Universe Today » Book Reviews

Book Review: Magnificent Desolation, by Buzz Aldrin

Anne Minard — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 18:16:36 +0000

I very much enjoyed chatting with Buzz Aldrin a couple of weeks ago, for some stories leading up to the 40th anniversary of the July 20, 1969 Apollo 11 landing on the moon. I found him honest, personable and generous with his time.

But when his publicist offered to send a copy of his new book, "Magnificent Desolation," I didn't set my expectations too high. I didn't know what to make of an autobiography by a retired Air Force pilot and astronaut. Doesn't that history put the "Rocket Hero" pretty squarely in the category of techie or a jock — a non-writer type?

Well, color me impressed. The book arrived late last week, and I turned the last page this morning — looking for more to read!

(...)
Read the rest of Book Review: Magnificent Desolation, by Buzz Aldrin (689 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Book Review: Cold War Tech War

Mark Mortimer — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:38:05 +0000

Cold War Tech War

When is the best answer not the right answer? Assuredly many historical events epitomize this dilemma. Randall Whitcomb digs into Canada's Avro Arrow story and delivers up such an event in his book, "Cold War Tech War – The Politics of America's Air Defense". In it, he shows how a plane, successfully designed and built for winning tomorrow's war, ended up not being chosen as the perfect answer.
(...)
Read the rest of Book Review: Cold War Tech War (589 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Book Review: Keep Watching the Skies

Mark Mortimer — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:34:39 +0000

Keep Watching the Skies

We work hard to put food on the table and a roof over our heads. If lucky, we've got some time left over for other activities. Patrick McCray's book "Keep Watching the Skies – The Story of Operation Moonwatch and the Dawn of the Space Age" is the story of a program that took advantage of some of those spare hours. During its time, this program had people encouraged, organized, and trained to view the skies and contribute to the nascent space age.
(...)
Read the rest of Book Review: Keep Watching the Skies (436 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Book Review: How To Live On Mars

Mark Mortimer — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 18:32:10 +0000

With all the probes recently landing on Mars, it's no wonder we feel that the planet is close enough to vacation there. Robert Zubrin has such a scheme already in place for his book entitled "How to Live on Mars – A Trusty Guidebook to Surviving and Thriving on the Red Planet". Though vacationers are welcome, he much more expects the arrival of immigrants who are ready and raring to put spade into ground for a homestead of the future.
(...)
Read the rest of Book Review: How To Live On Mars (465 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Book Review: To a Distant Day

Mark Mortimer — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:29:16 +0000

To a Distant Day

Being part of a series on a "people's history of spaceflight", Chris Gainor's book entitled "To a Distant Day – The Rocket Pioneers" relives the onset of humankind's age of rocketry. Though starting from a broad, distant vantage point that includes Galileo and Copernicus, this book quickly jumps to Tsiolkovsky and other recent rocket luminaries. Then, it speedily presents the wondrous people and their amazing effort that led to human spaceflight.
(...)
Read the rest of Book Review: To a Distant Day (324 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

DVD Review: Sputnik Mania

Mark Mortimer — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:26:23 +0000

Sputnik Mania

Fear remained in the air even after the great global conflict of World War II ended. This arose because, rather than ushering in peace, the cessation of hostilities brought a new fear, the cold war. The History Channel's 2 DVD set entitled, "Sputnik Mania" shows just how fear permeated throughout the society of the United States and its impact upon the new technological field of rocketry. Whether being rational or even real, fear is shown to be significant catalyst to our journey to the stars.
(...)
Read the rest of DVD Review: Sputnik Mania (491 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Book Review: Venus and Mercury

Mark Mortimer — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:21:54 +0000

Have you ever been inspired by the two planets Mercury and Venus? If so, Peter Grego's book "Venus and Mercury and How to Observe Them" brings to us much of what we've learned about them and much of how each of us can learn some more.

Mercury and Venus are the two planets closer to the Sun than Earth. Because of this, they always appear in close proximity in the sky to the Sun. Bright Venus is easily seen when it's present. Mercury, being quite duller and at best much closer to the horizon is much harder to see. And seeing it as a dot isn't seeing anything spectacular. In fact, neither planet provides details, even to a viewer using a telescope. But, that doesn't mean your planetary inspiration should die.
(...)
Read the rest of Book Review: Venus and Mercury (366 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Book Review: Saturn I/IB

Mark Mortimer — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:18:40 +0000

Before the Saturn IV rocket, there was the Saturn I and Saturn IB. These helped pave the way to the Moon as shown by Alan Lawrie in his book entitled 'Saturn I/IB – The Complete Manufacturing and Test Records'. Though usually hidden in the shine of its illustrious successor, these launch systems were a vital step in proving components, technology and processes.
(...)
Read the rest of Book Review: Saturn I/IB (388 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Book Review: Observing the Night Sky with Binoculars

Mark Mortimer — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:15:59 +0000

Observing the Night Sky with Binoculars

With warmer weather returning to the Earth's northern hemisphere, we can again venture forth under the night sky for pleasant star gazing. If you're just beginning this pastime and are planning to rely upon binoculars, then you should also consider Stephen O'Meara's book, "Observing the Night Sky with Binoculars – A Simple Guide to the Heavens". It will have you comfortably cruising the night's starry sphere in no time with its straightforward techniques and handy mnemonics.
(...)
Read the rest of Book Review: Observing the Night Sky with Binoculars (332 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Book Review: the science book

Mark Mortimer — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:11:52 +0000

The science book

The "science book" by National Geographic shows just how 'incredibly, unbelievably, immeasurably cool' science is. With a format little changed from countless encyclopaedias, this book provides the reader with a huge expanse of our accumulated knowledge. From star shine to number systems and from behavioural patterns to fracture tectonics, it's all science and it's in this book.
(...)
Read the rest of Book Review: the science book (269 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

DVD Review: Hawaiian Starlight

Mark Mortimer — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 18:08:21 +0000

Hawaiian Starlight

Hawaii beckons the weary winter resident who's searching for some relaxing moments on soft beaches while gentle sounds drift across with the breeze. The Big Island, with its high peaks and occasional dustings of snow, seldom attracts the Honolulu-bound pleasure seekers. But Jean-Charles Cuillandre has made a cinematic symphony that has another Hawaii based way of connecting a person to the ethereal pleasures of our existence.

Entitled "Hawaiian Starlight –Exploring the Universe from Mauna Kea", this DVD shares views and vantages from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. Spectacular stills exhibit galaxies, star trails, asterisms and the occasional portion of the lunar surface. Simple transformations, whether rotating, enlarging or shrinking, give impressions of dynamism. Bright, almost startling, colours capture the attention and the viewer's wonder. With views that continually change and a soundtrack that steadily supports and subtly thrills, the main feature of this DVD easily keeps viewers in awe.
(...)
Read the rest of DVD Review: Hawaiian Starlight (286 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Book Reviews: The Cambridge Double Star Atlas

Mark Mortimer — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 17:57:02 +0000

Some of the best tourist discoveries occur off the beaten track. Plan to go somewhere, choose a fortuitous route and voila, a petite patch of paradise opens up in front of you. The same can be true for planning a night of star hunting. Dial coordinates into a 'go-to' satellite and you will immediately see your target, if all works well, but, you won't see anything else. However, take "The Cambridge Double Star Atlas" by James Mullaney and Wil Tirion, then star-hop to your destination, and who knows what you will find.
(...)
Read the rest of Book Reviews: The Cambridge Double Star Atlas (360 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Book Review: The NASA Northrop T-38

Mark Mortimer — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:02:50 +0000

NASA Northrop T-38

Spend enough time with anything and it begins to acquire a personality beyond its mere physical presence. If your life relies upon that particular object, as with a pilot and their plane, then the intensity of the relationship increases even more. The consequence, as shown in the book "The NASA Northrop T-38, Photographic Art from an Astronaut Pilot" by Lance and Ann Lenehan and Story Musgrave, can be a step beyond simple observation and appreciation. It can be an exulting testimonial.
(...)
Read the rest of Book Review: The NASA Northrop T-38 (438 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Book Review: Missions to the Moon

Mark Mortimer — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:52:04 +0000

The Apollo Moon missions stand as the ultimate in humankind’s ascension beyond Earth. Only a few, favoured individuals explored, frolicked and golfed on the Moon’s surface. But their favour came with the grace of the Apollo program, countless individuals and an extraordinary effort by one nation in a race with another. Rod Pyle in his portfolio book "Missions to the Moon" provides an entertaining resource for anyone wanting to relook at one of "Man’s Greatest Adventure".
(...)
Read the rest of Book Review: Missions to the Moon (491 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Review: Death From the Skies

Nancy Atkinson — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:43:25 +0000

Death From the Skies by Phil Plait

This one can be filed under the "Better Late Than Never" department: Writing a review for Phil Plait's book "Death From the Skies" has been on my to-do list ever since the book came out last fall. Oh, I read the book as soon as it arrived at my door; but making the time to actually write the review has been a challenge. NASA, ESA, all the observatories, NewSpace companies, and everyone else in the space and astronomy business finally got my memo to have a slow news day so I could actually sit down and write this review. But look at it this way: now, my review can be a gentle reminder to anyone out there who hasn't yet read this book to get the lead out and buy it! So now, without further ado, here's the review I've been meaning to write for months:
(...)
Read the rest of Review: Death From the Skies (752 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Book Review: Solar Sails – A Novel Approach to Interplanetary Travel

Mark Mortimer — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:42:15 +0000

Great pleasure can be had in sailing across a gentle, blue sea with a fair wind at the back. With little more effort than a slight nudge upon the tiller, you and your craft can travel great distances at a leisurely, enjoyable, relaxing pace. Now, replace wind and water by sail and photon as a trio of authors write in their book "Solar Sails – A Novel Approach to Interplanetary Travel". In it, Giovanni Vulpetti, Les Johnson and Gregory L. Matloff show a very capable and promising method of local and interstellar travel.
(...)
Read the rest of Book Review: Solar Sails – A Novel Approach to Interplanetary Travel (443 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

The Universe – Season One

Mark Mortimer — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:16:56 +0000

Bright, flashing lights and a driving, vibrant sound track do wonders for video games. Similar dynamism brings home the worth of scientific exploration as seen in the History Channel's "The Universe – Season One" on disc. Whether watching the debris from colliding asteroids as it flow into the rings of Uranus or seeing geysers spewing from Enceladus, there's action a plenty in this video set.
(...)
Read the rest of The Universe – Season One (349 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

The Brightest Stars

Mark Mortimer — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 01:47:16 +0000

Folk stories often commence with entreaties to the reader to listen with their heart. On the other hand, science books seldom acknowledge this aspect of a person. However, Fred Schaaf in his book 'The Brightest Stars' doesn't shy away from the human aspect. Rather, his astronomy book champions the human spirit as the source of scientific discovery and, as if to prove it, the book's passages seem to come right from the author's heart.
(...)
Read the rest of The Brightest Stars (411 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Stephen Hawking – A Biography

Mark Mortimer — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:47:33 +0000

Stephen Hawking - A biography

The famous can beguile the masses with images of splendour and supremacy. Science, as with other avenues, can be the basis for such imagery. Yet, Kristine Larsen shows in her book 'Stephen Hawking – A Biography', the bestowed fame can be both pleasant and harmful to the recipient.
(...)
Read the rest of Stephen Hawking – A Biography (349 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Stargazing with Binoculars

Mark Mortimer — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:14:29 +0000

Stargazing with Binoculars

Each night over 3000 stars come into view. Most remain unchanged over a person's short lifetime. Nevertheless, their capricious scattering has given many of us the yearning to understand more. One way to do so is by making the view bigger and better. Robin Scagell and David Frydman describe how in their book entitled "Stargazing with Binoculars".
(...)
Read the rest of Stargazing with Binoculars (421 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

U.S. Space-Launch Vehicle Technology – Viking to Space Shuttle

Mark Mortimer — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:13:18 +0000

The concluding volume to J.D. Hunley's historical technical reference picks up directly right where his first left off. Entitled 'U.S. Space-Launch Vehicle Technology – Viking to Space Shuttle' , it also tracks the ever changing parameters of the engines, the guidance and control, and the structure of the rockets of the United States up to about the year 2000. However, time doesn't constrain this material, as the volume's beginning occurs with research developments in 1945 and the ending includes plans for the EELV, which still awaits final definition.
(...)
Read the rest of U.S. Space-Launch Vehicle Technology – Viking to Space Shuttle (445 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

DVD Review: The Universe – Season Two

Mark Mortimer — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:34:02 +0000

The 5 DVD package of the complete Season Two of The Universe by the History Channel provides over 14 hours of captivating science. Bright lights and driving sound push information to the viewer as if a mad scientist had been let loose in a vault containing an infinite supply of paint and sound effects. And with the universe being as big as things get, there's no end of great subjects on the discs.
(...)
Read the rest of DVD Review: The Universe – Season Two (238 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Book Review: Hubble: Imaging Space and Time

Mark Mortimer — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:17:22 +0000

The Hubble space telescope brought space's beauty to the average person in North America. Via magazines, weblinks or video, the last few years this instrument dazzled us with a dizzying and splendid array of artistic and scientific sights. The book "Hubble: Imaging Space and Time" by David Devorkin and Robert W. Smith captures many of these treasures and the story of the Hubble telescope itself. Bright and vivacious, the telescope's images within the book show that once again science is a captivating field.
(...)
Read the rest of Book Review: Hubble: Imaging Space and Time (547 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Book Review: The Haunted Observatory

Mark Mortimer — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:01:59 +0000

The Haunted Observatory

Curious and curiouser things began happening when telescopes opened up to the skies. Richard Baum's book entitled "The Haunted Observatory – Curiosities from the Astronomer's Cabinet" has the reader thinking like Alice might have in her wonderland. Bright lights, aspiring dots, gleaming trails of a forgotten impression can all fool a mind into perceiving reality where none may exist. Thus, when it comes to making reason out of the unexpected, some astronomer's lives get so entertaining and worthwhile and ends up making this book so entertaining.
(...)
Read the rest of Book Review: The Haunted Observatory (577 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Book Review: Stars and Planets

Mark Mortimer — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:59:02 +0000

Ian Ridpath has been adding to his impressive list of publications with the recently updated fourth edition of "Stars and Planets". Or, consider its more accurate and complete title "Princeton Field Guides Stars & Planets – The Most Complete Guide to the Stars, Planets, Galaxies and the Solar System". The title's quite a mouthful, but the book lives up to the billing. Within it, Ian Ridpath's texts and Wil Tirion's illustrations cover all that would interest an active, backyard astronomer.
(...)
Read the rest of Book Review: Stars and Planets (417 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh