New Books Network Ham’s Heaven with Ori Gersht
Sep 11, 2025
Ori Gersht, a renowned photographer and visual artist turned author, discusses his book 'Ham's Heaven,' detailing the heartbreaking journey of the first ape sent to space. He examines the emotional bond between Ham and his trainer, casting light on the ethical dilemmas of progress. Gersht dives into themes of identity and transformation through Kafka's works, contrasting childhood innocence with adult skepticism. The conversation also touches on the absurdities of fame and societal constructs, inviting listeners to reflect on humanity's complex relationship with animals.
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Daily Writing Led To Ham's Story
- Ori Gersht began writing daily one-page stories while developing a VR project and discovered Ham's story by following research rabbit holes.
- The image of training shoes with copper wires releasing electric pulses hooked him and launched the novel.
A Small Detail Reframes The Whole Story
- The soles with copper wires became a moral hinge that made Gersht examine punishment, pain, and hidden violence in the name of progress.
- That physical detail reframed the space program as ethically fraught rather than purely heroic.
History's Storm Drives Private Fate
- Gersht frames Ham and Bradley inside the larger storm of the Cold War and the space race as forces that limit individual choice.
- The novel explores how fear, ambition, and national pride propel people and animals into morally fraught roles.
