The Right Stuff (Inscribed By the author) by Wolfe, Tom

New York;m (1979): Farrar, Straus and Giroux. First Edition. Octavo. Inscribed by Wolfe to his friend Dr. Neil Fitzgerald. The story of the inner world of the early astronauts, John Glenn, Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom and their confreres. The author shows us the hidden Olympus to which all ambitious combat and test pilots aspired, the top of the pyramid of the right stuff and more. Because the author presents the astronauts at every turn as full blooded human beings, he gives their triumphs a dimension that raises them above the technological. In the process the adventure itself, man's attempt to explore his galaxy comes alive for the first time. Bound in gray cloth stamped with his signature in silver, spine lettered and decorated in red, blue and silver. A handsome, near fine copy in unclipped near fine dust jacket with a couple of very minute nicks to spine.