National Library Service (NLS) Quarterly Patron Corner Call: September 12

Join the NLS Engagement Section for its quarterly “Patron Corner” as they discuss Narration: The Art of Telling the Story. Guest speakers include Celeste Lawson, narrator and Head of the NLS Media Lab and other NLS narrators. This event will be a 90-minute panel discussion, so bring your questions and thoughts about digital audio narration.

The full Zoom invitation, including call-in numbers, is included below.

When you join this Zoom event, you will be in the waiting room until the program starts. When you enter the room, your phone or computer will be muted. Please stay on mute unless you are called on. If you want to ask a question, you may raise your hand by pressing Alt Y on your computer or Star 9 on your phone. Once you are called on, press Alt A on your computer or Star 6 on your phone to unmute yourself.

This meeting will be recorded. If you do not wish to be recorded, we ask that you avoid speaking during the call. Also, please note that since we are using Zoom.gov for these sessions, if you choose to dial in, you must use the Zoom.gov phone numbers provided. The regular Zoom phone numbers will not allow access to the Zoom.gov IDs.

Zoom Meeting
One tap mobile: US: +16692545252, 1600983343# or +16468287666, 1600983343#
Meeting URL:
https://loc.zoomgov.com/j/1600983343?pwd=VW9tRWtwY3BsdHRac0s2MmJkN0RCZz09
Meeting ID: 160 098 3343
Passcode: 164674

Join by Telephone
For higher quality, dial a number based on your current location. Dial:
US: +1 669 254 5252, or +1 646 828 7666, or +1 669 216 1590, or +1 551 285 1373
Meeting ID: 160 098 3343
Passcode: 164674
SIP: 1600983343@sip.zoomgov.com
Passcode: 164674

Skype for Business (Lync)
https://loc.zoomgov.com/skype/1600983343

The Many Faces of BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download)

The National Library Service’s (NLS) Patron Engagement Section will be offering a monthly program called “The Many Faces of BARD”. The program will take place the second Thursday each month at 6 p.m. (CDT). Each hour long session will begin with a brief presentation and cover one aspect of BARD use. The program will end with a question-and-answer portion.

Sessions are open to all patrons. Join by visiting https://loc.zoomgov.com/j/1611161911?pwd=bVh5ejFsWFBlL21KY0VqaHlRMUlSQT09 on a computer or by calling 1-669-245-5252. Full Zoom invitation information follows. To call into a session, participants must use the telephone numbers provided here for Zoom.gov.

Upon connecting, you will be placed in a virtual waiting room until the program begins. Upon enter the room, you will be on mute, and should remain on mute unless the host calls you to speak. At that time, you may unmute by using Alt-A from a computer or star 6 if dialing in by phone.

All Many Faces of BARD programs will be recorded. If you do not want to be on the recording, please refrain from speaking.

Join Zoom Meeting

One tap mobile:

US: +16692545252,,1611161911# or +16468287666,,1611161911#

Meeting URL:

https://loc.zoomgov.com/j/1611161911?pwd=bVh5ejFsWFBlL21KY0VqaHlRMUlSQT09

Meeting ID: 161 116 1911

Passcode:489758

Join by Telephone

For higher quality, dial a number based on your current location.

Dial: US: +1 669 254 5252 or +1 646 828 7666 or +1 669 216 1590 or +1 551 285 1373

Meeting ID: 161 116 1911

International numbers

Join from an H.323/SIP room system

H.323: 161.199.138.10 (US West)
161.199.136.10 (US East)

Meeting ID: 161 116 1911

Passcode: 489758

SIP: 1611161911@sip.zoomgov.com

Passcode: 489758

Skype for Business (Lync)

https://loc.zoomgov.com/skype/1611161911

June is National Audiobook Appreciation Month

Image of a book with a volume signifying an audiobook.

Not only is June the start of summer, but it is also National Audiobook Appreciation Month. With numerous literacy benefits and high entertainment value, audiobooks are heating up headphones and speakers across the state. Everyone is unique when it comes to how they read, and patrons of the Talking Book Program can enjoy the art of storytelling this June by joining the more than 19,000 other patrons meet their reading needs. Whether you need to read in a different way or you open up a book — new TBP patron listeners and audiophiles alike will want to join in the fun. For more information about Texans’ other library visit, www.TexasTalkingBooks.org.

Check out some of the most downloaded books from the collection.

RUN, ROSE, RUN by Dolly Parton (DB 107053)
AnnieLee Keyes is hitchhiking her way to Nashville, determined to make it in the music industry. But she’s fleeing her past, and her rise as a country music star is dogged by the dark secrets trying to destroy her. Violence and strong language. Suspense Fiction. Commercial audiobook. 2022

STEAL by James Patterson (DB 106928)

College sophomore Carter von Oehson posts on his Instagram that he plans to kill himself. When no one sees him for 24hours, a search begins. Fears seem to be confirmed when his abandoned sailboat is found. His professor of abnormal psychology, Dylan Reinhart, tries to help Carter’s father find the truth. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2022.

HIGH STAKES by Danielle Steel (DB 107263)

Jane Addison has big dreams of owning her own company someday. At 28, she arrives in New York to start a job at Fletcher and Benson, a prestigious talent agency. There she joins a group of women all facing the challenges of balancing their families, their personal lives, and the high stakes of ambition. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2022.

BEYOND A DOUBT by Colleen Coble (DB 107278)

Bree Nicholls has made a name for herself finding missing persons in the untamed wilderness of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with her search-and-rescue dog, Samson. When a basement remodeling project at her lighthouse home uncovers evidence from a cold case, Bree’s family comes under attack. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2004.

STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW: AN INCOMPLETE COMPENDIUM OF MOSTLY INTERESTING THINGS by Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant (DB 103455)

Hosts of the podcast of the same title present a collection of new items of interest. Topics include facial hair, Mr. Potato Head, Murphy beds, how to get lost, mezcal liquor, aging, income tax, pet rocks, cyanide pills, donuts, and the Jersey Devil. Includes supplemental material. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2020.

HAPPINESS BECOMES YOU: A GUIDE TO CHANGING YOUR LIFE FOR GOOD by Tina Turner (DB 107284)

The musical icon gives advice for generating hope from nothing, breaking through all limitations, and succeeding in life. She shows how the spiritual lessons of Buddhism help her transform from sorrow, adversity, and poverty into joy, stability, and prosperity. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2020.


NLS Launches Quarterly Patron Corner Programming

On June 13, at 6:00 p.m. (CDT), the Patron Engagement Section at the National Library Service (NLS) for the Blind and Print Disabled at the Library of Congress will hold the first program as part of their Patron Corner programming. Each quarterly program will provide an opportunity for patrons to learn more about various services directly from NLS staff. The program will be interactive, last for one hour, and have a designated topic of discussion. The topic for the June 13 session is: Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Collection Selection but Did Not Have the Vehicle to Ask. Patrons will meet members of the Collections Division at NLS who are responsible for selecting the books in the NLS collection. Bring your questions and your thoughts about the NLS collection and join us at https://loc.zoomgov.com/j/1600983343?pwd=VW9tRWtwY3BsdHRac0s2MmJkN0RCZz09. The full Zoom invitation, including call-in numbers, is included below.

When join the Zoom event, you will be in the waiting room until the program starts. When you enter the room, your phone or computer will be muted. Please stay on mute unless you are called on. If you want to ask a question, you may raise your hand by pressing Alt Y on your computer or Star 9 on your phone. Once you are called on, press Alt A on your computer or Star 6 on your phone to unmute yourself. Please note, this meeting will be recorded. If you do not wish to be recorded, we ask that you avoid speaking during the session.

Join Zoom Meeting

One tap mobile:        US: +16692545252,,1600983343# or +16468287666,,1600983343#

Meeting URL:            https://loc.zoomgov.com/j/1600983343?pwd=VW9tRWtwY3BsdHRac0s2MmJkN0RCZz09

Meeting ID:    160 098 3343

Passcode:     164674

Join by Telephone

For higher quality, dial a number based on your current location.

Dial:   

US: ++16692545252,,1600983343# or +16468287666,,1600983343#

Meeting ID:    160 098 3343

International numbers

Join from an H.323/SIP room system

H.323:            161.199.138.10 (US West)

161.199.136.10 (US East)

Meeting ID:    160 098 3343

Passcode:     164674

SIP:    1600983343@sip.zoomgov.com

Passcode:     164674

Printed Talking Book Topics and Braille Book Review Update

The National Library Service (NLS) will no longer print large print issues of the TALKING BOOK TOPICS (TBT) and the last large print issue of BRAILLE BOOK REVIEW (BBR) will be September–October 2022. You can find various formats and information on the NLS website and the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD).

TALKING BOOK TOPICS on NLS website:
•    HTML format, including links to BARD for downloading or adding books to wish lists www.loc.gov/nls/tbt
•    PDF format, containing a printable order form www.loc.gov/nls/tbt
 
TALKING BOOK TOPICS by mail:
•    Audio cartridge, which comes with a print order form (contact us to subscribe)
 
TALKING BOOK TOPICS from BARD:
•    Audio magazine, downloadable to cartridge or to BARD Mobile

Abridged version of TALKING BOOK TOPICS available inside BRAILLE BOOK REVIEW:
•    BRAILLE BOOK REVIEW’S TBT Abridged section in hardcopy braille by mail (contact us to subscribe)
•    BRAILLE BOOK REVIEW’S TBT Abridged section as a BRF downloadable through BARD or from www.loc.gov/nls/bbr
 
Recently Added lists available through BARD:
•    BARD patrons can also learn about the latest titles added to BARD through the “Recently added books and magazines” link on the BARD website or the “Recently added to BARD” feature on the “Get Books” tab on the BARD Mobile app.

TALKING BOOK TOPICS by NFB-NEWSLINE®
 •    Contact TBP to sign-up for the service.

Please let us know if we can assist you in accessing any of these formats, or if you would like to subscribe to either the audio version of TALKING BOOK TOPICS or the hardcopy braille version of BRAILLE BOOK REVIEW, which includes an abridged version of TALKING BOOK TOPICS.

You may contact us by email at tbp.services@tsl.texas.gov, or by phone at 1-800-252-9605 or at 512-463-5458.

Dive Into an Ocean of Possibilities This Summer with the TBP Summer Reading Program

Summer is the perfect time to dive in and start reading. It is even better when you get to compete for a prize. This year, the Talking Book Program (TBP) has partnered with libraries across the country to inspire readers of all ages. Readers of all ages will dive into the ocean depths this summer as TBP presents “Oceans of Possibilities” during the summer reading program.

“People should join to add some fun and some learning into their summer. We have a variety of books and activities to choose from so there is a little something for everyone. We even have some ‘challenges’ to motivate you to read more this summer! Bonus, there are prizes for signing up, and a bigger prize to be chosen by drawing at the end of the summer,” said Kayleigh Matheson, TBP Librarian and organizer of the summer reading program.

Join us on June 1 at 3:30 p.m. (CT) to kick-start a little fun and to learn more about the summer reading program via Zoom. The summer reading program runs from June 1 through August 8. You must be a member of the Talking Book Program to participate, but we encourage those who are not to visit their local library’s summer reading program. The first 100 people who register get a free swag bag. Throughout the summer, participants will be able to submit up to five book reviews for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card.

When asked why reading is important, Matheson said, “Reading allows your mind to wander, teaches you new ideas, lets you travel without leaving your house, and broadens your worldview. We are here to help you choose books to make reading enjoyable.”

We hope you will join us this summer. We look forward to seeing you.

To sign-up for the program and for more visit: https://www.tsl.texas.gov/tbp/summerreadingprogram

To talk to a librarian or to register for the Talking Book Program visit www.TexasTalkingBooks.org, call 1-800-252-9605 or email: tbp.services@tsl.texas.gov.

Talking Book Program 2020 Poetry Contest Winners

2020 Texas Talking Book Program Poetry Contest Winners Announced!

We are pleased to announce the winners of the Talking Book Program Poetry Contest. Thank you to all that participated this year! We received a wide range of poems – some were inspiring, some were sentimental, and some were downright funny.

First Place

ONE HALLOWEEN NIGHT by Bennie Davis

Have you ever been in the woods on Halloween?
I have, and it’s the spookiest place I’ve ever seen!
There were witches and goblins behind every tree,
And I saw shiny eyes staring out at me.
The wind was blowing and all over the ground,
There was shadows and lights and ghosts dancing around.
And I heard a hoot owl away off somewhere hollering –who, who—
Who goes there?
Now, I wasn’t scared and that’s a fact,
But I thought Mom might be worried, so I hurried back.
I heard the frogs croak, and the crickets sing,
Or was that a witch or a goblin scream?
The limbs on the trees waved and reached for me,
But I didn’t look back, there was nothing to see!
Now I see something up by my house,
With lots of teeth and a great big mouth, with a triangle shaped nose and glaring eyes.
Oh! That’s the jack-o-lantern I made after Mom made her pies.
Now this is all good and I was really having fun,
But it was getting late and I thought I’d better run.
I ran through the door and up to my room,
And I locked out the shadows, the ghost and gloom.
I took off my clothes and jumped into bed.
I snuggled down close and I shook my head,
And all the witches and goblins were gone,
But heck, I wasn’t scared. I was just puttin’ on!

Second Place

LIFE CHANGES by Donna Wilson

My eyes are dim. I cannot see.
My specs are little use to me.

An accident from afar; suddenly a speeding car,
Left my body painfully bleeding and ajar!
My wheelchair became my best friend,
I thought my life was at an end.

My days were long and empty then,
My unread books stared at me from dusty bins.

Then the mail came with a new surprise,
The TALKING BOOK CLUB catalog arrived!
I anxiously scanned its pages,
Filled with adventure and mystery for all ages!

I quickly placed my audio tape,
Into the space I found agape

Now my days fly by with ease,
As I explore deep seas and mysteries.
I would be quite lost and bored,
Without my TALKING BOOK RECORD!


Honorable Mention

A TALKING BOOK READER’S HAIKU by Neva Fairchild

With limitless use
Of stories from my bookshelf,
I experience!

NLS Wants Your Input for Technology Products and Initiatives!

The NLS Reading Technology Advisory Group (RTAG) needs new members! RTAG meets twice a year to provide feedback on new NLS products and initiatives. Currently, RTAG is focused on updates to BARD, the Braille eReader project, and a “smart speaker” voice-controlled device. Each of these initiatives will have its own working group within RTAG. Meetings—to be attended online—will resume in fall 2020. Although RTAG members can be network library staff, hardware repair volunteers, and other subject matter experts, NLS patrons are especially encouraged to apply to join RTAG. For questions, please contact your local network library or email questions directly to NLS-RTAG@loc.gov. Applications—a statement of your background and qualifications (no more than two pages)—should be submitted to NLS-RTAG@loc.gov by Wednesday, September 30.

2019 TBP Poetry Contest Winners

We are pleased to announce the winners of the TBP Poetry contest. Thank you to all that participated in the TBP poetry contest. We received a range of poems – some were happy, some were sad and some were touching.

Choosing the winners was not an easy task. In the end, the judgment came down to the poets’ originality, style, structure and impact. The judges were blown away by the talent and creativity they received from you, our patrons. We look forward to the next contest submissions.

First Place: Valentine Day by Boyd Reedy
This day was made in God`s own heart,
For lovers young and old
To re-affirm their ageless love,
Their purest thoughts confirm.
I have no worldly goods to offer as my due,
My only wealth forever true is life and love for you.

Second Place: Thoughts by Sherrie Lindemann
Sometimes I sit and dream
And let my thoughts go wild,
The things I see inside my head
Remind me of a child.
Our simple thoughts
Give comfort,
Like holding on so tight,
Hoping they don’t go away,
Somewhere in the night.

Third Place: A Talking Book Reader’s Haiku by Neva Fairchild
Will you read today?
But of course. How could I not?
A new book awaits.

NASA: Fiftieth Anniversary of the Moon Landing

The Wolfner Library in Missouri created a recommended reading list about NASA and its history. We at the Texas Talking Book Program have altered it to include our Braille and large print copies. To order any of these titles, contact the library by email, mail or phone. You may also request these titles online through our online public access catalog OPAC. All books listed are linked to Braille and Audio Reading Download site (BARD) for downloading. Happy Reading!

2019

Astronauts:

Endurance: A Year in Space, a Lifetime of Discovery by Scott Kelly
Read by Scott Kelly. Reading Time: 13 hours, 9 minutes.
DB 8952

LP09186; 603 pages

Astronaut and American record-holder for most consecutive days in space examines his life and career. Discusses growing up with identical twin brother–and fellow astronaut–Mark, challenges he faced to become an astronaut, and the physical and emotional impacts of long-term spaceflight. Some strong language. 2017.

John Glenn: A Memoir by John Glenn

Read by Randy Atcher. Reading Time: 16 hours, 13 minutes.

DB 49106

The first American to orbit the earth, who in 1998 became the oldest man in space at seventy-seven, discusses his career as an astronaut and his lengthy service in the marines and the U.S. Senate. He recounts growing up in Ohio, marrying his childhood friend, and raising a family. Bestseller. 1999.

Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13 by Jim Lovell

Read by L. J. Ganser. Reading Time: 15 hours, 55 minutes.

DB 40691

Apollo 13 was to have been the fifth mission to the moon. But two days into the trip, on April 13, 1970, the oxygen tank exploded in the command module, placing the three astronauts in grave danger. Lovell describes those terrifying days as astronauts, contractors, and Mission Control struggled to bring Apollo 13 safely back to earth. Basis for the movie Apollo 13. Bestseller.

Riding Rockets: The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut by Mike R. Mullane

Read by Jake Williams. Reading Time: 18 hours, 17 minutes.

DB 62819

Autobiography of one of the first space shuttle astronauts. Mullane, a West Point graduate, aeronautical engineer, and Vietnam veteran, describes with humor and candor his selection process, training program, and space flight experiences. Recounts three missions and discusses NASA’s role in the 1986 Challenger disaster. Some strong language. 2006.

Rocket Men: The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man’s First Journey to the Moon by Robert Kurson

Read by Robert Kurson. Reading Time: 12 hours, 22 minutes.

DB 91450

Profile of the Apollo 8 space mission, which launched in December 1968 after a year of turmoil in the United States and was the first manned spacecraft to orbit the moon. Also profiles the crew, including astronauts Frank F. Borman II, James A. Lovell, Jr., and William A. Anders. Unrated. 2018.

Rocket Men: The Epic Story of the First Men on the Moon by Craig Nelson

Read by Lou Harpenou. Reading Time: 17 hours, 42 minutes.

DB 69775

Prizewinning author retraces America’s race against the Soviet Union to be the first to land on the moon. Chronicles NASA’s 1969 Apollo 11 mission using interviews and declassified documents. Provides glimpses into the personal family lives of astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin Eugene “Buzz” Aldrin Jr., and Michael Collins. 2009.

The Ordinary Spaceman from Boyhood Dreams to Astronaut by Clayton C. Anderson

Read by David Rutherford. Reading Time: 14 hours, 33 minutes.

DB 82817

Anderson recounts applying to the astronaut program fifteen times in as many years before his ultimate selection, and describes the struggles and successes of his subsequent career–including spending 167 days on the International Space Station and more than forty hours on space walks. 2015

The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe

Read by Dennis Quaid. Reading Time: 15 hours, 45 minutes.

DB 90395

LB 03137

Inside view of the early astronauts (Carpenter, Cooper, Glenn, Grissom, Shirra, Shepard, Slayton) strips away the media image of the men and reveals what makes them tick. Narrated by the actor who played Gordon Cooper in the 1983 movie adaptation. Some strong language. 1979.

Too Far From Home: A Story of Life and Death in Space by Chris Jones

Read by Erik Davis. Reading Time: 10 hours, 54 minutes.

DB 63506

BR 17198; 3 volumes of Braille

Describes the experiences of Americans Donald Pettit and Kenneth Bowersox and Russian Nikolai Budarin, astronauts who became stranded on the International Space Station after the space shuttle Columbia exploded in 2003. Recounts the efforts of mission control in Houston and Moscow to rescue them using an old Soyuz rocket. 2007.

Ground Crew and History:

Venus Revealed: A New Look Below the Clouds of Our Mysterious Twin Planet by David Harry Grinspoon

Read by Len Mailloux. Reading Time: 16 hours, 3 minutes.

DB 46319

Reviews the evolving concepts about the planet Venus from early mythological associations to modern scientific discoveries. The author, who worked on the 1990 Magellan space probe, describes the task of mapping the surface of Venus and explains the hostile environment of a planet that is much less like the Earth than once believed.

Failure is Not an Option: Mission Control from Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond by Gene Kranz

Read by Steven Carpenter. Reading Time: 16 hours, 22 minutes.

DB 51600

Memoir of a flight director for NASA’s mission control, providing an insider’s perspective on the space program from the 1960s Mercury days to the final Apollo mission.  Kranz recalls the highlights of his career and explains his role in bringing the three Apollo 13 astronauts back safely to Earth. 2000.

Flight: My Life in Mission Control by Christopher C. Kraft

Read by Lou Harpenau. Reading Time: 14 hours, 43 minutes.

DB 53219

NASA’s first flight director offers an insider’s view of the early days of the space program in the 1960s. He describes past achievements such as the first manned launch with Alan Shepard, and the glitches, near disasters, and successes, culminating with the astronauts walking on the moon. Some strong language. 2001.

The Rock from Mars: A Detective Story on Two Planets by Kathy Sawyer

Read by Mary Kane. Reading Time: 15 hours, 57 minutes.

DB 63539

Journalist recounts the 1984 Antarctic discovery of a Martian meteorite and its delayed identification at NASA’s Houston space center in 1993, when scientists also found possible evidence of fossilized organisms. Examines the ensuing scientific debate and its impact on the space program and efforts to understand life on Earth. 2006.

Space Race the Epic Battle between America and the Soviet Union for Dominion of Space by Deborah Cadbury

Read by Butch Hoover. Reading Time: 14 hours, 23 minutes.

DB 64644

Examines the superpower rivalries that fueled the race to the moon and the engineering masterminds behind it: Sergei Korolev in the Soviet Union and Wernher von Braun, a former Nazi, in the United States. Discusses the political paranoia of the cold war era and the technological advances it produced. 2006.

Leaving Orbit: Notes from the Last Days of American Spaceflight by Margaret Lazarus Dean

Read by Kerry Dukin. Reading Time: 13 hours, 20 minutes.

DB 82410

BR 20928; 5 volumes of Braille

Dean recounts the history of American spaceflight, NASA, and Florida’s Space Coast and reflects on what has been achieved. She interviews NASA workers, astronauts, and space fans alike, exploring the ramifications of the end of the American space shuttle program. Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize.   2015.

Breaking the Chains of Gravity: The Story of Spaceflight before NASA by Amy Shira Teitel

Read by Kerry Dukin. Reading Time: 12 hours, 8 minutes.

DB 83941

Journalist chronicles the agencies and institutions–along with key personnel–that were precursors to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which was created in 1958. Details research into rocketry in both America and Germany, as well as the impact of World War II and the Cold War. 2016.

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly

Read by Emily Ellet. Reading Time: 12 hours, 15 minutes.

DB 86234

BR 21798; 5 volumes of Braille

Daughter of a NASA engineer profiles the black women who worked for NASA, and its predecessor NACA, as human computers. Discusses their lives prior to joining NACA/NASA, the challenges they faced due to gender and race discrimination, and their impact on the space program. Basis for the 2016 movie. 2016.

Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon by Jeffrey Kluger

Read by Brian Troxwell. Reading Time: 11 hours, 10 minutes.

DB 88328

LB 09197; 551 pages

Author of Journey beyond Selene (DB 50687) chronicles the Apollo 8 mission–manned by Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders–which was the first to successfully orbit Earth’s moon. Discusses behind-the-scenes interactions in Mission Control, at the astronauts’ homes, and in the labs tasked with making the mission a success. Some strong language. 2017.

Bringing Columbia Home: The Untold Story of a Lost Space Shuttle and Her Crew by Michael D. Leinbach

Read by Gregory Maupin. Reading Time: 11 hours, 12 minutes.

DB 90380

Chronicle of the investigation of the explosion of the space shuttle Columbia over Texas on its return in 2003. Discusses the cause of the accident, interagency work protocols, and the contributions of volunteers, which allowed for the recovery of crew remains and forty percent of debris. 2018.

Unmanned Missions:

Far Travelers the Exploring Machines by Oran W. Nicks

Read by Butch Hoover. Reading Time: 10 hours, 50 minutes.

DB 29427

Personal account of NASA’s unmanned space exploration programs, in which the author shares some of the technical aspects of space flight. The people, machines, and incidents are depicted in an informal manner.

The Hubble Wars: Astrophysics Meets Astropolitics in the Two-Billion-Dollar Struggle over the Hubble Space Telescope by Eric Chaisson

Read by Butch Hoover. Reading Time: 22 hours, 48 minutes.

DB 41889

After its launch in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope was found to be embarrassingly out of focus. Astronomers were devastated, politicians disgusted, the press critical, and the public perplexed. Astrophysicist Chaisson chronicles the mismanagement and competing agendas among science, government, and industry that led to the Hubble boondoggle.

The Planet Mars: A History of Observation & Discovery by William Sheehan

Read by Butch Hoover. Reading Time: 10 hours, 3 minutes.

DB 48355

Chronological history of astronomers’ fascination with Mars from Kepler’s discovery of its elliptical orbit in 1604 through the Viking missions of 1975-76. Includes a chapter on Percival Lowell and his controversial theory about canals on the planet’s surface.

Mission Jupiter: The Spectacular Journey of the Galileo Spacecraft by Daniel Fisher

Read by Butch Hoover. Reading Time: 10 hours, 1 minute.

DB 57435

Award-winning German columnist describes the landmark discoveries of NASA’s Galileo space probe, which reached Jupiter–after passing by Venus and two asteroids–in December 1995, more than six years after liftoff. Fischer provides mission history and specifications, focusing on what the project data revealed about the planet’s moons and atmosphere. 1998.

The Interstellar Age: Inside the Forty-Year Voyager Mission by Jim Bell

Read by Jim Bell. Reading Time: 7 hours, 46 minutes.

DB 80893

President of the Planetary Society details his work with the data sent back by the Voyager missions, which launched in 1977 when the author was a high school student. Looks at the development of the missions and describes the planetary flybys of the probes. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2015.

Mars: Uncovering the Secrets of the Red Planet by Paul Raeburn

Read by Jake Williams. Reading Time: 8 hours, 40 minutes.

DB 48758

A National Geographic chronicle of Mars exploration. Focuses on the Viking missions of the 1970s, whose primary goal was the search for life, and on the July 4, 1997, Pathfinder landing on Mars’s surface. Explains the design, engineering, and results of the projects. Discusses plans for future missions. For senior high and older readers.

Journey beyond Selene by Jeffrey Kluger

Read by Richard Hauenstein. Reading Time: 11 hours, 40 minutes.

DB 50687

Chronicles the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s unmanned exploration of Earth’s solar system with robot spacecraft. Describes the pre-1969 testing of the Moon’s surface in advance of the manned landing. Recounts the subsequent deep-space probes of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune and their moons. 1999.

Chasing New Horizons: Inside the Epic First Mission to Pluto by Alan Stern and Dr. David Grinspoon

Read by Alan Stern. Reading Time: 9 hours, 19 minutes.

DB 91641

Planetary scientist Stern and astrobiologist Grinspoon provide a behind-the-scenes account of NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto and beyond. Discusses science, politics, personalities, and public expectations involved in the development of the mission. Gives short overview of the history of the study of Pluto. Unrated. 2018.