Book Review: Cosmos

Cosmos by Carl Sagan


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book could explain to anyone why I went into science. My freshman year of college, I had an awesome astronomy professor, who often sounded like Carl Sagan in this book. He was inspirational, and this book inspires the imagination and soul- it is a book that resonates deeply with me.

I wish everyone would read this book. It is very accessible, even to non-scientists, though scientists in particular I think will find this book fascinating. It is a book I read with a pen in hand, as there are so many wonderful passages to remember. It resounds with awe and adoration of the amazing world that we live in.

Carl Sagan describes not only the formation of the solar system and the universe from the Big Bang to evolution of life to the brief moment in time occupied by mankind, but also discusses potentially life-changing topics such as- What is the likelihood there is life on other planets? What does this mean for mankind? What is science and why is it important? Why is Earth so unbelievably precious, even though "we live on a mote of dust circling a humdrum star in the remotest corner of an obscure galaxy"? Is it possible for us to travel into space or even time? It documents the history of science, the importance of literature and books, the chances our species will survive into even the near future.

Though this book is now about 30 years old, much of it is timeless- though I found myself wanting to know what Carl Sagan would think of the world now- with much evidence of global warming and changes we are irrevocably causing on the Earth.

This book does get a bit repetitive at times- my one critique. But I love it. It is a book I would suggest everyone read and own. It is a book I treasure.


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