Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

For anyone interested in space exploration, Cold War history, or the human stories behind grand historical events, this book is a rewarding read. It’s a reminder that the Space Race was more than a geopolitical rivalry—it was a testament to humanity’s shared dream of reaching beyond the stars.

NetGalley, June Lee

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in either the Cold War period, Russian/Soviet history or space exploration.

NetGalley, Hannah O'Connor

'...Well illustrated and has an excellent bibliography reflecting the range of topics covered'

SCRSS (Society for Cooperation in Russian and Soviet Studies)

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Morning Star

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BBC Sky at Night

As featured in: 'Space race author launches new book'

The Irvine Herald

Soviets in Space highlights the people of the USSR who turned the struggle of the post-war world into a communist dream and sense of pride . I am absolutely thrilled to see the Space Race from an alternate perspective and to get a closer look at those who sacrificed their live and health to make their country the first to reach the heavens.

NetGalley, Victoria Irwin

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This is far more than just a potted history of the Soviet side of the "Space Race". This book covers the politics and culture that were an integral part of the Soviet Union's desire (need?) to push boundaries. The accompanying photos gave an added depth to the text and I very much appreciated them. Fascinating and enjoyable.

NetGalley, Dawn Lewis

Colin Turbett, in his book 'Soviets in Space: The People of the USSR and the Race to the Moon,' lifts a veil behind the Iron Curtain to give a closer look at what the Cold War and space race meant to the Soviet citizens. Using sources both in English and Russian, the author provides exciting details concerning everyday mundane life in the USSR: favorite Soviet movies, hobbies, difficulties in finding common consumer goods. Moreover, the book dissects the thinking of ordinary Soviet people to explain the differences between the communist and capitalist worldviews. The author puts the space race into the broader context of the Cold War and the war of ideologies to define why the USSR failed to catch up with the US after initial triumphs.

Along with the captivating story, the book contains a great set of pictures: posters, photographs, and drawings.

NetGalley, Darya Silman

Very readable and interesting account of the Soviet space program, its strategic and technical goals and achievements, personalities and outcomes, and role within the wider Cold War rivalry. Plenty of intriguing details and prompts for 'what ifs' to be found here. Recommended for anyone with an interest in space exploration or the Cold War period in general.

NetGalley, Adam Windsor

I’ve only encountered the Russian program in bits and pieces (Two Sides of the Moon, Alexei Leonov’s memoir co-written with David Scott, being the only substantial Soviet account I’ve tried), so this is my first time encountering a lot of this content. I suspect, however, that even if I read other volumes focused on the Soviet space program, this one will stand out for its tone, which is as charitable but not blind to faults, and its welcome study of how the space program shaped Soviet culture, from consumer collectibles to music. My meeting the figures in the Soviet program — not just Gagarin and Koralev, but those who died, like Komarov — was long overdue, and I’m grateful to Turbetts for having provided this tribute to their memory.

NetGalley, Stephen Posey

This is solid coverage of the post-WWII events leading up to the Soviet space program. The author is knowledgeable and thorough, providing sympathetic coverage of the people and their country at the time. American readers may not be used to that approach, given the decades of propaganda about the USSR and Russia. The author doesn't accept all of their propaganda either, but does a good job placing it in context and showing how and why Soviet citizens were proud and excited about their accomplishments despite some of the political failings of their leaders. This may be written for a niche demographic but if that's you, I recommend reading the book.

NetGalley, Pablo Rodriguez

In the introduction to his book, author Colin Turbett stresses that it is not a technical manual, rather an attempt to describe the political and social background to the space race and the part it played in the fall of the Soviet Union. It fulfils this aim admirably.
Turbett examines Russian culture and society from the start of the postwar era, on to the space program itself with detailed biographies of the leading players such as Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova, through to the agricultural plan and right up to the collapse of the Soviet Union. “Soviets in Space” is meticulously researched and is one of the best books I have read on the subject.
Many contemporary images and photographs of cosmonauts and space memorabilia enhance the text. Fact-filled yet readable, this is a timely, much-needed book that celebrates the Russian space programme, and the Russian people, without bias.

NetGalley, Wyn Lewis