To Rule the Night

by William M.A. Emerson, James B. Irwin, William A. Emerson Jr.

Book Overview

Asstated by Jim Irwin, " As we flew into space we had a new sense of ourselves of the earth, and of the nearness of God. I sensed the beginning of some sort of deep change place inside of me". This is... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0879816295
• ISBN13: 9780879816292
• Release Date: June 1982
• Publisher: Holman Bible Publishers
• Length: 260 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 12.0" x 2.0" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

a fine story about Jim Irwin's interesting life.

The chapters about the Apollo 15 mission ( and the LTA-8 tests ) are terrific and factually correct ( unlike so many newer books on Apollo ). On the personal side, both Irwin and Worden were on the verge of divorces during their training, and Worden did divorce. It is easy to see how the constant training and travel could and did lead to the breakup of so many astronaut marriages.

Astronauts are people

This book takes the reader on a candid look at the life of an astronaut and how he saw his trip to the moon in the context of his own spiritual beliefs. In some parts he confesses his faults and in others, he delights space enthusiasts with the details of Apollo 15. Jim Irwin was a man who happened to go to the moon. For all the hero worship involved in the early space program, this book is a reminder that these people were human and that they weren't oh so perfect. If there is any real lesson to be learned by anyone reading this book, it is to show respect for others and for nature. There are risks here on earth and definately a lot of risks in space.

If you like space, read this book.

I wish this book wasn't out of print, because I think it is worthwhile to read it.I read this book when I was in high school. I was able to pick up a copy at a used book store and have been reading to my children, who really like it.The book gives you a good feel of what it was like to fly to the moon (well I guess it does, obviously, I can't compare how well the book does vis a vis the real experience!). I have come away with a much clearer impression of just how detailed and complete the planning and training for the mission was. It was really an amazing effort and monumental achievement.The second half of the book deals with Irwin's life, and his Christian faith. I don't agree with the other review that says Irwin thought his "life was micro managed by God", and that Irwin somehow engaged in exclusivism on the U.S. taxpayer's dime. Irwin himself says in the book that when he landed on the moon it was as a representative of all people on the earth.It appears that Irwin had a strong faith, and his experience on the moon deepened it, which I don't find to be scandalous or "wrong" in any way. I think you will like this book. One word of caution if you read this book to children: Irwin is quite honest about the difficulties in his first marriage. It seems to me that he was really very cold and harsh to his first wife. He doesn't talk about it a lot, but you might want to skip that part when reading out loud.

Take a trip to the moon

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to go to the moon, this book will take you there. Go with Astonaut James Irwin on Apollo 15 to explore the moon. From lift off to splash down, it's like being right there on top of the massive Saturn V rocket, or having fun on the lunar rover. "To Rule the Night" captures in brilliant detail the beauty and awe inspiring view of seeing the earth from 250,000 miles out.

Pretty good

This book is a good book if you want to know about space or things they do on the moon.