Carl Sagan: A Life in the Cosmos
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.54 (607 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0805057676 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 496 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2018-01-28 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
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
Detailed, objective, scientifically savvy I just finished the this biography the other night, having read it right after Keay Davidson's competing book. I admit I had to wipe away tears at the end of each.I thought both books were excellent, although I would give Poundstone a slight edge. I recommend that Sagan enthusiasts read both, and in the order I did--first Davidson, then Poundstone. Davidso. Sagan Bio's: Poundstone compared to Davidson Daniel B. Caton Quick-name a scientist!. Was your answer Carl Sagan? It probably was-no other person has brought so much science to the public. His loss to a rare disease four years ago left a void still unfilled by anyone else. His life in science and the workings of science itself are worthy of exploration by any educated person, and two biographies that have appeared o. "A must!, if you really enjoy Sagan's books" according to Emc2. A really good biography, covering all aspects of Sagan's life, including his weaknesses. I strongly recommend this book for those who really have enjoyed reading his books (Cosmos, Pale Blue Dot, Comet, Billions and Billions, The Demon- Haunted World, Contact-the novel, etc.). This book allows the reader to understand how Sagan came up with the ideas he so
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. 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. 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.. 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