Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Bringing his cosmic perspective to civilization on Earth, Neil deGrasse Tyson shines new light on the crucial fault lines of our time—war, politics, religion, truth, beauty, gender, and race—in a way that stimulates a deeper sense of unity for us all. In a time when our political and cultural views feel more polarized than ever, Tyson provides a much-needed antidote to so much of what divides us, while making a passionate case for the twin chariots of enlightenment—a cosmic perspective and the rationality of science. After thinking deeply about how science sees the world and about Earth as a planet, the human brain has the capacity to reset and recalibrates life’s priorities, shaping the actions we might take in response. more
271 pages, Hardcover
First published Henry Holt and Co.
4.12
Rating
10522
Ratings
1329
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Neil deGrasse Tyson
73 books 284041 followers
Neil deGrasse Tyson was born and raised in New York City where he was educated in the public schools clear through his graduation from the Bronx High School of Science. Tyson went on to earn his BA in Physics from Harvard and his PhD in Astrophysics from Columbia.In 2001, Tyson was appointed by President Bush to serve on a twelve-member commission that studied the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry. The final report was published in 2002 and contained recommendations (for Congress and for the major agencies of the government) that would promote a thriving future of transportation, space exploration, and national security.
In 2004, Tyson was once again appointed by President Bush to serve on a nine-member commission on the Implementation of the United States Space Exploration Policy, dubbed the “Moon, Mars, and Beyond” commission. This group navigated a path by which the new space vision can become a successful part of the American agenda. And in 2006, the head of NASA appointed Tyson to serve on its prestigious Advisory Council, which guides NASA through its perennial need to fit ambitious visions into restricted budgets.
In addition to dozens of professional publications, Dr. Tyson has written, and continues to write for the public. From 1995 to 2005, Tyson was a monthly essayist for Natural History magazine under the title Universe. And among Tyson’s fifteen books is his memoir The Sky is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist; and Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution, co-written with Donald Goldsmith. Origins is the companion book to the PBS NOVA four-part mini-series Origins, in which Tyson served as on-camera host. The program premiered in September 2004.
Two of Tyson’s other books are the playful and informative Death By Black Hole and Other Cosmic Quandaries, which was a New York Times bestseller, and The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America’s Favorite Planet, chronicling his experience at the center of the controversy over Pluto’s planetary status. The PBS NOVA documentary The Pluto Files, based on the book, premiered in March 2010.
In February 2012, Tyson released his tenth book, containing every thought he has ever had on the past, present, and future of space exploration: Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier.
For five seasons, beginning in the fall of 2006, Tyson appeared as the on-camera host of PBS NOVA’s spinoff program NOVA ScienceNOW, which is an accessible look at the frontier of all the science that shapes the understanding of our place in the universe.
During the summer of 2009 Tyson identified a cadre of professional standup comedians to assist his effort in bringing science to commercial radio with the NSF-funded pilot program StarTalk. Now also a popular Podcast, for three years it enjoyed a limited-run Television Series on the National Geographic Channel. StarTalk combines celebrity guests with informative yet playful banter. The target audience is all those people who never thought they would, or could, like science. In its first year on television and in three successive seasons, it was nominated for a Best Informational Programming Emmy.
Tyson is the recipient of twenty-one honorary doctorates and the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, the highest award given by NASA to a non-government citizen. His contributions to the public appreciation of the cosmos have been recognized by the International Astronomical Union in their official naming of asteroid “13123 Tyson.” And by zoologists, with the naming of Indirani Tysoni, a native species of leaping frog in India. On the lighter side, Tyson was voted “Sexiest Astrophysicist Alive” by People Magazine in 2000.
More recently, Tyson published Astrophysics for People In A Hurry in 2017, which was a domestic and international bestseller. This adorably readable book is an introduction to all that you’ve read and heard about that’s making news in the universe—consummated, in one plac
Community reviews
Read Starry Messenger several months after I finished writing it. Always an edifying thing to do. This allowed me to reflect in its content as reader rather than as a writer -- two different assignments, of course. I'd delighted to report that Starry Messenger accomplishes exactly what I set out to do: offer persistent and diverse ways for the reader to see the world differently -- to see the world as a scientist does, especially one who carries a cosmic perspective. There are doses of humor and pop culture, added only where they could also advance the ideas of a chapter. more
There’s something about Neil de Grasse Tyson’s voice and narrative style that’s captivating for me. I can listen to his soothing yet engaging delivery for hours at at time (yes, he’s narrating his own book, which is perfect as far as I’m concerned), feeling that warm feeling of belief in humanity fill my shriveled husk of a soul. He’s so level-headed and rational and *calmly* excited about science and the wonders of the world that I can’t help but be sucked into the magic of his narrative. This is not a science book like the others by Dr. Tyson I’ve read. more
Usually I reserve the whole month of October for horror/thrilller/crime books only, but I've been sitting on this one for a few weeks and I just couldn't wait any longer, I was too excited. This is the third book that I read by Neil DeGrasse Tyson and it was an insightful, masterfully written and captivating one. He provides the reader with a brilliant Cosmic Perspective on Civilization, and I wish more people would read it, as it delivers facts, numbers, and provocative thoughts on many important topics, but all sprinkled with bits of humor. more
I was very pleased to win an advance copy of this book from the Goodreads giveaway program. I was a little afraid that some of the science or math portions would be hard to follow but found that my fears were groundless; it's written in a very clear and straightforward, easy to follow manner. I used to love reading Asimov's books of science essays, and I was a big fan of Cosmos. In fact, it's much more of a philosophical work than a science book, a guide on how to approach questions or situations from a scientific and factual viewpoint rather than relying on often incorrect "common knowledge" and preconceived notions. It's subtitled "Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization," and Tyson illustrates points about government, politics, race, gender, culture, and all manner of other weighty ideas and subjects with remarkable insight, clarity, and refreshing humor. more
"Do whatever it takes to avoid fooling yourself into believing that something is true when it is false, or that something is false when it is true. "You know those books you try to read as slowly as possible because you don't want them to ever end. This book was one of those for me. I started it and then started and read two others while reading it, in order to make it last longer. My brain needed the rational thoughts of Neil deGrasse Tyson, and his many thought experiments, especially at the moment. more
As I was reading this, I didn't expect to learn anything new, but that wasn't really the point. Even the title hints at its true purpose: to inspire awe. To be very sure, it's awe in the pure-reality sense, the scientific sense, and a measured analysis of who we are, what we might be capable of, and how we fit in the rest of the universe. This is NOT, however, dull, pedantic, or dry. I quickly came to the conclusion that this nonfiction is, in fact, a prose poem. more
Disappointing. I'm not sure where to categorize this version of Neil deGrasse Tyson - a Zealous Scientist or an Evangelical Rationalist, or both. There is such potential in the realm of science for the gift of humility and there are times Tyson can wield it. But his disdain for any worldviews other than that of the enlightenment and apparent ignorance of any critiques of the enlightenment from the past three centuries. Book has some dramatic insights, but mostly pedestrian observations. more
Neil deGrasse TysonNeil deGrasse Tyson, an American astrophysicist, is the Director of the Hayden Planetarium, the host of 'Star Talk' and 'Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey', a devotee of Twitter, and the author of many popular science books. In this narrative, Tyson strives to demonstrate that a scientific approach to issues - by which Tyson means taking 'opinions' out of the equation and relying on 'proven facts' - would reduce strife among people. I dare say Tyson is correct, but universal scientific expertise is a high mountain to climb. In his preface Tyson writes, "Starry Messenger recasts some of the most discussed and debated topics of our times - war, politics, religion, truth, beauty, gender, race, each an artificial battlefield on the landscape of life - and returns them to the reader in ways that foster accountability and wisdom in the service of civilization. " In other words, Tyson means to convey a trove of insights conveyed by the methods and tools of science. more
4. 0 starsThis was such a wonderful book to read in 2022, a time where society feels incredibly divided. Within this book, the author often plays devils advocate on polarizing ideas and shows both sides of an argument. Topics include race, gender identity, vegetarianism, gambling, abortion and life afte death. Some of these topics are incredibly polarizing, yet the author addresses each of these topics lightly with kind, rational discussions. more
I've liked Neil deGrasse Tyson for a long time. He's a scientist, married to another scientist, has served in the White House, is the director of the Hayden Planetarium, founded the department of astrophysics at the Rose Center for Earth and Space, hosted various TV programmes as well as his own podcast and more. He has an abundance of love and passion for science and it is infectious. He is also one hell of an educator (he himself considers himself more of an educator than a scientist) and has a wonderful way of breaking down the most complex topics so anyone can understand them. Moreover, he seems to consider it his mission to bring science to the masses. more
2 stars, maybe 2. 5 starsI fully appreciate the importance of science educators and communicators. Their job is challenging in many ways. However, Neil deGrasse Tyson seems like the kind of guy who would show up at your grandmother's funeral and say (in a soothing, ethereal tone), "Did you know that in this season and climate, your grandmother's body would fully decompose in approximately four weeks time. Even with the embalming process briefly slowing decomposition, her enzymes and bacteria are already beginning the process of breaking down her body. more
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. In it, Neil deGrasse Tyson makes a convincing case for a new, scientific perspective on civilisation. more
This book was a mixed bag for me. Gaining any sense of perspective on humans' place in the universe should be a healthy exercise for all of us, and Tyson is to be applauded for encouraging us to step back from our myopic perceptions of our importance as a species and the smallness of our day to day concerns. I enjoyed his challenges to rethink our assumptions about the world through thought experiments. How do you feel about your life circumstances at this moment. Given the option, would you prefer to be sent back to a prior time about which we know certain specific things, or forward into a future about which we can only make some educated guesses. more
First off, I won’t this in a goodreads giveaway. Thank you Henry Holt & Co. and Penguin Random House. With this book deGrasse Tyson used his scientific perspective to analyze today’s cultural world. And one of his predictions became true. more
My favorite part of Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization was the section about intelligent life in the universe, and why we think we'd ever be able to communicate with them. It all starts right here at home. "We don't know how to communicate meaningfully with chimpanzees. Assessing the effort we invest in trying to get big brained mammals to do what we say, we tend to measure their intelligence by an ability to understand us, rather than measure our intelligence by an ability to understand them. Since we can't meaningfully communicate with any other species on earth, not even those genetically closest to us, how audacious of us to think we can converse at all with intelligent alien life upon first meeting them. more
“Differences in opinion enrich the diversity of a nation, and ought to be cherished and respected in a free society, provided everyone remains free to disagree with one another, and, most importantly, everyone remains open to rational arguments that could change your mind. Sadly, the conduct of many in social media has devolved to the opposite of this. Their recipe. Find an opinion they disagree with and unleash waves of anger and outrage because your views do not agree with theirs. Social, political, or legislative attempts to require that everybody agree with your personal truths are ultimately dictatorships. more
Sidereus Nuncius, as Galileo put it, looks at a range of historical and ongoing issues from a cosmic perspective. Some may quibble with whether the insights provided at always "cosmic," but if you consider that to mean looking at accepted "truths" from a big picture perspective it falls into place. Tyson looks at topics as divergent as truth & beauty, war & peace, vegetarianism & "meatarianism," gender, race, and law and order. Through each he offers some actual truths, that is, facts, that should make each of us reconsider the "truths" we so often take as real. Tyson asks a lot of questions, often not to be answered but to make us think differently. more
No. I did not like this book at all. This was not "Cosmic Perspectives" it was Neil's Perspectives and I thought the entire thing was self serving and self centered. Including bringing up old Twitter posts and how he was in the right. Just not for me at all and basically turned me off of him as an author. more
If you are a rational, open-minded person, you will love Tyson's Starry Messenger. Tyson looks at the many ways we allow thoughts, feelings, opinions and biases to influence how we interpret the world around us. If you are rational and open-minded you likely see many of these things as they happen, but when put together in a single book, the result can be stunning. It can also likely be a bitter pill to swallow (or spit out entirely) if it invalidates your beliefs. The book reinforces both the importance of well-collected and representative data and the ability to operate in an ambiguous zone where there is no clearly defined correct or incorrect conclusion. more
Neil deGrasse Tyson is such an interesting guy. And his voice is so soothing lolThis book is really interesting, it's very general though, good for beginners/intermediate level of knowledge of space and science. Each chapter is like a debatable social construct, race, gender, vegan/vegetarianism, etc. The book was kinda like a dinner date with Neil, and it was interesting and very thought provoking. I'd recommend the read. more
Neil deGrasse Tyson attempts to apply his scientific knowledge and method to explain many of societies behaviors and actions. As he points out in the first part of the book there are, at least, three types of truths that people seem to operate under. The first is objective truths which are based on evidence and is the type of truth used in science. These are not based in a belief system and are not dictated by authority. They are simply explanations derived from evidence and become more established as more experiments confirm the result. more
Starry Messenger is a collection insightful and at times witty essays about issues in society from the perspective of a scientific thinker. deGrasse Tyson addresses many issues of our time such as war, peace, politics, gender, race, guns, abortion law, and policy. A recurring theme is that we’d all be better off by thinking more rationally and focusing on solving problems rather than convincing people that your solution is the best one . Looking at data rather deGrasse Tyson explains how, in core ways we are more similar than different, and with that in mind, perhaps we can set bias and preconceptions aside and start to focus on rational problem solving informed by social context. The author acknowledges that this isn’t as easy as simply deciding to do it. more
I'm a massive fan of Neil deGrasse Tyson's work on space & astrophysics. So, I was really excited to read this book. However, it was a massive let-down and I'm genuinely disappointed in the mediocre quality. Starry Messenger felt more like a summary of Neil's political worldview more than anything. Perhaps that's my fault for expecting a book on science/space etc. more
Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization, by Neil deGrasse Tyson, is an interesting book that takes an "above ground" view of politics and the human condition. In the style of many books released since the Trump era, this is the perspective of a famous celebrity (astrophysicist) on topics ranging from beauty and aesthetic, to human philosophy, political tribalism and it uses a "scientific" viewpoint to analyze and offer recommendations. Right off the bat I will say that I did not fully enjoy this book. As pop science goes, it has some interesting tidbits of information on the reflectivity of the sun, on basic statistics, earth sciences and space - all things I would like to see in a deGrasse Tyson book. I also enjoyed some of the authors perspectives, and the constant reminder to weigh political opinions objectively. more
Estuvo bien, no sabía qué esperar, esa es la verdad. Me gustó y disfruté de la forma de escribir de Neil. Sin embargo, salí del libro casi igual a como entré, no me aportó nada nuevo de información, de punto de vista ni de nada. De hecho, me habló de sus opiniones, pero con cuidado y siendo bastante políticamente correcto. Es un ensayo en el que toca temas como belleza, racismo, homofobia, poder, cuerpo, mente, etc. more
Dnf about 15%Sorry, but I bounced off this one. It's not awful but I found it sort of glib and simplistic- humanity will be fine if we embrace science in everything we do and adopt a "cosmic" perspective ( good luck with that). The anecdotes used to illustrate Tyson's points were sometimes interesting ( although I remain dubious about some of his conclusions) but overall it failed to hold my attention, I found what I did read to be forgettable and the library wants it back. so. I should give this another chance at some time to be determined in the distant future ( when all our problems have been solved by science and a cosmic perspective) . more
The most important book of the year. I cannot stress it enough how this little book contains so much valid information and facts that we, as humanbeings, need to hear. It does not matter whether you are a conservative or a liberal, you need to read this book asap. For instance, I thought I had enough information on vegetarianism or racism in theory but as it turns out Vegetarians are also "cannibals" and democrats were historically more "racist". etc. more
I borrowed this one via the library because I really enjoyed Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. This book isn't quite the same. Think of it as a social commentary on the human race and our systems of beliefs, laws, political systems, etc. Tyson tries (sometimes successfully, sometimes not) to explain why using rational, science based arguments are superior to using emotions, tribalism, religion, and flawed beliefs to make decisions. He also points out how contradictory and egotistical our beliefs can be, especially as we consider ourselves more intelligent than and superior to, all other known life forms. more
Let me begin by saying I am a huge fan of Neil DeGrasse Tyson. My introduction to Tyson was the Cosmos series. I had seen the original with the scientist Carl Sagan, so to say I was excited is an understatement. I wasn’t sure if he could fill those giant shoes left by Sagan. I’m happy to say that he certainly did. more