TOW #16 IRB "The Right Stuff" by Tom Wolfe

For this cycle of TOWs I was able to finish the second half of, The Right Stuff, by Tom Wolfe. I definitely enjoyed the second portion of the book much more than the first. This is mostly because as I started to get to know the individual characters, it stopped feeling like a boring book about space and became something that I could really relate to. I think Wolfe accomplished something really special with The Right Stuff, because he took a series of historical events that could easily be boiled down to a list of bullet points recounting the facts, and turned it into something so much more than that. In this sense, he really achieved his purpose of both educating and entertaining his readers- his experience as a journalist definitely helped his credibility in the factual evidence, but also his knowledge on how to really appeal to people. It is the little things, like clever anecdotes in which Glenn supports his wife when she is too timid to let the vice president into their house, that really make the book an experience. Even though events like this have nothing to do with the space race, they are really powerful in revealing the nature of the seven men who were chosen for the program. From family-men Glenn and Carpenter, to bold Shepherd, the program was filled with strong personalities all tied together with "the right stuff". The second half of the book focuses around the right stuff needed for the group of seven to be successful, for example staying cool under pressure which was necessary both in space and throughout the astronauts rise to fame. It also continues to use strong imagery and anecdotes to detail the various flights, and the events that surrounded them. In addition to these two devices, Wolfe also relies heavily on the repetition of a meaningful phrase to achieve a thematic purpose. He constantly refers back to phrases like, "our boys always botch it," and 

"pushing the outside of the envelope," to make a strong point that will stick with his audience. I really loved reading this book, and I think I will definitely want to read more of Wolfe's work in the future.