Who Was Neil Armstrong?

Armstrong’s landing on the moon is a widely known historical fact. How does Edwards use structure, tone, and choice of details to create tension and suspense around the landing, even though most readers will already know it was successful?

Consider Armstrong’s reaction to Muffie’s death as portrayed by Edwards. How does his reaction to his daughter’s death help to characterize him and support the narrative’s themes?

Edwards devotes little narrative space to Jan Armstrong as a person. How would including more information about her and her perspective impact the book’s thematic exploration of The Importance of Teamwork and Collaboration in Large-Scale Endeavors?

Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins were both critical to the moon landing, with Aldrin setting foot on the moon mere minutes after Neil Armstrong. How does Edwards depict their achievements in comparison to Armstrong’s? How does this comparison demonstrate the book’s emphasis on famous “firsts”?

What did exploration of the moon in the mid-to-late 20th century contribute to scientific understanding and the development of new technology? How does this information impact your understanding of Armstrong’s career, the work of the astronauts and scientists who made the moon landing possible, and the text’s thematic interest in The Importance of Perseverance and Dedication in Achieving One’s Goals?

Edwards ends the book by sharing Armstrong’s perspective that many others contributed to his achievement. Who are some of these people, and how did they contribute? Which themes in the book would be strengthened or weakened by including more coverage of these people?

At the end of the book, Edwards notes that “NASA does not have plans to send more people to the moon” (100). Since this book was written, what role has the moon played in the U.S. space exploration? How exploration of the moon expanded beyond NASA’s efforts?

The book explains the deaths of three astronauts aboard the first Apollo craft. What similarities and differences are there between this incident and the Challenger disaster in 1986?