I cannot imagine reading this and not being moved. I cannot imagine reading this and not being blown away by the wonder of existence and the wonder of the universe as you do so. I cannot imagine reading this and not absolutely loving Carl Sagan by the time you reach the last page.

COSMOS is an amazing read. At times, it may feel a little densely packed, but that's only because its every single word is important, is loaded with meaning. In 13 gorgeously color-illustrated chapters, Sagan takes his readers on an absolutely amazing tour through the entire history and geography of the universe, with exciting stops along the way--in Earth's distant history, on Mars, in ancient Alexandria, to the edge of the universe, to the insides of the stars, and the insides of our minds.

Over and over again, reading this, my jaw dropped in awe and amazement. I found myself quoting passages of it to whoever I was near. I found myself with a pencil in hand, marking every other line.

The perspective that Sagan gives to our lives on Earth, the wonder he imbues the pursuit of knowledge with, and importance he conveys regarding humankind's role as Earth's most intelligent and potentially destructive species feels holy, and needed. The whole books feel that way.

What more can I say? I love this book. I wanted to hang up a framed picture of its author by the time I was done with it. I wanted to buy copies for everyone I know. I wanted to watch the DVDs of its companion series, and I still do--it's nice in that way, in that you can recommend it to anyone, as a book or as a show, even to people who don't like to read. If you buy the book though, be sure not to get the mass market paperback version, as that doesn't have all the illustrations. Get it in hardcover, as you'll almost certainly want to keep it for further re-reading, and for your collection.

(Okay, I'm afraid this is more an essay than a review but I hope it's evident how this book and the views expressed are related.)

I remember the t.v. series from my childhood. It fascinated me then and I'd love to return to it someday. But I decided to go to the book first.

I got an original addition. No updates. I was worried that I'd slap my head a few times and think; Wow, THAT was off!

Nope. While the DATA may be out of date, the lessons taught in it were and still are spot on. Even the chapters focusing on the threat of nuclear war (say it with me: NOO-KLEE-ER) are still relevant because the driving force behind the arms race (to sum up; xenophobia) is unfortunately still so prevalent today.

People would rather shun/belittle/bully/kill those they don't understand or disagree with than live with them on this earth ... our Earth.

Sagan (as with MANY popular scientists) has drawn fire from religious groups due to his staunch atheism. Well, I'm not an atheist I find no threat it what he writes. Religion and spirituality in general came about to ease the minds of the general public concerning issues for which there was no understanding at the time. Science hadn't advanced enough to tell what was causing plagues or why the sun seemed to be eaten and gradually reappear every once in a while.

Now science can explain those things. Yes, there are questions it does not answer yet. Yes, there are probably questions it may NEVER answer. But questions of self-worth shouldn't come from science. Men and women around the world can decide for themselves what their "destiny" is and that personal voyage of self-discovery is the most spiritual activity one can participate in.

Science and spirituality (even religion) can coexist. Even the Dalai Lama conceded that if science should contradict the existence of reincarnation; "Tibetan Buddhism would have to change. But," he added, "you're going to find it pretty hard to disprove reincarnation..."

Thank you, sir, we'll see what we can do. :-)

... as there is nothing else to add except that this book is THE BEST book I've ever read in my entire life. Carl Sagan is a GENIUS. His memory will live on forever through his books. He made me love astronomy so much I bought a telescope! :o)

Carl Sagan's COSMOS is simply one of the best popular science books ever written. What sets this book apart from others on the subject is Sagan's poetic style and enthusiasm for the topic. By the way, the pictures in the hard-cover version are beautiful.

This is an incredible book, even if it is dated. I am a words person, not numbers, so when Sagan got into a lot of equations and chemistry, I had to kind of skim over those parts. I never could have understood them, and if I'd tried to force myself to, I probably would have gotten frustrated and gave up on the book. So I stuck with the parts (happily, that was most of it) I could absorb and easily understand. There were so many fascinating aspects to it that I would have missed had I given up over the math. This book is capable of starting you on a journey. It has made me find a book on Alexandria, which I am just starting. There is a fascinating history there, and I will continue on with books on da Vinci and Einstein. They are men I've heard about, of course, but never has my curiosity about them been so piqued. Being a book lover, the Library of Alexandria is something I want to learn more about. This book will make you want to learn more about a lot of things.

This is undoubtedly the most beautiful work of science ever written for the general public. It spans across multiple disciplines, from evolution, to genetics, to chemistry, to physics, to astronomy, and astrophysics. Whether you're a scientist or just a child interesting in the world around us, Dr. Sagan does not disappoint and conveys science with nothing less than elegance.

I have to laugh that one of the tags for this book is atheist. Was he an atheist? I don't know. But I truly enjoyed this book, and it was a further shovel of dirt on religion in the ground for me. A number of things had led me to that point (taking a philosophy course way back when I was in college), but this book really gave religion in a frank light: nothing more than an explanation of the unknown for societies. The ones that took hold and didn't go away when science explained away are what we have today. But seriously, lets only go as far as agnostic, please.

Religion aside, this is truly a magnificent travel through space. I read it whilst camping that really assisted in its fine journey. A little outdated, but highly recommended nonetheless.

Carl Sagan's book and TV series called Cosmos has opened the vast universe to millions and millions of people. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and watching the series.

It is not surprising that Cosmos is the best-selling science book ever published in the English language...and the series has been seen by half a billion people!

Carl Sagan was able to accomplish this feat by tapping into his psyche as a little boy who asked many questions about the universe. He then wrote and produced the series from the heart. His enthusiasm and fascination with the earth, planets, stars, galaxies, extraterrestrial life and more is contagious! He took an incredibly difficult subject and made it fun, exciting and educational for anyone from 8 to 80 who has looked up at the night skies...and wondered.

The book and series are not to be missed!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

I first bumped into Carl Sagan when I saw his TV documentary series called "Cosmos" many years ago. It has only been recently that I have got off my rear and read the book. It has to be said that I had waited far too long to do this.

"Cosmos" (the book) is a great overall introduction to the universe about us and the history of its discovery by people. Mixing hitsory and astronomy, Sagan covers the major efforts that went into discovering different things out there and what thos discoveries meant. There is also a healthy level of how astronomers do what they do, such as light spectrum analysis, radar mapping and so on. Despite this, there is virtually no mathematics involved, which is a good thing for general readers.

The hardcover edition also has plenty of pictures, photos and diagrams relating to the text. This makes the book very interesting and quite amazing to read. I was very impressed with the quality of the photos and what they showed. They added a great deal to the text, especially for more visual people such as myself.

The only drawback with the book is its age. It was written over 20 years ago and references to future missions planned for 1986 highlight this aspect of the book. There may have been discoveries since the time of writing that would add more to the reader's knowledge. However, in spite of this drawback of age, the book is still valuable as a very readable introduction.

Carl Sagan writes with a very fluid and relaxing style. He doesn't overload the reader with specialised jargon, and when he does use it, he explains it very well. When the explanations are a bit heavy, I have noticed Sagan's tendency to supply diagrams. I was at no point confused or lost by Sagan's text.

Overall, the book makes a great starting point into the world of astronomy, the path people have taken to get us to where we are today and just what is out there. This is a very interesting book about a very interesting subject. I definitely recommend it, despite the age problems refered to above.

I have read many many books pertaining to astronomy and cosmology over the years, but until this book, I had never read anything written by Carl Sagan. What interested me enough to purchase this book was not only the topic it covered, but that the book was itself written by Carl Sagan.

I best remember Carl Sagan from those TV specials he narrated that were aired on public TV many years ago. I was always impressed with Mr. Sagan's knowledge and manner of presentation of the material. His enthusiasm to tell what he knew about the cosmos was never masked by a scripted TV presentation; his enthusiasm was very infectious. So recently, I thought I had to rectify my having never read a book written by Mr. Sagan and I purchased the book Cosmos. I was not disappointed; I felt as if I was watching one of those old TV specials narrated by Mr. Sagan. In my mind's eye, I could see everything I was reading and I did not want the book to end.

Despite that the book may be dated, and cosmology has moved on a bit since the publishing of this book, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in cosmology, astronomy, astrophysics and even history. I only wish Mr. Sagan was still alive to write something new. He is missed by me.

The best advice I can give, regarding this book, is to GIVE it to a young person interested in science or space. You will plant a seed that will grow forever. Sagan's masterpiece takes the mind on a wonderful journey through the stars as well as through other space centered events. Highest recommendation as a text for learning as well as a fine read for anyone interested in the subject.

Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" was my first book on astrophysics and was very instrumental in my growing love of Cosmology and all things Space. He is a great writer, a bit out there sometimes but like any great science writer, he makes the material accessable to the general public in a way that is thought-provoking and educational.

Imagine you are a wanderer, like our forebears, you gaze up at night, finding a spectacular image then tell you offspring what you've seen, you name these constellations, like telling a story. Millions years later, our species created enough fairytales, then science comes, evolves, battles, advances, imagine you are a reporter, and you need to write down all these. Not just the outcome.
That's how cosmos comes to be what it is now, but unfortunately, most of us just know the outcome, like Earth is a planet orbiting the Sun, a star. Carl Sagan did the rest of the jobs brilliantly in Cosmos. When reading this book, you will forget it's science but a story book as if you are surfing in the wave of history from the very beginning of everything.
unlike other science book, Cosmos not just tell us what when and how, but why, why it's so important for our species and survival. The book is full of knowledge, wisdom and a sense of responsibility as one inhabitant on Earth.
Everyone on Earth should read this book

Imagine you are a wanderer, like our forebears, you gaze up at night, finding a spectacular image then tell you offspring what you've seen, you name these constellations, like telling a story. Millions years later, our species created enough fairytales, then science comes, evolves, battles, advances, imagine you are a reporter, and you need to write down all these. Not just the outcome.
That's how cosmos comes to be what it is now, but unfortunately, most of us just know the outcome, like Earth is a planet orbiting the Sun, a star. Carl Sagan did the rest of the jobs brilliantly in Cosmos. When reading this book, you will forget it's science but a story book as if you are surfing in the wave of history from the very beginning of everything.
unlike other science book, Cosmos not just tell us what when and how, but why, why it's so important for our species and survival. The book is full of knowledge, wisdom and a sense of responsibility as one inhabitant on Earth.
Everyone on Earth should read this book

You are doing yourself a disservice if you have never exposed yourself to the work of Carl Sagan. After reading this book I immediately checked out and fell in love with the television show as well. Even though Cosmos is nearly 30 years old now, Sagan's remarkable sense of awe speaks just as clearly now as I'm sure it did then. A quote on the back of the book says "Cosmos is like the college course in science you always wanted to take but never knew a professor teach" and I couldn't agree more. It's a great crime that no science class I ever took in school, college included, ever took the liberty of exploring the Cosmos in the way Sagan does effortlessly. If you have ever looked at the stars and wondered, this book is for you.

'Cosmos' is surely one of the best books EVER. The wondrous cosmological mysteries and large questions of mankind are covered and expounded upon with humility and great inquisitiveness. The origins and vastness of our universe, time and space, and our own place in the galaxy and universe will really drive home the folly of war and other forms of violence we perpetrate against each other irrationally (in many cases in the name of religion or race such as 9/11). This great book should be a 'must read' in every high school science classroom.

Carl Sagan's very well done introduction to astronomy, cosmology, life and all that good stuff, as he sets out to explain to the layperson the origins of the universe, the stars, and the planets, and ultimately, us.

An uplifting publication to go alongside his tv series.

Carl Sagan left so much for mankind that it's hard to say which of his contributions stand highest in importance---his many books, his lectures, the "Cosmos" series or countless others. Certainly, this book ranks most high. Sagan does a marvelous of spinning a silver web of wonder, subtly explaining complex issues without losing a beat, and leaving readers with that all-important treasure--faith. When finished reading, one sits back and just thinks.

Some have criticized the ending built around pi, but it's an imperfectly perfect ending that only a Carl Sagan could come up with. No one ever said he had all the answers (or was God)--only that he could leave the reader realizing that, deep in the terrible complexities of this universe, there really are answers we've never yet dreamed of.

Andy O'Hara - www.SwanTales.com

Carl Sagan left so much for mankind that it's hard to say which of his contributions stand highest in importance---his many books, his lectures, the "Cosmos" series or countless others. Certainly, this book ranks most high. Sagan does a marvelous of spinning a silver web of wonder, subtly explaining complex issues without losing a beat, and leaving readers with that all-important treasure--faith. When finished reading, one sits back and just thinks.

Some have criticized the ending built around pi, but it's an imperfectly perfect ending that only a Carl Sagan could come up with. No one ever said he had all the answers (or was God)--only that he could leave the reader realizing that, deep in the terrible complexities of this universe, there really are answers we've never yet dreamed of.

Science/atronomy always seemed too complex as i'm a lay person who is terrible at maths etc.so i been shy of these kinds of books.This book is a hive of understandable provocative information.It explains how vast vast can be.And that 2 things are evident-universe has infinite time and its constantly re-organising itself.It made me see that change is a small hop to mutation given enough time and the book explains the process from sub-atomic to life.Anyway now i've come up with my bold and eccentric belief that God is no more than a life-of-its-own-super-concious-collective spin-off that's been snowballingfrom from everything that has ever lived on the planet for the last 3-4 billion years (yes other living planets have their own Gods)and didn't create the Universe.If the universe/s are truly infinite then they truly are backwards in time too.So no need for a Creator.However i disagree how Sagan merely implys God is a figment of our imagination as all good scientists do.The collective human super-conciousness should be thing we meditate and aspire to connect with or science means nothing because we are flawed. Perhaps because God is not in charge of EVERYTHING !and Religion tends to make a mess of this evolving process because of its ego-centricity.This is a facinating book. These are some of the ideas i thought of from it but 'Cosmos' is full of hundreds of others.There is a useful out-line of the development of science through the ages and a tantalising glimpse of what the ancient Greeks were able phathom way ahead of their time.Just WHAT was in the library of Alexandria before it was destroyed?
PS:But i question- are scientists the best for communicating with alien life forms?Guys Guys, on our space probe, keep representing our numbers simple!The difference between 2 rocks/stars etc from 5 is as ** or ***** etc and from there decimals can be explained.Instead they use shapes that give no clue to quantity.Poor Sagan a tad too idealistic i feel about super intelligent aliens-their intelligence likely to be entirely different from ours. Meanwhile our first radio communications zinging away at the speed of light through space transmit largely spam.We are too back-ward to get rid of it either....

Science/atronomy always seemed too complex as i'm a lay person who is terrible at maths etc.so i been shy of these kinds of books.This book is a hive of understandable provocative information.It explains how vast vast can be.And that 2 things are evident-universe has infinite time and its constantly re-organising itself.It made me see that change is a small hop to mutation given enough time and the book explains the process from sub-atomic to life.Anyway now i've come up with my bold and eccentric belief that God is no more than a life-of-its-own-super-concious-collective spin-off that's been snowballingfrom from everything that has ever lived on the planet for the last 3-4 billion years (yes other living planets have their own Gods)and didn't create the Universe.If the universe/s are truly infinite then they truly are backwards in time too.So no need for a Creator.However i disagree how Sagan merely implys God is a figment of our imagination as all good scientists do.The collective human super-conciousness should be thing we meditate and aspire to connect with or science means nothing because we are flawed. Perhaps because God is not in charge of EVERYTHING !and Religion tends to make a mess of this evolving process because of its ego-centricity.This is a facinating book. These are some of the ideas i thought of from it but 'Cosmos' is full of hundreds of others.There is a useful out-line of the development of science through the ages and a tantalising glimpse of what the ancient Greeks were able phathom way ahead of their time.Just WHAT was in the library of Alexandria before it was destroyed?

I never had any clear ideas about god or science till i read this book. I thought science would be too complex to understand being a lay person who is terrible at maths etc.Also i have always been horrified at how religion seems to obscure God.This book is a hive of provocative information.
Now i believe God to only be a super collective conciousnes that has been snowballing over the last 3-4 billion years from all the life awarenesses of anything that has ever lived on this planet.(Are there other Gods on other living planets?)And that God didn't create space or its raw materials or dynamics.There was no need for a God to create the Earth,stars or planets because the way Carl Sagan explains science its very possible for these things to have coalesced from cosmic gas and dust.Out of an infinite number of fall out options,the Earth ended up just the right distance from the sun with water and hydrogen. Organic molecules was formed from hydrogen via ultra violet/radiation etc.The crux of life beginning(i believe) is the impetus and ability of one DNA molecule,(out of a vast number of types of organic molecules that don't) to reproduce itself.And surely reproduction is one of the most fundamental principles to life.Then the scientific explanation of the evolution of how a molecule can do this and it leading to the first cell and all the subsequent life forms.Facinatingly it explains how the first life form was a parasitic sub molecular part.
True or not this book showed me there is infinite time and re-organising change ever present in the universe.And change is a small hop to change into mutation given enough time.So there is no need for a Creator.Mutation of the molecule is "the divine"spark needed to make life on Earth.
However I am critical of the way Sagan throws out the baby with the bath water regarding existence of God.Its just He didn't create everything (and why Fate and we are flawed.)Cosmic order and chaos keeping seeping through the divine plan.But God should be our aspiration since He is our link to super conciousness so man can better himself to be a less destructive and ignorant life form.
These are some of the many ideas i got from reading this provocative book.And it will get you thinking too

Cosmos has profoundly influenced me on a real, tangible, continual, daily basis. Sagan convinced me of the precious nature of our existence. Sagan effectively explains the vastness of our solar system, our star cluster, our galaxy, the entire universe via using brilliant, easy to understand analogies. After completing the book, I felt profoundly connected to every human-being on the planet. The beauty of our existence becomes truly apparent, however the tragedy and foolishness behind conflict, crime, war, hatred, bigotry and zealotry also becomes unbearably clear.

Before Cosmos, I used to live on earth. After Cosmos, I live on earth, in the milky way galaxy, in this vast and ever-expanding (and maybe contarcting) universe!

The late great astronomer put his all into this effort, and nearly three decades later, Cosmos is still an engaging read. From his relating of Eratosthenes' method for correctly calculating the earth's circumference 2300 years ago to speculation on the possibilities of resurrecting three abandoned spacecraft designs, Sagan presents a grand, optimistic, and powerful view of the universe and our innumerable connections to all of it at every scale. Whether one reads the book on its own or in concert with the video series, this is an indispensible journey for all who have curiosity about science and nature.

Sagan mixes a little fantasy in with some good science. He has an interesting style that makes for a good read.

Sagan mixes a little fantasy in with some good science. He has an interesting style that makes for a good read.

What more can be said about this book which hasn't already been said? This is the kind of book which sparks an interest in science which can't be extinguished. When you read this book, you'll be fascinated by all fields of science, from the most elementary electrons, lost in quantum physics, to the most elegant inner workings of biology, and finally, to the farthest expanses of the universe itself. Of all the books, in all the countries, written by all the authors in the present and past, this is surely the book which must be read by everyone. It would be impossible to quantify how many people's lives have been influenced by this masterful book. No other book in my library comes as highly recommended as does this one.

If any twentieth-century work of popular scientific literature deserves to stand the test of time, it is "Cosmos". As most of its readers will quickly point out, there are few books that have managed to so adeptly pull off the dual feat of entertaining and education an audience. Yet there is more to this book than those aspects alone; I would argue that the most noteworthy aspect of this text is its ability to fully convey to us, in all of its splendor, the vastness of our universe, and the sheer joy that comes with attempting to understand even a small part of it. One gets the sense that, deep down (before his tragic passing), Carl Sagan was a giddy schoolboy with a telescope, whose great love in life was sharing the beauty, wonder, and glorious potential he saw in the stars with as many different people as he could. Passionate people like that are often mocked, sometimes even despised, by a society which disdains eccentric orbits, be they of a human or planetary nature; yet the world is a far richer place because intellectuals like Carl Sagan exist. You owe it to yourself to read this book.

Great book. And Sagan's revolutionary style of explaining his craft makes this a very informative, enlightening and fun read, as his book about the universe takes you from inside the human mind, to theoretical alien civilizations in the far reaches of the COSMOS. The book is somewhat poetic in its style, with Sagan pondering what is, and what could be--but the book also gets down to some basic science, like the life and death of stars, and so on.

A book that any fan of astronomy or science should have.

There are "great" books, and then there are books that are truly essential; this is a rare book that educates you and delights you at the same time. (I wish every college textbook contained the same mix of facts and fascination as this book does.) COSMOS was the first book I have ever read that left me feeling that I had gained ESSENTIAL information that had never been provided to me during a high school or college course.

The book is wonderful, lyric, magic. Everyone should read it to get a better understanding about the universe and about our Earth. For sure after reading this book you will be a better person.

Fernando

This was the 20th century's greatest story-book on us,the citizens of the planet Earth.I first read this in grade school and was spellbound, by Sagan's magickal review of the human race and the universe.No other book equalled it's eloquence,expressing to all readers,the need to save our species ,the planet and all her creatures. -(Reader Beware!)-One thing that is largely left out is ,Realpolitik.Sagan was an "ivory tower scientist" and also an "arm-chair atheist".Political Reality and Spirituality,can not be removed from our human society and our human pysche. Yet,by writing this momentous book,he remains a "true literary emissary for positive social change". It would't hurt the masses of readers,by continuing to explore this book,now into the 21 century .

How can you convince the entire world to read something? I suppose you could put one in every hotel room, or give them away to people on the street, or you could make a 13-hour television series and put it on PBS (which is what they did). There's a reason this book has been given a 5 star rating. Trust me...read this book.


Marina Kushner
Author
The Truth About Caffeine: How Companies That Promote It Deceive Us and What We Can Do about It

This book is not about the scientific accuracy of Sagan's predictions and musings. If Sagan wanted to be purely scientific, this book wouldn't have been written. The fact is that we don't KNOW enough about what's out there to make scientific predictions. What we do have is our imagination, and our knowledge of how the universe works. Sagan does an excellent job of using his imagination to come up with different possibilities for us to ponder. He speculates about which might be more likely, but he doesn't claim scientific accuracy. This book will expand your mind and give you a mature outlook on the world and our place in the universe.

As the years go by, this book ceases to be an up-to-date popularization of astronomy, and more of a testament to Carl Sagan's convictions and optimism with science. As a youth, was enchanted by the series, and grateful for the important principles and fact about science was being taught. We need scientists; we need to popularize science; we need to do all of this necessary hard research that raises our standard of living.

Nevertheless, there are several problems with Sagan's approach. The first is with evolution. His fundamental error is category mistake: evolution is not primarily a scientific question, but a historical question, with the science being an auxiliary in reconstructing the historical event.

Secondly, Sagan confuses "science fact" (empirically verifiable data), with his rhetorical flights of fancy. Whenever he uses weasel words--"perhaps," "undoubtedly," without a question, "it is safe to assume"--you know that the science has ended, and Sagan's tall tales are beginning. For example, chapter 7 contains a stream of thought passage about primitive life. Unless Sagan's is claiming to be undergoing past-life regression like "The Star-Rover," this passage is scientifically invalid. Additionally, Sagan provides no disclaimers, and so an unnecessary burden is shifted to the reader in sifting the wheat from the chaff.

Another fundamental error has to do with extra-terrestrial civilizations. He has two fatal assumptions. First, he assumes that these civilizations are more advanced than we are: "Their science and technology would be far beyond ours" (258), "We must be the most backwards technical civilization in the galaxy." (255). Since we have not had any contact (ahem!), he cannot possibly know this. The real question is--why does Sagan believe this? An why does he constantly uses these as-yet-to-be-discovered aliens as his amanuenses? And why does he attach so much mystical hope in these unknown, and as-yet-to-be-proved-to-exits beings?

The other assumption is that these ETs will be benevolent. In another book, Sagan has a chapter called "When Scientists Know Sin," denouncing Teller and SDI. If human scientist know sin, why not the ET scientists also?

We need the military: self-preservation is the first law of nature, and government's first function is maintaining law and order and protecting life, liberty, and property (Federalist 3),. Alexander Hamilton observed, "Is it not time to awake from the deceitful dream of a golden age and to adopt as a practical maxim for the direction of our political conduct that we, as well as the other inhabitants of the globe, are yet remote from the happy empire of perfect wisdom and perfect virtue?" (Federalist 6) This is not just for political scientists, but also to our hypothetical ET visitors.

In the concluding paragraphs to chapter 12, Sagan, once again, is spinning a tall tale: he speculates about the insights we would receive on art, politics, religion, and so forth. The problem is that if ETs had a different biology, then they would have a different morality.

For example, in "Speaker For the Dead," Orson Scott Card has an alien race of that, when killed, turn into trees, unlike humans who die when killed. Consequently, "Thou shalt not kill" would be meaningless for such an alien species. In fact, it would be detrimental, since preserving live would hinder this next level of progression.

The same thing applies to politics. James Madison said, "But what is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself." (Federalist, 51).

Government for humans, for angels, and for aliens, would of necessity be different due to their different natures. In fact, it is quite possible that ET morality would be totally irrelevant. And the same thing applies for philosophy, religion, art, and most anything else. We have no hard data--we do not know.

Another problem has to do with his passive anti-Christianity. Admittedly, during the Middle Ages and early renaissance, the Roman Church was hard on the astronomers. As a Mormon, I agree with him. However, he paradoxically denounces Western Christianity, yet he puts credence in every other non-Christian creation myths: after citing aboriginal Australian, Chinese, Pacific Island, and the Popol Vuh creation stories, he points out their flaws, then quickly adds "But those other creation stories are worthy of our deep respect." (Ch 10, p.213).

Behind this paradox is the incorrect notion of a "Nobel Savage." As a counterpoint, I suggest King Kalakaua's "The Legends and Myths of Hawaii." The first reason is that you see that anciently, the early Hawaiians had their own prejudices and turf wars, no different that Renaissance Italy. Secondly, for some reason, the early Hawaiian legends are identical to those in the Hebrew Scriptures (33-35).

So Sagan, with these flights of fancy, is violating his own rule: "whatever is inconsistent with the facts must be discarded." (Ch. 13, p. 276)

Over all, this book is a mixture of good and bad--90% good, 10% bad. Over time, it is slowly getting dated, but that is because we are making so many advances in science. And this is what Carl Sagan would want.

PS--"Sex was invented" (p. 282). Doesn't the word invented imply an inventor? Oops!

I've read this book couple of years ago but it was translated into Arabic & I knew nothing about Dr. Carl Sagan, but I felt like am standing in front of a giant in science & from that day I loved this book so much & I took it everywhere, I think my passion for space science & then to all sciences really began after I read this book. Indescribable book.

One of the reviewers here boldly declare Sagan as ill-informed because "...[Sagan] was not able to find out the Creator of the Universe, even though he was equipped with a brilliant mind."

This is not a book (or TV series) in search of the answer to explain the/a "creator", and Sagan's presentation never points in that direction. Rather, Cosmos is a summary of the historical and modern scientific view of many different aspects of the universe and life on earth.

The reviewer in question is aghast that Sagan would suggest things that the reviewer's mind is unable to accept: "...every mystery, beauty, harmony in the Universe is ascribed to pure coincidence. To [Sagan], somehow the galaxies, planets etc. were formed after the Big Bang by chance. Then, somehow some amino acids came together (?) and after a few steps formed (?) a living cell. Living cells somehow learned to reproduce (?) and this led to more complex organisms (?). The life started in water, these "fish" then decided to continue (?) their life on land. Could this extremely long sequence of nearly improbable coincidences be the cause of our existence on Earth, in addition to the exquisite harmony and beauty in the Universe, or is there a super-human, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent Creator?"

Those who may share this view can read other, more narrowly-focused books on the subject of evolution, such as The Blind Watchmaker by Dawson, which clearly explains the basic flaw of this line of thinking: evolution is NOT a result of "coincidences" as many people think. To the contrary, the scientific view of evolution implies (as Dawson points out in the Watchmaker) that evolution is not only NOT a result of "coincidences", but an unavoidable certainty based on the conditions and time-span.

So, if you want to ponder about your existence and evolution, read "The Blind Watchmaker", "The Selfish Gene" or the "Climb Mount Improbable". Cosmos, on the other hand, is a great scientist's legacy to create more questions in the mind of the reader/viewer than to provide answers for meaning of life.

One of the reviewers here boldly declare Sagan as ill-informed when in fact it is the reviewer that is ill-informed (and under-informed). This is not a book (or TV series) in search of the answer to explain the/a "creator", and Sagan's presentation never points in that direction. Rather, Cosmos is a summary of the historical and modern scientific view of many different aspects of the universe and life on earth.

The reviewer in question is aghast that Sagan would suggest things that the reviewer's mind is unable to accept. He also seems to be disapointed about the lack of a credible answer for the "creation" question: He goes on to say, "...he was not able to find out the Creator of the Universe, even though he was equipped with a brilliant mind." What? Can we really expect that feat from anyone?

The reviewer adds, "...every mystery, beauty, harmony in the Universe is ascribed to pure coincidence. To him, somehow the galaxies, planets etc. were formed after the Big Bang by chance. Then, somehow some amino acids came together (?) and after a few steps formed (?) a living cell. Living cells somehow learned to reproduce (?) and this led to more complex organisms (?). The life started in water, these "fish" then decided to continue (?) their life on land...Could this extremely long sequence of nearly improbable coincidences be the cause of our existence on Earth, in addition to the exquisite harmony and beauty in the Universe, or is there a super-human, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent Creator?"

Those who may share this view can read other, more narrowly-focused books on the subject of evolution, such as The Blind Watchmaker by Dawson, which clearly explains the basic flaw of this line of thinking: Evolution is NOT a result of "coincidences" as many half-informed people think. To the contrary, the scientific view of evolution implies (as Dawson points out in Watchmaker) that evolution is not only NOT a result of "coincidences", but an unavoidable certainty based on the conditions and time-span.

So, if you want to ponder about your existence and evolution, read "The Blind Watchmaker", "The Selfish Gene" or the "Climb Mount Improbable". Cosmos, on the other hand, is a great scientist's legacy to create more questions in the mind of the reader or viewer than to provide answers for meaning of life.

Sagan takes the reader from one end of the universe to the other. His unyielding heart sores like an eagle to the furthest reaches of space and time. Despite our limited technology and earth-boundness, Sagan breaks free from earth and makes one invision this grand universe in it's entirety.

Few minds will ever arise like Sagan's. His brain knew virtually no bounds, neither in cognition, nor imagination. He is a bulwark for truth and sober thinking. He is never easy to disagree with.

Cosmos is so informative...about Earth, about space and matters of science. Sagan has so much to say about everything. His tremendous mind made him an invaluable asset to our species.

Another thing that fascinates me about Sagan was his ability to accept our inevitable mortality as a planet and race. Instead of getting depressed about our gloomy fate in the grave, we should be like Sagan and realize that this is our time to shine in the spotlight of the sun. Carl Sagan was a champion of the human race, a torch who's brightness, even in death, still refuses to go out.

Get this book. You will not regret it.

(JH)

www.ministerturnsatheist.org

I used to watch "Cosmos" religiously when I was an elementary school student. Every episode of it was enchanting and mesmerizing, considering the superb producer Carl Sagan. Back then, I was just a kid trying to explore the Universe around me and demystify the magic in it. Now, I have read the book itself. There is no doubt that Carl Sagan is a brilliant scientist and author. His absorbing, riveting style takes you from where you are to the remotest corners of the Universe. There are two points that I disagree with him.

For one thing, it might sound very subjective, he was not able to find out the Creator of the Universe, even though he was equipped with a brilliant mind. Every mystery, beauty, harmony in the Universe is ascribed to pure coincidence. To him, somehow the galaxies, planets etc. were formed after the Big Bang by chance. Then, somehow some amino acids came together (?) and after a few steps formed (?) a living cell. Living cells somehow learned to reproduce (?) and this led to more complex organisms (?). The life started in water, these "fish" then decided to continue (?) their life on land. They got legs, they further evolved and led to a wide variety of animals, one of these animals became (?) a human being. After a long time, human beings have become capable of unraveling the very reasons of their existence! Could this extremely long sequence of nearly improbable coincidences be the cause of our existence on Earth, in addition to the exquisite harmony and beauty in the Universe, or is there a super-human, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent Creator?

My second objection is to his remarks as to the discontinuity of the evolution of science between the Ancient Greek Civilization and the European Enlightenment, i.e. 600 AD - 1600 AD. According to his remarks, science did not develop in this intermission, which happens to last one millennium. Yes, the Greek Civilization came to an end about 600 AD, but Islamic Civilization commenced right afterwards. Between 750 AD - 1500 AD, Muslims scholars contributed to the humanity in many ways. They translated ancient Greek texts to Arabic and Persian, used the knowledge and made their own original contributions. Therefore, Europeans had a chance to see the ancient Greek texts. [1] Avicenna "Ibni Sina" (981-1037) is known as the father of the modern medicine. His books "The Canon of Medicine" were used as textbooks in European universities until 18th century. He as also a famous philosopher. [2] Al-Khwarizmi (770-840) is known as the founder of the modern algebra, and the word "algorithm" is derived from his name. [3] Omar Khayyam (1148-1123) was a famous mathematician, chemist and poet. [4] Alhazen "Ibn al-Haitham" (965-1040) was the founder of the modern optics and the author of "Kitab al-Manazir" (Book of Optics). Furthermore, Al-Kindi, Jabir ibn-Hayyan, Al-Battani, Al-Razi, Al-Farabi, Al-Masudi, Alboacen "Al-Mawardi", Al-Biruni, Al-Ghazali, Ibn Rushd, Sharafeddin Tusi, Rumi, Al-Baitar, Ibn Khaldun, Ibn Battuta, Ulugh Beg etc. were only several of the hundreds of well-known scientists, scholars, philosophers, poets. It is stunning and shameful that a professor of astronomy and astrophysics never knew these pioneers!

Martin Gardner is arguably the greatest mathematician of the last century. Not because he solved a large number of complex theorems, but because of the number of people he influenced via his Mathematical Recreations columns in Scientific American. The same arguments can be made regarding the influence Carl Sagan had on science. While he was a very accomplished scientist, his greatest contribution was in making science understandable to the public. Not only did he steer many young people into science, he was also the leading voice in convincing the public that scientific research should be funded. This is another of his books on popular science that sold well and sold the public on the need for public funding of scientific research.
I have read all of Sagan's popular science books and I consider this one to be the best. He spends most of the time describing the solar system and the remainder of the universe that surrounds it. Although some of the data regarding the solar system and the universe is outdated, the quality of the writing and pictures more than makes up for the time frame. He describes how the solar system was created from the remnants of stars that have already lived the bulk of their lives and how the universe continues to evolve and change. Throughout his explanations, Sagan intersperses short details from human history. He describes what was happening on Earth and how that affected the human perception of the cosmos.
It has been twenty six years since this book was written and many new facts concerning the solar system and the universe have been discovered since then. New technologies have allowed scientists to find many planets around distant stars and probes have studied the planets in our solar system in greater detail. It is too bad that Sagan is no longer around to write about it and push for more work. He had no equal to convincing the public of the necessity of scientific research for its own sake and this book is clear evidence as to how good he was. It is now and always will be worth reading.

This book has been used by universities as a media course, and is an excelent resourse for anyone interested in a general review of the cosmos (astronomy combined with general overview of the world). If you wish to enjoy the entire aspect of this book, it would be nice if you could locate the video series that goes with it as well as the student workbook as well.

This book has been used by universities as a media course, and is an excelent resourse for anyone interested in a general review of the cosmos (astronomy combined with general overview of the world). If you wish to enjoy the entire aspect of this book, it would be nice if you could locate the video series that goes with it as well as the student workbook as well.

Another one of my habitual re-reads, Cosmos dazzles with scientific speculation. I'm easily put-off by authors who lecture pedantically, enthralled by their grasp of a subject and interested in little else than hearing the drone of their own voice. Carl Sagan is NOT that lecturer. One senses intuitively a deep deep passion for our universe and a desire to communicate that passion and to enjoin in questioning and debating and prodding and discovering. Carl Sagan was one of the few modern scientists who managed to garner rock-star fame in an era where universal idiocy is heralded and embraced and celebrated, and his insistence on eradicating ignorance and superstition and pseudo-science was vital in the national debate, and his loss all the more painfully felt in an era when 'Creationism' stands to devour us whole and place one more nail in the coffin of reason. We could sorely use some more Carls... with Cosmos, Carl has left us a magnificent legacy to the dedication to pure scientific inquiry. Thank you for inspiring Carl. You are owed a debt of gratitude for all you have done.

Another one of my habitual re-reads, Cosmos dazzles with scientific speculation. I'm easily put-off by authors who lecture pedantically, enthralled by their grasp of a subject and interested in little else than hearing the drone of their own voice. Carl Sagan is NOT that lecturer. One senses intuitively a deep deep passion for our universe and a desire to communicate that passion and to enjoin in questioning and debating and prodding and discovering. Carl Sagan was one of the few modern scientists who managed to garner rock-star fame in an era where universal idiocy is heralded and embraced and celebrated, and his insistence on eradicating ignorance and superstition and pseudo-science was vital in the national debate, and his loss all the more painfully felt in an era when 'Creationism' stands to devour us whole and place one more nail in the coffin of reason. We could sorely use some more Carls... with Cosmos, Carl has left us a magnificent legacy to the dedication to pure scientific inquiry. Thank you for inspiring Carl. You are owed a debt of gratitude for all you have done.

To this day, the most influential book I have ever read. A launching pad to a life of discovery. I would recommend it be read by every human as part of a high school curriculum.

To this day, the most influential book I have ever read. A launching pad to a life of discovery. I would recommend it be read by every human as part of a high school curriculum.

Sagan accomplished a lot in writing Cosmos. This book established him for the rest of his life as the most famous advocate of science in the English-speaking world, made him a household name and a huge figure in popular culture. He introduced if not "billions and billions" then certainly millions to some of science's heaviest concepts, and found a way to do it in terms that bored no one and set off imaginations in a positive way.

In Cosmos, the earth is established as but one speck in a vast ocean of galactic one-ness and the mind is invited to open wide and ponder just how enormous everything that's out there is. Sagan explains supernovas and black holes, tackles concepts like time and the environment of planet earth. He lauds the ancient Greeks and champions the greatest minds of science. Through his personality and charisma and his contagious love for his work, Sagan accomplished a near-miracle and brought an audience to what in other hands might have been the driest topics imaginable.

Cosmos is one of the best works of scientific non-fiction ever composed, and I hope it remains well-read into coming generations. I am old enough to remember when Sagan was a celebrated superstar in the late 1980's, parodied on comedy shows and a soft drink commercial, and it puzzles me how less than ten years after death robbed us of Carl Sagan, he is already slipping away from popular memory and how so few people under the age of about 20 even know who he is. I was having a conversation about this just last night with a high school senior I tutor. She is a bright girl, representative of her peers and social class, and yet when I mentioned this book and its author, she gave me a blank, "I've never heard of that."

I gave her my copy, but, boy, talk about feeling old...

Anyway, I love this book, whole-heartedly recommend it, and I hope this review in some tiny way encourages its reading.

Sagan accomplished a lot in writing Cosmos. This book established him for the rest of his life as the most famous advocate of science in the English-speaking world, made him a household name and a huge figure in popular culture. He introduced if not "billions and billions" then certainly millions to some of science's heaviest concepts, and found a way to do it in terms that bored no one and set off imaginations in a positive way.

In Cosmos, the earth is established as but one speck in a vast ocean of galactic one-ness and the mind is invited to open wide and ponder just how enormous everything that's out there is. Sagan explains supernovas and black holes, tackles concepts like time and the environment of planet earth. He lauds the ancient Greeks and champions the greatest minds of science. Through his personality and charisma and his contagious love for his work, Sagan accomplished a near-miracle and brought an audience to what in other hands might have been the driest topics imaginable.

Cosmos is one of the best works of scientific non-fiction ever composed, and I hope it remains well-read into coming generations. I am old enough to remember when Sagan was a celebrated superstar in the late 1980's, parodied on comedy shows and a soft drink commercial, and it puzzles me how less than ten years after death robbed us of Carl Sagan, he is already slipping away from popular memory and how so few people under the age of about 20 even know who he is. I was having a conversation about this just last night with a high school senior I tutor. She is a bright girl, representative of her peers and social class, and yet when I mentioned this book and its author, she gave me a blank, "I've never heard of that."

I gave her my copy, but, boy, talk about feeling old...

Anyway, I love this book, whole-heartedly recommend it, and I hope this review in some tiny way encourages its reading.