New Biography on Purdue’s First Astronaut Launches this Week

May 9th, 2016

Purdue’s first astronaut alumnus, Hoosier native, and National hero Gus Grissom died nearly 50 years ago in the pre-launch test for the Apollo 1 mission along with astronauts Ed White and fellow Purdue alumnus Roger Chaffee. Calculated Risk: The Supersonic Life and Times of Gus Grissom draws on extensive interviews with fellow astronauts, NASA engineers, family members, and friends of Gus Grissom. Veteran technology journalist and science writer, George Leopold, delivers a comprehensive survey of Grissom’s life that places his career in the context of the Cold War and the history of human spaceflight. Calculated Risk will be published and available in early June, however the book will be launched this week at several events in Chicago, Lafayette, and Indianapolis.

May 11-13, Purdue University Press will feature Calculated Risk at the BookExpo America in Chicago via the Bookmasters/AtlasBooks exhibit (booth #900).  On Friday, May 13 the author will be signing books at 1pm CST in the BEA autographing section. Afterward Leopold will participate in a 2:15pm livestream interview with Authors’ Voice where listeners can ask questions (before or during the interview) and purchase autographed copies of the book.

On Saturday, May 14, George Leopold will be signing Calculated Risk at Main Street Books in downtown Lafayette from 10:30-11:30am; on the same day he will sign books in downtown Indianapolis at Indy Reads Books from 3:00-4:00pm.