HOUSTON Former astronaut Jerry Linenger is suitably impressed with himself. After all, besides flying in space, the retired Navy captain and medical doctor holds two masters degrees and a doctorate. On his return to Earth from Mir, three different universities awarded him honorary doctorates in science.

Off the Planet: Surviving Five Perilous Months Aboard the Space Station Mir (McGraw Hill, $24/95) could have been an easy book to write or ghost write (Linenger wrote it himself). Hes had the "been there, done that" sort of life that makes good superficial and entertaining reading.

Instead of flaunting his ego and touting his exploits though, Linenger reaches out and pulls us in with his personal story and what motivates him.

From his days at the U.S. Naval Academy through his recovery -- both physical and emotional -- from the tumultuous five months aboard the Russian space station Mir, Linenger weaves a good-natured and earnest tale of his life.

Linenger also shows a deft touch with humor in his writing. The Michigan native writes that he didnt care much for the Naval Academy his first year, but his midshipmans buzz haircut left him "...too embarrassed to return home and face my friends."

He also tackles the question that every astronaut inevitably faces from kids and the occasional adult -- how do you go to the bathroom in space? Linengers tactfully descriptive answer is probably the most humorous yet.

The book actually answers a more serious question too. What happened during his five months aboard Mir?

During Linengers stint, he and his fellow cosmonauts survived an almost catastrophic fire, a near-collision with a Progress resupply ship, power outages and constant maintenance to keep the aging station operating. He was also the first American to take a spacewalk in a Russian spacesuit.

Though not mentioned directly, Linenger probably hopes to correct press accounts of the fire. Another motive may be to counter the unflattering portrayal in Bryan Burroughs Dragonfly: NASA and the Crisis Aboard Mir concerning his relations with the cosmonauts aboard Mir and ceasing ground communication with NASA personnel as a protest.

The Russian space agency and NASA reported that a fire in an oxygen-generating canister lasted about 90 seconds and caused minor damage. According to Linengers account the fire lasted 14 minutes with the crew and stations survival at risk.

Linengers description of the fire is harrowing. The crew battled valiantly to successfully save the station though the Russian commander planned to stay even if the abandon-ship order was given.

The former Navy doctor also explains that it wasn't psychological problems and stress that made him cease communications with the ground, but rather static-filled transmissions that were often usurped by the Russians. Linenger asserts he didnt want to become as frustrated with communications problems as was John Blaha, the previous American aboard Mir.

Life aboard Mir wasnt totally about crisis. Linenger writes about daily life and of his assignments, particularly his favorite, taking photos of Earth. He took some 10,000 photos of the surface as part of the American science program. It was a task he dove into and provided an escape from the close confines of Mir.

Returning to Earth provided its own challenges, Linenger writes, as he transitioned from space man to Earthling once again. He spent months getting reacquainted with gravity, using physical therapy to counteract loss of bone density due to the long period of weightlessness.

The most interesting part is how Jerry Linengers experience aboard Mir and being back on Earth changed him emotionally. The once impatient Navy doctor writes that he takes nothing for granted anymore and even sits patiently in airports while waiting for a flight. Hes also developed a renewed sense of whats important in life.

Not only is Linenger the first Mir astronaut to document his experiences, but Off the Planet also offers a great personal glimpse of being an astronaut and what it is like to travel in space. Linenger takes us past the NASA press releases and daily journalistic coverage and puts a human face on the space experience.