Cosmos

You don't expect someone whose obvious forte is mathematics and science to be a fantastic writer to boot, but Carl Sagan writes beautifully indeed. I'll try to make this review as useful as possible. The subject matter varies between chapters, with some of them more scientifically dense (and therefore fascinating) and others are historically informative. Here is a basic topic of chapters (not in order): -A chapter putting into perspective how little we know and how many wondrous things there are yet to discover about our existence -A chapter on Venus, among other planets and bodies, within our solar system along with musings on why it is habitable or not -A chapter on Mars and everything it has meant to us and was discovered to be like -A chapter devoted to the very first scientific awakening of our race -A chapter that addresses the likelihood of communication with other intelligent life These are just a couple of the chapters. You'll learn about how, scientist by scientist, we amassed the information and knowledge we have to date, and the magnitude and elegance of each of their respective contributions. Carl will teach you about the laws of the universe that everything in it obeys You'll learn not just elementary facts about the planets in our solar system, but the "how" and "why" behind their characteristics and attributes. You will be brought to edge of human knowledge and made to look out into the vast wealth of information left to acquire. You will finish this book with a sense of profound curiosity, deep respect, tremendous awe, and quiet humility. Every chapter has a very nice structure to it, following the same basic template: Ask a question or pose a problem, explain, conclude with a look forward. He never leaves anything unfinished or any stone unturned, so you never get the sense of abrupt subject change. Each chapter is intended to be treated as individual, and so it can be likened to a sentence, ending definitively and conclusively with a period. The reviewer that said this is disorganized is being too obsessive and completely missing the point. The book itself is more of a collection of thought-provoking topics than it is some sort of fictional story meant to "flow". If this is what you are seeking, I suggest going back to fiction. It honestly makes the book easier to read the way Sagan structured it. If you are a religious person and are nervous that his atheism might somehow offend you, I assure you that he is never arrogant, confrontational, or mocking. He is simply a humanist, and is looking only to impart upon his audience a true understanding of how beautiful our existence and the science behind it is. Not only does he deliver facts, but he successfully enlightens you. I can honestly say this is the most profoundly educational book I have ever read. I have never learned so much in just one book. I feel not just more educated and knowledgeable, but wiser as a human. He only tries to dispel the hold that superstition has had and the darkness of ignorance that has haunted us throughout our history. He leaves you to believe whatever you want to believe, while making sure you never make the mistake of attributing truly scientific processes to magic. You may even find a better reason to feel spiritually in touch with our human identity and the meaning of life. That's all up to you how you interpret this, but this is beautiful education and enlightenment, not an offensive attack on anything or anyone. He is a beautiful writer and sometimes, I was blown away by the flow of his words. There were some sentences that were as musical and intricately beautiful as symphony. He is truly a loss to our race, both for his knowledge and his perspective. His is the hand that waves away the smoke, clearing that which is otherwise in plain sight for everyone to see. Do recommend. Would make it compulsory reading if I was a dictator.

What a privilege and joy it was to have read this book. I made my way through it rather slowly because it was so packed full of historical anecdotes, scientific findings, and thought-provoking insights that I needed a break every chapter or so to let ideas mentally sink in. In 13 chapters, Dr Sagan gives us a glimpse into all scales of space and time. From the Big Bang to the formation of the stars and the Earth, through the painstaking evolutionary process that resulted in human beings, to millenia beyond our time where interstellar travel may be a viable means of commute. From quarks to complex molecules to planets, supernovae and black holes, to the idea of an infinite hierarchy of universes, all nested within one another. This book is far beyond an ordinary astronomy general interest read. Its contents incorporate genetics, ancient history, chemical biology, sociology, religion, human psychology and philosophy... Dr Sagan weaves these realms together in the context of the Cosmos, and raises intriguing questions about hypothetical alternate turn of events as well as where we (humankind) go from here. He pays homage to the brilliant minds whose work and courage has contributed to our current technical capabilities. From Erastosthenes' astute calculation of the Earth's circumference, to Kepler’s observations, to Einstein's special theory of relativity (and those in between: Huygens, Brahe, Newton, Champollion etc.), Sagan not only highlights their contribution, but discusses the societal circumstances that these individuals found themselves in. In doing so, he invokes a scrutiny of our current societal climate and behaviors. Are we doing our best to build and maintain a society that values the pursuit of knowledge over one that may eventually crumble under self-destructive greed? Are we investing an adequate amount of resources (both monetary and intellect) on constructive, self-preserving causes? Sagan goes as far as to compare government spendings on military weapons with scientific research funding, and demonstrates how far will have still to go before our loyalties are united not just within nation-states, but as a species of Planet Earth. Dr Sagan’s intrigues are not limited to Western ways of thinking. Instead, he pays deep respect to the cultures, achievements, and creation myths around the world - this was done through anecdotes from ancient Chinese, Egyptian, and Indian history as well as various tribal accounts. By doing so, he demonstrates that human intrigue has more in common than we may first assume. The early civilizations around the Earth, long before they knew of one another, independently devised theories about how we came to be based on their observations of the heavens. These were passed on to their descendants through subsequent generations ultimately resulting in what we may believe or know of today. I wonder what Dr Sagan would have thought about the state of the world today… recent election results, SpaceX, virtual reality, artificial intelligence/machine learning, Kepler missions, CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, instability in the Middle East, the Higgs Boson… My guess is that he would simultaneously be alarmed that we are STILL arguing whether or not climate change is a problem, and amazed at our technological achievements with the internet and a legitimate goal to visit Mars. I would without a doubt recommend this book to everyone. A scientific degree is not necessary to fully appreciate the lesson and message that this book conveys. Dr Sagan’s literary style is not only comprehensible but so finely depicts his deep passion for the sciences that it is almost poetic. After having read the book, one could truly dwell on what we can do to unify ourselves as citizens of Planet Earth, with a mutual interest of survival, pursuit of interplanetary/interstellar travel and constant discovery of what our universe has to offer.

This incredible book was written in 1980 to coincide with the PBS mini-series by the same name. With cutting edge science (in 1980) and a keen grasp of history Sagan takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of the universe and our own past. From "The Shores of the Cosmic Ocean" to the "Edge of Forever" Sagan's writing tackles some strange and complex subjects in a clear, straight forward manner. The Tunguska Event, the "Canali" of Mars, impact craters and the mythology of our sister planets are just a few of the many things that are covered in Cosmos. While there have been many advances in the field of Astronomy over the intervening years since 1980 that shouldn't make much of a difference to the general reader. Indeed, it will introduce you to the wonders of the solar system, the galaxy, the universe and beyond. It may even encourage you to read something on astronomy that's a little more up to date. Some of the more recent books out there will take you to places that Sagan only hinted at in Cosmos like the multiverse and the rovers on Mars. Besides astronomy Sagan also delves into the history of science and the people that made it happen. Science Fiction is also touched on, authors such as; Edger Rice Burroughs and H G Wells round out the discussion. This is The Classic science book so strap yourself in and enjoy the ride. I had no technical problems with this Kindle edition but, as noted by other reviewers, the stunning color art work is missing. This may be an oversight or a copyright issue, it's hard to tell. But that's up to the publishing company and Kindle to sort out and correct. Maybe that's why the price is so low. I guess there's no substitute for having the original hard bound edition. The fact of missing pictures does not in any way diminish the overall impact of the text and, to me, that's the bottom line. For more on the author and his works see Raymond Shubinski's interesting article "Remembering Carl Sagan and Cosmos" in the July 2013 issue of Astronomy. LastRanger

I read this book when it came out in 1980, in hard cover version. I was a 14 year-old-boy and I think I reread Cosmos, partly because of sentimental reasons I remember a lot of nice photo's and clear graphics. The Kindle version I just finished only has a couple of simple graphics but I knew that before I bought the Kindle version ... so no complaining. The book is more than 30 years old and since then science did not stop. The first space shuttle was launched in 1981, the last one in 2011. Since 2012 you can make your "personal spaceflight" (development of Space tourism). In 1986 the Voyager 2 was launched to explore Uranus and Neptune. and in 2006 and 2007 the space probes New Horizons and Dawn left Earth, the first to explore Pluto and one or more of the other Kuiper belt objects and the later with the mission of studying two of the three known protoplanets of the asteroid belt, Vesta and Ceres. Among others space probes where launched by the Russians (especially to Venus), Japan (to the Comet Halley flyby), and in 1966 the U.S. Mars Pathfinder, a Mars lander with the first planetary rover took off. Also the European Union started space exploration with the Venus Express in 2005. In the mean while, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) did some amazing research. The telescope is operating as of 2016, and could last until 2030–2040. Its scientific successor, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), is scheduled for launch in 2018. So without doubt Carl Sagan's book Cosmos is dated but is still worth reading. Some quotes are still reveling: - "The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff." - "The study of the galaxies reveals a universal order and beauty. It also shows us chaotic violence on a scale hitherto undreamed of. That we live in a universe which permits life is remarkable. That we live in one which destroys galaxies and stars and worlds is also remarkable. The universe seems neither benign nor hostile, merely indifferent to the concerns of such puny creatures as we." - "We humans, as a species, are interested in communication with extraterrestrial intelligence. Would not a good beginning be improved communication with terrestrial intelligence, with other human beings of different cultures and languages, with the great apes, with the dolphins, but particularly with those intelligent masters of the deep, the great whales?" Conclusion: although dated, this book is still worth reading.

If you are interested in reading about life - nearly every aspect of it - then you should probably pick up this book. Although it is not lengthy page-wise, the information and the concepts introduced are so dense and thought-provoking that it feels like this book contains more than it's deceptive page count reveals. Carl Sagan weaves in so much history, science, astronomy, and philosophy, while keeping a very readable writing style, and making the concepts as clear and lucid as possible. I do think having some basic science knowledge is helpful though, because there aren't many illustrations to help visualize some of the more esoteric concepts. I love science, but I think I was most excited by all the instances in this book where Carl Sagan talks about historical precedent and the evolution of our thinking in various matters. Religion is touched on in a very respectful way, and I feel like the point which is made on trying to understand God through our physical surroundings instead of stories written so many years in the past is particularly valid given the scope and awe of the universe. There were also many moments when I was reading that I just had to stop and digest after coming across a particularly eye-opening bit of information. I just loved learning so much through this book. Towards the end, the book starts to delve more into theoretical ideas and personal thoughts which, while interesting, was not as compelling a read for me, but of course this is such a small issue compared to the overall achievement in the breadth and scope of this book. Even though this is a non-fiction book heavily steeped in science, this was a truly exciting read and full of information and ideas that everyone can find benefit from. And I've never had must interest in astronomy, but this book has given me such an interesting perspective that I feel like visiting the nearest observatory!

As an extraordinarily curious kid with a mind aching for answers to this universe, I felt invigorated getting the chance to read this brilliant book. Many atheist authors struggle to convey their true message under the immense pressure to garnish juxtaposition amidst the prevailing religiosity of the world. Not Sagan. He seamlessly crosses the line between science and religion, threading the two together with the careful prose you would surely only expect from a seasoned historian. Rather than trying to proselytize his audience with an immense crescendo of refuting evidence, he describes a universe of such elegance and perfection (or rather imperfection?) that it is nearly impossible not to come to grips with the reality of it all. As a well-read student and Chemical Engineer with plans of grad school and beyond, I spent a lot of spare time in the summer polishing my knowledge with some of the more famous books of physics and quantum mechanics. While it is always an endeavor to engage in the works of Stephen Hawking or some of the modern enthusiasts of the field, I find myself critically vulnerable to this illustration of the Cosmos by Carl Sagan. I can only offer my highest accolades to this book, and it is at least worth a read at some point in everybody's life. Whether you consider science your career or if you are simply a curious reader, I'm more than positive this tale will absorb you into its utter realness and offer some of the finest explanations in modern science. While this surely won't replace your college textbooks, this is an almost necessary pocket aid and motivation to keep with you and learn from. Sagan writes better than almost anyone in his field, so don't miss out.

I cannot imagine reading this and not being moved. I cannot imagine reading this and not being blown away by the wonder of existence and the wonder of the universe as you do so. I cannot imagine reading this and not absolutely loving Carl Sagan by the time you reach the last page. COSMOS is an amazing read. At times, it may feel a little densely packed, but that's only because its every single word is important, is loaded with meaning. In 13 gorgeously color-illustrated chapters, Sagan takes his readers on an absolutely amazing tour through the entire history and geography of the universe, with exciting stops along the way--in Earth's distant history, on Mars, in ancient Alexandria, to the edge of the universe, to the insides of the stars, and the insides of our minds. Over and over again, reading this, my jaw dropped in awe and amazement. I found myself quoting passages of it to whoever I was near. I found myself with a pencil in hand, marking every other line. The perspective that Sagan gives to our lives on Earth, the wonder he imbues the pursuit of knowledge with, and importance he conveys regarding humankind's role as Earth's most intelligent and potentially destructive species feels holy, and needed. The whole books feel that way. What more can I say? I love this book. I wanted to hang up a framed picture of its author by the time I was done with it. I wanted to buy copies for everyone I know. I wanted to watch the DVDs of its companion series, and I still do--it's nice in that way, in that you can recommend it to anyone, as a book or as a show, even to people who don't like to read. If you buy the book though, be sure not to get the mass market paperback version, as that doesn't have all the illustrations. Get it in hardcover, as you'll almost certainly want to keep it for further re-reading, and for your collection.

In Cosmos, Sagan writes about the history of science. He writes about the start of our universe fifteen billion years ago, to the origin of life on Earth. He discusses how humans and science developed together through time and how much science is a part of humanity. The book also takes us in a journey through space and discusses how we could in the future live in planets far away. Sagan wrote Cosmos after the television series of the same name. Like the series, the book is split up in thirteen chapters each telling us about a different topic. At the start of each chapter, there is a philosophical quote. Thereafter, Sagan discusses the topic from a philosophical viewpoint. The book is very philosophical and it shows a different viewpoint of science that science is not only all about physics and about math but that there also is another more human side of it that everyone can relate to. Sagan writes very descriptive and vividly. He explains complex science in an entertaining way that everyone can understand and admire. My favorite quote: “The doors of heaven and hell are adjacent and identical” –Nikos Kazanzakis. This quote really made me think, because this saying can be transferred to many different situations. You cannot look at anything in black and white and therefore one cannot know whether one made the right choice or not. I like it, because it reminds me that I have to rethink my opinions of good and bad and maybe remove them I think everyone should read this book whether you find science interesting or not, because it tells about an important part of humanity. I would most definitely recommend this book.