In this entrancing account, space traveler Michael Collins recalls his early days as an Air Force test pilot, his astronaut training at NASA, and his unparalleled experiences in orbit, including the Apollo 11 mission, the first manned lunar landing. The final chapter to his autobiography, revised and updated for this edition of Flying to the Moon, is an exciting and convincing argument in favor of mankind's continued exploration of our universe. "Several astronauts have written about their experiences, but none so well as Michael Collins...This is just the book to give the child whose parents made Yeager and The Right Stuff best sellers."-The Washington Post Book World

FLYING TO THE MOON: A Mother and Daughter's Journey Through Alzheimer's tells of the enduring devotion of a daughter and her beloved mother, their lives imperiled by an abusive marriage and a debilitating disease. As Ivy's awareness diminishes and Jennifer's marriage unravels, they come together to embrace a new reality accentuated by poetry, piano duets and their celebration of the nonsensical. Once a self-reliant single mother in control of her life, Jennifer returns to her art and discovers a newfound confidence and direction, her mother resolute in support despite the ravages of Alzheimer's. Set in vibrant, multicultural Miami, this affectionate account of a mother and her daughter's journey touches on universal themes of loss, survival and empowerment. Poignant, honest and inspiring, Flying to the Moon offers hope to everyone affected in some way by this tragic affliction.

A magical new young fiction series from best-selling author and illustrator, Laura Ellen Anderson!

Suppose the New Rijksmuseum were in the market for a site on the moon, some time in the near or distant future. Would it be sensible, or nonsensical, for the Rijksmuseum to purchase a lunar plot where it can safely house its collection? Since the "discovery" of the moon, people have laid claim to it, whether symbolic or genuine. The moon has resources that could potentially be extracted using technologies yet to be developed. What is more, it may become possible for people to live on the moon someday. Pending future developments, there is a lively Internet trade in deeds to pieces of the moon, available at bargain prices. The legality of this form of private enterprise is obviously debatable, and yet... Bik Van der Pol took as core item of the project one of the oldest objects in the collection of the Rijksmuseum: a moon rock. The crew of the first manned lunar landing mission, Apollo 11, brought this rock back to earth in 1969. That same year the three astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin, and Michael Collins visited the Netherlands. Willem Drees, a former Dutch prime minister, received the rock on that occasion as a present from the United States ambassador. And later, this piece of stone was donated to the Rijksmuseum. The moon rock creates links between the site of the museum, the city, the collection and its own origins. These links are examined from various perspectives. In the background are questions concerning the public and private significance of a collection, as well as questions of public interest.