Scroll down to read this post.

 

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 

The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
 

"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News


The Danish National Symphony Orchestra – Star Trek Medley

An evening pause: It is never a bad thing to listen to the music from Star Trek (though I would have preferred a larger percentage of this piece devoted to Alexander Courage’s original score).

Hat tip Willi Kusche.

Readers: If you want to contribute to Behind the Black, you can! I am in need of Evening Pause suggestions. If you haven’t suggested any before and want to now, comment here (without posting the link to your suggestion) and I will contact you!

Readers!

 

Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.

 

In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.

 

Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.

 

You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:

 

1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.

 

2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
 

3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:

 

4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
 
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652

 

You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.

16 comments

  • Ted

    Nice nice nice. I think Star Trek has had some of the best music scores of all the Sci-Fi movies…. certainly the most recognizable. If you disagree then just beam yourself outta here!

  • wayne

    Willi-
    nice selection.

    While I would agree the original ST theme is absolutely iconic, I’d have to say my favorite is Deep Space 9.

    ST: Deep Space 9
    opening theme, season 1 variant
    https://youtu.be/2TsMyLt2BTM
    1:53

  • LocalFluff

    wayne
    Everything in your clip is anti-scientific!
    Comets don’t leave dust behind as if space was filled with air as resistance. And I’ll stop there, ten seconds into the nonsense you posted here. Please don’t do that! Leave the Hollywood Weinsteins do their thing, don’t pester us with it, I beg you.

  • wayne

    ST: Enterprise
    Alternative Universe “Terran Empire” theme
    from; “In A Mirror Darkly” part 1
    https://youtu.be/qXw6hC7hxBA
    (3:03)

  • wayne

    Ted-
    Agree in large part.

    I would place the Original Series and Theme in its own category, and all the variants in another category.

    LocalFluff- Har. Art Bell thought “Men In Black” was a Documentary.
    “Space may be the final Frontier, but it’s made in a Hollywood basement.”

    Pivoting— does anyone have CBS All Access? (Me neither.)

    “Star Trek: Discovery, is Truly God Awful”
    Dave Cullen Show [Language & Spoiler Alert]
    https://youtu.be/aBb0hyuIfYQ
    (20:51)

  • ken anthony

    I can’t get past the false Utopian economics. It’s insidious. Give me Firefly or give me death!

    Kirk was da man, because he violated the age he lived in. Picard was annoyed when his crew saved lives.

  • wayne

    ken-
    good stuff.

  • LocalFluff

    Having listened to the misery, I classify this as BAD!
    Cheap tricks randomly interluded by copies of other composers. Horrible. Worst music ever tried. Not to blame the instrument operators, who did their best, but the whole composition and the notes were obviously doomed as they were written down. Horrible! This is why I rarely click on BZ’s purportedly entertaining video links here. Terrible!

  • LocalFluff

    Having used the words horrible, terrible and bad, I want you who randomly read this to help me find other phrases to describe this, well I’d call it horror but that’s the whole point here, that I’m looking for a better brand name.

    Warning! I will use any innovative derogatives here to fescribe the deeply deranged Space Getitoutahere.

  • LocalFluff: Correct me if I am wrong, but am I right in thinking you really didn’t like the music arrangement here?

  • Cotour

    Local, context is everything.

    This is a TV / movie arranged sound track, have you been hitting the Christmas grog a little early lately? I ask because your comments as of late have been very, lets say interesting.

    I thought the piece was excellent and well done.

  • LocalFluff

    Rob
    “LocalFluff: Correct me if I am wrong, but am I right in thinking you really didn’t like the music arrangement here?”

    I retract my judgements about it as horrible and terrible. I enforce my stand that it is BAD! That’s enough. There’s no compositional idea with it. And I’ve listened a second time to make sure, (Horrible, but I won’t repeat that now. Horrible!) It’s just a random mish mash. Maybe it works as film muzak for certain movie scenes. As music in itself it is hopelessly failed. Don’t you have ears?

  • Heh. I knew I should have put a sarcasm alert on my last comment.

  • Cotour

    I got your sarcasm, it surprised me, very good. Your problem is that you are a high IQ nerd and it just comes out wrong, and its being directed at a Swede who can be a little out there.

    A total Sheldon.

Readers: the rules for commenting!

 

No registration is required. I welcome all opinions, even those that strongly criticize my commentary.

 

However, name-calling and obscenities will not be tolerated. First time offenders who are new to the site will be warned. Second time offenders or first time offenders who have been here awhile will be suspended for a week. After that, I will ban you. Period.

 

Note also that first time commenters as well as any comment with more than one link will be placed in moderation for my approval. Be patient, I will get to it.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *