The best books about the moon

Everything you need to know about our nearest neighbor.

By Eleanor Cummins
July 18, 2019
Reads about the moon
Reads about the moonDavid Dibert via Unsplash

Earthlings have been staring up at the moon since it first appeared. It provides a nightlight (admittedly through reflection, not its own luminescence), new frontier, and, perhaps most importantly, company. There a million books about its rocky surface, but here, we’ve compiled a shortlist of great books about our nearest neighbor.

Apollo 8 by Jeffrey Kluger

Apollo 8 by Jeffrey Kluger
In this bestselling book, Jeffrey Kluger takes readers on a suspenseful ride from NASA’s decision to fly to the moon to the actual manned spaceflight, which launched just four months later.Amazon

The First Men in the Moon by H.G. Wells

The First Men in the Moon by H.G. Wells
First published in book form in 1901, H.G. Wells' The First Men in the Moon tells the story of a scientist and a businessman who make their way to the stark white satellite, and find it inhabited by a species called the Selenites.Amazon

Chasing the Moon by Robert Stone and Alan Andres

Chasing the Moon by Robert Stone and Alan Andres
Individual missions make for great drama, but so too does the political drama of the Space Age itself. In Chasing the Moon, Robert Stone and Alan Andres explore the context surrounding the moon landing.Amazon

Artemis by Andy Weir

Artemis by Andy Weir
The Martian author Andy Weir has explored worlds beyond the red planet. This novel follows the life of a smuggler in the titular town of Artemis, the first (and maybe last) human colony on the moon.Amazon

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
This is the book that inculcated in many a child their love of the moon. Margaret Wise Brown's 1947 classic is worth revisiting, even as an adult. The illustrations are beautiful, and the message pure.Amazon

The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein

The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
In Robert Heinlein’s sci-fi classic, the moon was transformed into a penal colony—the perfect place for Earth-dwellers to eject lawbreakers. As the story advances, the “Loonies” decide to lead a rebellion against their planetary masters.Amazon

The Book of the Moon by Maggie Aderin-Pocock

The Book of the Moon by Maggie Aderin-Pocock
In The Book of the Moon, space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock tells readers everything they always wanted to know about the little white spot in the sky. In this PopSci excerpt, she provides a handy guide to the seas and craters that mark the moon's surface.Amazon

From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne

From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne
A year after he published his novel about a journey to the center of the Earth, Jules Verne looked outward, with this 1865 story about an adventure to the moon. Be sure to read his spacey tale alongside beautiful vintage illustrations.Amazon

Latest

Here’s what we know about the next Xbox console coming in 2020
Fifteen practical gifts for your photographer friends
Invasive earthworms are burrowing into boreal forests worldwide
The truth about activated charcoal in beauty products
Winter camping is a great way to see more nature and fewer people
Which Mac Pro will professionals actually buy? It’s not the $52,000 version.
Give yourself the gift of self care with these relaxing beauty masks
Studying the human gaze could transform breast reconstruction surgery
We’re finally figuring out how to forecast the flu—and this season isn’t looking good