Red Moon Rising

Matthew Brzezinski served as Moscow correspondent for the Wall Street Journal in the mid-1990s. His book on Russia's post-communist chaos, Casino Moscow, was published by the Free Press in 2001. Post-9/11, Matthew Brzezenski covered homeland security for the New York Times Magazine. His last book, Fortress America, about the counter-terror effort and post-9/11 paranoia, was published in 2004.

'Wonderfully colourful ... combines a scientific plotline with the history and characters of a Cold War thriller' The Times 'Gripping' New York Times 'Brzezinski is admirably balanced in this history of the world's first space race and he draws out well both the true strategic importance of that first flight and the sheer complacency of the Americans' Sunday Times 'Red Moon Rising is a compelling account of the scientific and political events leading to the creation of the first satellite' P D Smith, Guardian