Many publishers have released books celebrating 50 years of space exploration since Sputnik's launch October 4, 1957. Among these pictorial collections, no one has done it better than Smithsonian Books. Edited by Smithsonian curator Martin Collins, After Sputnik: 50 Years of the Space Age presents the best pieces and images from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's spaceflight collection — some not currently displayed at the museum. This unique perspective provides a glimpse at the rapid evolution of spaceflight and the lives of those who lived during the Space Race.

Coffee-table books are often all images, no substance. Although After Sputnik won't contain information to surprise those familiar with spaceflight history, the book provides a comprehensive introduction to the subject. Instead of presenting spaceflight history in a typical narrative fashion, Smithsonian cherry-picked events or relics and explains their significance in the larger picture.

Some of the highlights include John Glenn's spacesuit from his Friendship 7 flight, space shuttle Columbia tiles, and — for those with an appreciation for crassness and innovative engineering — the toilets from Soyuz and Mir.

One fascinating featured museum piece is the Skylab spider Anita.  Anita, a common cross spider of the orb weaver group, headed to space with the Skylab 3 crew in July 1973. Anita and another spider, Arabella, spun webs studied for the effects of weightlessness.  Unfortunately, Anita died from dehydration a month into her mission, but the spider is preserved in a specimen jar on display at the Smithsonian.

If you are a spaceflight fan and can't make a trip to the Smithsonian in D.C., After Sputnik makes a great alternative.