"I KEEP A FORWARD-LEANING ATTITUDE, LOOKING UP THE ROAD, ALWAYS WANTING TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE BETTERMENT OF AMERICA'S SPACE PROGRAM": SIGNED BY BUZZ ALDRIN

ALDRIN, Buzz [with] ABRAHAM, Ken. Magnificent Desolation. The Long Journey Home from the Moon. New York: Harmony Books, (2009). Octavo, original black paper boards, original dust jacket. $700.

First trade edition of this richly photo-illustrated commemoration of the Apollo 11 space mission, boldly signed on the half title by astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

Written autobiographically by Buzz Aldrin and photo-illustrated with dozens of beautiful contemporary color images, this work celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. "Beginning with the 1969 launch of Apollo 11, Aldrin and co-author Abraham deliver a blow-by-blow account of the journey, landing and return. Readers will be amazed at the feat—achieved with archaic technology—but also recall wistfully that this was the last time that a mighty America flexed its muscles before the world and received unanimous cheers. For Aldrin, the historic mission proved to be an extremely tough act to follow. With no shortage of astronauts, he was not able to return to the Moon… He had achieved his greatest ambition at the age of 39, at which point life seemed to lose its purpose… Over the next decade depression and alcoholism overwhelmed him, destroying his marriage and limiting his efforts to forge a new career. His unsentimental account of recovery does not conceal repeated failures or the debilitating depression that still occasionally haunts him. Today Aldrin, nearing 80, remains an active public figure working to reenergize America's faltering space program" (Kirkus). Published the same year as the signed/limited edition.

A fine signed copy.