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CM . . .
. Volume X Number 2. . . . September 19, 2003
excerpt: Space remains a mystery — we Earthlings have only been exploring it for about 50 years. But now we have a frontier outpost, the International Space Station (ISS), where 'nauts from different countries can live and work together. 'Nauts and scientists think of the International Space Station as the first stepping-stone to Mars. With a $100-billion price tag, the ISS is an expensive stepping-stone--but, hey, assembling a 450 t (tn.) laboratory in space was no easy task. It took 16 countries and more than 40 space missions to do it.
With its larger than average dimensions of 28cm x 22cm, and its startling cover photo of an astronaut precariously suspended from the ISS in orbit above the distant Earth, The Amazing International Space Station launches such a compelling visual argument that surely all who see it will be drawn to read it. Pleasing both to sight and touch, the smooth, glossy cover and pages silently plea for a reader to linger a while longer. At the same time, the text sheds itself of some conventional excesses: the sans-serifed font, for instance, bodes streamlined efficiency, while the 15 chapters — the majority of which are two to four pages long — privilege compact expression. First impressions may lead one to conclude that this book is ideal for an attention deficit-driven generation because it barely toes the line between dynamic design and just plain busyness. That is, the printed words are in constant competition with the many fabulous color images, for the layout is replete with NASA photographs, diagrams, hand drawn illustrations, sidebars, headings in gradient shadings, and word balloons. (The latter contain quotations of 'nauts such as Americans Jim Newman and Mike Gernhardt, and Canadians Chris Hadfield and Julie Payette.) Yet there is no denying the immediacy of experience suggested by the pictures, nor the logical flow of, and the rich and comprehensive scope of, the written content. Readers will revel in the knowledge they obtain from this cross-section of life aboard the ISS. From the initial concerns surrounding lift off and docking, through the important yet mundane daily routines (meals, ablutions, and so forth), to preparations for a spacewalk, the authors transmit all the pertinent details. As the excerpt demonstrates, the tone is intelligent, yet conversational, and sentences are simply constructed, so that descriptions and explanations are easy to follow. Through a technique that combines rhetorical questions, imperative statements, second-person address, and popular culture references (e.g., a comparison of ISS parts to LegoC blocks) the authors invite the reader to engage with the text in a personal way. The book even includes experiments for young space enthusiasts to perform at home--under adult supervision, of course. To complete its round trip, The Amazing International Space Station executes a perfect three-point landing via its timeline, glossary of acronyms, and index. The authors make a conscientious effort to relay up-to-date information objectively and fairly. Though they concede that dangers are inherent in space exploration, they emphasize the benefits of the experiments conducted there. As one sidebar points out, smoke detectors, self-righting life rafts, and heart rate monitors are just a few of the spin-offs of space technology that have entered everyday life on Earth. The book also takes care to acknowledge each of the sixteen countries that have contributed to the construction of the ISS (p. 8-9, 12-13). Here, Canada's robotic Canadarm2 receives recognition for its role in the overall process. In their quest for an inclusive and impartial vocabulary, the authors even go so far as to employ "'nauts" to refer to both astronauts and cosmonauts (p.4, 42); they thereby effectively pave over the historically intense rivalry between the United States and Russia in the "space race" of the 1960s. As the shuttle crew for the mission, Garrison, Hunt, and Isabella can be proud of their skillful handling of the craft: The Amazing International Space Station encapsulates a large amount of information that will thrill resource-seekers and recreational readers equally. Those who are interested in further indulging their scientific inclinations may want to consult the YES Mag: Canada's Science Magazine for Kids Web site (http://www.yesmag.bc.ca/) for additional sophisticated fun. Highly Recommended. Julie Chychota has an M.A. in English from the University of Manitoba.
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