Rating: 
Summary: A time to think
Review: The skill of writing is to create a context in which other people can think. Sagan is a master of distilling scientific complexity for a layman's understanding.A fascinating journey through various aspects of science. There are few books in the world which can instill such wonderment for the meaning of things. Sagan was always opinionated, but seldom shows bias. He lets the reader make up his mind by asking the questions, not giving the answers. One of the pillars of any good book collection.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Quite 5 Stars
Review: This book is certainly thought-provoking. There are many great topics, and they make up for the boring ones. I liked the chapter on near-death experiences was most. The book really makes you interested in science. I think the low point of the book was the Velikovsky chapter, the chapter about naming craters, and some dry info about the solar system. I liked the beginning, and then end of the book the most. Despite it's age, it is still an amazing book.
This is an awesome book that is certainly worth reading. However, I recommend skipping the Velikovsky chapter. I also liked the explanation of math, behind some of the facts, in the back of the book. It makes you want to start calculating things.
BTW I loved the comment on this site that someone made that Sagan is currently in hell. Hahaha!
Rating:
Summary: A science book for the masses
Review: What makes this book the best science book that I've ever read, is its simplisity. Many scientific books are hard to read because while whatever is written in them is clear to the writer, usually a doctor or a professor, it is far beyond the understanding of the average reader. Most of the science books start high, they will explain you anything about black holes, assuming you know what a black hole is. They could tell you about the wonders of galaxies that are thousainds of miles away, assuming of course you can understand what they are saying without checking every second word in the dictionary. "Broca's Brain" is the exact opposite. Instead of starting high, and force the reader to climb up to the book's level, Sagan is starting in the low and simple things (A grain of salt, for example.) and takes the fascinated reader to the high and miraculous. Sagan is a great teacher, and more than that, he is a great storyteller. He is teaching science as it should be taught: As a story. Without funky formulas that most people can't even understand, and in simple and clear words. He is telling us the story of ourselves and everything that's around us, and in this book he is turning science from a magical and isolated thing to what it really should be: Simple, understandable by everyone, interesting and basically fun.
| 
