Rating: 
Summary: Broader Horizons
Review: An excellent book that truly stretched my ideas of mankind's place in the universe. I found some of the business ideas mildly uncomfortable, but the science seems waterproof, and the author's enthusiasm and optimism shine through the technical details. Underlying the science and engineering and business is an exhilirating breath of philosophy that borders on the metaphysical. Dr Lewis certainly provides plenty of objective justification for his ideas, but between the lines you can capture the heady euphoria of the early days of space exploration. These passages verge on the sublime. EXCELLENT.
Rating:
Summary: this book decided my life's pursuit!
Review: Dr. Lewis without a doubt deserves to be one of the most influential leaders in space development. I found Mining the Sky by accident in a hometown book shop while in high school and bought it because I had a few dollars. Five years later, I'm 9 months away from becoming an Air Force space officer with an astronautics degree. This book is that impressive.
This book is the clearest and accessible book on the economic impacts space will provide the human race to date. Most of its ideas aren't fanciful and can be easily imagined as maturing in the next 20-30 years or sooner, given an effort. Maybe even sooner, as at least one private company was inspired by Dr. Lewis' writings.
Dr. Lewis' positive outlook is tempered by a realistic engineering and economic approach to space. Keep in mind this book is first and foremost about space industrialization, not exploration. A true space enthusaist should know that one cannot be without the other. Dr. Lewis could not have given a better general survey of whats out there.
A brief addendum concerning other reviewers' criticisms. This book could be made much more technical. However, this book was meant to appeal to a large, nontechnical audience. For more information, see Dr. Lewis' earlier book (and parent to Mining the Sky) Resources of Near Earth Space. It is the standard text for space materials prospects. Mining the Sky is a toned down version of RoNES meant to explain to a layman (me, when I first read Mining) the opportunities that await those courageous enough to reach out.
Thank you, Dr. Lewis. And everyone even remotely interested in space and mankinds future in it, READ THIS BOOK!
Rating:
Summary: this book decided my life's pursuit!
Review: Dr. Lewis without a doubt deserves to be one of the most influential leaders in space development. I found Mining the Sky by accident in a hometown book shop while in high school and bought it because I had a few dollars. Five years later, I'm 9 months away from becoming an Air Force space officer with an astronautics degree. This book is that impressive.
This book is the clearest and accessible book on the economic impacts space will provide the human race to date. Most of its ideas aren't fanciful and can be easily imagined as maturing in the next 20-30 years or sooner, given an effort. Maybe even sooner, as at least one private company was inspired by Dr. Lewis' writings.
Dr. Lewis' positive outlook is tempered by a realistic engineering and economic approach to space. Keep in mind this book is first and foremost about space industrialization, not exploration. A true space enthusaist should know that one cannot be without the other. Dr. Lewis could not have given a better general survey of whats out there.
A brief addendum concerning other reviewers' criticisms. This book could be made much more technical. However, this book was meant to appeal to a large, nontechnical audience. For more information, see Dr. Lewis' earlier book (and parent to Mining the Sky) Resources of Near Earth Space. It is the standard text for space materials prospects. Mining the Sky is a toned down version of RoNES meant to explain to a layman (me, when I first read Mining) the opportunities that await those courageous enough to reach out.
Thank you, Dr. Lewis. And everyone even remotely interested in space and mankinds future in it, READ THIS BOOK!
Rating:
Summary: A book about space mining from an expert source
Review: Finally, a book by someone who knows what he's talking about! John S. Lewis has impressive credentials in the area of space resources, and he gives them to the reader in a concise, objective manner. This book is a far cry from other space authors' uses of hyperbole, criticism, or wild assumptions. The book also stays within the general realm of the believable, not straying too far from facts to speculate about "what could be done with this." While such asides are mildly entertaining, it is my belief both that the reader can imagine her own wild developments from space technology and resources; and that the real future will prove even today's best thought-out plans to be hokey and narrow-minded. John S. Lewis shows a rare mix of expertise, prose, and restraint, and makes this a must-have for anyone interested in this area.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent book, few flaws
Review: I really enjoyed this book. It's a scientifically rigorous discussion of how to utilize the resources available in the solar system for industrial purposes. By moving our heavy industry beyond the Earth and its atmosphere, we could simultaneously increase the standard of living across the world while ending pollution.I am a material engineer, so I particularly enjoyed how Lewis addressed the engineering issues -- for example, beneficiation of lunar regolith -- in this book. Most physicists who write books of this type just argue the possibilities, and leave out details of HOW to do things. One complaint: Lewis doesn't use a single graph, table or illustration. (A few artist-concept paintings are in the middle.) It's all dense prose, even though 'a picture is worth a thousand words.' A single schematic of a mill for processing lunar minerals could have replaced pages of text. Similarly, a small table listing different minerals or asteroid types and their properties could replace pages of text. Good book, great content, presentation needs work: 4 stars.
Rating:
Summary: The Future is in the Sky
Review: Mr. Lewis, Professor of Planetery Science at the University of Arizona knows his stuff when it comes to outer space and its natural resources and how to economically get there and how to make a profit from them. Readers will be amazed at the enormous wealth that lies within just a few short Astro-Units from Earth. The comment from Space News is that the book is "mind stretching" and it certainly is. The book is a real page turner and the technical stuff is easy and fun to understand.
Rating:
Summary: Let's do it!
Review: The numbers are really what impressed me in this book... especially because they are really conservative! The potential of our own little solar system is absolutely incredible, and Lewis explains it very well. The real fiction in this book is the political agenda, that has already proven it's absolute lack of vision... If only they read those books.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, but a dry read! Overtly technical!
Review: This book and the subject of space colonization and economic activity in space interests me very much... Some of Lewis' insights were keen. I really enjoyed similar titles like the Millenial Project by Marshall Savage, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed in the dry and boring details of Mining the Sky... I don't deny the author's assertions and hypothesis though... that the asteroid belt does offers a vast mineral wealth for the taking. The bottom line, if this subject interests you very very much, you might consider reading it. However, it was just too dry for me to read cover to cover.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting, but a dry read! Overtly technical!
Review: This book and the subject of space colonization and economic activity in space interests me very much... Some of Lewis' insights were keen. I really enjoyed similar titles like the Millenial Project by Marshall Savage, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed in the dry and boring details of Mining the Sky... I don't deny the author's assertions and hypothesis though... that the asteroid belt does offers a vast mineral wealth for the taking. The bottom line, if this subject interests you very very much, you might consider reading it. However, it was just too dry for me to read cover to cover.
Rating:
Summary: interesting ideas could have been written better
Review: This book covers a great deal of topics on the subject of exploring near outer space. I enjoyed the descriptions of what it would be like to walk on an asteroid, with all its gravitational variations. He also discusses some details of specific known asteroids.
He covers the chemistry and energy requirements for first steps of exploration.
However, I enjoyed Robert Zubrin's "Entering Space: Creating a Spacefaring Civilization." Zubrin covers the chemistry, energy and cost requirements also. But his book is organized, and written much better.
Lewis repeats whole passages in this book, and many sections can easily be skipped without missing any information. He attemps to lure the reader with science-fiction-like narrative. Except for one, I did not find it that interesting. There is great deal for free on line about each interesting asteroid that is more detailed than what is offered in this book.
I was disappointed.
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