About the book: 2014 / April 12, 1961 - the brightest date in the history of the 20th century. On that day, Soviet pilot Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin circled the Earth on the Vostok spacecraft, opening the way to the stars for humanity. The biography of the first cosmonaut and his orbital flight have been well studied, but over the past decades they have become overgrown with many myths. True memories of eyewitnesses and the latest declassified documents collected in this book make it possible to return the historical truth. They clearly show how significant difficulties Yuri Gagarin had to overcome on the way to his cherished goal. Having survived war and devastation, faced with poverty and cruelty, he managed to overcome them, becoming a worthy son of his socialist country, an experienced professional, a unique specialist, a spaceship tester. His personality vividly embodied the image of a man of the future - an era when personal dedication, hard work and talent will become decisive for a fulfilling life..