It Came From Outer Space Wearing an RAF Blazer!: A Fan's Biography of Sir Patrick Moore

I've just finished this book on Patrick Moore and must say it's one of the best books I've read in a long time. I read Patrick Moore's books back in the late sixties and thought I knew him. Just reading the Preface of this book I found out more about Patrick Moore then I ever knew before. This book has some great stories in it, some of them quite funny. (Patrick's first trip to the Canary Islands) What also makes this book so good is you get a look into the BAA, which Patrick joined at age 11, and British amateur astronomy during the fifties, sixties and beyond. I also found out Patrick wrote Science Fiction and at least one book on UFO's. And, of course, there is the "Sky at Night" Program which Patrick did with only a "gentlemans agreement". The only thing I would have liked to have seen would be more of Patrick's astronomical sketches, there is only one in the whole book. As I stated in the title, I wish I could give this book more then five stars. Buy this book now!

I joined the British Astronomical Association in 1959 and have, over many decades, enjoyed Patrick Moore's books and television programmes. When I read his autobiography "Eighty Not Out" I knew from my many encounters with Patrick that there was much missing and - frankly - wrong with his account of his own life. Martin Mobberley has produced the ultimate biography of Sir Patrick Moore. Despite being over 600 pages long it is an easy and entertaining read which I found difficult to put down. My wife was driven to distraction by my frequent "Hey! This is brilliant! You just have to read this part!" For over fifty years I was a witness to all the arguments, acrimony and back-stabbing that went on within the British Astronomical Association. I personally knew many of the characters mentioned in this wonderful book - J Hedley Robinson, Commander Henry Hatfield, Heather Couper and Nigel Henbest. It was wonderful to read about them in such a sympathetic yet 'warts and all' book. Although this book will appeal most to those who have been involved in the British amateur astronomical scene it deserves a wider readership on account of its encapsulation of the amusing eccentricity that amateur astronomers seem to have worldwide.

While probably too long (655pages) and detailed for anyone with only a casual interest in Patrick Moore, for those (like myself), who have followed The Sky At Night since its inception, this is the ultimate biography of Britain's best known astronomer. Martin Mobberley has done a fantastic job, painstakingly assembling the details of PM's life and career, documenting not only his admirable strengths but also his all too human weaknesses. The writing is lively and there are several laugh-out-loud moments, such as when Patrick is filling-in on live TV while awaiting the arrival of a foreign guest only to discover when he does eventually appear that he speaks no English!I only wish that the author had spared us some of the undignified detail of Patrick's physical decline in his last years when all the ills of old age began to afflict him; an eye for detail need not mean revealing everything that is seen.Otherwise a fascinating and hugely enjoyable read. I especially appreciated the period leading up to the moon landings. It brought all that back to me and more - or rather, Moore!

Superb! This is undoubtedly the most exhaustively researched biography I have ever read and is clearly a labour of love. Sir Patrick led a truly fascinating life and this volume is a treasury of the great man's exploits and adventures. I regert enormously never having had the chance to meet him, but reading this volume is probably the next best thing. Highly recommended! I hope there could be a follow-up in the pipe-line. . .

As a fellow astronomer this book is a must have. Forget the official biography, this is Patrick Moore, warts and all, by a man who knew him as well as anyone. This is the real deal and I highly recommended it to anyone as a fine insight into the life of one of the UK's best loved eccentric characters of the age!

A fascinating look at the life of one of my hero's. Not just the good bits, but a flaws and all look at the man, who comes out of it all the more interesting for them. Very good.