It's a Question of Space by Clayton C. Anderson was a fun light read for people who are interested in learning about what its like to work on the international space station and be a part of NASA. Clayton C. Anderson has written a memoir prior to this book as well.

This book is set up in a Q & A format and is divided into chapters with a common theme. I did like that there were photos included in the answers. It's a short quick read and will be enjoyable for people interested in space exploration.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. It answered all of the questions kid me had about being an astronaut, as well as a bunch I’d never thought to wonder about. I found this book entertaining.

Great book written by an astronaut who spent 5 months in space. This book answers all the questions you have and some you didnt even know you had! Perfect book for kids (of all sizes/ages!) who want to know more about what its like to be in space

Space had always been interesting to me. I do not know what it is, but I have always wanted to go to space. While I am realistic as to how likely I am going to be able to go there, it does not stop me from dreaming that I can. Books like this give me a look as to what it could be like.

Done in a Q&A format, Anderson answers all the questions that you would ask an astronaut, and some that you may not. I found it interesting how he looks back on being an astronaut and his path to becoming one. He makes it seem possible for anyone who works hard enough to become an astronaut!

If you want to find out what being an astronaut is like, then give this book a go. Chances are that you will enjoy it.

Love this book. What a great way to get people to be interested in astrophysics. As someone who once considered being an astrophysicist I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It's a Question of Space is a fascinating look at the life of an astronaut. It is presented in the form of questions to Clayton Anderson, and his responses. They were at times funny and poignant. Overall, I felt that this wasn't the type of style I enjoy. I prefer a more direct memoir type book is more enjoyable for me to read. That said, it was easy to read, and I learned a lot about the lives of astronauts involved in NASA.

I love books written by astronauts, but had never read Anderson's previous works. This book was such a treat that I bought it and two other books by him. In it's a Question of Space Anderson provides witty answers to questions posted on Quora. The Q&A format of the book makes it accessible and a great book to pick up and read when one is pressed for time.

It's a Question of Space is an astronaut, Clayton C. Anderson, who lived in space for 167 days answering questions sent to him via social media about what it's like to be in space and be an astronaut. Growing up I always wanted to be an astronaut so I was drawn to this book to find out what it would really be like. There's also a fun mention of Lance Bass in the book, so that is always a plus.

This was a very interesting read and I liked it as a Q&A moreso than just a book to read through since if I wasn't particularly interested in a question (though I will admit there weren't many of those) I could just skip over it to the next question. I learned a lot and really enjoyed this book!

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated. This book was released July 1, 2018 from University of Nebraska Press.

When I was younger, around 11-12 years old, I was obsessed with the moon landing. I have always loved learning about space, thanks in part to my 1st grade teacher who would send students in turn home with a moon journal to keep track of the moon and it's phases. In 3rd grade I had to give a presentation on a historical figure and dress up as them, and I chose Neil Armstrong. When I was 11 and home-schooled by then, I had to give a report on Neil Armstrong's life. I read the book First Man (which was just turned into a movie in 2018) My love of learning about the galaxy has only grown since then, which is why I wanted to request an early copy of this book. It is something I would have loved to have owned about 8 years ago, and it is a very good book for inquiring young minds.

I included this title in a feature on my blog and will provide the link and feedback directly to the publisher in the next phase of this process.

A collection of Clayton C. Anderson's answer to his reddit questions, It's a Question of Space is a quick read. His answers range from short and to the point to very detailed. The quality of the answer is dependent on the quality of the question. Many of the questions are general in nature so the answer could have come from anyone with any type of knowledge of space. The book really shines when the question and thus the answer speaks to Anderson's experiences and expertise. Not every question from the time period covered by the book needed to be included. This book would have been more interesting if it focused on Anderson's expertise. If readers want to learn more about Anderson they are better off reading his autobiography, The Ordinary Spaceman.

I was really looking forward to this book as I devour everything I can get my hands on with regards to space and space travel. Clayton does offer some great insight, and answers some really interesting questions, but unfortunately this book as a whole just didn’t do it for me. Many of the questions he answers are done multiple times throughout the book, the question was just asked in a slightly different way. So, it got a little boring to read the same things over and over again. I also found it hard to focus as I was expecting a little more detail and information on the questions he answers. Most of them are so high-level that once I start getting interested in what he’s talking about, he’s done and moving on to the next question.

I’m sure his actual autobiography would be better, but he makes reference to it so often throughout this book I find myself not wanting to read it all just out of principal because it felt like it was getting shoved in my face.

I think this could’ve done with a little more editing and organization to make it a more compelling Q&A read, but I do think it could be a great book for younger readers who have a very small window of understanding into these concepts and just want a high-level explanation of many things, instead of more in-depth explanations of a few things.

I received a copy of this story via Netgalley, and have provided a review of my own accord.

As someone who is not only a long-term space nerd but also someone working in the space industry, I love getting my hands on new books about space experiences, Unfortunately, this one really fell flat for me. First up, its definitely written for a younger age-group and I think should be marketed for middle school kids. Second, Anderson mentions that a lot of the book is a compliation of answers he wrote on Quora and it really shows. I'm not sure how many times he needed to repeat himself about how many days he was in space - that might have made sense for answers that were seperate but once they are put together, it just becomes repetitive and off-putting. Lastly, I was disappointed that his answers were extremely self-centered; I would have really enjoyed getting perspectives that felt a little more neutral than just a one person experience answer. All-in-all, I might suggest a young future astronaut read this in small doses (certainly NOT cover to cover!) for fun and easy to read info about the astronaut experience, but I wouldn't recommend it to any adults.

IT'S A QUESTION OF SPACE by Clayton C. Anderson is going to appeal to quite a few students as we have seen an increasing interest in space exploration during the past few years. The author, also known as "Astro Clay," is a retired astronaut who has used social media and the internet, especially Quora, to answer questions and share his knowledge about space travel. Now, by working with the University of Nebraska Press, he has compiled this collection "in one single place, [where he explains that] you may find insight – if not always straight and technical answers – to the questions proffered ... by individuals from around the world."

Anderson's experiences are varied, including six space walks and space shuttle flights with Atlantis, Endeavor, and Discovery; the International Space Station; and the Russian Soyuz tma-10 capsule. His writing is amusing and entertaining, practical, and enthusiastic while the questions he has chosen are certainly wide ranging. Here are just a few examples:

What does it feel like to be inside a space suit?
Could an astronaut play football in space?
How do astronauts sleep while in space?
How do I become an astronaut?
What consumer products are actually used by astronauts in space?

IT'S A QUESTION OF SPACE is a great book to open and page through randomly. We will have our copy on display once school resumes. Enjoy!

I got this book from NetGallery hoping to learn a lot about space and astronauts, as it's a topic I know almost nothing of., however, this book fell short. I was quite disappointed. There was so much room for exploring the questions, instead, the author kept referring to another book he had written or just took snippets from the book and presented them here. I wish he had spoken more actually and had been more present with his answers.

A quick and easy, but also entertaining read on different aspects of space and life as an astronaut. There were a few questions in here that I'd wanted to know the answers to, and a few I would have never thought to ask. Most of the answers are informative without being too technical and difficult to understand. A great starter book for anyone wanting to understand the basics of life on the ISS.

I’m going to admit I had no idea who Clayton Anderson was when I requested this book, but it sounded interesting, and interesting it turned to be, indeed. There were plenty of little things I never suspected regarding life on the ISS, and in space in general, and I feel like I’ve learnt a lot. Which I’m sure is absolutely not going to be useful if I write a sci-fi story someday. Never.

It’s a fast read, in Q&A format, which is ideal when, like me, you read a lot during breaks at work, or while commuting. No long chapters that make it difficult to stop (almost) any time. These cover a lot of various things, from how the human body reacts in space to the kind of operations astronauts have to be trained in, from the former space shuttle program to little things like ‘how to you wash yourself in micro-gravity’.

While I felt that Anderson might have misinterpreted a couple of questions (I’m thinking more specifically about the one regarding ‘what do you think of people who say the moon landing is a conspiracy’), overall his answers were simple and often full of humour. The man doesn’t hesitate to make fun of himself, and admits when he goofed on the station. He doesn’t always get into details, and he doesn’t hide it when he doesn’t know something, so perhaps some of the answers were a little lackluster; still, in general, this was fairly informative for me.

Conclusion: 3.5 stars. And I wouldn’t mind reading his other book, for sure.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions are my own.

It's a Question of Space is a fun and easy read that will answer all those everyday questions that you might have about living in space. Clayton C. Anderson answers in a laid-back and very approachable way - to questions people have asked him over time. Some questions were rather weird and left me wondering who is asking this stuff - others answered things that I wanted to know myself. Very entertaining read.

Like many others, I’m fascinated by space travel. I imagine what it would be like to not be in this planet at least once a day (I’m sure you too). So bless all these astronaut and cosmonauts writing about their experiences—I get to vicariously fly through the atmosphere and live in zero gravity!

Following a Q&A format, retired astronaut Clayton C. Anderson (or Astro Clay) gives readers more than just a glimpse of what it’s like to live and work inside the International Space Station with this book. He responds to each question with as many details he can provide, and with such humility and openness that left me in awe. I mean, he’s kind of like a superhero, isn’t he?! (Well, reading between the lines, I think he secretly wants to be Superman.) He covers almost everything—from training to coming back to Earth, from how he slept and showered in the ISS to what he felt about the Challenger and the Columbia disasters.

More, I loved how his passion for what he does (or used to do) resonate in his every answer, and I also enjoyed how he is not afraid to let people know that he doesn’t know something. (There are parts in which he straight up replied along the lines of ‘I wish I could tell you but I don’t know!’) Here are some of my favorite parts, that had me giggling, pondering and yep, searching on Google for more!

On distance

My life’s priorities are not negotiable, and my family is right there at the top.
On applying as an astronaut
If there’s a key to success in these nerve-racking interviews, I would say you just have to be yourself. Don’t put on airs and try to be someone you’re not. (Reminds me of the story of the astronaut candidate who refused to sit down for his interview even after being told multiple times it was okay. He didn’t fare too well.) NASA wants to see if you are genuine; whether you have “platform skills,” or the ability to communicate effectively; and how you respond under pressure. Do you have a sense of humor? Can you clearly and efficiently present your ideas? Can you keep them from falling asleep? Those are the sort of things they are looking for.
On the Moon landings as a hoax
Hmmm, I guess a bunch of folks think that all of the Moon landings were hoaxes. Maybe they are also part of the group that thinks Earth is flat.

On extraterrestrial life

And let’s face it: if there’s an alien species out there capable of traveling through space and covering distances of light years to Earth, then they’re probably intelligent enough to contact us any time they want.
On sleeping in zero gravity

I love to sleep. If there were an Olympic medal for sleeping, I’d be right there, fighting for the gold.
On the veracity of his answers

I, Clayton C. Anderson, answer questions posted on social media platforms such as Quora and anywhere else on my own. I do not have a media management team—I can’t afford one—unlike some of my colleagues. I love trying to inform folks who ask questions via social media platforms, but I provide answers that are anecdotal in nature. I choose to not provide a bunch of highly technical information. You can google that stuff!
On spaceflight

Spaceflight is dangerous. Spaceflight is unforgiving of mistakes.

(^ But of course, we can all train for it, apply and hope for the best! As Astro Clay says, keep looking up!)

However, the book could be more structured or organized, like having sections specific to topics, to make it easier for the reader to follow the life of an astronaut in space.

All in all, 'It’s A Question of Space' by Clayton C. Anderson has science, humor and soul, and above all, it’s super easy to read. For those who are into space travel or the astronaut life, picking up a copy shouldn’t even be a question. *wink* Now onto adding his first book, The Ordinary Spaceman, to my TBR pile!

Librarian: Yes, I'll absolutely be recommending this book for purchase. As it happens my library is currently looking for more books on this subject, as the school recently added a space unit for our Year 5s, and between 4 classes of 26 students each we keep running out of books on the subject! Plus this book covers many of the sorts of things that the students are most interested in, so I can easily see it being a favorite.
Reader: I could totally see myself picking up this book. I've always been fascinated by space. When I was a kid I had dozens of books on the subject, and one of my favorite Christmas memories is the year that my Dad's family all teamed up to buy me a telescope. Even now space travel fascinates me. I have a tendency to gravitate towards it when I'm looking for a good nonfiction book to read.
That being said, I didn't find myself particularly drawn into this book. I found the Q&A format slightly off-putting. The tone just didn't sit right with me. That being said there was plenty of interesting information, and I'd probably pick up other things from this author.
3.5 Stars