Letters from an astrophysicist Cover Image

Book

Letters from an astrophysicist / Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Summary:

Tyson shares 101 letters from people across the globe who have sought him out in search of scientific answers.

A luminous companion to the phenomenal bestseller Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has attracted one of the world's largest online followings with his fascinating, widely accessible insights into science and our universe. Now, Tyson invites us to go behind the scenes of his public fame by revealing his correspondence with people across the globe who have sought him out in search of answers. In this hand-picked collection of 101 letters, Tyson draws upon cosmic perspectives to address a vast array of questions about science, faith, philosophy, life, and of course, Pluto. His succinct, opinionated, passionate, and often funny responses reflect his popularity and standing as a leading educator. Tyson's 2017 bestseller Astrophysics for People in a Hurry offered more than one million readers an insightful and accessible understanding of the universe. Tyson's most candid and heartfelt writing yet, Letters from an Astrophysicist introduces us to a newly personal dimension of Tyson's quest to explore our place in the cosmos.

Record details

ISBN: 9781324003311
ISBN: 1324003316
Physical Description: xv, 247 pages : color illustrations ; 20 cm
Edition: First edition.
Publisher: New York, NY : W.W. Norton & Company, [2019]
Copyright: ©2019

Content descriptions

General Note:

Includes index.

Formatted Contents Note:

Preface -- Prologue: A memoir, of sorts -- I. Ethos : the characteristic spirit of a culture, manifested in its beliefs and aspirations. Chapter 1. Hope ; Chapter 2. Extraordinary claims ; Chapter 3. Musings -- II. Cosmos : the universe seen as a well-oredered whole. Chapter 4. Hate mail ; Chapter 5. Science denial ; Chapter 6. Philosophy -- III. Pathos : a plaintive appeal to emotions that already reside within us. Chapter 7. Life and death ; Chapter 8. Tragedy ; Chapter 9. To believe or not to believe -- IV. Kairos : a propitious moment for decision or action. Chapter 10. School days ; Chapter 11. Parenting ; Chapter 12. Rebuttals -- Epilogue: A eulogy, of sorts.