Amazon.com
Carl Sagan may have been one of the greatest scientists who ever lived. Then again, he may have been a relentless self-promoter who convinced everyone he was one of the greatest scientists who ever lived. Keay Davidson, science writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, aims to explain this complicated man in his biography. One thing is clear: Sagan was an extremely difficult man to love, a scientist whose passion for astronomy and biology was unparalleled, but who had little ability to express basic emotions to his wives and children. Davidson looks for reasons for this emotional distance in Sagan's childhood, when his relationship with his mother was intense and sometimes difficult. She encouraged her bright young son to be an "intellectual omnivore," to be passionate about knowledge, but she didn't give him the tools to relate to humans as individuals.
As his stellar science career developed, Sagan built a reputation as a leftist who believed that "science could serve liberal ideals," and as an arrogant man with an unshakable confidence in his own brain. Davidson writes that Sagan developed his famous skepticism as an undergraduate. Sagan suffered from a "troubling mix of intense emotion and stark rationalism," writes Davidson. He succeeded (mostly) in balancing passion with reason, a balance that made him a perfect popularizer of science, a trustworthy authority who preached that an open mind was the most valuable scientific tool. Davidson was influenced personally by Sagan's writings, and he sometimes works a little too hard at puncturing the myths surrounding Sagan, but this biography is one that deserves to be read by Sagan's fans and detractors alike. It's a compelling, very real assessment of an all-too-human god of science. --Therese Littleton
Book Description
A penetrating, mesmerizing biography of a scientific icon, now in paperback
"Absolutely fascinating . . . Davidson has done a remarkable job."-Sir Arthur C. Clarke
"Engaging . . . accessible, carefully documented . . . sophisticated."-Dr. David Hollinger for The New York Times Book Review
"Entertaining . . . Davidson treats [the] nuances of Sagan's complex life with understanding and sympathy."-The Christian Science Monitor
"Excellent . . . Davidson acts as a keen critic to Sagan's works and their vast uncertainties."-Scientific American
"A fascinating book about an extraordinary man."-Johnny Carson
"Davidson, an award-winning science writer, has written an absorbing portrait of this Pied Piper of planetary science. Davidson thoroughly explores Sagan's science, wrestles with his politics, and plumbs his personal passions with a telling instinct for the revealing underside of a life lived so publicly."-Los Angeles Times
Carl Sagan was one of the most celebrated scientists of this century-the handsome and alluring visionary who inspired a generation to look to the heavens and beyond. His life was both an intellectual feast and an emotional rollercoaster. Based on interviews with Sagan's family and friends, including his widow, Ann Druyan; his first wife, acclaimed scientist Lynn Margulis; and his three sons, as well as exclusive access to many personal papers, this highly acclaimed life story offers remarkable insight into one of the most influential, provocative, and beloved figures of our time-a complex, contradictory prophet of the Space Age.
Customer Reviews:
The author needs a reality check.......2006-12-25
By his enemies, detractors, and those envious of him, Carl Sagan has been called a "bozo", a "psuedoscientist", an "idiot", a "moron", and many other names that need not be repeated here. Those who like him though do so unabashedly, and in rare instances have had their scientific careers stymied because of their admitted admiration of him. It is fair to say, and an in-depth statistical study may support this, that the scientific community is automatically dismissive of public figures and the general public, and get angry when anyone within their midst attempts to explain things to people in these two classes. It is almost as though the attempt to explain difficult scientific ideas and concepts to the general public constitutes almost a criminal act, to be punished by banishment from professional societies and academia. The reason for this anger is unknown, and does not seem to serve any useful or constructive purpose either within the scientific community or outside of it.
Although the author is not a practicing scientist, from the words in this book it is apparent that he identifies with the general scientific community in their attitude about the popularization of science. The author comes across as being deeply cynical, and this is readily apparent throughout the book. It seems he has a score to settle with Sagan and he endeavors throughout the book to take Sagan down a notch and expose his faults and inadequacies. The book for this reason is difficult to read, for it confuses objectivity with blatant negativism. What is needed in the case of Carl Sagan is a biographer who will not engage in uncritical adulation and yet at the same time not become indulged in muckracking.
Indeed, the author makes it a point to bring out Sagan's alleged use of marijuana, his reluctance to assist his wives in housework, and his shortcomings as a father to his children. He discusses the zeal with which several scientists denied Sagan admission to the National Academy of Sciences, and Sagan's supposed inability to discuss scientific topics in depth. The author therefore patronizes the reader, with the implicit assumption that the reader has been unduly influenced by Sagan and needs assistance and release from this influence. The emotional responses that many have obtained by viewing Cosmos or reading some of Sagan's works is dismissed as being a result of Sagan's skilled oratory. It seems to never occur to the author that such responses are a natural consequence to being exposed to ideas that are accurate and true.
It is a little over ten years since Sagan has passed on, but his legacy is alive and well, and even though he has made many contributions to both science and its popularization, his most profound contribution, and one that outweighs the rest by many orders of magnitude, is his implicit demonstration that the history of the human species has been one of brilliant developments rather than war and strife. For a human being to purposely take the life of another is actually extremely rare, but it is frequently taught, both in educational institutions and outside of them, that the human species is a destructive and dangerous one. Nothing could be further from the truth, and the writings of Sagan illustrate this time and again. It would be incorrect therefore, and statistically invalid, to say that his view of history is romanticized and idealistic. It is the most realistic of any that currently exist, and deserves to be propagated at a large scale. There has yet to arise an effective surrogate to Carl Sagan, at least from the standpoint of someone who delivers the message in books, movies, and television as effectively as he did. But there are millions, or shall we say, billions and billions, of individuals that make up the collective genius of the human species, and it is these individuals, some known and some unknown, that are so eloquently described and championed by Sagan throughout his writings and personal life.
I used to run the Carl Sagan Electronic Monument; I took the site down when I read this book..........2006-07-22
I grew up with Carl Sagan. An avid watcher of his COSMOS program when it aired in 1980, I like to credit Carl with turning me on to the wonders of science and, especially, the wonders of space exploration. Prior to seeing COSMOS I thought outer space was just a playground for X-Wing fighters, Colonial warriors, and the Starship Enterprise. Carl made space into a very real place, more fascinating than my young mind had ever thought possible, and COSMOS similarly impressed upon me the value of science as, to borrow the sub-title from one of Carl's best-known volumes, a candle in the darkness.
Many years later, shortly after I got married, my wife found the entire COSMOS series on VHS tape at a local library. I eagerly re-screened the entire series with adult eyes, and was reminded again of how fantastic the series was, what a great science promoter Carl could be, and I suppose the old child-like hero worship resurfaced with new energy. Carl then died tragically not longer after I re-screened COSMOS, and in a moment of telegraphed fan grief, I set up a web memorial to the man which I called the Carl Sagan Electronic Monument.
On that web site I extolled the virtues of the Great Popularizer. I praised his wisdom, his brilliance, his prowess as both husband and father, and generally set the man up on a pedestal of enormous height. For a few years I communicated with other Sagan fans, and even received one or two touching e-mails from Ann Druyan, thanking me for the CSEM and thanking me for being part of the enormous outpouring of support and love which centered around Carl following his passing.
Knowing my affinity for Sagan, my wife bought me "Demon Haunted World" and an audiobook, read by Sagan, of "Pale Blue Dot". I loved these as I loved COSMOS, and it seemed nothing could stem the hero worship.
Then, my wife bought me "Carl Sagan: A life", and the carefully constructed illusion slowly came apart.
I'd always known that certain people had a gripe against Sagan. I'd always chalked it up to petty jealousy against a truly great man. But as I turned the pages of this book, and the REALITY of Carl Edward Sagan began to hit home, I realized that in my rush to embrace Sagan as an idol, I'd completely fooled myself.
Meticulously researched, this book is an eye-opener for any Sagan fan. I've seen a lot of the one star comments, declaring that this is a book for "Sagan haters", which I think is unfair. If anything, this book exposes Sagan for who he really was, not who we wished him to be. I think all Sagan fans owe it to themselves to read this book, and then decide, as I did, which they loved more: Sagan as a PERSON, or Sagan as a vehicle for opening the wonders of space and science to the average man?
My conclusion, upon finishing this volume, is that I was not a fan of Sagan the man. Sagan seemed a poor husband, at least until the advent of Ann Druyan, and even then it seems clear he was already involved with Druyan prior to the dissolution of his relationship with his second wife. Moreover, Sagan was not a particularly good father to his first children, again only cleaning up his act for the Druyan years.
I have always believed that no amount of professional success can make up for failure in the home. I am glad that Sagan seems to have reformed by the time Druyan came on the scene, and that his youngest children seem to have enjoyed at least a competent dad. But what of the first two marriages, and the children that came of them? What of the abuse that he apparently doled out to his first wife? These things significantly mar the brilliant image of Sagan, and left me feeling as if I'd seriously deluded myself.
Moreover, Sagan the professional was also not without faults. For much of his life Carl seems to have been an enormously vainglorious and pompous fellow, essentially ruining his relationship with COSMOS producer Adrian Malone, so much so that the men were not on speaking terms by the time COSMOS earned its Emmy and Peabody Awards. Carl also developed a reputation as a scientific dilettente, precocious and opinionated and eager to claim mastery over various scientific subjects without actually contributing much bona fide advancement in those same fields. Many scientists came to resent Sagan as being too much of a self-promoter and not enough of a researcher, and as Sagan's public popularity began to soar, so did the grumbling by some in the scientific community who felt that Sagan was getting credit for their effort.
When I came back to my Sagan memorial web site, after reading this book, I realized I couldn't keep the web site up in good faith anymore. I slowly pruned the site down until it was just a placeholder, and then I shut it down altogether not longer after that.
Having said all this, I must emphasize that "Carl Sagan: A Life" is not a one-sided bash-session. There is much good said about Sagan, especially in regard to his role as popularizer, and in regard to his struggle with health problems, including a throat condition I had not previously known about, and his long decay due to myelodysplasia. His work in debunking UFOlogy and stressing skepticism (alongside other skeptics like James Randi) is to his credit, as are his forays into environmentalism and combating the threat of nuclear holocaust. The Planetary Society continues as one of the most energetic public bodies lobbying for continued space exploration, and there is no doubt that Sagan's legacy as a spark which has fired the efforts and imaginations of millions around the world, is secure.
I still own a DVD set of COSMOS and enjoy watching the series from time to time. As a character on the screen, Sagan is engaging, witty, brilliant, and engrossing, and COSMOS still stands, in my mind, as one of the greatest television science series of all time. I still keep the copy of "Demon Haunted World" and have the "Pale Blue Dot" tapes, because there is great thought and wisdom in these volumes, and they are to Sagan's eternal credit.
But Sagan the person has been permanently removed from his pedestal. In hindsight, I should have never placed him up there to begin with.
In COSMOS, Sagan lauds German astronomer Johannes Kepler for having the courage to face the reality of celestial planetary motion, rather than cling to his beloved illusion of the nested geometric solids. In the same spirit I would encourage all Sagan fans to cast aside any illusions they may have regarding Carl Sagan the man, and read this book, and know the faults and flaws and shortcomings of the man we all learned to admire and idolize as children.
You will be surprised. You will be dissapointed. But you will know the truth.
Five stars for this book. Absolutely. Thanks to Keay Davidson for having the literary courage to delve into Sagan's life, and not just offer up a superficial pean.
A book to make the myth into a man.......2006-06-12
This biography differs from many of the other sycophantic works about celebrity lives in that it treats its subject as its subject treated the world: objectively. Those who have ears to hear, they will hear and agree.
Sagan was larger than life. A brilliant man with a passion for his subject he was none-the-less subject to human feelings and human failings. This book portrays the human side of Carl Sagan from his sudden, relationship damaging mood swings, to his desire to achieve the greatest good. It takes the myth of Carl Sagan and exposes the very real man underneath it all.
Sagan the scientist allowed his passions to distort his views at times but what great scientist hasn't had moments of irrational behavior? Sagan the humanitarian often demanded that things be done to relieve human suffering and end nuclear proliferation. He could be stubborn to the point of being annoying when it came to exposing frauds in science and the inhuman monsters (Edward Teller) whom he resented.
The book portrays a very human Sagan. A product of his era, he smoked pot, desired peace, devoted himself to his scientific calling, and became a legend. If you can stand to have the curtain drawn and the wizard exposed, this is the book for you. If you like fantasy over reality, move on.
For Sagan-Haters Only.......2006-02-11
This "biography" is one, long malicious attack upon Carl Sagan.
Keay Davidson obviously detests Sagan - so much so that I don't know why he would wrire a book about someone he hates so much.
Only someone who hates Sagan could enjoy this book - but anyone who hates Sagan wouldn't be buying/reading a biography about him anyway.
This book has no real audience. I would rate it ZERO stars if I were able.
If you like anything Carl did, please look elsewhere for a biography and do not waste a penny or a second on this unfathomably putrid piece of attack-journalism.
A poor overview of Sagan's life........2005-04-07
The book starts out reasonably well enough, with Davidson drawing you into the overview of the life of Carl Sagan's parents. But as the book progresses, you begin to see another side to the story of Sagan's life that you weren't expecting. Davidson doesn't hesitate to make broad generalizations and interpretations of his interviews with people in Sagan's life, even making borderline psychoanalytical conclusions to explain his behavior when Davidson is clearly not qualified in this area.
There were several points where I read a line and found myself just staring at the book with a gaping jaw and a sense of incredulility, wondering how he could make such a strange conclusion. For example, when he discussed Sagan's novel Contact, it quickly became apparant that Davidson hadn't even read the book or he wouldn't be making such strange interpretations of the book's plot.
Additionally, Davidson's writing is incredibly simplistic; although it may appear vivid and engaging on the surface, it is full of groan-inducing cliches and overdramatized descriptions of events. This, in combination with his purely speculative conclusions on Sagan's personality, made me want to vomit.
Overall, although I was able to glimpse a small part of what made Carl Sagan so special and see a somewhat decent overview of the events in his life, I feel I was getting a blurry and distorted picture of who the man really was.
Book Description
Though a well-regarded physicist Carl Sagan (1934-1996) was best-known during his life and best remembered now as a writer of popular nonfiction and science fiction, and as the host of the PBS series Cosmos. Through his writings and spoken commentary, he worked to popularize interests in astronomy, the universe, and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. From the beginning of his public career, when he co-wrote Intelligent Life in the Universe with Soviet astronomer I.S. Shklovskii, to the very end as he worked on the 1997 film adaptation of his novel Contact, these were the subjects that absorbed him.
Yet this interest in space was not rooted in science fiction, but rather in his understanding of the smallness and vulnerability of humanity measured against the immense size and power of the universe. This profound philosophical humility, mixed with the personal exuberance he frequently showed in debates and in his groundbreaking television series Cosmos, comes through in Conversations with Carl Sagan. In this collection of interviews and profiles, Sagan discusses with verve the wide variety of topics on which he has written—the environment, nuclear disarmament, religion, politics, extraterrestrial life, astronomy, physics, robotics. Whether discussing his science fiction or his well-researched nonfiction works, his voice is one that embraces reason and skepticism.
An active promoter of science education and a recognized authority on science and its effects on humanity, Sagan used the interview form to elaborate on ideas that had been reduced to sound bites. His atheism, fueled by an agonizing sense of the vulnerability of the human race, touched off many fierce debates. Although a lifelong skeptic, this volume shows how Sagan clarified and refined his views, and expressed amazement that Earth, for all his belief in extraterrestrial life, encompasses everything about which he cared.
Customer Reviews:
It is 4 stars for the midia..........2007-05-13
... Not to Sagan. He is, as always brilliant and enthusiastic about science and our place in the cosmos, but the midia... well, the first observation on almost every article is about "his looks", for me, it is emblematic of the image obsession of the general midia: first the appearance, then the caracther. Most of the time, in the interviews, you almost can see the interviewer hardly listening to Prof. Sagan, as if looking at the clock and sometimes (lots of times) cuting his speak short, it is announcers time!
But you can't help getting a glimpse of this great man, shinning through the midiatic maze, if it is your first reading on Carl Sagan, buy others, this is it, just a glimpse, he is worth every word.
Nice piece .......2007-03-09
I love reading how the conversations really happened. He came alive again for me, his passion shines.
Interviews and profiles discuss all the interests he holds for environment, astronomy, physics, and social issues.......2006-05-21
Carl Sagan is best known for his hosting of the PBS series Cosmos but actually has a long history of work in the astronomy field, and an interest in science and space which extends from his childhood - so it's fascinating to learn about his efforts to popularize his interests in CONVERSATIONS WITH CARL SAGAN. Here interviews and profiles discuss all the interests he holds for environment, astronomy, physics, and social issues. Subject chapters blend with interviews to make for a fine survey.
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
California Bookwatch
Great Collection of Interviews with Carl Sagan.......2006-03-22
As a communicator and popularizer of science Carl Sagan was probably the best known scientist of his time. Although a Ph.D. in astronomy and astrophysics, his speaking style and his far ranging thoughts about life here on earth and life elsewhere in the universe made him one of the most quoted scientists anywhere. Perhaps this was because of the great interest in space at that time, but that's not important.
Among the large volume and widely based writing that Dr. Sagan did, he also was interviewed by numerous people. Collected here in this book are sixteen interviews given over a period of twenty-six years. The content of the interviews are likewise far ranging. They cover scientific things like the posibility of life on Mars (we still don't know for sure), to life elsewhere in the universe, to communications with other species, the scientific method, religion and life in general.
Up until now these interviews were avaiable only from the individual sources, when available at all. It is great to see them in print once again.
Amazon.com
Science writer William Poundstone (and biographer of game-theory guru John von Neumann) begins this book of deftly strung anecdotes from the life of pop-science demigod Carl Sagan with the following anecdote: four-year-old Carl, a Jewish kid growing up near the Jersey shore, rides piggyback on his dad's shoulders into the 1939 World's Fair and the "World of Tomorrow." Surrounded by mocked-up "rocketports," GM's "Futurama," and the promise of outlandish technology to come, it's easy to imagine the impact on this little guy who was to become one of our century's most visionary and visible scientists. A childhood friend tells Poundstone that "from an early age Carl was seized with the fabulous mission of searching for life on other worlds," a quest that would dominate his entire professional career.
Poundstone recounts how this quest drove the immensely intelligent, ambitious, and charismatic Sagan, from his discovery of Arthur C. Clarke to his predictable adolescent chemistry-set accidents to his colorful academic career and professional work on the Viking and Voyager missions, nuclear disarmament, the award-winning Cosmos, and Robert Zemeckis' Contact. What recommends this biography most, though, isn't its completeness but its style: Poundstone has divided the 500-plus-page book into over 200 easily digestible, addictive little sections, each an entertaining or illuminating (or, often, laugh-out-loud) anecdote from Sagan's life, with titles like "Pornography in Space," "Muskrats, Drunkards, Extraterrestrials," and "Sagan Versus Apple Computer." (The in-house name for the mid-range PowerMac 7100 was "Carl Sagan," the joke being that it would make Apple "billions and billions." But forced to change it by Sagan, Apple switched to "BHA," later revealed to stand for "Butt-Head Astronomer"--Sagan sued for libel.) --Paul Hughes
Book Description
In this compelling life of Carl Sagan, award-winning science writer William Poundstone details the transformation of a bookish young astronomer obsessed with life on other worlds into science's first authentic media superstar. The instantly recognizable Sagan, a fixture on television and a bestselling author, offered the layperson entry into the mysteries of the cosmos and of science in general. To much of the scientific community, however, he was a pariah, a brazen publicity seeker who cared more about his image and his fortune than the advancement of science. Poundstone reveals the seldom-discussed aspects of Sagan's life, the legitimate and important work of his early scientific career, the almost obsessive capacity to take on endless projects, and the multiple marriages and fractured personal life, in what The New Yorker called an "evenhanded guide" to a great man's career.
Customer Reviews:
The man's personal life is none of our business............2007-09-09
I think it is nothing more then a tabloid tell all book that has no merits to it.
Good biography of one of the 20th century's most fascinating scientists.......2006-02-13
I knew Carl Sagan from Pale Blue Dot, Billions and Billions, and especially his wonderful Cosmos (truly, if there is one book everybody should read, Cosmos is it). The man that transpires from these books appeared to me as an wonderful example of what human beings should strive for, and I naturally picked up Poundstone's biography out of curiosity.
Poundstone covers Sagan's life adequately. He does not limit himself to that however, dedicating ample space to explaining the scientific context behind much of Sagan's work. He defends Sagan's positions well, but also presents the positions of some of Sagan's adversaries with apparent honesty.
The low point of this reading is the revelation that Sagan's personal life was not always exemplary. Living with a man as busy and allegedly full of ego as Sagan was a challenge. He married three times, finally finding the ideal partner in his relationship with Ann Druyan, who in particular appears to have made him a better family man.
Sagan's life is fascinating and shows admirable continuity. From his involvement with the question of whether there is life on Mars to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), he has remained largely devoted to the question of extraterrestrial life, a new field initially called exobiology.
Sagan's influence in the scientific world has been huge, if not as a traditional scientist, then as a man who seeded ideas. But his role as a popularizer of science has probably been even more important. In particular, his hit TV show from the 80s, Cosmos, has made his name famous to the point probably of being at some point the second-best known scientist in the 20th century (after Einstein, of course), at least in the US. Many have become scientists later in life after watching the show as kids.
Sagan knew how to teach, as his Cornell students can testify. He was able to inspire awe from the contemplation of the physical world. His always perfect (if a little snobbish-sounding) elocution, and his sometimes poetic stances, touch the mind and the heart.
Poundstone's biography confirms that Sagan was an extremely smart man, and a constant defender of reason. He never tired and always loved what he was doing. Through his books and teaching, he has sent the message that humans should not let their brains at the door. What Voltaire and Swift did with satire, Sagan did with science.
Sagan's untimely end in 1996 at age 62 is tragic, first on a personal level because he was in the end fully aware that his illness could take him, and second for the world at large, as he could have easily provided his insight and wisdom for another twenty years.
Potentially Good Subject Matter-Poor Writing.......2006-01-08
Mark Twain once said, "Anybody can have ideas--the difficulty is to express them without squandering a quire of paper on an idea that ought to be reduced to one glittering paragraph." The quote couldn't be more apt than when examining this work. I initially started to read this book being interested in Carl Sagan the person and what he had to say. I came away feeling it was a tedious chore.
First off, the book is divided into short subsections that make for easy stopping points. The initial happenings start like most biographies do by tracing Sagan's roots starting from his Grandparents on down. It details his early childhood and precocious nature which was evident from the start. The story quickly moves on to his early commitment to be an astronomer even though this wasn't regarded highly at the time. Throughout the book Carl's marriages are also discussed in some detail. My major complaint with the book starts with all of the dreadful descriptions of every single scientific project Sagan worked on. Even after the reader gets the gist the writer continues to drone on and on about what I felt were insignificant details to the extent they were described. For example, Sagan was a big proponent of a nuclear winter theory. The idea being that nuclear war would adversely affect the climate by cooling it and possibly leading to the complete demise of life as we know it. Well, Poundstone elaborates on this for close to 100 pages. At one point I had to flip to the cover of the book to make sure I hadn't picked up a book about nuclear holocaust or annihilation. Poundstone also goes into monotonous detail over every one of the Viking, Voyager, Pioneer, and Seti projects that Sagan worked on. My question would be-is this all there was to Carl Sagan? Was his work more important than who he was as a person?
The writer's language also does not flow very well. He is far from eloquent. He seems bright enough but everything seems forced and tentative like he is trying to think of what to say and how to say it. Sometimes this leads to non sequitur types of passages. As I was reading I kept feeling like I was missing some punch line. Eventually, I realized I wasn't missing anything but it was simply the writer's inability to communicate.
One good thing I felt the writer did do was display Sagan's faults and shortcomings. We are led to see that he was often egotistical, dismissing of former close friends, and not always a very good father. His friend's opinions of him are also revealed in somewhat explicit detail. For these reasons I feel the book isn't a complete waste but overall I was left with a feeling of distaste for it.
Big on science, but not much of a biography.......2004-08-25
I've been a fan of Carl Sagan's popularization of science since the "Cosmos" days. I agree he wasn't the most brilliant scientist around, but he did more to make people interested in astronomy than any scientist of his generation and beyond.
This biography goes way too far into the scientific realm, but doesn't tell me much about Sagan as a man. As a student of astrophysics (a hobby, not a career for me), I found the science interesting, but it wasn't why I bought this book.
Good, fair read.......2002-12-31
You can add me to the list of people who was about 7 or so when I first saw Cosmos, and it was a major influence (along with 2 scientist parents of my own) to go into science (not astronomy). Carl Sagan, and the way he made science poetic, influenced me greatly.
I feel that an absolute must in a biography, is fairness. I neither want to read idolatry, nor a muckracking book. This book was fair in its depiction of Sagan: a brilliant scientist, who cared about the world, science, writing, and his own ego. I especially liked the sections on his work with NASA on the various Mars missions; where do we land, what experiments do we perform, and just what do the results mean, anyway?
There was enough information about his background and personal life to keep it interesting, but not so much that it bored me. I was unaware of his first marriage to Lynn Margulis; a famous scientist in her own right.
This biography moved very quickly; I always wanted to pick it back up again. Lastly, you do not need any type of science background to understand this book. It is a biography, not a science text at all.
Book Description
The American astronomer Carl Sagan (1934-1996) was one of the best-known scientists of his time. A prolific writer and television personality, he was creator and host of Cosmos, an enormously popular television series that explained the wonders and intricacies of astronomy to millions of television viewers. Gifted with the ability to communicate difficult scientific concepts to the average person, Sagan opened up the wonders of science to hundreds of thousands more through his many books and magazine articles. But in addition to his talents as a science popularizer, Sagan was a first-rate scientist. Ever persistent in exploring the possibility of life on other planets in the Universe, he was a pioneer in the field now known as astrobiology, a major thrust of NASA's current planetary explorations This book takes a fascinating look at all aspects of the life of Carl Sagan:
- Sagan the working scientist, who was an inspired and creative participant in the forefront of the new and exciting era of astronomy opened up by the technological breakthroughs of the space age.
- Sagan the advocate for science, who could expound on the beauties and joys of science as well as point out the follies and foibles of pseudoscience.
- Sagan the activist, who helped raise our awareness to the perils of the Nuclear Age that threatened all of us.
Following the arc of Sagan's personal and professional life, this book examines both the man and the provocative ideas he brought to this new era, always seeking to capture the infectious enthusiasm and love of communication that infused Carl Sagan's life and work.
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Amazon.com
Carl Sagan muses on the current state of scientific thought, which offers him marvelous opportunities to entertain us with his own childhood experiences, the newspaper morgues, UFO stories, and the assorted flotsam and jetsam of pseudoscience. Along the way he debunks alien abduction, faith-healing, and channeling; refutes the arguments that science destroys spirituality, and provides a "baloney detection kit" for thinking through political, social, religious, and other issues.
Book Description
Are we on the brink of a new Dark Age of irrationality and superstition? In this stirring, brilliantly argued book, Carl Sagan shows how scientific thinking is necessary to safeguard our democratic institutions and our technical civilization.
"The Demon-Haunted World" is more personal and richer in moving, revealing human stories than anything Sagan has ever written. From his childhood experience, to engrossing tales of discovery, Sagan shows how the method of scientific thought can cut through prejudice and hysteria and uncover the often surprising truth.
Sagan convincingly debunks "alien abduction," "channellers," faith-healer fraud, the "face" on Mars, and much else. Along the way, he refutes the argument that science destroys spirituality or is just another arbitrary belief system, asks why scientific study is often stigmatized, discusses the dangers of the misuse of science, and provides a "baloney detection kit" for thinking through political, social, religious, and other issues.
Customer Reviews:
The Demon-Haunted World.......2007-09-29
Excellent book. Carl Sagan gives an analysis of how our lives are effected by many legends and superstitions in a respectful and considerate way.
All you need to know about critical thinking.......2007-09-20
Unfortunately, this book is often considered a science book or about the scientific method. The subtitle is "Science as a Candle in the Dark." That was an unfortunate choice because, with the exception of one chapter (I won't say which)it is much farther reaching than that.
It is about how we know what we know and how and why that frequently is incorrect. It considers why we are so un-critical in our acceptance of authoritarian statements from any source - scientific, social, business or political. The book is worth it just for the description and discussion of the "Baloney Detection Kit."
Though Sagan was by training a scientist, his knowledge of history and culture makes this (as well as most of his books) a compelling, enlightening and enjoyable read.
The case for a sensible worldview.......2007-09-18
As the 20th century's greatest voice for the popularization of science and rationality, Carl Sagan performed a noble public service. In this age of nearly instant communication and information overload, we each need to develop a quick and reliable method for sorting good information from interesting but bogus anecdotes. Sagan's "baloney detection kit" offers us that very tool for avoiding credulity.
As our society becomes ever more dependent on complex technology, it seems that an ever shrinking proportion of the population has a grasp on how that technology functions or what consequences its failure might give rise to. There seems to be a widespread desire by many individuals to divorce themselves from understanding in favor of immersing themselves in comfortable fantasy. Sagan argues that such a turning away from rationality and reason could usher in a new dark age.
For those who have an interest in seeing our society continue to progress, this book is somewhat of an eye-opener. The current increase in interest in the supernatural is precisely what Sagan was warning about. His writing style is personal and narrative, with many examples from his own life. The book is an easy and engaging read that holds your interest.
Highly recommended.
Excellent book...........2007-09-06
This is a fabulous book. Sagan does a wonderful job of promoting the field of science to non-scientists.
I wonder how many young - or open minded - people have been pulled into science fields after reading it?
My highest recommendation.......2007-09-05
This book can be the antidote to so much nonsense that fills the heads of well-meaning people everywhere. Sagan makes a convincing case for reason and skepticism.
If you remember just one thing, remember that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.
Book Description
When we humans first left the Earth and saw it from beyond the outermost planet, it appeared as a pale blue dot. As we complete the preliminary reconnaissance of our neighborhood in space, we need a long-term, over-arching vision of the human future. The man who brought the planets and the stars to so many of us suggests that our very survival depends on the wise use of other worlds.
"Pale Blue Dot" reveals how science has altered our perception of who we are and where we stand and challenges us to weigh what we will do with that knowledge. Out of a sometimes painful recognition of our true place in the cosmos comes a vision of an exhilarating future, with a surprisingly spiritual impact.
Customer Reviews:
Rating the physical book, not the content.......2007-07-23
First, I must say that I am enjoying the book very much. I love reading Professor Sagan's books very much. So this rating applies more to the decision of the publisher than the book itself.
I have never written a review on Amazon before, and I have been coming here for years. I had to say something about this. After I finish this, I plan on emailing the publisher with the same review.
Wow. A book named Pale Blue Dot, inspired by the famous photograph of the Earth of the same name. It is referenced in the first few chapters heavily and Prof. Sagan asks us to visit and revisit the photo several times as he builds his introduction. I think to myself "Great! Can't wait to see it. Now where is it?" This then led to the disappointing finding that there are no pictures at all in this printing. None, not one, not even just the one of the Pale Blue Dot image itself. How can you publish a book inspired by a photo and not include the picture itself, not even a low res poorly printed picture? All you get is a few instructions to look at it, but you won't be able to look at it in here. Apparently, the hardback and first soft-back printing had photos. I guess I can understand (not like, mind you) why the decision was made to eliminate photos, but to get rid of the Pale Blue Dot photo is mind boggling. Surely this decision couldn't have been made on purpose. Surely, this was just an oversight. If this was a conscious decision, then it speaks volumes about how Ballantine views this work and it makes you wonder if they have any idea why it was written in the first place.
Anyway thanks for listening.
Pale Blue Dot.......2007-01-04
This was very interesting reading. Carl has a wonderful way of relating science, technology and his vision in very understandable language.
Perspective from Pluto.......2006-08-19
As I write this review, scientists around the world are in one more tizzy about whether Pluto is a planet, and exactly what a planet is.
They are missing the boat, or spaceship as it were. Pick up a copy of Carl Sagan's "Pale Blue Dot," and it becomes clearer. Just take the much longer view, courtesy of Sagan's vivid and creative mind.
No matter how many times I read it, the look back at our solar system by the Voyager 1 spacecraft in 1990 stimulates my imagination in a huge way. After passing the orbit of Pluto and visiting Neptune and its spectacular moon Triton,the Voyager 1's camera turned back and took a family portrait of the solar system....caught in a mosaic of 60 pictures, saved on the ship's tape recorder and then slowly, over a period of three months, sent back to big radio telescopes on Earth.
The camera caught not only Earth (the pale blue dot), but also Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Pluo and Mars were too small and Mercury was lost in the glare of the Sun.
Just think, a look back at all of us, from a place I dream of being ---out past the orbit of Neptune/Pluto, but will never get to. It boggles the mind to even estimate how long it will take to get any human to that distant vantage point. But here it is ....a wonderful book which covers this, and so many other space marvels. Buy it and keep it close to your bed for months and months of inspiration.
Earl
Let's take the first steps .......2006-04-13
This book really focuses on something I believe is of uttermost importance for human kind: our long-term survival as a species and the essential role of space exploration. Many ideas and facts presented in Pale Blue Dot have already been expressed elsewhere, not least in science-fiction, but here they are collected and presented to us in a formidable way, with the focus on the potentially new era awaiting us where we would finally quit our Earth cocoon and start expanding through the Universe. As a scientist, I believe that this is a realistic view even if it definitely won't happen in our lifetimes. Sagan gives very convicing arguments why it is necessary to take the first steps in this direction: now, without delay!
A great sequel to Cosmos.......2005-03-09
The title of this book refers to Earth- all that our planet is in the big scheme of things is a Pale Blue Dot, as photographed by the Voyager spacecraft, departing our solar system. It's very humbling. Sagan went before his time, and didn't even get to see the landing of Mars Pathfinder in 1997, but that mission was renamed "The Sagan Memorial Mars Station." Whereas Cosmos talked about the past and future of space travel, this book talks about the future. It's written 20 years after "Cosmos" so builds upon what that book says. It used many charts and interesting pictures and graphs. This is better than "Cosmos" in my opinion, and is my favorite book ever.
Average customer rating:
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Carl Sagan: Superstar scientist
Daniel Cohen
Manufacturer: Dodd, Mead
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
Astronomy & Space
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Children's Books
| Subjects
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| Aeronautics & Space
| Astronomy
| Fiction
ASIN: 0396087760 |
Average customer rating:
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Carl Sagan: Astronomer (Ferguson Career Biographies)
Jean F. Blashfield
Manufacturer: Ferguson Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
Science & Technology
| Biographies
| People & Places
| Children's Books
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Historical
| Biographies
| People & Places
| Children's Books
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Careers
| People & Places
| Children's Books
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Astronomy
| Astronomy & Space
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Children's Books
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General
| Science & Technology
| Teens
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| Books
Astronomy
| Science & Technology
| Teens
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ASIN: 0894343742 |
Books:
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