A long time ago, I read Carl Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot. It is proof that science writing can be Literature. I am so in awe of this masterpiece that I feel the only way to do it justice is to quote the master.
“Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions,
ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every
king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there -- on a
mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely
distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds.
Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there
is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.
The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.” Since global warming has become the clear and present danger of the day, the former has become ominous indeed. ( )

Science books always run the risk of being outdated as new knowledge is gained. Pale Blue Dot was published back in the mid-1990's, which makes it ancient for the genre. As it turns out, not as much of the book was outdated as I feared. But the real reason I wanted to read it was because [a:Carl Sagan|10538|Carl Sagan|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1394121255p2/10538.jpg] is the prose poet nonpareil for science. His soaring, thoughtful turns of phrase are rarely matched by other science popularizers.

There is a series of videos on You Tube, weaving Sagan's voice and writing (much of it from Pale Blue Dot) with images and wonderful music (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF17F07CFC3208E29). While reading this book, I could hear Carl's voice distinctly. If you choose to read or re-read PBD, I encourage you to watch those videos first. Your reading will be the richer for it. ( )

A true visionary. Beautiful prose and very approachable science makes this a most enjoyable read. ( )

I honestly cannot think of too many people who have earned my respect more than Carl Sagan. Since I was a child I have clung to his writing and lecturing. The man just made sense. Pale Blue Dot is so relevant to us, not only as humans but as custodians of a lonely little planet amongst the outer dark. I am biased to this work as I am of all his work. With that being said Pale Blue Dot is an easy read that will weigh heavy on your spirit. Well written and thoughtful. This is our place. ( )

“The Universe is created for us! We’re at the center! Everything pays homage to us!”—and concluding that our pretensions are amusing, our aspirations pathetic, that this must be the planet of the idiots.

Xenophanes understood the arrogance of this perspective:
The Ethiopians make their gods black and snub-nosed; the Thracians say theirs have blue eyes and red hair … Yes, and if oxen and horses or lions had hands, and could paint with their hands, and produce works of art as men do, horses would paint the forms of the godslike horses, and oxen like oxen …

After showing how arrogant and stupid humanity has been Sagan still makes the plea that we somehow save ourselves, by going out into space. That way our entire species future isn't tied to a fragile planet that we ourselves might destroy through our misuse of technology or through war.

I think we are closer now to the destruction that Sagan feared even more so then in 1994, I'm afraid we don't have enough time left to colonize the planets, asteroids, and comets like he proposed. Steven Hawking repeated the plea in 2008. Personally I think, our efforts should be two fold, first try to get some human presence off of earth as quickly as possible, secondly try to develop as sophisticated an AI as possible, and send that off planet, as a hedge that even if humanity is completely destroyed we would have left something behind. ( )

I love the story behind the pale blue dot. More than that, I love how Carl Sagan uses a fuzzy little picture to highlight the human condition: small and insignificant yet brash and arrogant. With one image, he puts us in our place in the vast cosmos. Yet, he doesn’t belittle us. Instead, he uses this image to elevate us to new heights and achieve things we haven’t even dreamed of yet.

And that is what this book does to a greater degree. It’s a sobering reminder of what we are, where we are, and when we are. It’s also a glimpse into our future of reaching into space, conquering the final frontier and ushering in an era of peace and progress. While the last bit seemed far fetched in the 80s and 90s - and even more so now - the message is clear: we need to forget our differences - be they political, religious, or economical - and forge our future together.

Sagan uses the book to argue space travel in the 90s. Yes, we have come a long way since then, and some of the information is extremely outdated in 2015, but the warrant remains the same. His thesis is clear and the writing is sharp, which results in a highly persuasive read that will convert even the most hardcore anti-spacers out there.

I believe I’ve said more than enough about the book. Stop reading and go grab the book right now and immerse yourself in Sagan’s beautiful prose. You’ll lose yourself among the vastness of space, yet you won’t be alone. ( )

Carl Sagan was an amazing person, scientist, author, and thinker. If you have not read this book, put it on your list ASAP. Thank you Hildur!!! ( )

I present to you another piece of impressive and thought provoking literature by the inspirational Carl Sagan.

Carl takes us on a wonderful trip around our solar system, explaining the characteristics of each planet and showing us how uninhabitable our neighborly planets are. He paints a picture of how fragile Earth really is and it really sends the message home that we don't have an "earth part II" available to us that we can move to if something happened. We have to take care of the only home we have.

Aside from the dangers that come from the cosmos (asteroids, a devastating solar flare from our Sun, etc) we have also become a danger to ourselves. Sagan goes into detail about the invention of the atomic bomb and how close we are to annihilating ourselves. Science can be an amazing tool for discovering things and for trying to decipher the universe's mysteries, but it can also be used to invent dangerous creations that can put an end to humanity.

We also have used science to explore our cosmic neighborhood which gives us a better understanding of how other planets work which in turn helps us understand our own home better. Thanks to the invention of satellites, we're able to take breath taking photos of the red & rust covered Mars or the enormous and violent storms of Jupiter and in turn transforming those celestial bodies from little points of light to the beautiful colorful works of art we've come to love today.

The book ends on the note that we have to take better care of ourselves as a species and to take better care of our fragile blue little marble and one day in the not-so-distant-future we can explore and discover and walk on other worlds, possibly spreading human civilization to the cosmos and beyond. I recommend this book to science lovers and to those who want some great educational reading. ( )

Each chapter of the book is Sagan tackling a different aspect of science, history or space travel. His boundless enthusiasm is contagious, but there is also a great deal troubling him. Mainly climate change and mono planetary humanity.

On one hand I feel loss for him missing out on many discoveries and breakthroughs that happened after he died, but on the other hand I'm a relieved he died more hopeful than he would've had he lived through Trump and the antivax movement.

People like Sagan give me hope in humanity and I will try to do fight more to keep their spirit alive. ( )

Yet another great book by Carl Sagan.
Carl Sagan's writing gives that sense of awe about the wonders of our world, that you could have never imagined while preoccupied with your daily grind.
It makes you feel like a child again, when you first had those science classes and you'd be fascinated by all the planets, stars and galaxies.
The experience is truly humbling and rewarding.
What would I give to get an updated version of this book by the same author; sad he's no more. He'd have been amazed by the new discoveries made by Cassini, Voyager, Curiosity and various other missions. ( )

interesting to read , nothing to take note of

In this sequel to the original Cosmos, Carl Sagan again reminds us of the intrinsic human desire to wander, and expands on many of the social and scientific topics discussed in the 1980 television series and accompanying book. Here, Sagan begins with primitive humans migrating across the planet for survival as much as to push the boundaries of a given frontier. From there, Sagan offers a personal anecdote, describing the hardships of his grandparents’ life in Eastern Europe and their fretful immigration to the United States.

A full chapter details the conflicts between science and religion in the early Catholic church and argues that the human race gained a measure of humility after reluctantly accepting the fact that we are not at the center of the universe. As he did often in Cosmos, Sagan delves into the history of astronomical advancements including early discoveries of the larger moons around Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus by Galileo, Huygens, Cassini, Kuiper, and Lassell as well as the naming (and renaming) of the first seven planets by the ancients—Earth, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn—and how this inspired the development of the seven-day calendar week.

Readers are also treated to rich scientific detail about the planets and 60 plus natural satellites in our solar system based on data from the Viking, Galileo, Cassini-Huygens, Pioneers 10 and 11, and Voyager 1 and 2 probes. Further chapters delve into the atmospheric and surface compositions of the worlds, asteroids, and moons before Sagan goes on to expound three major threats to Earth’s environment—ozone depletion, global warming, and nuclear winter.

Sagan’s hopes and visions for the future of manned space exploration through international cooperation are inspiring for all their possibilities, but he is also pragmatic and laments the financial erosion and bureaucratic ossification of the space program over the past three decades and an unfortunate public shift in focus away from planetary exploration. However, in 1994, when Pale Blue Dot was published, it’s difficult to say whether Sagan predicted the dawn of private space agencies—such as SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and others—that would fill the void left by the government.

As always, Carl Sagan makes it clear that by exploring other worlds, we open our minds to possibilities far beyond the scope of our limited knowledge and experience bound up on this insignificant pale blue dot situated on the outer edge of a spiral arm lost among billions of stars and planets in the Milky Way.

“We’re made of star stuff. We are a way for the cosmos to know itself.” – Carl Sagan, Cosmos. ( )

A comprehensive and exhilarating account sketching out mankind's place in the universe. Starting from the famous photo of the 'pale blue dot' – Earth as seen from the Voyager spacecraft as it travelled away from us past Jupiter – the book manages to be both chastening to our hubris and inspiring for our future potential.

It covers much more than this, including detailed explorations of the other planets in our solar system as well as climate change (argued in such a way that it manages to not be annoying) and prospects of interplanetary space travel and off-world colonies. Indeed, this is often to the book's detriment, for it is a dense and time-consuming read, despite being only 400 pages long. Pale Blue Dot is at its best when it is focused on Earth and the solar system, particular the Voyager missions of which author Carl Sagan was a part, not more abstract speculations beyond. (That said, it also took me a long time to read as there's plenty to chew on: many of the things Sagan discusses deserve to be pondered before moving on to the next chapter.)

Nevertheless, Sagan – perhaps more than any other writer in fact or even fiction – managed to capture the almost spiritual (and certainly non-material) sense of human destiny amongst the stars. Helped by high-quality illustrations of some of outer space's treasures, he evokes the awe and majesty of this universe we live in and the potential it offers us. And this world is visible not only through mere telescope lenses mounted on or around this pale blue dot of a planet, but through Sagan's solemn scientific prose and infectious enthusiasm, which brings barren worlds and the empty void to vivid life. ( )

წაკითხვიდან და "რევიუს" დაწერიდან ერთ წელიწადზე მეტი გავიდა და მხოლოდ ახლა მოფივიქრე ჩემ ბლოგზე დაწერილი დამეკავშირებინა Goodreads-ისთვის.

"რევიუს" წასაკითხად გადადით ლინკზე:
მკრთალი ლურჯი წერტილი, პერსონალური მოგზაურობის გაგრძელება ( )

A well written and thought-provoking justification to reach for the stars. ( )

In a tour of our solar system, galaxy and beyond, Cornell astronomer Sagan meshes a history of astronomical discovery, a cogent brief for space exploration and an overview of life-from its origins in the oceans to humanity's first emergence to a projected future where humans "terraform" and settle other planets and asteroids. Earth having long been swallowed by the sun. Maintaining that such relocation is inevitable, the author further argues that planetary science is of practical utility, fostering an interdisciplinary approach to looming environmental catastrophes such as "nuclear winter"

If you want to see how science can offer a spiritual perspective, read this book. ( )

Sagan is a genius - a brilliant deep thinker. That's obvious, and this review won't add or detract to that at all.

Pale Blue Dot had some fabulous insight into the difficulties behind space exploration, particularly on the political and bureaucratic end. However, it frequently goes off topic, where Sagan frequently lectures on the state of the world, our place in the universe, etc etc. Not that this isn't enlightening - just not why I picked up this book.

A bit jumbled, and takes on too much, but a fascinating read nonetheless. ( )

"A Pale Blue Dot" is not fiction - it is incredible insightful scientific musings and a walk through planets and moons of our solar system - but it feels like fiction. Sagan's writing style is full of amazement, wisdom and poetry, and just like a great fiction book it is hard to put down.

When that's said, he spends the first chapters of the book beating on the Church / centrist views in all forms but mostly the Church. I find that somewhat unnecessary - at least to beat that much, but it appears to be his pet peeve, so I put up with it.

The fascinating parts of the book start after that. They are about the worlds in our solar system, how planets and moons form, and the vision for human Space exploration. Fantastic. If it was science fiction it would be great science fiction (just add characters), but it is science which just makes it even greater.

The book is of course 20 years old, and a lot has been discovered since it was written, but mostly not described as eloquently as Sagan can do it. My husband and I read the book together second time (I read it up for him as goodnight story), and have used Wikipedia on my tablet to update ourselves about the later discoveries after each chapter, so when we finish reading about a planet or moon we go to Wikipedia to get the latest space exploration updates about it before moving on. I can recommend that reading strategy. ( )

Wonderful and mind expanding book. It makes a great case for the space program and human exploration of space, but does not stop there. Entertaining and filled with great science. ( )

This book had SO much information packed in a very accessable way. All about our solar system, space exploration, the planets and moons, and all kinds of things. It's so enjoyable to read and will help you understand the amazing place we live. Not earth, folks... the universe. ( )

All though I have the greatest respect for Dr. Carl Sagan, he does tend to let his 'political opinions' leak out. It became very obvious to me that Dr. Sagan has no time for conservatives or Republicans in general.

That said, this book is outstanding if one considers the date it was published. Young astronomers and environmentalists will see and learn about our small but precious Earth.

The big take away for me was that we 'humans', are not the center of anything but our own imaginations. Our place in the cosmos is so insignificant, that it's not even worth mentioning. And to think we are so smart, is laughable.

Thank you Dr. Sagan, and rest well.

Jim DeManche
Amateur Astronomer ( )

As always, an inspiring book by one of the greatest science popularizers. It takes you through various moments of tension during various spacecraft missions.

It lets you in a state of expectation and optimism for the things we can achieve in future generations, this sensation can be best summarized by his last sentence with his singular and powerful prose:

"Sailors on a becalmed sea, we sense the stirring of a breeze." ( )

Dated, but this is still the most majestic and relevant book you’re likely to find about humanity’s place in the solar system. I actually 'read' Pale Blue Dot by listening to the audiobook, narrated for the most part by the author himself. Carl Sagan's delivery is justifiably the stuff of legend, with his rich, deliberate and passionate enunciation. Years after his death Sagan remains one of the most poetic and thought provoking of writers. Marvellous, marvellous stuff. ( )

Sagen writes in his usual eloquent and impassioned manner, about how we must venture into the vast cosmos, and begin our exploration of other worlds. He presents a well thought out argument for the exploration of space as a means of continuing our civilization well into the future. He convinced me, but I am not hard to convince when it comes to exploration or science. I gave this book a rating of three, because it is not as good as other books he has written. ( )