Book about 1960s space race gives new meaning to loving someone to the moon and back
Earth is the sideline and also the main setting in a new book that explores the risk taken by astronauts and their families during the 1960s space race.
Far Side of the Moon, by Edmonton author Liisa Jorgensen, retells the story of the first men to see the moon's other face during the Apollo 8 mission.
Commander Frank Borman and pilots William Anders and James Lovell Jr. made history during the December 1968 space trip, which was considered an overall success.
Frank Borman appears in this photo from 1968. (Source: NASA)
Frank Borman appears in this photo from 1968. (Source: NASA)
But there had been no guarantee of that when the men were still on Earth, or even that they'd return.
In her first book, based on a series of interviews with Borman about his relationship with his wife, Susan Borman, Jorgensen explores the toll of NASA's goals on a woman watching her husband risk his life in the name of science.
"In my research, (I) started realizing that the wives had not really been represented," Jorgensen said.
"I didn't want them to ever come off as being victims in any way. They very much believed in what their husbands were trying to accomplish and so they supported them in any way they could, even though there was a very good chance they would end up widows."
Far Side of the Moon, by Edmonton author Liisa Jorgensen, retells the story of the first men to see the moon's other face during the Apollo 8 mission and the impact their mission had on their families.
Far Side of the Moon, by Edmonton author Liisa Jorgensen, retells the story of the first men to see the moon's other face during the Apollo 8 mission and the impact their mission had on their families.
Jorgensen began interviewing Borman, now 93, at his Montana home in 2019.
She says the conversations provided an intimate glimpse into the years surrounding 1968, when pressure and attention on Borman's mission were highest.
An earlier Apollo catastrophe killed three astronauts. Borman was tasked with the redesign to carry men to the moon, also effectively the space program's last lifeline. There would have been no Apollo 11 without Apollo 8.
"So you can imagine he just wasn't around," Jorgensen told CTV News Edmonton.
The astronauts' wives were overnight celebrities, expected to dress a certain way and often followed by reporters.
Susan Borman is shown in this photo from 1965. Source: NASA
Susan Borman is shown in this photo from 1965. Source: NASA
"That amount of stress at some point comes up, and it did later."
The writer said Borman was "very open and honest about everything, the ways that he felt he contributed to her suffering."
"He wasn't trying to gloss anything over at this point in his life."
In fact, Jorgensen said the astronaut didn't even hesitate when she proposed the book -- she believes to give his late wife a voice.
Far Side of the Moon, by Edmonton author Liisa Jorgensen, retells the story of the first men to see the moon's other face during the Apollo 8 mission and the impact their mission had on their families. She is pictured here, left, with Apollo 8 commander Frank Borman. The book is based on interviews with Borman about his eight-decades-long relationship with Susan Borman.
The Bormans' relationship spanned eight decades. Susan died with Alzheimer's in September 2021. Jorgensen met the non-verbal woman once; she says Susan smiled as they held hands.
"I think she would say thank you. I know I would."
The book, subtitled Apollo 8 Commander Frank Borman and the Woman Who Gave Him Wings, goes on sale in December.
Jorgensen and her husband's company, Myth Merchant Films, also has the rights to develop a movie and has begun work on a script.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial has fined him US$1,000 for violating his gag order and sternly warned the former president that additional violation could result in jail time.
Summer forecast: What to expect as El Nino weakens
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
When grief and AI collide: These people are communicating with the dead
AI tools can offer recommendations, answer questions and 'talk' with users. But some users are using them to recreate the likeness of the dead.
Russia warns Britain and plans nuclear drills over the West's possible deepening role in Ukraine
Russia plans to hold drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, days after the Kremlin reacted angrily to comments by senior Western officials about the war in Ukraine and Moscow warned that tensions with the West are deepening.
Spike in 'violent rhetoric' since Oct. 7 attack from 'extremist actors,' CSIS warns
The Israel-Hamas war has led to a spike in 'violent rhetoric' from 'extremist actors' that could prompt some in Canada to turn to violence, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service warns.