Man on a Mission: The David Hilmers Story

Title: Man on a Mission: The David Hilmers Story Author: David Hilmers and Rick Houston Publisher: Zonderkidz Copyright Date: 2013

I’m not a huge fan of autobiographies or biographies or anything too similar. I enjoyed Jacob Abbott’s William the Conqueror for the most part (probably largely because I was simultaneously researching the Middle Ages for Bridge), but Man on a Mission was, unfortunately, not the same.

David Hilmers is an aviator turned astronaut turned doctor. I’m also not very interested in any of those three careers. And this book was written for nine- to twelve-year-olds. Again, not in my typical line of reading. And to cap it off, Hilmers can come across as egotistical, in spite of his obvious Christian faith and his gratefulness to and love for Jesus. Granted, he’s a very intelligent man with an amazing work ethic, but sometimes those gifts can come across as giving him a little too much pride.

I think the age range designated for this book (see above) might enjoy this story, particularly if they’re interested in space missions, hospital work, and flying—or simply in autobiographies/biographies. But it’s been so long since I was ten years old that I can’t quite remember what I would have liked!