{Review} THE ORBITAL PERSPECTIVE: LESSIONS IN SEEING THE BIG PICTURE FROM A JOURNEY OF 71 MILLION MILES by Astronaut Ron Garan

ISBN #: 978-1626562462

Page Count: 208

Copyright: February 2, 2015

Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers; 1st Edition

Book Summary:

(Taken from the inside flap)

For astronaut Ron Garan, living on the International Space Station was a powerful, transformative experience--one that he believes holds the key to solving our problems here on Earth.

On space walks and through windows, Garan was struck by the stunning beauty of the Earth from space but sobered by knowing how much needed to be done to help this troubled planet. And yet on the International Space Station, Garan, a former fighter pilot, was working side by side with Russians, who only a few years before we're "the enemy". If fifteen nationalities could collaborate on one of the most ambitious, technologically complicated undertaking in history, surely we can apply that kind of cooperation and innovation toward creating a better world. That spirit is what Garan calls the "orbital perspective".

Garan vividly conveys what is was like learning to work with a diverse group of people in an environment only a handful of human beings have ever known. But more importantly,  he describes how he and others are working to apply the orbital perspective here at home, embracing partnerships and processes to promote peace and combat hunger, thirst, poverty, and environmental destruction.  This book is a call to action  for each of us to care for the most important space station of all: planet Earth.  You don't need to be an astronaut to have the orbital perspective. Garan's message of elevated empathy is an inspiration to all who seek a better world.

Lupe's Review:

Astronaut Ron Garan takes us up in space and back down to earth again in his book about changing your perspective and being more globally aware.

I really wanted to like this book, and many times I did. Mr. Garan is an incredible story teller - when it comes to the actual stories he is telling. Unfortunately, to me, this read more like a college term paper than a call to action. He ends his chapters by SAYING he is ending the chapter and what we can expect from the next chapter. Now some people might say ," Well its not fiction of COURSE he is going to do that." But I've read books by Stephen Hawking, who writes his books so people without any basic grasp of science can read them, and NEVER USES THAT APPROACH. It literally made me crazy. Also, he uses his own title so much in the book that I took to just circling how many times I saw it than reading what the book was even saying.

I was pretty disappointed,  which sucks, because I really wanted to like it. I was really excited to read it. The message Mr. Garan is trying to get across is an important one - too bad his writing didn't reflect that.


*a physical copy was received in exchange for an honest review.