's Summary

From "America's nerviest journalist" (Newsweek) - a breathtaking epic, a magnificent adventure story, and an investigation into the true heroism and courage of the first Americans to conquer space. "Tom Wolfe at his very best" (The New York Times Book Review)

Millions of words have poured forth about man's trip to the moon, but until now few people have had a sense of the most engrossing side of the adventure: namely, what went on in the minds of the astronauts themselves - in space, on the moon, and even during certain odysseys on earth. It is this, the inner life of the astronauts, that Tom Wolfe describes with his almost uncanny empathetic powers that made The Right Stuff a classic.

©1979 Tom Wolfe (P)2017 Audible, Inc.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

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What listeners say about The Right Stuff

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great History, Mediocre Reading

Dennis Quaid suprised me. Given his starring turn in the film of the book, I had looked forward to hearing his reading. Unfortunately, he was either mis-directed or poorly interpreted. You have to work to get past him, and that's unfortunate.

The book is a great retelling of the space race and the Cold War era, masterfully told and researched by the unparalleled Tom Wolfe. The details, thoughts, conversations, machinations, all of it - gives a broad-eyed vision of the kind of people, doing the kind of things, that led humanity to the moon.

#Audible1

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Mercury astronauts and fighter pilot jocks

Tom Wolfe tells the evolution of fighter jocks from Air Force test pilots into NASA astronauts. It provides personal insight into the lives of the Original Mercury Seven, as well as the daring tales of Chuck Yaeger's historic supersonic flights.

Fantastic narration by Dennis Quaid, accents and all.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Quaid brings Wolfe to life

Dennis Quaid sets the bar very high for an audible book performance. Truly the right stuff!

#Audible1

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

I didn't realize the title was ironic

The space program has always interested me. I've built model kits of a Mercury-Redstone rocket, and a larger model of a Mercury capsule including the escape tower and retro rockets.

But somehow I never got around to reading this book, about the Mercury space project.

I didn't realize the title was ironic. The only way they could judge whether an astronaut had the "Right Stuff" was after the fact.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Was not disappointed.

I got this book after it was referenced in "Endurance" by Scott Kelly. I was not disappointed, great book!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A classic

I read this book in college 20 years ago and it was wonderful to revisit this classic story read by Dennis Quaid, who definitely has the ‘right stuff’.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Dated now but meaningful regardless

Denis Quaid’s performance was criticized in some reviews. To me, it was the necessary ingredient to make this book even better. Having starred in the film, and having the right mix of accents, Quaid does a great job in bringing the characters to life.

And for that the foundation are Wolfe’s words, dripping with awe and admiration for the astronauts and their wives. The description of Yeager’s last flight and crash in the NF-104 is riveting.

An enjoyable read/listen, i’ve seen the movie many times and was glad to learn more about Conrad, Armstrong, Schirra and Slayton, who were cut out of the film.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining and informative.

I liked hearing the accounts from the various characters as if it was written in the first person. It took a while for Dennis Quiad's voice as narrator grew on me. By the middle I really appreciated his take on the narrative .

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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My favourite audio book

I was completely enthralled by the story of the space race and the brave courageous pilots and their wives. I'm not American but found it fascinating from stat to finish. Brilliantly performed by Dennis Quaid too , delivered with much enthusiasm and humour. highly recommended.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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The right stuff

The summary doesn’t do this book justice. Great all round book with this book having the right stuff.

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