40th anniversary of lunar landing celebrated in books for all ages

July 20 marks the 40th anniversary of the first lunar landing by man. A number of books for readers of all ages have been published or reissued recently in anticipation of the event. A few of them are listed here.

"VOICES FROM THE MOON: Apollo Astronauts Describe Their Lunar Experiences" by Andrew Chaikin, Viking Studio, $45 (nf)

"Voices from the Moon" is, in a sense, a follow-up to Andrew Chaikin's "A Man on the Moon." Chaikin combines beautiful scans of NASA mission photography with quotes from his interviews with 23 of the 24 Apollo astronauts. "When you can hear somebody who's been to the moon talking at great length, in great detail about that experience, it's really quite astounding and compelling," Chaikin said. Divided into 12 sections and featuring some of the most stunning images of the Earth, moon and space, this is a must-have for space enthusiasts.

"ROCKET MEN: The Epic Story of the First Men on the Moon" by Craig Nelson, Viking Adult, $27.95 (nf)

Through interviews, 23,000 pages of NASA oral histories and declassified CIA documents on the space race, Craig Nelson re-creates a detailed account of the Apollo 11 mission. Nelson takes readers right into the cockpit with Aldrin and Armstrong and behind the scenes at Mission Control.

"MOON: SCIENCE, HISTORY, AND MYSTERY" by Stewart Ross, Scholastic, $18.99 (ages 9-12)

For eons of time, the moon has intrigued scientists, soothsayers and tale-tellers by its mysticism. Shakespeare was only one of many writers who linked the moon with love, inspiration and the cycle of life.

Children learned that a man's profile sometimes appeared in the full moon, that it could be cheese and that a cow actually jumped over it. Aztec culture used sacrifice to keep the moon in place, and the ancient Sumarians had explanations of how the moon was formed.

These ideas and many more are found in "Moon: Science, History, and Mystery." This 128-page collection of history from Egyptian times to the lunar landing is a treasure trove of information that will be enjoyed by all levels of readers. The time lines and glossary are especially well done, attesting to the careful research of the author.

"MISSION TO THE MOON" by Alan Dyer, Simon & Schuster, $19.99 (ages 9-12)

This behind-the-scenes look at everything from the start of the space program to the construction of the shuttle contains more than 200 photographs documenting the history of space exploration with cross-sections delineating equipment. A DVD containing actual footage from the moon landing, as well as highlights from later Apollo missions and a poster, are also included.