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Summary: Earth is so provincial...
Review: He never says it. But it's a sequel, par excellence, to the classic _Cosmos_. Sequels are usually disappointing. This is one of those rare cases where the sequel is better than the original. I had read this book in hardcover and ended up buying my own paperback copy while in Ithaca (Sagan's hometown) because I had nothing to read and a long ride back home. I'm a fan of Sagan - can't help it - because even though he's a brilliant scientist, he somehow manages to be a great writer as well. This book is no exception. Sagan's basic idea is that the destiny of humanity is to expand out to the stars. And even though this idea reeks with echoes of Manifest Destiny, I have to agree. In Manifest Destiny, there were Indians - here, no intelligent life that we know of. And if there is something out there, wouldn't we want to know about it? Like so many great works of popular science, Sagan starts out by tracing the changes in our views of the world, from our conceit that we were the center of the Universe to the backwater position that we're in today. Sagan's idea of generalized chauvinisms comes up - first in place (the obvious), then in time (if there was other intelligent life, it's not around any more), and, if I recall correctly, in chemical basis (life must be made out of carbon). He refutes all these ideas - and why not? Who said that silicon can't conquer the universe? My personal favorite part of the book is Chapter 5, "Is There Intelligent Life On Earth?" Sagan asks us to "[imagine yourself as] an alien explorer entering the Solar system after a long journey through the blackness of interstellar space". As we examine the Earth at finer and finer resolution, what do we see? I won't tell you - it's a bit unexpected - but the answer will surprise you. Who said scientists can't be humorous? A large portion of the book surveys the prospects of life elsewhere in the Solar System - Venus, Mars, Io, and Titan (but, surprisingly, not Europa) figure prominently. (Sagan did research on Titan tholins, precursors to organic molecules found on Titan.) It's interesting - maybe a bit out of place in Sagan's overall idea, but who cares? So why don't we leave Earth? Why are we still stuck on this pale blue dot? The politicians, says Sagan. They don't see far enough into the future - all they care about is their own re-election. And it's even too far for normal humans to see, sometimes. But it's worth it - evolution demands that we adapt. Near the end, we find this passage: "It will not be we who reach Alpha Centauri and the other nearby stars. It will be a species very much like us, but with more of our strengths and fewer of our weaknesses, a species returned to circumstances more like those for which it was originally evolved, more confident, farseeing, capable, and prudent - the sorts of beings we would want to represent us in a Universe that, for all we know, is filled with species much older, much more powerful, and very different." (p. 329) Perhaps this illustrates the inspirational quality of Sagan's writing. So why are we still here?
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Summary: Wonderful subject matter and commentary
Review: Sagan continues his outstanding work of Cosmos in this book. I've re-read it several times since I first purchased it in hardcover 6 years ago. His thoughts are always idealistic, sometimes too much so, but Sagan's always been a forward-thinker and futurist. "Can't see the trees for the forest" applies to Sagan very well, although the idealism certainly does not detract from the book whatsoever. This book should be a must-read for anyone interested in getting the human race off of their collective butts and into space. "The Great Demotions" chapter is so excellent that it should be read by everyone. Extremely insiprational and thought-provoking in a "think-for-yourself", intelligent way.
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Summary: Another facinating book
Review: A suburb well rounded take on all the basic major aspects for the human future in space that also manages to stay grounded in reality, except possibly some of the parts on terraforming, but every field needs its visionaries. Also interesting is the reactions of people to Sagan's usual bit on the nature of humanity, some people balk quite violently when faced with their (and that of their fellows) ignorance, arrogance and cosmic insignifigance. I suppose that's only natural, but Sagan also offers an alternative to our stupidities in rational understanding and wonder at the universe, even though Sagan himself acknowledges that he is hardly an unsympathetic and indifferent observer to humanity and is hence sometimes swaed by our prejudices and failings. As for the final word on the design arguement for a cosmic creator, which is brought up in Bale Blue Dot: we are proudcts of this universe, its logical then that as a survival mechanism we would see the universe in a way that made sense to us and stimulated our minds to fruther interact with our enviroment, its how the human species survived in the past, and things are more complex now, but it is still how we survive. In fact Sagan makes that very point somewhere in this and (more so) in his other books.
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Summary: Wow! Beautiful
Review: This was the first of Sagan's books I read, and it's wonderful. The image of the Earth as a "pale blue dot" and the "You are Here" painting are haunting and give perspective. You'll never think of your country or your life in the same way... and that's just the first chapter!
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Summary: Humbling and Inspirational
Review: Read the opening sequence of the book and see our world as a tiny blue pixel from beyond Neptune's orbit. Try, as Sagan admonishes you to do, to imagine the conflicts fougt and wholesale murder that has been committed to control a fraction of that pixel. You are forced by the very grandeur of the Universe to think beyond your own provincialisms and imagine us as one world, one species, with the capability to go on to something great or destroy ourselves in an instant. This is the most frightening part of Sagan's book to some: Whether we make it or not, is up to us; the Universe won't care one way or another. Sagan then introduces you to the wonders awaiting us when we move off our dot and explore the solar system and surrounding stars. It's a magnificent journey filled with all the wonders that the cosmos has to offer. From the safety of your easy chair, you can journey to Mars, the moons of Jupiter and the outer planets. A truly worhty sequel to Cosmos.
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Summary: I liked the book
Review: The book kept me interested, and was quite enlightening. It made me think about the relationships of the space program and the future of space exploration.
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Summary: Sagan is the messiah of marketing astronomy
Review: After having just watched the movie, "Mission to Mars" it is obvious the Sagan's impact on scientific popular culture is growing exponentially. Movies such as Contact, Armageddon, Deep Impact, and even (regrettably) Rocketman, have been shaping public perception of our species future in space. I believe Sagan has been responsible for this recent explosion in the interest of space. Of course I realize the findings of the "supposed" fossilized Mars life has played a huge part in this as well. Sagan is magnificent in his ability to pull the reader in and open his/her mind to the truly important things in life - truth, discovery, and skepticism. This book is a truly a steeping stone in our pursuit towards the ultimate question - where are we going? Space the final frontier.
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Summary: Leaving Our Pale Blue Dot
Review: If you buy the complete glossy paperback for the illustrations alone, it is a good buy (especially if you can buy it from Amazon.com) Dr. Sagan explains why humans are going and must go into space in a cogent and enrapturing manner. For those of you who buy books but cannot buy the time to read them: if you can read only one chapter, his last chapter is well worth the time. His message is clear: if the human race is to survive beyond its few moments on Earth, it must one day leave this pale blue dot forever.
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Summary: Star Light Star Bright
Review: As a highschool student I found this book remarkably easy to read and incredibly inciteful. I am now taking advanced math and sciences in the hopes of becoming a engineer to take us to mars. Niel Armstrong was the first man on the moon Pioneer 10 was the first space craft to leave the solar system. But Carl Sagan is the man who inspired the new generation of scientist and engineer who will take us to the stars.
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Summary: attention all non-believers
Review: Carl Sagan's finest point is stating that the universe does not require a creator for the universe to be as we see it today...the reason why i am stating this is because many people today believe a designer is necessary without trying to look for the truth themselves
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