Artfully curated by James R. Hansen, A Reluctant Icon: Letters to Neil
Armstrong is a companion volume to Dear Neil Armstrong: Letters to the
First Man from All Mankind, collecting hundreds more letters Armstrong
received after first stepping on the moon until his death in 2012.
Providing context and commentary, Hansen has assembled the letters by
the following themes: religion and belief; anger, disappointment, and
disillusionment; quacks, conspiracy theorists, and ufologists; fellow
astronauts and the world of flight; the corporate world; celebrities,
stars, and notables; and last messages.
Taken together, both collections provide fascinating insights into the
world of an iconic hero who took that first giant leap onto lunar soil
willingly and thereby stepped into the public eye with reluctance. Space
enthusiasts, historians, and lovers of all things related to flight will
not want to miss this book.