Call number
523.2 S
Collection
Publication
Viking (2005), Edition: First Edition, 288 pages
Description
The sun's family of planets become a familiar place in this personal account of the lives of other worlds. With her gift for weaving difficult scientific concepts into a compelling story, Sobel explores the planets' origins and oddities through the lens of popular culture, from astrology, mythology, and science fiction to art, music, poetry, biography, and history.--From publisher description.
Subjects
User reviews
LibraryThing member Big_Bang_Gorilla
The present state of book reviewing in this country was never more fully revealed as bankrupt as when this book managed to find some enthusiastic reviewers. The level of science in it is embarrassing even to this non-scientist, the nadir coming when the author "casts a horoscope" for Saturn. She's
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not a bad wordsmith, so the book is not a total waste of time, but the frequent silliness makes this fall somewhat below the level of adequate pop science. Show Less
LibraryThing member criener
Dava Sobel’s The Planets offers a literary and creative journey from the Sun to the outer reaches of our solar system. Organized as a series of essays about each planet (and including our moon and asteroids), Sobel concisely summarizes the state of knowledge about the particular planet and
The facts and figures are kept at a minimum, and rather than simply being listed, are ruminated upon as someone who has just learned these facts. What would it mean to live on Venus where a day is longer than a year? What does it matter whether Pluto is really a planet, or merely one of many hundreds of “Kuiper Belt Objects”? Told with the wonder of an eleven-year-old boy scout, but in the eloquent and erudite prose of an renaissance astronomer-poet, Sobel gracefully interweaves recent and historical knowledge of the planets with the literary fabric that makes these bodies seem so heavenly.
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augments the science with allusions to history and literature. Jupiter’s chapter highlights its importance to astrology, as well as the historical break between astronomy and astrology that discoveries about Jupiter enabled. The chapter on Mars is told from the point of view of the oldest Mars rock to find its way to Earth (“Allan Hills 84001”, or “Thing from Mars”) while the chapter on Uranus is a letter from one esteemed woman astronomer to another. Incorporating our present knowledge of the planets with how we have come across that knowledge, Sobel seamlessly integrates the process of discovery into each chapter.The facts and figures are kept at a minimum, and rather than simply being listed, are ruminated upon as someone who has just learned these facts. What would it mean to live on Venus where a day is longer than a year? What does it matter whether Pluto is really a planet, or merely one of many hundreds of “Kuiper Belt Objects”? Told with the wonder of an eleven-year-old boy scout, but in the eloquent and erudite prose of an renaissance astronomer-poet, Sobel gracefully interweaves recent and historical knowledge of the planets with the literary fabric that makes these bodies seem so heavenly.
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LibraryThing member grahamedmonds
One of the laziest pieces of writing I've read in years...and some critics actually liked it. If you have a working knowledge of the planets don't bother with it, if you know nothing then give it a try. If you're expecting something along the lines of Longitude then you'll be disappointed.
LibraryThing member Atomicmutant
This is a delightful little book. Pure, simple, sweet; elegant, poetic, and full of wonder. It's not a science book, though it's full of science. It's also full of poetry, pop culture, history, and personality. Call it "Ode to a Planetary System". It's a love story in a way, a romance with the
Very, very enjoyable. This isn't heavy stuff, it's an appetizer. Light and tantalizing.
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wonder of our celestial neighborhood, and the journey to discover it.Very, very enjoyable. This isn't heavy stuff, it's an appetizer. Light and tantalizing.
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LibraryThing member bke
As an astronomer, I usually find most popular astronomy books tedious. However, Sobel is an engaging write, and I was surprised to find this book as enjoyable as her others.
LibraryThing member edwardlally
Very nice book, with a chapter about the sun, moon, and each of the planets. Well written, clever, and informative. Additionally, one of the most beautifully designed books I've read - typeface, cover art, colors, etc.
LibraryThing member Noisy
My interests lie at the extremes of the scale - atomic physics, genetics and cosmology. This book addresses the middle of the scale, by covering the components of our solar system. As such, it dabbles in an area which is pretty much virgin territory for me, and had the opportunity to open up yet
I've read 'Longitude', and none of that sticks in my mind, and I have to say that I suspect the same will be true of this work. In six months time I suspect that all I'll recall will be the fact that Sobel mixed up human mythology with those human endeavours to separate fact from fiction. Giving them equal weight is a severe disservice to the astronomers who brave the night air to chart the extents of our (ever-expanding) solar system.
The language is pleasant and the facts are interesting, but there's a lack of substance. I'll be returning to something with a bit more intellectual depth for my next non-fiction read, and it won't be anything about planetary science. An opportunity sadly squandered.
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another window on the universe for me to explore. It failed to grab my attention. I've read 'Longitude', and none of that sticks in my mind, and I have to say that I suspect the same will be true of this work. In six months time I suspect that all I'll recall will be the fact that Sobel mixed up human mythology with those human endeavours to separate fact from fiction. Giving them equal weight is a severe disservice to the astronomers who brave the night air to chart the extents of our (ever-expanding) solar system.
The language is pleasant and the facts are interesting, but there's a lack of substance. I'll be returning to something with a bit more intellectual depth for my next non-fiction read, and it won't be anything about planetary science. An opportunity sadly squandered.
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LibraryThing member Niecierpek
Sobel takes a concoction of scientific facts, myth, poetry, and personal experience and makes it into a tale about each planet of the solar system, the Earth and the Moon, and she does it well.
Be patient through the introduction, in which Sobel talks about how she herself became interested in the
Be patient through the introduction, in which Sobel talks about how she herself became interested in the
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plantes, and which is boring, and read on. The rest is good. The style is nice, and there was enough science and good solid facts to keep me happy. In the end, a pleasant read. Show Less
LibraryThing member NielsenGW
Dava Sobel offers interesting takes on the familiar objects in the night sky. Each planets occupies a cultural niche in society and she explores them all. From the allusions to Venus's beauty to the discovery of Neptune, she develops very apt portraits of each of the planets. There is also a fair
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amount of science and geology in each chapter, but she tries very hard not to make the planets as cold as they seem to be. If you don't want to go out and buy a telescope after reading this book, stick with Grisham and Koontz. Show Less
LibraryThing member tom.gsgc
As a 5th and 6th grade science teacher, I found this book wonderful. It is filled with wonderful factual information, told in a unique and fun way, and provided me with great ideas for use in my classroom, through its creative forms telling the history of our solar system. I am definitely getting
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other books by this author. Show Less
LibraryThing member moonimal
I read and loved Sobel's 'Latitude', so it made sense to pick this book up during a recent visit to the library's astronomy section. I was there to pick up some books for the kids to read during a trip to our cabin. A friend had lent me his 8" telescope, and we were all set for some cool astronomy.
This is a short book, with one chapter devoted to each of the planets - kind of short stories of the science and mythology and other interesting facts about the discovery of each planet.
in short, I like Sobel's writing, but this book didn't do it for me. The chapters were interesting, but not compelling and I really had to work to get through this.
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Unfortunately, it was cloudy during the whole weekend. Ack.This is a short book, with one chapter devoted to each of the planets - kind of short stories of the science and mythology and other interesting facts about the discovery of each planet.
in short, I like Sobel's writing, but this book didn't do it for me. The chapters were interesting, but not compelling and I really had to work to get through this.
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LibraryThing member marshapetry
This is hard to review. I thought it was going to be a *non-fiction* book about the planets... but it turns out that this is more of a review of how each planet has been viewed throughout history, with respects to mythology, religion, scandals, "newsy" items, and also a bit of science. Maybe it's
I thought about not even reviewing this one but I guess it's worth revealing what type of book this is.
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an interesting book to some people but I wasn't looking for a comparative review book - I thought it was going to have some good science. I thought about not even reviewing this one but I guess it's worth revealing what type of book this is.
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LibraryThing member sloopjonb
Very brief overview of the solar system in history, mythology, and astronomy. Could have been longer.
LibraryThing member JBD1
This one was disappointing. I expected something along the lines of Sobel's other books, but this was much more whimsical, tossing in personal stories and quips with some interesting planetary factoids. Interesting, sure - but not great.
LibraryThing member kaylaraeintheway
What a great book! Dava Sobel writes about the 9 planets (yes, Pluto is included - this was written in 2006 after all), plus the sun and the moon, in a way that is both lyrical and scientific. I learned a lot about the origins and compositions of the celestial bodies of our solar system while at
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the same time gaining an understanding about the absolutely bananas way scientists, astronomers, and explorers figured out what the heck was going on in our universe with super basic tools and knowledge. Sobel could have just written about these things like in a textbook, but instead she brings a creative non-fiction style that enabled me to just blaze through this; she explores the origins of Mercury through mythology, the composition of Venus through the poets who rhapsodized about her beauty, the understanding of Earth through cartography, the evolution of Mars as "told" by an actual Martian rock that fell to Earth, and the song of Saturn's rings through music. I love space and the beauty of the written word, and this book combines the best of both! Show Less
LibraryThing member kateprice88
While the language was beautiful, this book simply could not hold my attention. There was little science to be found here, instead focusing more on the wonder of the solar system. Planets and planetary objects are compared to Christian and mythological themes. It simply didn't work for me.
LibraryThing member rakerman
A very pleasant tour through the solar system, planet by planet.
LibraryThing member jfe16
An interesting mix of fact, myth, culture, astrology, and science fiction woven together with history, biography, and poetry. The prose is lyrical, celebrating the solar system with insight, facts, and explanations folded into , inspiring story-telling. It’s an elegant paean, promising to engage
Twelve full-color illustrations accompany the narrative; following are a glossary, notes about the illustrations, details on the narrative, and a bibliography.
Recommended.
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and captivate the reader. Twelve full-color illustrations accompany the narrative; following are a glossary, notes about the illustrations, details on the narrative, and a bibliography.
Recommended.
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LibraryThing member ssperson
An interesting presentation of the information. Sobel uses poetry, mythology, and an imagined letter, among other things, to convey information about the planets.
LibraryThing member Andy_Dingley
An interesting experiment in writing style, but not one that pays off.
Everything in here becomes so fragmented that it is impossible to read and comprehend it unless you already know nearly as much as the author. It's not a text, it's a mnemonic. To learn that maps were for some time printed with
To read (p153) that Jupiter's "diameter expanded at a fraction of the rates at which its mass and volume increased" is somehow connected to Jupiter's behaviour in somehow "compacting itself", rather than the volume being the inevitable behaviour of a cube law – that alone took a star off the rating. That's the writing of someone who either isn't truly at ease with maths, or is just being sloppy with the review editing. From that halfway point, this switched from a mindless read of something unchallenging into a slog to get to the end so that I could get rid of the book. But not even to pass it on to anyone, just to dump it in the charity bin.
Everything in here becomes so fragmented that it is impossible to read and comprehend it unless you already know nearly as much as the author. It's not a text, it's a mnemonic. To learn that maps were for some time printed with
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'Halleyan lines' (p89) is all very well, but it presupposes a knowledge of Halley, magnetic variation and the longitude problem. At most, some of these snippets might make one think, 'Oh yes, this connects to that, how interesting', but it only works if you've already read a (rather clearer) book that explained both. To read (p153) that Jupiter's "diameter expanded at a fraction of the rates at which its mass and volume increased" is somehow connected to Jupiter's behaviour in somehow "compacting itself", rather than the volume being the inevitable behaviour of a cube law – that alone took a star off the rating. That's the writing of someone who either isn't truly at ease with maths, or is just being sloppy with the review editing. From that halfway point, this switched from a mindless read of something unchallenging into a slog to get to the end so that I could get rid of the book. But not even to pass it on to anyone, just to dump it in the charity bin.
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LibraryThing member Paulagraph
Interesting although not as engaging in style nor content as Sobel's previous books, Galileo's Daughter & Longitude. I did learn a useful mnemonic for remembering the order of the planets according to their respective distances from the Sun: "My very educated mother just served us nine pies."
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Although that might be nine of something other than pies, since Pluto is now generally grouped, not with the planets, but with the "Kuiper Belt objects." Alternatively, Pluto is now known as the binary planet Pluto-Charon. Could be a pie. Could be a cookie! Show Less
LibraryThing member steve02476
Ok, pretty writing in places, but pretty thin. More like a collection of magazine articles. The planets are pretty, and interesting, and mysterious, tra-la...
Disappointed, because I really liked Longitude and the book about Galileo's daughter.
Disappointed, because I really liked Longitude and the book about Galileo's daughter.
Pages
288
ISBN
0670034460 / 9780670034468
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