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Planets (Paperback)

by Dava Sobel (Author)

4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

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Product Details

Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Penguin Paperbacks; Reprint edition (Oct 31 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0142001163
ISBN-13: 978-0142001165
Product Dimensions: 19.3 x 12.7 x 1.8 cm
Shipping Weight: 227 g

Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

Amazon.ca Sales Rank: #190,105 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
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#46 in Books > Science > Astronomy > Solar System

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Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Sobel's purpose in this lovely and personal volume is to show us the planets as she sees them. Writing in quite a different mode than in her best-selling Longitude and Galileo's Daughter, Sobel offers intimate essays inspired by the planets in our solar system, which she describes as "an assortment of magic beans or precious gems in a little private cabinet of wonder—portable, evocative, and swirled in beauty." She frames each essay in a different light, using a particular planet as a stepping stone toward a discussion of larger issues. Her "Jupiter" essay becomes a meditation on astrology, while her essay on the Sun, which relates the actual birth of the universe seemingly ex nihilo, evokes the Genesis account of creation in both its themes and the cadence of its language. Put simply, Sobel's conceits work (even, remarkably, the essay on Mars written from the perspective of a Martian rock) because each beautifully frames its planet. An essay that begins with the story of Sobel's grandmother coming to the United States as an immigrant, for example, sets up the author's musings on the odd nature of Pluto as somewhere in between "planet" and "other." This resonant and eclectic collection—informative, entertaining and poetic—is a joy to read.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School–The authors lifelong fascination with our solar system is evident in these essays that blend the latest scientific knowledge with popular culture, mythology, astrology, literature, music, and more. Beginning with the Big Bang and the Sun in Genesis, Sobel presents the nine planets in turn, inviting readers to share her sense of wonder. Each selection begins with a different point of view. In Sci-Fi, an ancient meteorite talks of the formation and physical nature of Mars; it is followed by an imaginative discussion of the colonization of the planet, including the views of science-fiction writers. Night Air begins with a letter from Caroline Herschel, daughter of Uranus discoverer William Herschel, and also his assistant to the American astronomer Maria Mitchell. Readers will probably assume that this is a real letter; not until the Details section at the end of the book is it revealed that it is fiction, although factually accurate. The writing is clear and elegant, almost lyrical at times, and the research is thorough. This unique and attractive book will be of interest to both science students and general readers.–Sandy Freund, Richard Byrd Library, Fairfax County, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Customer Reviews

3 Reviews

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4 star:		(1)
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4.7 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and informative, Jul 16 2007

By	Paul Weiss (Dundas, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

If John Lennon were alive today to read Dava Sobel's "The Planets", I've no doubt he would be pleased to call it "a magical mystery tour".

I've always enjoyed reading popular science but, frankly, some of it is turgid, dry-as-dust commentary that is far more soporific than informative. By contrast, Sobel's "The Planets", a whirlwind tour of some of the most fascinating features of our very own solar system, waxes lyrical, indeed, almost poetic at times with the compelling beauty of its prose.

Each chapter, written from a unique imaginative perspective, takes what might otherwise be difficult scientific concepts and weaves them into a narrative that will draw in even the most science-phobic reader with an irresistible urgency and fascination. Sci-Fi, for example, the chapter that lucidly tells us the story of Mars, uses the extraordinarily clever device of narration from the point of view of a Martian meteorite, a piece of Martian rock blasted loose from Mars' surface by an asteroid impact that found its way to earth, landing in an Antarctic icefield over sixteen million years ago.

I don't think I could improve on Newsweek's comment ... "a guided tour so imaginative that we forget we're being educated while we're being entertained."

"The Planets" is highly recommended and adds to a growing body of work that includes the equally entertaining "Longitude" and "Galileo's Daughter".

Paul Weiss

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Journey through the solar system, Feb 20 2007

By	Pieter "Toypom" (Johannesburg) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

This charming guide to the solar system explains the planets in everyday language while drawing on history, myth, science fiction, art, literature and the latest scientific advances. It discusses the ongoing discoveries in our planetary system, dealing with every body from the sun to Pluto. The writing style is accessible and highly engaging.

The chapter Genesis deals with the sun and the formation of the solar system, Mythology is devoted to Mercury and astronomers like Tycho Brahe, Copernicus and Kepler, and Beauty is reserved for Venus, where the poetry of amongst others, Blake, Wordsworth, Oliver Wendell Holmes and CS Lewis is quoted. Earth gets its turn in Geography (On Becoming a Planet), and the Moon in the chapter Lunacy.

Jupiter and the Galileo spacecraft are investigated in Astrology, whilst Music Of The Spheres is about Saturn and the music of the planets as represented by Holst in his Opus 32 and Kepler's book Harmonice Mundi in which he interpreted their motions as music. Uranus and Neptune are discussed in the chapter Discovery, and Pluto in UFO where the controversy on whether Pluto really is a planet is explored.

The concluding chapter Planeteers discusses the Cassini spacecraft and the Huygens probe which landed on Saturn's moon Titan in January 2005. The author concludes with the observation that the planets have always been stalwarts of human culture and the inspiration for much of mankind's higher-minded endeavor. The book concludes with a glossary, notes by chapter and a bibliography. There are black and white illustrations, photographs and maps throughout the text.

The PS section at the end contains an interview with the author by Travis Elborough, Sobel's favorite books and writers, Other books by Sobel and books she recommends, and an essay about the New Horizons spacecraft launched on 19th January 2006 on its 10 year journey to Pluto.

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5.0 out of 5 stars A Change of Pace for Sobel, Sep 27 2009

By	B. Breen "Canuckster1127" (Sterling, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Planets (Audio CD)

Having recently listened to Dava Sobel's two popular scientific historical works, Longitude and Galileo's Daughter, I was quite looking forward to this more recent work with regard to our Planets. While I was not disappointed, I was suprised at the very noticable change in style and approach.

Part of this, is directed by the subject matter. The Planets of our Solar System have varied histories in terms of their discovery and their insertion into our popular literature and culture. Rather than looking at this as a cohesive narrative you'll better appreciate it if you see it as a collection of short essays with varience as to styles and narrative voice.

The Planets, in this context then read (or listen in my case as again I listened to it on CD) much cleaner and crisper. In fact, while scientific information certainly does play throughout, you may appreciate the much more florid descriptions and fanciful whims that occur. While this is different that the purer narrative of her former work, it is well done and showcases the literary style and voice that Sobel hints at in her former works.

All this said, I would say in comparison to her former work, this doesn't quite measure up. Sobel in that regard has set the bar very high. It's certainly worth the time and effort to read however and it will entertain as well as inform.

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