An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth, by Chris
Hadfield
Published By Random
House Canada, 2013
Chris Hadfield's long journey
into space began on a warm July evening in 1969. That's when he (along with millions
of others) watched the first Apollo moon landing on TV, which inspired his
lifelong dream of becoming an astronaut. At first, Hadfield didn't know what
route to take because there were no Canadian astronauts or space programs in
existence. Without a game plan, Hadfield decided to train, study and work to
prepare himself anyway, for the possibility of one day being chosen as an
astronaut.
Hadfield realized that to
become an astronaut it would require relentless training and conditioning,
mental preparation and nerves of steel. He applied himself to that task with
unstoppable zeal and he rarely ever faltered. In his informative memoir, An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth,
he takes readers on an intimate journey inside the fighter jets, the command
centres and the space stations with an almost childlike glee, but his
enthusiasms are tempered by a sense of realism about the stark realities and
potential dangers of the job. In one harrowing incident, Hadfield describes how
he experienced partial blindness during a spacewalk to install the Canadarm2. His
ability to cope with that frightening -
and fortunately short-lived - visual impairment is a lesson in rational
thinking and grace under pressure.
Throughout his career, Hadfield
earned high praise for the many roles that he performed with distinction,
including as a test pilot in the U.S Air Force, involvement in the Canadian
Space Agency, Chief of Robotics at the Johnson Space Centre, Director of NASA
operations in Russia, and Commander of the International Space Station. This memoir
recounts these and other career highlights with humility, frankness, and
humour.
As informative as this book
is, however, it's not a How To Succeed in Life book, nor does it pretend to be.
But astute readers will glean the acquired wisdom and life lessons that Hadfield
learned along the way. One of the clear messages for me was his willingness to
prepare and practice - continuously - without prompting or complaint. Being
prepared for any potential problems and outcomes was the price Hadfield paid
for membership into that elite club of astronauts.
In An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth, Hadfield punctuates his narrative with personal anecdotes
about the people closest to him - family members, relatives, friends and colleagues.
He talks openly about the challenges that he faced working for the various
space agencies, and his strategies for overcoming them. It's hard not to be
impressed with the life lessons and sage advice that he offers up, such as
this:
"Anticipating problems and figuring out how to solve them is actually the opposite of worrying; it's productive. Likewise, coming up with a plan of action isn't a waste of time if it gives you peace of mind. While it's true that you may wind up being ready for something that never happens, if the stakes are at all high, it's worth it."
As Hadfield's memoir clearly
reminds us, mastering any pursuit requires fierce dedication and discipline, intense
focus, constant learning, a supportive network of friends and family, and there
are no shortcuts. Here's hoping that Hadfield's professional accomplishments on
earth and in space - not to mention his desire to serve as ambassador for space
exploration - will inspire a new generation of Canadians to reach for the
stars.
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