Starman The Truth behind the Legend of Yuri Gagarin
London: Bloomsbury, 1998. Small quarto, black hardcover, spine embossed with gilt lettering and gilt publisher's logo, [viii], 248 pp., eight double-sided black-and-white plates. Light foxing on edges of text block, foxing on edges of leaves throughout and inside of dust-jacket, dust-jacket spine faded; otherwise a very good copy. First edition. A biography of Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space. On April 12, 1961, Gagarin's brief flight beyond the earth's atmosphere turned him into an instant global hero. However the pressures of fame and his disillusionment with the Russian state led to a personal decline. Before he was able to change his life, Gagarin was killed in an air crash at the age of 34. Authors Doran and Bizony take an in-depth look at Gagarin's life, and at the highly secretive Russian space programme that made him famous. Item #4823
Price (AUD): $65.00