08/22/2016
Tyson (The Pluto Files), Strauss, and Gott (Time Travel in Einstein’s Universe) reprise the introductory astronomy course they co-taught at Princeton, offering a crash course on the universe—no science background required. They start by laying out basic physical principles, filling each single-author chapter with simple analogies, great illustrations, and bits of personal flair. Reading through is akin to receiving a private museum tour from an expert scientist; the exhibits include Newton’s laws of motion, what will happen after our sun dies, how the space between stars is measured, quasars and black holes, time travel, why the “Big Bang model is far more than ‘just a theory,’ ” and the possibility of other life in the galaxy. The authors present challenging content in accessible prose as they lead readers from our solar system to the edge of the visible universe, getting into the how and the what of just about everything there is to know about the cosmos. Along the way they discuss such pioneering scientists as Nicolaus Copernicus, Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, Edwin Hubble, Henrietta Leavitt, and Isaac Newton. As Tyson, Strauss, and Gott explain the cutting-edge physics of multiverses, superstring theory, M-theory, and the benefits of colonizing space, even seasoned science readers will learn something new. (Oct.)
"All three [authors] write in informal, conversational tones, and the text is sprinkled with genuinely funny non sequiturs, such as a brief rumination on dwarfs versus dwarves and commentary on English-speaking aliens in Star Trek. . . . What the book does very well is to present not just what we know about the universe but how we know it."
"As citizens of the cosmos, we are duty bound to explore it. So opine astrophysicists Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael Struass, and Richard Gott, guides on this bracing expedition through dusty galactic hinterlands and the vast theoretical vistas of Albert Einstein's work."
A New York Times Bestseller
"One of Men’s Journal’s 40 Best Books of 2016"
One of Symmetry Magazine’s Physics Books of 2016
"One of Ars Technica’s 12 engrossing nonfiction books from 2016"
"Honorable Mention for the 2017 PROSE Award in Cosmology and Astronomy, Association of American Publishers"
"One of Forbes.com’s 10 Best Popular Science Books of 2016: Maths, Physics, Chemistry"
Longlisted for the 2018 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prizes for Excellence in Science Books, Young Adult Science Books
"Three of the leading voices in astrophysics take us on a well-illustrated tour that includes Pluto, questions of intelligent life, and whether the universe is infinite."
"The book's breadth is impressive. It starts with the basics (the size and scale of the universe) and finishes with a discussion of Einstein, general relativity, and the universe’s fate. . . . The book’s strength is the authors’ ability to write conversationally."
"This book is anything but another ho-hum book on astrophysics. . . . Unlike many popular scientific books that are very esoteric, this one is more like a conversation between expert and interested lay person. . . . [Welcome to the Universe] will be a great read for any non-scientist but also science curious persons. It is certainly a good book for the teacher of science at any level as well as the high school and college student. Any reader will be able to see how some complex scientific thoughts fit together."
"Looking like a cross between a textbook and a coffee-table book, Welcome to the Universe is an extremely readable compilation of introductory astronomy lectures for non-science students. . . . Their talks present physics with clarity and a little levity—with references to pop culture items such as Toy Story and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Gott even tackles time travel. What's not to like?"
"The text is written in an informal and approachable style, referencing many popular-culture icons. . . . This book will open up some of the newest and most sophisticated concepts in astrophysics to a general audience, helping all of us better understand the universe we live in."
"Riveting questions fielded by three top astrophysicists in engaging style, with great illustrations and just a handful of equations. They may just have produced the best book about the universe in the universe."
"Their laudable goal is communicating vast, cosmic ideas in ways that are accessible without being simplistic."
"Welcome to the Universe is more than a breathtaking guide to the cosmos. It is a unique bridge between popular science and textbooks, admirably achieving Tyson's goal to ‘empower you to understand the operations of nature.'"
"Don't know the difference between a pulsar and a quasar? Pick up this endlessly fascinating book by three astrophysicists that provides a clear, readable introduction to the inner workings of our universe."
"All three [authors] write in informal, conversational tones, and the text is sprinkled with genuinely funny non sequiturs, such as a brief rumination on dwarfs versus dwarves and commentary on English-speaking aliens in Star Trek. . . . What the book does very well is to present not just what we know about the universe but how we know it."
"As citizens of the cosmos, we are duty bound to explore it. So opine astrophysicists Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael Struass, and Richard Gott, guides on this bracing expedition through dusty galactic hinterlands and the vast theoretical vistas of Albert Einstein's work."
"Their laudable goal is communicating vast, cosmic ideas in ways that are accessible without being simplistic."
"Riveting questions fielded by three top astrophysicists in engaging style, with great illustrations and just a handful of equations. They may just have produced the best book about the universe in the universe."
"Don't know the difference between a pulsar and a quasar? Pick up this endlessly fascinating book by three astrophysicists that provides a clear, readable introduction to the inner workings of our universe."
"The text is written in an informal and approachable style, referencing many popular-culture icons. . . . This book will open up some of the newest and most sophisticated concepts in astrophysics to a general audience, helping all of us better understand the universe we live in."
10/01/2016
This work presents the content of an undergraduate astrophysics course taught by the authors, former or current Princeton faculty members. Astrophysicist, cosmologist, and author Tyson (director, Hayden Planetarium) begins by explaining the basics of our solar system and other star systems. Michael A. Strauss (astrophysics sciences, Princeton Univ.) follows with more details about galaxies, unique star types, and the larger structure of the universe. In the final third, J. Richard Gott (astrophysics sciences, Princeton Univ.) has the difficult task of tackling the more mind-bending topics of black holes, warp drives, and time travel in an accessible way. It's this final section that may cause readers' eyes to glaze over, though some may find their imaginations captured by the quantum weirdness of the galaxy. While the book is written for nonscientists, equations with basic algebra concepts are explained and manipulated throughout. The authors remind us that even though people are not the center of the universe, we are an intelligent species able to measure, theorize, comprehend, and explore the limits of knowledge. VERDICT An excellent introduction that will equip readers to follow current astronomical discoveries or more readily enjoy hard sf.—Wade M. Lee, Univ. of Toledo Lib.
2016-08-03
An accessible and comprehensive overview of our universe by three eminent astrophysicists, based on an introductory course they have taught at Princeton University.Tyson (Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier, 2012 etc.), the director of the Hayden Planetarium, Strauss (Astrophysics/Princeton Univ.), and Gott (Astrophysics/Princeton Univ.; The Cosmic Web: Mysterious Architecture of the Universe, 2016, etc.) have teamed up to introduce the latest discoveries by modern astrophysicists and the questions currently on their scientific agenda. The 24 chapters of the book are cleanly divided among the three authors. The first section, written primarily by Tyson, takes a big-picture look at the awesome “size and scale of the universe” and what we can now surmise about it from our vantage point here on Earth, based on man's 3,000-year quest to understand it. In the remainder of the book, the authors broaden the focus to consider the origin and subsequent history of the expanding universe. In part two, Strauss looks at how our vision of the universe has been changed by the development of modern radio telescopes and computers powerful enough to analyze the data they collect. “A century ago,” he writes, “[astronomers were] determining the dimensions of the Milky Way and our place in it.” Copernicus taught us that we are not at the center of the solar system, and today, astronomers are teaching us to accept that our galaxy is not the center of the universe. Strauss notes that with next-generation telescopes, astronomers will be making unanticipated discoveries while revealing the properties of faint galaxies and quasars and mapping the distribution of matter. In the third section, Gott reviews Einstein's theory of relativity and its implications for our potential to become galactic citizens and colonize space. Whatever the future holds, he concludes, our increasing understanding of the universe is in itself “a stunning accomplishment.” An entertaining introduction to astronomy.
