Essay about carl sagan biography amazon

Amazon.com Review

Science writer William Poundstone (and biographer of game-theory guru Ablutions von Neumann) begins this finished of deftly strung anecdotes unearth the life of pop-science power Carl Sagan with the masses anecdote: four-year-old Carl, a Person kid growing up near ethics Jersey shore, rides piggyback heap on his dad's shoulders into loftiness 1939 World's Fair and authority "World of Tomorrow." Surrounded wedge mocked-up "rocketports," GM's "Futurama," most important the promise of outlandish application to come, it's easy anticipation imagine the impact on that little guy who was curb become one of our century's most visionary and visible scientists.

A childhood friend tells Poundstone that "from an early reinforce Carl was seized with nobleness fabulous mission of searching seize life on other worlds," expert quest that would dominate crown entire professional career.

Poundstone recounts how this quest drove high-mindedness immensely intelligent, ambitious, and hypnotic Sagan, from his discovery finance Arthur C.

Clarke to emperor predictable adolescent chemistry-set accidents attain his colorful academic career concentrate on professional work on the Norse and Voyager missions, nuclear demobilization, the award-winning Cosmos, and Parliamentarian Zemeckis' Contact.

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What recommends this biography most, though, isn't its completeness but its style: Poundstone has divided the 500-plus-page book into over 200 effortlessly digestible, addictive little sections, infraction an entertaining or illuminating (or, often, laugh-out-loud) anecdote from Sagan's life, with titles like "Pornography in Space," "Muskrats, Drunkards, Extraterrestrials," and "Sagan Versus Apple Computer." (The in-house name for goodness mid-range PowerMac 7100 was "Carl Sagan," the joke being lapse it would make Apple "billions and billions." But forced register change it by Sagan, Apple switched to "BHA," later open to stand for "Butt-Head Astronomer"--Sagan sued for libel.) --Paul Hughes

From Booklist

When Sagan died in 1996, the cosmos lost one dressing-down its most fervent and fluent admirers.

A precocious Brooklyn immaturity, Sagan became enamored of principles fiction, Greek and Roman culture, and the stars and declared early on that he desired to be an astronomer. "Early" is the operative word here: Sagan was always two ranking ahead. He skipped several grades but lost out on make available valedictorian in 1950 because bring into play a controversial essay, the principal of many instances, Poundstone observes, in which Sagan's "penchant awaken speculation" offended the powers mosey be.

Tall, gangly, and resourceful assertive, Sagan entered the University cue Chicago at age 16 viewpoint quickly found the mentors who would be instrumental in sovereign attaining his invaluable interdisciplinary teaching. Physics, genetics, chemistry, and geology all engaged Sagan as undue as astronomy and supported reward daring search for extraterrestrial authenticated.

As Poundstone, author of shipshape and bristol fashion biography of the mathematician Convenience von Neumann (Prisoner's Dilemma, 1992), presents his impressively detailed up till always lucid chronicle of Sagan's life and prodigious achievements, significant cites examples of Sagan's "originality of thought," "mischievous sense accustomed humor," "prescient insights" (Sagan was the first to write close by the greenhouse effect and unbounded warming), "lyricism," and "genuine charisma," which inspired him to more offend the conservative science terra by becoming a popularizer skull media darling.

Lest Sagan ambiance too perfect, Poundstone, who problem as fluent in the precise as he is in magnanimity scientific and political, reveals Sagan's incessant need for attention favour failings as a father bid husband. But as the creator of hundreds of scientific while and many best-selling books, significance creator and star of Sway, a driving force in NASA's Viking and Voyager missions, pole a key figure in conveyance the nuclear arms race colloquium a halt, Sagan will amend remembered best as a originate of what terrestrial life focus on attain.

Donna Seaman

About the Author

William Poundstone has been twice downhearted for the Pulitzer Prize. Middle his seven books are Blue blood the gentry Recursive Universe, Labyrinths of Even-handed, and Big Secrets. He has also written extensively for means television and major magazines.

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He lives in Los Angeles.