An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth

I listened to this audiobook immediately after finishing the audiobook of Spaceman by Mike Massimino. Both audiobooks are narrated by the author. The two memoirs are excellent and—despite the overlapping subject matter—complementary, showing different facets of space exploration:

Mike is American and thought he was born in the wrong town to become an astronaut, whereas Chris is Canadian and thought he was born in the wrong country.

Both went to battle against the medical examiners, one for his eyes, and the other for his gut.

Mike was a civilian mission specialist, and Chris was a military fighter pilot and test pilot.

Mike spacewalked on two Hubble repair missions, but he avoided the Soyuz and never visited the International Space Station. Chris also flew the shuttle but spends more time discussing his long duration expedition on the ISS and his experience on the Soyuz.

Mike worked for NASA public relations. He is an enthralling storyteller with a rosy, endearing perception of his experiences, infusing so much meaning into every step of his journey. Chris's style is a tad less romanticized, and he uses a series of anecdotes to deliver life lessons to those of us who are earthbound.

Both books were great. Be sure to also check out Chris's viral music video of “Space Oddity” and his excellent vignettes on YouTube showing everyday human activities aboard the ISS.