[FPSPACE] Chertok's Book in English - great stuff!

[Sven Grahn]

I have spent the last two weeks reading the first part of Chertok's memoirs 
as published in English by NASA. The persons behind this translation and 
publication should really be congratulated. This is fantastic reading. I 
recommend it! The account is very readable. It is amazing how a person that 
has suffered through so many earth-shaking events and disappointments can 
tell his tory with such enthusiasm. The political side remarks are quite 
fascinating too. I especially like the account of Chertok's two years in 
Germany sleuthing for German rocket technology. It is a very vivid account, 
you could almost smell the smoke from Russian cigarettes and the taste of 
German beer. Also, it shows very well how all the key players (both 
subsequent design bureau people, military customers and ministry officials) 
in the Soviet space program met in Germany after the war and forged a 
strong informal alliance.

I have Chertok's memoirs in German, but I must confess that my German is 
only good enough for perusing the technical stuff. Therefore I am ever so 
grateful to NASA for translating this book into English. I am really 
looking forward to the other installments in the series.

Buy it, borrow it and read it!

Sven