Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, recounts his life after the lunar landing in his autobiography, "Magnificent Desolation."

Aldrin spends a mere three chapters chronicling the Apollo 11 mission, which is unfortunate -- the details of his moonwalk are undoubtedly the most riveting part of the story.

In the remainder of the book, Aldrin discusses his bouts of depression, two failed marriages and struggles with alcoholism. Finally, he finds happiness with his third wife. He also seems to settle into what he believes to be his life's purpose: promoting the idea of commercialized space travel and his design for an Earth-to-Mars permanent shuttle to a space station -- think hotel -- on the red planet.

Aldrin deserves respect for his accomplishments in space. Unfortunately, instead of writing an inspiring tale of a man's fight to overcome his demons, Aldrin pens a finger-pointing chronicle of what others have done to him.

In nearly all of Aldrin's missteps in life, he paints himself as a victim instead of owning up to his mistakes. Even when he wraps his car around a tree in a drunken stupor, he blames the incident on the foliage partially hiding the stop sign he runs. In addition, he spends more time discussing his car than he does noting the injuries of his first wife.

Aldrin uses every opportunity to criticize, however subtly, some of his former colleagues and NASA -- his animosity for the space agency is palpable. Aldrin also carries a chip on his shoulder for what he believes to be the world's labeling him as the second man to walk on the moon. One can't help but feel pity along with annoyance.

In reading "Magnificent Desolation," one perceives a man who has rewritten his personal history in an attempt to justify his past transgressions.