Review
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“A fantastic account of the American space program with its successes and perils, blended with the twists and turns of
domestic life and his various illnesses.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
“In calm, brainy prose and with surprising humor, [Parazynski] writes, with coauthor Flory, about his adventures in
going where few have gone before him, be that space or Everest…His relatable, down-to-earth discourse mingles the
ordinary with the extraordinary and will have readers feeling like they’re catching up with a best friend—one who
happens to be an astronaut—over s.” —Booklist
“Plenty of former astronauts have written about their careers in books that tend to sound alike with references to
family values in the face of profound risk, a hint of philosophy, boisterous camaraderie, natural bravado, true pride,
and true or false humility. Among the proliferation of these, Parazynski’s is presented with a bit more panache. A
genial, readable account of ain climbing, spaceship travel, and other adventures.” —Kirkus Reviews
“[The Sky Below is] the story of a remarkable life full of adventure on Earth and beyond.” —Houston Chronicle
“Parazynski is as disarmingly down-to-earth as he is heroically stoic. You’re with him every minute in this hair-raising
memoir, as he wrangles with wayward tethers outside the space station Mir, ‘sutures’ a solar array to the International
Space Station, or gazes at the glittering tapestry of stars from Earth’s orbit.” —Nature
“In his book, Parazynski’s life unfolds across chapters through detailed retellings. You read on as he attempts to
conquer some of life’s greatest summits, finding family, love, and adventure along the way.” —Houstonia
“Dr. Scott Parazynski's new book, The Sky Below, chronicles an amazing life.” —Forbes
“An in-depth review of the many adventures of former NASA shuttle astronaut Scott Parazynski, it covers his many
accomplishments and at the same time keeping a very conversational tone. For those interested in the background of some
of America’s more recent space flyers, it has much to offer.” —Space Flight Insider
“The best explorer autobiographies deal equally with inner and external challenges. In The Sky Below: A True Story of
Summits, Space, and Speed Scott Parazynski strikes a perfect balance between the two facets of what goes into the making
of an explorer—on and off this planet.” —SpaceRef
“Scott masterfully brings to life the skill and ingenuity of the entire NASA team during the dramatic and unprecedented
repair of a live solar array aboard the International Space Station. Just as Mission Control saved the day during Apollo
13, Scott and team worked together, against long odds, to deal with a truly critical situation. The Sky Below is the
compelling story of a born adventurer who, raised in the midst of the Apollo program, carries on the great American
tradition of bold exploration, innovation, and scientific discovery.” —Jim Lovell, Captain, USN (retired), veteran of
four NASA space missions including Apollo 13, and author of Lost Moon
“In The Sky Below, Scott Parazynski captures the true essence of what it is to be an explorer/adventurer. From
underwater to the top of Everest to the ISS, Scott carried me along as if I was right there alongside of him. I could
not stop reading as he takes you from one adventure to the next. I have read many books by astronauts and The Sky Below
is one of the best. I thank Scott for giving us a glimpse of and the feeling of going to the edge.” —Charlie Duke,
Brigadier General, USAF (retired), Apollo 16 lunar module pilot, and Apollo 11 capcom
“Taking on big risks for even greater rewards requires careful planning, resourcefulness, rigorous training, passion,
and creativity. This mindset certainly fueled our great nation since its founding, and even took us to the moon during
the Apollo program. Scott has taken on enormous challenges while also learning from inevitable setbacks that come with
risks. The adventures of The Sky Below will leave you breathless, while the lessons learned will inspire others in their
passion to reach their own impossible dream.” —Gene Cernan, Captain, USN (retired), Gemini and Apollo astronaut, and the
last man to walk on the moon during Apollo 17; author of The Last Man on the Moon
“Courage, intrigue, perseverance, risk, and discovery sound like great fiction, but add humility, humor, passion, and
service to humanity and country, and you have the real-life challenges and adventures of astronaut Dr. Scott Parazynski.
Only someone as extraordinary as Scott could accomplish so much in just one amazing life. Add dedication to inspiring
youth to pursue their dreams, as well as devotion to his own children, and you have the dramatic page-turner, The Sky
Below.” —June Scobee Rodgers, PhD, founding chair, Challenger Center for Space Science Education, and author of Silver
Linings and the Star Challengers series
“Former astronaut, Scott Parazynski, is a dear and close personal friend. We met when my husband Rick joined the
astronaut corps in 1995. Preparing for Rick’s flight in space as the commander, Scott was a natural choice to be with
our family throughout the launch week in Florida. Famous people have real lives just like everyone else; some are just
more extraordinary. Scott has climbed Everest twice with one successful summit; he flew in space five times and
spacewalked, but he also taught my newly herless seven-year-old son how to ride a bicycle. He faithfully showed up
every day to my home in the aftermath of the tragedy to support and help any way he possibly could and even wore a tie.
He picked up my parents at the airport the day of the tragedy and brought them to my grief-stricken home. His quiet
strength and leadership comforted our brokenness. He navigated us through uncharted waters of grief. Scott was very
instrumental in the renaming of Columbia Point in Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo ains and led all the families on a
life-changing adventure up the ain to the memorial for the crew. He even ushered at my wedding of the second love
of my life, Bill Thompson. Scott is truly a friend that loves at all times.” —Evelyn Husband Thompson, author of High
Calling: The Courageous Life and Faith of Space Shuttle Columbia Commander Rick Husband
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About the Author
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Scott Parazynski was inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2016, and is the recipient of many prestigious awards,
including five NASA Space Flight Medals, two NASA Distinguished Service Medals, two NASA Exceptional Service Medals, the
Aviation Week Laureate Award, the Antarctica Service Medal, the National Eagle Scout Association’s Outstanding Eagle
Scout Award, and the Lowell Thomas Award from the Explorers Club. Now a tech start-up CEO and a prolific inventor, he
ventures into some of the world’s most extreme environments in the name of exploration and innovation. Scott and his
wife, Meena Wadhwa, a renowned planetary scientist, divide their time between Houston, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona. His
most important role to date is serving as a doting husband and her of two children.
Susy Flory is the New York Times bestselling author or coauthor of twelve books. She is a member of the Authors Guild
and was recently named director of a San Francisco Bay Area writers’ conference. A cancer survivor, Susy
celebrates life by riding a crazy ex-racehorse named Stetson, hiking in the High Sierras, and skiing black diamond runs
whenever she can.
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