I always was curious to know about NORAD's Command Center inside Cheyenne Mountain. After all, likenesses of the facility have been featured in science fiction and war films from the 1960s. From when I was a child, I remember the North American Air Defense (NORAD) Command as the guys that tracked the trajectory of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. Popular culture aside and from WWII through today, NORAD plays a critical role in defending North America against aerial invasion from enemies abroad. This book provides an in-depth view of NORAD's true mission through rarely seen declassified photos from the archives of NORAD and people that worked at its facility in Cheyenne Mountain. The pictures speak for themselves. Of special interest is the tunneling of the Cheyenne Mountain into networks of cathedral-like caves as high as 60 ft in height. Within these caves multistory buildings were constructed from heavy steel girders and panels, all suspended on springs to absorb the shock of an atomic blast. We also see the evolution of computer and radar technology over the facility's fifty plus years. Well described is how NORAD's mission links with a wide network of radar and air defenses, spanning all parts of North America from the Florida Keys to distant Arctic radar stations in northern Canada and Alaska. This book reflects on an important part of American history that is rarely talked about or seen, while enabling the reader to better understand the mission and history behind NORAD's Cheyenne Mountain station. As an owner of other Arcadia picture books on diverse topics, this one from Arcadia stands out.