The Mission by David W. Brown is a superbly written book that will hold the reader's attention. well worth the time spent!

I have been a legislative committee staffer. My spouse is a budgeteer for a government agency. The idea that I would read -- for pleasure! -- a book involving bureaucracy... committee hearings and budget meetings, office politics and "real" politics, would have seemed laughable. But here we are!

The Mission reveals the spirited "our project's dead/nope, back on again" struggle to launch a scientific mission to Jupiter's moon Europa, including pocket biographies of many of the researchers (and politicians) involved. Through shifting presidencies, priorities, and personalities, the Europa project's boosters fight to see it through. Will it lift?

(Spoiler: https://europa.nasa.gov/)

Find this review on my website, at https://www.rich-text.net/2020/10/11/the_mission/