Apollo 13

The best-selling book that inspired the blockbuster movie

"A story of courage — in space, at NASA, and at the homes of those involved." — Houston Chronicle

A timeless tribute to the enduring American spirit, Apollo 13 tells the story of America's fifth mission to the moon, a mission that nearly ended in catastrophe in April 1970. Only fifty-five hours into the flight, disaster struck for Jim Lovell and two other astronauts after an explosion left them with a rapidly declining supply of oxygen and power. Lovell and Kluger vividly chronicle how the men were forced to abandon the main ship for the lunar module, a tiny craft designed to keep two men alive for only two days. At home, a nation watched the desperate efforts of Mission Control to bring the crew back in what many consider NASA's finest hour.

“A thrilling story of a thrilling episode in the history of space exploration.” — James A. Michener, author of Space

"Puts the reader in one of those [Apollo] slingshots, pulls, and lets go. What a moon shot. What a time. What a ride." — Baltimore Sun

“A tale of adventure to chill a reader’s spine.” — Atlantic Monthly

Jim Lovell joined NASA in 1962 and flew a total of four missions before retiring in 1973. He continues to lecture across the country, speaking about space exploration.

Jeffrey Kluger is a senior writer at Time and the author of several other books, including Splendid Solution: Jonas Salk and the Polio Vaccine.