A memoir by a former Marine jet jockey and physicist who became NASA's second civilian astronaut. This is a story of the triumph of American heroes. The author brings us into the NASA training program, and reveals what it takes physically and mentally to be an astronaut. He relates the story of the Apollo 1 fire, and his own flight on Apollo 7.

It also includes commentary on the Shuttle disasters of Challenger and Columbia and his views on what NASA should be doing to get back on track and to regain public support.