Rating: 
Summary: Another Sagan Masterpiece
Review: A must read. This somewhat overlooked book is one of Sagans best. The descriptions of findings from the voyager missions, such as data on Neptune and its moons, are hypnotizing. Also great discussion on deprovincialization in the early parts of the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Me thinks you doth protest too much
Review: Sagan's work is tainted by a needless criticism of religion. He devotes early chapters of this book to debunking a religious worldview that posits man as a unique creature and the earth as a unique God given place.
This angry stance towards religion is unnecessary, misplaced and detracts from his work...afterall, how many Sagan readers need to be convinced that the earth wasn't created in seven days?
Furthermore, the religious straw man that Sagan constructs is restricted just to fundamentalist viewpoints. Sagan doesn't acknowledge the possibility of a spirtual viewpoint that is compatible with science.
Sagan eventually gets onto brilliant descriptions of distant planets and other worldly environments...but without exception his descriptions are of situations that can't harbor life...yet he never states the obvious fact that the paucity of life giving situations, makes human life and earth's environment seem all the more unique and miraculous...a position that undermines Sagan's earlier anti-religious position.
Rating:
Summary: Watch out!
Review: There are two paperback editions of this book at Amazon. The 1995 edition contains the pictures that were so helpful (and entertaining) in the hardcover edition. The 1997 paperback edition has had the photographs removed. If you like beautiful astronomical photographs, order the 1995 edition.Otherwise, the book is very enjoyable, and provides a cogent discussion of where Carl Sagan thinks we should aim our space program.
Rating:
Summary: Ambitious, flawed, worthy
Review: It's hard to believe that seven years have passed since this book was published, and there's still disagreement about where it belongs. The conventional wisdom has it that it's the sequel to Cosmos--probably because it's the only the second book (along with the unfairly neglected Comet) Sagan wrote after Cosmos to have much to do with astronomy. But Pale Blue Dot is only partly about astronomy. In the 15 or so years that separated the two books, Sagan seems to have acquired a much more political perspective on science and exploration, and it finds its way repeatedly into the later book. Time and again, we find ourselves confronted not only with what's out there, but what *should* be out there--and who. The central motivation behind this book is the observation that manned space exploration has foundered since the end of the Apollo project in the early 1970s, in large part because of the lack of any coherent direction. As Sagan describes throughout the book, robotic exploration can be so successful, with no risk to human life, that we're left wondering what reasons could possibly justify sending people back out into space. Sagan's proposed justifications might surprise some people who haven't yet read this book. They have little to do with the spirit of exploration (although he surely views that as an ancillary feature), or the need to have on-demand human intelligence at the site of new discoveries. Rather, he takes a global view of the human species. Provided that we can put our social affairs in proper order, he poses, what are the dangers to humans and civilization? The short-term danger is provided by humans themselves, through their aggressiveness and short-sightedness. Voyager 2's photo of the Earth as a single cerulean pixel, taken from 5 billion kilometers away, is a kind of metaphorical plea for perspective, and the inspiration for the book's title. Sagan's view of the long-term danger places substantial weight on the asteroid/comet impact risk, the same sort that is understood to have brought about the end of the dinosaurs. It is essential, he asserts, to have humans spread out from Earth--both to perform reconnaissance of possible impactors, and as a way to ensure the continuance of the species, should our home planet be rendered inhospitable (either through external or internal dangers). Sagan naturally hopes it doesn't come to potential extinction, so the bet is on reconnaissance and defense. And what should we do if an asteroid is discovered to be on a potential collision path? The proposed response, nowadays, is to deflect the asteroid into some other, harmless orbit. But Sagan has a warning for us. He's concerned that this same technology could be used for harm by some madman, by turning it upside-down: deflecting some harmless asteroid into another, cataclysmic orbit. This concern doesn't ring true for me. Sagan claims that if you can do one, you can do the other, but that's patently false: There are so many more harmless orbits than harmful ones that if your aim is only so-so, deflection is *much* easier than direction. On the other hand, raising the issue for discussion at all is a healthy idea, even if the risk is eventually judged to be minor. The focus in Pale Blue Dot, then, is not on the science, but the engineering and the politics: How shall we revive the manned space program, what form should it take, how shall we manage it so as not to place too great a strain on human maturity? That's not to say there's no straight science in Pale Blue Dot. Sagan gives an update on the Voyager explorations of the outer solar system, from Saturn to Neptune, as well as the dramatically better picture we have of Venus, due to Magellan. But the emphasis isn't on what we know and how we know it, as it was in Cosmos, but on the behind-the-scenes work on making the science possible. It's notable that Sagan spends quite some time describing the successful efforts of NASA engineers in rescuing the Voyager explorers from mission-endangering faults. It's an inspiring narrative of heroic action--but it's also lobbying. And perhaps that's the best way to look at it. In this book, Sagan is fighting as hard as he can for the space program, in which he believed, passionately. He is ready to recognize its certain flaws, but he is unabashed in his prejudices. In the end, perhaps not everything he tries works, maybe certain arguments are a reach, but as always, he makes us think, and it's a worthy and valiant addition to the Sagan canon.
Rating:
Summary: Want to give it 6 stars
Review: This was the first Sagan-book I read and I was 14 at that time. I can't say I really understood it then, but it simply CHANGED my life. Now I am 18 and this book is one of the most important things in my life till now. I can't say if it's as good as Cosmos or it's better or worse than it, as it depends on your taste, but I myself think at least it can be fairly linked with Cosmos. A must-read to everyone who are interested in the Space age and its short history. And what I want to note is that if you can afford Hardcover, buy that. Not paperback. Although the text itself is not different, to understand the 'vision' and 'pale blue dot', Hardcover will be far better. For me, I bought Paperback first, but at the end I had to brought both of them!
Rating:
Summary: lovely
Review: Re: "The first couple chapters are filled with the usual Sagan illogical naturalism. I never understood how he could hold to such a [sic] irrational philosphy [sic] and yet push critical thinking on everyone (See Demon-haunted world). His best contradiction was proclaiming design and complexity in the universe, yet denying the need for a designer. He seemed to forget logic states 'chance' has no power and that the Big Bang logically points to the need for a transcendent creator." Sorry, the teleological argument for the existence of God was categorically refuted centuries ago. Today no reputable theologian or philosopher (a fortiori, SCIENTIST) entertains it seriously. The above criticism of PALE BLUE DOT has absolutely no merit whatsoever. It is hardly worth the time it takes to dismiss it. So let's move on: PALE BLUE DOT is a lovely and important book. All I can say against it is that it makes me sad its author is no longer among us. We are all the poorer for that.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as Cosmos
Review: First, as I stated in my title, this book is nowhere near as good as Cosmos. Sagan does not have that flair that makes teh reader feel as if he is reaching out towards the great unknown. We do not get that excited feeling of new worlds and exploration present in Cosmos. Instead, Sagan has tended to analyze the discoveries in greater detail. This book is more scientific and in many cases I felt I was back in high school astronomy. Sagan does do a good job of revisiting points and making us feel our place in the universe. He also attempts to illustrate the beauty and greatness of different elements of the universe. His forward looking visions can be very interesting to read. Unfortunately, I kept getting the impression that Sagan has been criticized a great deal for his ideas and this book was his attempt to lash out. Constantly, throughout the book, he listing others claims and attempting to refute them. Now, I can understand if he did this by providing an exact text of these claims we have no information to back this up and I am left feeling that Sagan was immensely bitter to much of the world community during the writing of this book. I was also dissapointed with the fact that he spent the first 80 pages attempting to refute all religion. I am not the most religious person but I feel his claims used his ideas and he did not use any outside sources although I did find many of his claims valid. Sagan does not profess to be an objective observer however, so I cannot complain. Also, for those who have read more recent books, this book can be seen as outdated. he mentions many theories that have since been refuted including much of Darwin's work. That being said, this book does provide great insight into many areas of science and does paint a great picture of our solar system in particular. I would recommend this book on anyway who want an in-depth continuance of Cosmos. For those who want something completely new, or who want to read a book by an objective observer then this book is not for you.
Rating:
Summary: Pale
Review: Mishmash of material lacks the scope and grandeur of Cosmos. In effect it gives him an opportunity to catch up on about 15 years since Cosmos, but adds little beyond what was conveyed before. And goes almost nowhere in making a good case for space exploration and a weaker one in support of his SETI project. It hardly stands well on its own and even Sagan's usual comfortable style seems pale itself rather than stirring. Not a failure as a book, but certainly not his best, and only for those who either like Sagan or want a survey of those years focussing on Sagan's ideas and contributions, which may not be fully objective or complete. Get it at the library. Both Cosmos and Demon-Haunted World are more worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Vision Dulled.
Review: To the original version of this book I would have certainly given five stars; it is a wonderfully inspiring book, by a man who was not only a fine scientist but a great humanitarian, a man who had worked hard to persuade governments of the danger of 'nuclear winter'. Sagan's astute mind, and his compassion, is brought to bear on his vision of our futures in Pale Blue Dot. This is not a utopian vision, Sagan is certainly cognizant of human frailty and our propensity for violence: "If we continue to accumulate only power and not wisdom we will surely destroy ourselves." It is, however, ultimately a hopeful vision, and one based largely upon what we know of our universe, the physics underpinning its behaviour. His thinking is thus more than merely speculative. When, however, I received my own paperback version...I found that all the photographs, images, and graphs - an important part of the book, still referenced in the index - had been removed from the text, hence the four stars, not five. These images in the original book had helped to elucidate what we had achieved already, our discoveries of strange new worlds, as well as what the author and others believed we might achieve in the future. The removal of this material, for reasons which I can only guess, is to be regretted. Would Carl Sagan have supported such editing of his work? What do you think?
Rating:
Summary: You live here!
Review: As these pages attest, there are a number of fine writers out there providing us non-scientists with insights on nature's mysteries. None, however, quite reached the breadth of view or intensity of feeling imparted by Carl Sagan. His writings explained topics ranging from quantum particles to the extent of the cosmos. Along the way, he addressed evolution, space engineering and countless other facets of science and technology. Even fiction wasn't beyond his grasp. Pale Blue Dot is a journey in time and space. Beginning with the assertion that we're natural wanderers, being the only species to settle across our world, it continues with a plea to extend further our exploration of space. The early chapters challenge restrictions on our desire to explore and learn. Sagan demonstrates how foolish minds have restrained our quest for knowledge of the cosmos. He then takes us on a tour of the solar system, exhibiting the wonders revealed by the fleet of robot probes. He reminds us of the forces the cosmos can unleash, sometimes right in our neighbourhood. Like many of the rest of us, Sagan was awed by the collision of a comet with the Jovian gas giant. It was a hint of what might lay in store for us if we fail to understand the universe better than we do now. The space probes also returned images of worlds invalidating existing theories of planetary formation. If our own neighbours can present such bizarre structures, what kinds of worlds ride beyond our ken, circling suns we can barely imagine? What Sagan can't portray, he can conjecture. With his firm working scientist's foundation, Sagan's speculations command respectful attention. This book must be shelved alongside Richard Dawkins THE SELFISH GENE and THE BLIND WATCHMAKER. Together, these three fine works confront the traditional Western view of a universe and the life in it resulting from a Designer. From Dawkins' biological analysis to Sagan's cosmological view, this obstructionist outlook is here rendered groundless. More people must read Pale Blue Dot to gain an idea of who we are and where we stand in the vastness of a nearly limitless universe. Please read this book and convey its ideas to others. There is much to be gained from its imparted wisdom.
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