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The story of the famed race to the Moon between the US and the USSR has been told countless times. The strategies of these two superpowers have often been paralleled in a way that highlights their fight for dominance and efforts to develop needed new technologies. This book will show how beneath these surface similarities, the two competing nations employed very different core tactics. It provides a new perspective of the history of the space race by analyzing that history through philately - that is, from the images on postage stamps, post cards, and letters in circulation at that time. Through this fascinating historical visual record, the author shows how the propaganda-heavy approach of the USSR eventually lost out to the more pragmatic approach of the United States.
List of contents
Chapter 1: Sputnik Triggers the USSR-USA Space Race.- Chapter 2: Man in Space.- Chapter 3: Astronaut Sits in the Driver's Seat.- Chapter 4: Two Tragedies Block the Space Race.- Chapter 5: The Final Leap.- Chapter 6: Apollo 11 - Astrophilatelic Aspects.- References.- Glossary.- Index.
About the author
Umberto Cavallaro is founder and current president of AS.IT.AF (Italian Astrophilately Society), as well as the editor of its quarterly journal, AD*ASTRA. His professional activity led him to cooperate for many years with ESA, the European Space Agency. Author of “Propaganda e Pragmatismo in gara per la conquista della Luna” (“Propaganda & Pragmatism in race to the Moon” Impremix, Torino 2011) and “Donne nello Spazio” (“Women inSpace”, Mursia, Milano 2015), he has translated into Italian several publications, including “The All-American Boys” by Walter Cunningham, an Apollo VII astronaut.
Summary
Draws attention to some little known and previously unexamined historical sources from the time of the Cold War
Includes many high resolution images and illustrations that immerse the reader in the propaganda of the period
Presents as a compelling narrative that follows the actions of key players from both countries
Additional text
“This book … covers a thriving field of space memorabilia collection derived from a practical commercial application, i.e. sending letters. … Even space aficionados otherwise immune to the joys of philately will be fascinated to find their favourite history can be traced from Sputnik to Apollo by way of stamps … .” (Mark Williamson
, Room, Vol. 20 (2), June, 2019)
“It is also a beautiful, softbound edition with almost all of its illustrations in full colour and will make a valuable addition to any collector’s library. … this information will be interesting to collectors ofspace-related philatelics who might be wondering what they are seeing (and not seeing) on their Moon-race-era philatelic collectibles. Umberto’s book provides examples of these Moon-race era commemorative stamps, special cancels, and covers that help illustrate many of the spaceflight events that he discusses in the text.” (Jim Reichman, Orbit, January, 2019)
“This handsome book reads like a novel and brings several seldom know facts about this Race to the Moon, especially marked on gray print in the book.” (Cosmo Express, Vol. 223 (4), 2018)
Report
"This book ... covers a thriving field of space memorabilia collection derived from a practical commercial application, i.e. sending letters. ... Even space aficionados otherwise immune to the joys of philately will be fascinated to find their favourite history can be traced from Sputnik to Apollo by way of stamps ... ." (Mark Williamson, Room, Vol. 20 (2), June, 2019)
"It is also a beautiful, softbound edition with almost all of its illustrations in full colour and will make a valuable addition to any collector's library. ... this information will be interesting to collectors ofspace-related philatelics who might be wondering what they are seeing (and not seeing) on their Moon-race-era philatelic collectibles. Umberto's book provides examples of these Moon-race era commemorative stamps, special cancels, and covers that help illustrate many of the spaceflight events that he discusses in the text." (Jim Reichman, Orbit, January, 2019)
"This handsome book reads like a novel and brings several seldom know facts about this Race to the Moon, especially marked on gray print in the book." (Cosmo Express, Vol. 223 (4), 2018)
