Super Short Summary

The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe is a lively account of the early American space program and its roots in the subculture of military test pilots that developed after World War II, focusing on the technological advancements in mid-20th-century flight, the daring pilots who pushed innovations to their limits, and reflections on the moral, cultural, and political significance of the first astronauts at the height of the Cold War, centered on the exploits of the Mercury Seven astronauts and their quest for recognition. The book describes scenarios involving heavy drinking by test pilots.