” John Young has been at the center of human spaceflight since the mid-1960s, & his revealing autobiography speaks to internal issues, external possibilities, & the commitment of this individual to the movement of humanity beyond earth.”--Roger D. Launius, senior curator, space history, Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum ” Young covers over forty years of NASA history in this breakthrough memoir, one that will inspire admiration for his achievements but also raise questions about the overall American space-faring enterprise.”--Michael H. Gorn, author of ”NASA: The Complete Illustrated History” He walked on the Moon. He flew six space missions in three different programs--more than any other human. He served with NASA for more than four decades. His peers called him the ”astronaut`s astronaut.” Enthusiasts of space exploration have long waited for John Young to tell the story of his two Gemini flights, his two Apollo missions, the first-ever Space Shuttle flight, & the first Spacelab mission. ” Forever Young” delivers all that & more: Young`s personal journey from engineering graduate to fighter pilot, to test pilot, to astronaut, to high NASA official, to clear-headed predictor of the fate of Planet Earth. Young, with the assistance of internationally distinguished aerospace historian James Hansen, recounts the great episodes of his amazing flying career in fascinating detail & with wry humor. He portrays astronauts as ordinary human beings & NASA as an institution with the same ups & downs as other major bureaucracies. He frankly discusses the risks of space travel, including what went wrong with the ” Challenger” & ” Columbia” shuttles. ” Forever Young” is one of the last memoirs produced by an early American astronaut. It is the first memoir written by a chief of the NASA astronaut corps. Young`s experiences & candor make this book indispensable to everyone interested in the U.S. space program. John W. Young, retired astronaut & former NASA executive, has received more than eighty major awards for his career in aerospace, including six honorary doctorates. James R. Hansen is professor of history & former director of the Honors College at Auburn University. He has been associated with the NASA History Program for the past thirty-one years, & is the author of ” First Man: The Life of Neil Armstrong” & coauthor of ” Truth, Lies, & O-Rings: Inside the Space Shuttle ” Challenger” Disaster.”