The Barber, the Astronaut, and the Golf Ball ~ Lone Star Book Blog Tours Review & Giveaway!
The Barber, The Astronaut,
and The Golf Ball
By Barbara Radnofsky
& Ed Supkis
Biography / Golf / Space Travel
Publisher: Stoney Creek Publishing
Pages: 202
Publication Date: September 17, 2024
SCROLL DOWN TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!
SYNOPSIS
In 1971, famed astronaut Alan Shepard returned from the moon and went to get a haircut. Before settling into the barber’s chair in Webster, Texas, near NASA’s Mission Control, Shepard gave his longtime barber and friend, Carlos Villagomez, an autographed golf ball.
During his Apollo 14 moonwalk, Shepard had conducted a world-famous demonstration of gravity by hitting a golf ball in an out-of-this-world sand trap. It took him two tries.
Carlos, a Navy combat veteran and barber for numerous astronauts, says Shepard gave him the ball immediately after he returned to earth and was released from quarantine.
Had Shepard taken a third ball to the moon? And did he give it to his barber as a token of their long friendship?
The debate provides a backdrop for The Barber, The Astronaut, and The Golf Ball, a story of two extraordinary men and their lasting friendship. The book offers a rare glimpse behind the scenes of America’s space program at its pinnacle and shows the ordinary people who supported one of the nation’s most monumental scientific endeavors.
PRAISE FOR THE BARBER, THE
ASTRONAUT, AND THE GOLF BALL:
It’s perfect!! Barbara and Ed capture Daddy and his long friendship with Carlos.
--Laura Shepard, Daughter of Alan Shepard
Brings back the glory days of the U.S. Space Program and the importance of the "little people" who made it happen. We see stern Shepard in a new and admirable light - in Shepard's high regard for the vast team of dedicated supporters who enabled astronauts to succeed. --Charlie Duke, Apollo Astronaut
HALL WAYS REVIEW: Reading THE BARBER, THE ASTRONAUT, AND THE GOLF BALL feels like sitting in your parents’ or grandparents’ kitchen, listening to them tell the stories of the olden days. It’s familiar; it’s comfortable; it’s fascinating. One can practically see the authors’ grins and grimaces and hear the chuckles and chokes of tears. The stories and people are personal to them, and despite the otherworldly element, that personal element is what makes for a down-to-earth and memorable book.
From celebrity politicians, actors, and astronauts to the local heroes who lived in the NASA community, the authors’ respect for them all shines. But their level of admiration for the two main personalities of THE BARBER, THE ASTRONAUT, AND THE GOLF BALL – barber Carlos Villagomez and astronaut Alan Shepard – makes the pages of the book glow.
Through extensive research and lots of interviews, Barbara Radnofsky and Ed Supkis (who are the married co-authors of this book and co-owners of Brazos Bookstore) transport readers back through history, literally to the moon and back. But the barber, astronaut, and golf ball are only part of many stories. Readers learn about the authors’ parents, impressive in their own accomplishments, and their early ties to NASA and Space City. Again, the authors’ pride is palpable. The extensive Introduction gives the authorsa good excuse to brag on their parents (rightfully so) and readers a chance to be impressed.
“There are many brilliant, helpful and kind people who aren’t famous at all. They surround us. And we should celebrate them and recognize them for their greatness.”
Astronaut and barber are both men who served their country, but that bond was only a small part of what made Carlos and Alan friends. And really, the Alan Shepard parts, sprinkled throughout, almost take a back seat to Carlos’s experiences. At its core, THE BARBER, THE ASTRONAUT, AND THE GOLF BALL is really an ode to Carlos, an extraordinary man in his own right, and the blessing he continues to be who those who cross his path.
Beyond the extensive quotes from primary sources, many given exclusively to the authors, included in the book are photographs, which really help readers connect & visualize. (No attribution or captions are under the photos, and I would have liked to have those.) And holy cow — the information included in the Acknowledgments & Sources sections are like a whole bonus book. Readers who love to know the inside skinny and fine details will relish the last third of the book.
Radnofsky and Supkis have produced a well written and heartwarming biography. Additional copy editing would make it less repetitious and better suited for a wider audience. These tweaks would take the book to the next level – from really good to really great.
THE BARBER, THE ASTRONAUT, AND THE GOLF BALL is a treasure especially to the authors’, Shepard, and Villagomez families. What a gift it is to have this written record to cherish and pass down to future generations so this unique era of American history is not forgotten.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Barbara Radnofsky and Ed Supkis grew up in the 1960s in the shadow of NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center and married in 1982. They have three children and five grandchildren. The couple —with many other community members — are co-owners of Brazos Bookstore, an independent bookseller. As children of NASA scientists, Barbara and Ed had front-row seats to the development of the space program and the community built around it on rural cow pastures near Webster, Texas.
Barbara Radnofsky is a writer, mediator, teacher, and lawyer. She’s the author of "A Citizen’s Guide to Impeachment," a nonpartisan explanation of U.S. constitutional impeachment history and practice.
Ed Supkis, MD is a board-certified anesthesiologist specializing in cardiac anesthesia. He served as Director of Quality Assurance for the Division of Anesthesiology and as Medical Director of Respiratory Care for the Division of Surgery and Anesthesiology.
You do understand how extraordinary was this not-so-simple barber and what a sentimentalist was the brilliant Alan Shepard. His daughter and fellow astronaut gave much of themselves in explaining what an extraordinary father and friend — and leader — he was. It’s indeed about the two men and the thousands of others working towards the moon landing in a very special time to be a kid. And their successors in that tight knit community continue the traditions.
.png)
.png)
You do understand how extraordinary was this not-so-simple barber and what a sentimentalist was the brilliant Alan Shepard. His daughter and fellow astronaut gave much of themselves in explaining what an extraordinary father and friend — and leader — he was. It’s indeed about the two men and the thousands of others working towards the moon landing in a very special time to be a kid. And their successors in that tight knit community continue the traditions.
ReplyDeleteThanks for capturing the concepts.
BAR
You are most welcome. Your affection and enthusiasm really shines through.
Delete