Soviet/Russian Space Book List - English

[SpaceCadet1983]

I've compiled a list of what I believe are the best English language books on the Soviet/Russian Space Program:

Springer Praxis Books/Space Exploration
1. Russia's Cosmonauts: Inside the Yuri Gagarin Training Center by Rex Hall, David Shayler, and Bert Vis, 2005, ISBN: 978-0-387-21894-6.
2. The Rocket Men: Vostok and Voskhod, The First Soviet Manned Spaceflights by Rex Hall and David Shayler, 2001, ISBN: 978-1-85233-391-1.
3. Soyuz: A Universal Spacecraft by Rex Hall and David Shayler, 2003, ISBN: 978-1-85233-657-8.
4. Energia-Buran: The Soviet Space Shuttle by Bart Hendrickx and Bert Vis, 2007, ISBN: 978-0-387-69848-9.
5. Salyut - The First Space Station: Triumph and Tragedy by Grujica Ivanovich, 2008, ISBN: 978-0-387-73585-6.
6. Russian Spacesuits by Isaac Abramov and Ingemar Skoog, 2003, ISBN: 978-1-85233-732-2.
7. Soviet and Russian Lunar Exploration by Brian Harvey, 2007, ISBN: 978-0-387-71354-0.
8. The Rebirth of the Russian Space Program: 50 Years After Sputnik by Brian Harvey, 2007, ISBN: 978-387-71354-0.
9. Praxis Manned Spaceflight Log 1961-2006 by Tim Furniss, 2007, ISBN: 978-0-387-34175-0.

University Press of Florida
1. Sputnik and the Soviet Space Challenge by Asif Siddiqi, 2003, ISBN: 978-0-813-02627-5.
2. The Soviet Space Race With Apollo by Asif Siddiqi, 2003, ISBN: 978-0-813-02628-2.

Misc.
1. Soviet Manned Space Program by Phillip Clark, Crown Publishers, 1988, ISBN:
2. Korolev: How One Man Masterminded the Soviet Drive to Beat America to the Moon by James Harford, Wiley, 1999, ISBN: 978-0-471-32721-9.

All of these books are well-researched, scholarly histories by some of the best authors in the Soviet/Russian Space Program field. :thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup

[SpaceCadet1983]

A new book in the Springer Praxis Books/Space Exploration series is scheduled for release on April 1, 2009. The title: The First Soviet Cosmonaut Team: Their Lives, Legacy, and Historical Impact by Colin Burgess and Rex Hall. Approx. 355 p. 170 illus., softcover. ISBN: 978-0-387-84823-5.

About this book:

• A complete, authoratative and objective history of the lives, selection, training and experiences of the first group of twenty cosmonauts selected by the Soviet Union

• Includes the biographies and experiences of the eight cosmonauts from the first group from 1960 who, for various reasons, did not get to fly into space

• Tells the full story of the need and urgency to select an initial group of Soviet Air Force cosmonauts

• Based on key interviews conducted over several years by co-author Rex Hall and Space Researcher Bert Vis at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center at Star City

• Many previously unpublished photograghs of the "missing" candidates will also be included for the first time in this book

I have known Rex Hall for twenty-five years and there is no finer authority on the Soviet/Russian Cosmonaut Team than him. This book will truly be a valuable reference for all serious students of the Soviet/Russian Space Program. :thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup

I encourage other forum members to post the titles of their favorite Soviet/Russian Space Program books regardless of which languages they are published in. This is a great forum to share ideas and information, and I for one am anxious to hear from other forum members on this topic.! :):D:thumbsup

[SpaceCadet1983]

The First Soviet Cosmonaut Team by Colin Burgess and Rex Hall is now available for preorder on Amazon.com, although it won't come out until early 2009. :D:thumbsup

[Koopyetz]

In 1977 I attended the Soviet National Exhibition while it was in Los Angeles.

Though the following are booklets not books ,they captured my interest.

[Koopyetz]

Next booklet

[Koopyetz]

I also picked up these two pins that were given out to commemorate the event.

[SpaceCadet1983]

Some nice booklets you managed to pick up! I love the old Soviet-era Space booklets. From my experience it's been hard to find them in good condition, but I still keep my eyes open! :thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup

Another note: Colin Burgess and Rex Hall's THE FIRST SOVIET COSMONAUT TEAM (mentioned above in posts #2 & #3) is out (try amazon.com). This book is easily one of the finest books ever written on the Soviet cosmonaut team. The book covers the first 20 cosmonauts - some who flew and others who passed into obscurity. The authors clear up a lot of the mysteries behind the unknown, missing, and lost-in-space cosmonauts. It is a must have for the Soviet Space History buff! :thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup

[SpaceCadet1983]

Another great little book is Robert Godwin's RUSSIAN SPACECRAFT Pocket Space Guide published in 2006 by Apogee Books of Canada. A very concise, but extremely accurate mini-history of the Soviet/Russian Space Program. Well worth the $9.95 price! :thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup

[SpaceCadet1983]

Also of note is Asif Siddiqi & NASA's English-translation of Boris Chertok's ROCKETS & PEOPLE, Volume 3 due out in late spring, early summer. Volume 3 covers the heady days of the Soviet Space Program - Vostok, Voskhod, plus unmanned probes, etc. Of course, the much awaited translation is Chertok's Volume 4, which covers the Soviet manned lunar program and the gigantic N-1 rocket! The release date for Vol. 4 has been pushed back. :thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup

[SpaceCadet1983]

I just finished THE FIRST SOVIET COSMONAUT TEAM by Colin Burgess and Rex Hall and it was a great read! It unveils the secret stories behind the Soviet Union's first 20-man cosmonaut team through excellent never-before published pictures, hard research and in person interviews with several of the group's members. This is a must read for the true Soviet cosmonautics fan and has earned it's place aside Hall's other outstanding books RUSSIA'S COSMONAUTS and THE ROCKET MEN! 5 Stars! :thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup