Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier

Neil DeGrasse Tyson is the best, and Space Chronicles is a fantastic read! Plenty of history, well blended with Tyson's unstoppable passion for space technology and exploration. I read the whole thing, from cover to cover, and send it to my best friend.

I'm a big Neil deGrasse Tyson fanboy.

Partly that's because I'm an Apollo moon mission geek and collect artifacts from the program. (Pretty geeky, right?)

But mostly, I'm a fan because Dr. Tyson is such an awesome communicator. When I read his work or watch him on television, I always take away something that I can apply to my own work as a communicator and marketing strategist.

His bio says Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophysicist and the director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City. Dr. Tyson is so good at talking and writing about the cosmos and why it is important for us to have an understanding of the wider world in which we live.

Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier - is a collection of essays and speech transcripts around the theme of space exploration and how America has not done much to inspire people in the past 40 years outside of some cool robotic missions and the Hubble telescope.

I read Space Chronicles in three sittings because it is that good.

In the book, he talks about how America boldly embarked on the most audacious scientific endeavor in history by sending humans to the moon. However after 9 lunar missions (6 that landed) we... stopped exploring. For 40 years we've only been to low earth orbit with manned missions.

Sure there have been some spectacular robotic missions such as Cassini's photos of Saturn and the various Mars rovers. And the Hubble has delivered spectacular images. But humans haven't explored.

Dr. Tyson argues that's a problem because we're not inspiring our young people to study science and engineering and that's a problem for the economy.

"Absent such curiosity, we are no different from the provincial farmer who expresses no need to venture beyond the county line, because his forty acres meet all his needs. Yet if our predecessors had felt that way, the farmer would instead be a cave dweller, chasing down his dinner with a stick and a rock."
- From Space Chronicles.

Quick aside - In high school my buddies and I would go to the Hayden Planetarium (after some appropriate preparations of course) to see evening productions of "Laser Floyd" - a cosmic mixture of loud Pink Floyd with colorful lasers projected on the planetarium dome. I've even got a ticket stub from 1978 to prove it. Neil is close to my age. He grew up in New York City. I wonder if he went too? Nah, probably not. He was studying while I was partying.

Neil deGrasse Tyson is a bright, articulate fellow who writes almost as well as he speaks during his TV appearances. His book is a collection of realistic throughts and contains a few new prespectives for those of use who are interested in mankind's future in space. I recommend it.

I've read many many articles by dr. Tyson and watched films and am now watching the new Cosmos. He is prolific and holds my interest from beginning to end. I met dr. Sagan and I barely missed dr Hawking when he spoke at Berkley, drat! And I have great hopes of meeting dr. Tyson. Learning is the absolute apex of our being. Dr. Tyson has that wonderful ability to come down from a very lofty station and join us. He teaches, makes us laugh and best of all puts past present and future in our lap for observation at our leasure. Yes get this book, read it and fly to the stars with him.
I'm going to get the book and join you.

Donna Bailey

Everyone interrested in space exploration must read this book.
The author is personally involved in theoretical aspects of the space program, knows a lot about space exploration history, and has a great communication skill.
As the book is a collection of previously published chronicles, some comments and phrases are repeated in more textes, but it doesn't reduce the pleasure in reading the book.

Dr. Tyson has put together the most persuasive arguments for space exploration and put them into one of the best non-fiction books I have ever read. I wish I had text books like this when I was in high school, moreover I wish I had teachers like Dr. Tyson as well. This is a must read!

Tyson is one of the truly great science insiders, advocates and educators of our time and this is an engaging read. It is a series of essays that covers the era of space exploration in an enlightening and entertaining way. It is book of great stories of our progress, not a mere catalogue of events. It contains all of the main fare for space junkies and it is served up well. It is almost as funny in places as the best bits of Mary Roach's "Packing for Mars", and (appropriately, for a more general book) does not provide as detailed a pathway to human (cf robotic) exploration as Buzz Aldrin in his "Mission to Mars". It is certainly much easier to read for the less technophilic, more emotionally involved reader than Shayler, Shayler and Salmon's "Marswalk One". Its honest but really quite troubling description of the difficulties facing manned exploration of space beyond low Earth orbit will be appreciated by enthusiasts. Tyson comments that much ground-breaking early technology appears quaint when compared to more developed versions. His observation that the now-old Saturn V rockets still evoke the reverence due to the 'latest and greatest', was a powerful lament.
I would recommend this book to any space enthusiast; it is amongst the best of the genre. However I do have a complaint. Like it or not, space exploration is now a thoroughly international mission, just as it also now involves private enterprise and robotics. Tyson himself is valued internationally and his (like Aldrin's) nationalistic wish for continued American supremacy in space is itself somewhat quaint and backward-looking. It also risks blindness to, and threatens lack of support for, some of the optimism and exciting achievements of other players such as the Europeans, Indians and Chinese.

This was my first Neil deGrasse Tyson book and I was expecting a standard book format, where each Chapter in some way references previous ones and the entire book is somewhat cohesive. This book does not fit that model - each chapter is a short article adapted from a magazine article Dr. Tyson had written and then grouped into three parts that each have a common theme. At first I was a little bit disappointed, but the articles are so well-written and entertaining that I after the first couple chapters I didn't miss a more cohesive work. The format of the book also keeps each chapter in a neat digestible chunk so that it's easy to pick up and read in parts. A very enjoyable read!

What an excellent book. I truly enjoyed the captivating facts about space that Neil deGrasse Tyson used. I always learn something new when I watch his lectures on Youtube and I definitely gained knowledge through his book! Definitely a book I'd recommend.

A collection of NdGT's writings on various space exploration topics. Written in his own unique and entertaining style, Space Chronicles argues the case for an ambitious space programme as only NdGT can.

I bought this for my husband, Larry K. Collins, who writes sci-fi books. He is also an engineer, so he has quite a bit of scientific background. His own books reflect actual scientific discoveries and present actual possibilities. He isn't interested in sci-fi with fantastical elements or impossible situations. Neil deGrasse Tyson describes his own issues with current sci-fi. This book was a great hit in my house.

Neil deGrasse Tyson is just a sold pick every time there is no doubt in my mind, its not only his books thats worth checking out. Also his youtube videos is a lot of fun and knowledge that is worth checking out.

First things first, I really like reading the work of Neil deGrasse Tyson. This book does not disappoint in the content of thought. But this book is made up of reprints of articles and essays, many of which have been previously published. So, as other reviewers have indicated, there is a good bit of repetition as the author bangs the same drum many times, some articles being nearly 15 years old. After a while, I just felt like shouting "I get it Neil." The consistently of his points are reassuring, but I am disappointed to read the same things many times in one volume. And with 100 pages of appendices, and index, about 28% of the book is not text.

The book is interesting and informative, but overall, I feel like it falls in the realm of just being there to create product. Buyer be cautioned...even at the attractive price through the store, I did not really get the full book that I was expecting.

One could say that the author received pressure from the editor to publish another book... Why if not pack together articles, interviews and so that can be resumed in a bunch of arguments that fit in 30 pages? BTW, u fully agree with them, but... with one exposition would have being enough. And I don't know what to think about the 2 first appendix : interesting material, but already available in internet. Well, anyway I like the writing stile and the ideas of the author. That's why I give the book an extra star, but IMHO doesn't pay for the price.

Dr. De Grasse Tyson's book does not disappoint. The tone is intelligent and often playful. He is an eminent and unapologetic advocate of the need for the U.S. to continue and even expand the exploration of space.

Very interesting and easy to read with some fascinating perspectives. However, it seems like a collection of essays that meander around the basic subject matter rather than an organized presentation. This leads to some repetition of facts and arguments.

This book is on target for educating the public on where space exploration has been, where it is now, and where it should and could be headed. Neil deGrasse Tyson is an excellent spokesperson for the movement as he shares in everyday language. We can learn easily through his writing. His message of hope for the future is inspiring, and as an 8th grade science teacher, I thoroughly enjoyed this message! With humor and wit, this book is a phenomenal read!

My granddaughter is a very bright young lady. Last year she qualified for Space camp in Laramie, Wy at the University of Wyoming. I have admired Neil deGrasse Tyson for a number of years. I thought it would be a good birthday gift for her. She was very excited about the book and kept going back, even during her birthday celebration, to read bits and pieces of it!

On October 4, 1957, the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched into orbit. This technological first marked the beginning of a new era of competition between the former Soviet Union and the United States. While on the surface the Space Race might have appeared to be spurred on by man's desire for knowledge and exploration, in truth, the only thing that made man's footprints on the Moon possible was the looming Cold War and aspiration to assert technological dominance over each other. Adjusted for inflation, the Apollo program today would cost over 200 billion dollars, twenty times the yearly budget of NASA. It is unlikely any of us alive today will ever see man step foot on the Moon or another planetary surface, or see the equivalent of what millions of people witnessed on July 20, 1969 when Apollo 11 landed on the Moon. The overwhelming costs, technological hurdles, and political backdrop are what make the Space Race such a fascinating subject, and it would be hard to find someone who is so passionate about it or conveys these ideas better than astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Like his last novel Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries, Space Chronicles is a compilation of previously-published articles and talks over the last fifteen years, with a central theme of the Space Race and exploration (although some of the chapters don't really fit this theme entirely). It is mostly centered on the United States' involvement with a look at the development of NASA. It contains an original prologue by Dr. Tyson with a discussion on Space Politics, with a focus on the last three presidential administrations. A selection of Dr. Tyson's tweets (which are usually interesting facts about the Universe) are scattered in relevant sections throughout the book, and add short distractions to the current chapter. The rest of the book is divided into three sections:

Part 1 - Why - Articles detailing with the reasons humans desire to explore space
Part 2 - How - Articles concerned with how we have overcome the barriers to space entry.
Part 3 - Why Not - These chapters are mostly ideological articles and speeches about why we should explore space.

The last third of the book contain Appendices related to NASA and space travel. I think they're a nice addition to Space Chronicles, although I'm pretty sure they were added as filler, since without them, the actual content of the book is only 220 pages. All of them are easily found online but they make a nice reference while reading and I frequently found myself going back to them. They consist of:

National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (the law that created NASA)
NASA's budget from 1959-2010
2010 Space Budgets for the United States and Globally
Space Budgets: US and Non US: 2010

Anyone who has enjoyed Dr. Tyson's previous books will enjoy Space Chronicles. Since it doesn't deal with as much cosmology, it is a bit easier read than his last book, Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries. I also found it more persuasive. Space exploration is a subject Dr. Tyson excels at. For anyone who has ever heard him give a speech on the subject, he offers up very convincing reasons for the necessity of a space program, many which will resonate long after finishing the book. A great example of this is the final chapter in the book, which is a speech given at the University of Buffalo that I originally saw two years ago, and still has a powerful impact on me today. Unlike Death by Black Hole, which seemed to be a bit thrown together and thematically forced, the articles that make up Space Chronicles flow much easier into each other and under their relevant chapters, although you will notice some repetition throughout them. The speeches that make up some of the chapters are also well-adapted, although I strongly encourage anyone who enjoys them to go back and watch the original videos, or actually, to just skip those chapters and watch the videos instead (especially the last chapter). The main reason Dr. Tyson is so successful as a media figure is due to his ability to convey subject matter to his audience, and he does this best in person, where his passion and oration can really stand out.

Almost all of the material from this book is already available publicly online. The only original material I noticed was the prologue and a poem (Ode to Challenger, 1986). Although it's been published before, I think the editor has done an excellent job in culling through Tyson's large body of work to pick the best material, and arranged it in a way that makes for an intriguing (albeit very short) read. Some of the chapters are as short as one paragraph, others are a dozen pages or so. Tyson's most ardent fans might find the material a bit too familiar, but as a whole, Space Chronicles presents itself as a nicely-wrapped look at the last fifty years of space travel, and what's in store for the future. All of the material works well in the book, but all of the chapters adapted from speeches are much better when viewed in their original video presentation. Other than the length of the book, the only real criticism I could give it is that it doesn't source the original material. A few of the chapters do this and actually state at the top that they are from videos, but most of them don't. I can't figure out any rhyme or reason to including this information on some but not others, which would seem simple enough to do (I was able to find almost all of it in about an hour). If you are interested in reading some of the articles or videos from the book, I will provide links to all of those that I've been able to find that are in the public domain, as well as book previews from the publisher and Google Books in the review comments below.

I'm a fan of Neil deGrasse Tyson so I was happy to pay the very high price for the book but it's not that great of a read. He's a great speaker and wonderfully passionate about his topic but not the greatest writer.

If you have read Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries it's déjà vu all over again. I mean, I like Tyson's style, but you feel like you already read all of this stuff.

Tyson is a valuable, engaging popularizer of science, which I appreciate. This book is good but does not have enough "meat." A fair portion consists of his tweets (which are often pithy, but out of place in a book) and an appendix.

First, let me say that there are few supporters of Dr. Tyson and his work who are more enthusiastic than I. I esteem him as probably the most important public educator in the United States. He is impossible to dislike, and his acumen for his chosen profession is dazzling.

That is why I have to give this book a poor review. It does transparent disservice to Dr. Tyson's glittering legacy. It is hopelessly disjointed, with no discoverable rationale behind its organization. "Tweets," interviews, lectures, and previously published articles are cobbled together higgledy-piggledy in what bears disheartening resemblance to something rushed to press for the sole purpose of drumming up desperately-needed revenue. I do not begrudge Tyson for avoiding an overly-nuanced exploration of astrophysics' bleeding edge; I just feel that the facts in this book could be condensed, and condensed more (much, MUCH more) elegantly.

My passion for Dr. Tyson and his work is in no way dimmed, and I have no trouble accepting that even the most brilliant minds can encounter difficulty when navigating the course of transferring information from the realm of the highly technical to that of the popularly appealing. Indeed, Tyson's prose is more often engaging than not--he just needs a better editor who will help us avoid having to roll our eyes at a factoid that was compelling in chapter 1, but is just downright annoying when it is announced to us (for the 10th or 12th time) in chapter 30 as though hot off the presses.

I await Tyson's next effort. In the meantime, however, I cannot endorse this effort in any capacity.

Tyson has created a compelling book chronicling the importance of exploring space and the difficulties we have encountered. Even-handed in his approach, and often humorous, readers will wonder why as a nation, we accept the status quo and do not push for more aggressive investment in space and technology. It is true that NASA should, and is, turning over travel to low-earth-orbit to private companies, but where is NASA's great directive to explore and innovate? Why do companies that did everything wrong get free bailouts, while we spend only enough in space to stay in the game. Our space probes explore the Solar System, we built most of the space station, but others are catching up. We still have the ability to lead and out-innovate everyone, but we face such terrible short-term thinking, we may literally doom ourselves. For more on the importance of the final frontier, see The Survival Imperative: Using Space to Protect Earth,The Case for Mars: The Plan to Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must,Return to the Moon: Exploration, Enterprise, and Energy in the Human Settlement of Space &Mining The Sky: Untold Riches From The Asteroids, Comets, And Planets.

At times the book is repetitive as Tyson is pulling these chapters from various articles, essays, etc. that he has written over the years. In a few spots, he replaces science with personal dogma. He states (p. 34) that without data we should assume we [humans/Earth] are not special. Yet, according to the data, we are special and alone in the universe. So why assume otherwise unless one has a philosophy to push? He briefly talks about the narrow parameters that restrict life, but they are far more restrictive than he indicates or that the Drake equation he mentions takes into account (more on this in Rare Earth: Why Complex Life is Uncommon in the Universe &Why the Universe Is the Way It Is).

He takes a bizarre turn on p. 204 where he claims Intelligent Design "asserts that some things are too marvelous...to explain" and that ID contends these "things defy common scientific accounts for cause and effect." These are certainly not the claims of ID. It is clear Tyson has read nothing on ID except anti-ID talking points. Ironically, he talks earlier on how to detect E.T., so science can detect ID, but only when it agrees with your personal philosophy? (More on ID in Intelligent Design &Darwin's Doubt).

Tyson waxes on academic progress in the ancient Arab world, but doesn't mention how this was built on the ruins of Christianity or that progress eventually thrived and jumped ahead in the Christian west. Great astrophysicist Tyson is, but not much for picking up books on history (such as The Genesis of Science,The Abacus and the Cross). This is all the more obvious when claims "nonsecular philosophies" cause science to "stagnate." It certainly did not stagnate in Europe. So even pro-science Tyson let's his personal beliefs infect his science once in awhile. It is those kinds of beliefs that have created the modern schism between science and religion, beliefs that have decided beforehand what science can find. That isn't science, that's fundamentalism. His drive-by attack on ID is out of place in an otherwise stellar book.

This book is a collection of articles, interviews, talks given by Neil deGrasse Tyson. As he has become one of the most popular advocates for Space Exploration in the U.S. much of this material will be familiar to those who have seen and heard him on other media. In it he makes a strong case against the narrow-minded foolishness that has let to the curtailing of the Space Program.He shows just how small an amount of money is required to renew Space Exploration in an appropriate way. He makes an interesting argument about the real reasons for major projects of exploration in human history. He says that the U.S. did not go to the Moon primarily out of a search for scientific knowledge but because of Cold War rivalry with the Russians. He points out how many of the great building and exploration projects of History are products of War, or of grandiose searches for Power. He on the other hand champions Exploration as a value in itself, and argues that it is the Scientific Revolution that has enabled Humanity to know Nature in a true way, and technologically transform it. He is not afraid to take a minority view and is a strong advocate of manned- space-exploration. He is as anyone who has seen and heard him knows an especially effective 'communicator'.He is quick- minded, tremendously knowledgeable on scientific matters, has great personality and humor. He also has a crusader's passion and believes in regard to Space Exploration that is an important element in the education of young people in getting them to dream and hope. Although he repeats himself often this can be excused because he like all good salesmen uses certain mantras and slogans to get his message across.
He makes a dramatic proposal as to how the space- progam should be renewed. He advocates a Space Program which is building multiple options. Among these are an eventual manned landing on Mars, but there are also other targets involved.
There are however certain questions which are raised by his most repeated messages. One of these is that it is human egoism which makes us 'despair' when we consider how small our place is in Space and Time. His own message is that we should be buoyed by the idea that we are of star-stuff made and share our atomic being with a good share of the universe. As Mr. Tyson has a quite properly deserved very large ego I do not know if his criticism of the rest of us who are troubled by our minor place in the Universe, makes much sense. I also wonder about the Egoism involved in not admitting that humans probably cannot do it, and would be best to leave it to their instruments, or the 'descendants of the artificial intelligences they invent to explore the universe.
This does not relate specifically to this book but I also have trouble with the demeaning approach Tyson has taken in other venues to the Divine. It is true as Tyson has said that Science has given answers to many questions which once were considered divine mysteries. But the question of our ultimate origin and end remains one open to Faith and Hope. For those like myself who need and believe in a personal God Tyson's precluding a religious option seems uncharacteristically arrogant and small- minded.

I confess. I'm a little disappointed that Tyson isn't quite the successor to Carl Sagan I'd like him to be, even though I know he's wise to not try and be what he cannot be - a Sagan clone. Still, Sagan's writing was far more engaging and filled with wonder than Tyson's...his writing is good, but just not as emotional as Sagan's work was. Still, the man does his best to educate the public about difficult scientific topics and there he succeeds. I really enjoyed the chapter on rocket science (never thought I'd hear myself say THAT!) especially since I grew up in Florida in the 1960s and had a closer-up view of the moon launches than a lot of other Americans (even if I was a wee sprout at the time). Tyson also does a great job of explaining things in layman's terms. I'll for certain be reading more of his books.

For an astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson speaks plainly. Whether conversing on behalf of presidential space commissions or to the local trash collector, he knows his audience well, brilliantly conveying the place of space and science in the lives of everyday people. Such is his tone in Space Chronicles, a compilation of recent addresses centering on the possibilities and precariousness of our glacially paced emergence among the stars.

A proponent of the world's "second oldest profession", there's no doubt of Tyson's feverish talent for presenting astoundingly wondrous insights of the universe. This work isn't as focused on that as it outlines the astoundingly small-but-giant steps we've achieved in the infancy of our space exploration, and the current factors decelerating the improbable momentum gained from such achievements as the Apollo and Hubble endeavors. Of the many points of emphasis, a select few are consistently repeated: that our focus on war and defense has historically been the trigger for space exploration, coupled with China's surplus of scientifically literate citizenry (more than the entire population of the United States), and the invisible, unheralded contributions of NASA (not only for space exploration but humanity's welfare) on mere fractions of the US tax dollar. These are but a few hindrances to consider when faced with the more looming obstacles such as preventing the inevitable asteroid collision, commoditization of the fledgling aerospace industry, and providing more interesting reasons for gravitating students toward science, like designing anti-matter propulsion or theorizing light-speed travel rather than incrementally increasing our fuel efficiency for outdated systems.

Aside from lacking a more thorough bibliography of sources cited (apart from a grand set of space budget appendices), the only detractor to the book is that it can seem more an anthology than the entreaty it is. Tyson will in one instance expound upon his concern of the emergent cultural embrace of anti-intellectualism, while in another ponder the feminist implications of the traditionally phallus-shaped propulsion rockets, no better represented by the exalted Saturn V. But the occasional disparate topic highlights Tyson's theme of the necessity of cross-pollination among his audience in the interest of solidarity in scientific inquiry; the more disparate entities and peoples that can be tied together for a common purpose, the more likely we are to generate lasting interest in exploration and science itself, beyond even the realms of space.

Space Chronicles is a gentle though unsubtle reassurance of the popular meme that although we as a species have accomplished much, we are really not that special. If we see ourselves as otherwise in this unfathomably large universe and thus are lazy enough to abandon exploration beyond earth and take scientific inquiry for granted (as we are), humans are destined to ensure our own extinction. While preaching to the choir for space enthusiasts, Space Chronicles is a good primer for the space curious.

I would have given this book a much higher rating, however, if you read it, you will notice it is the same stories and themes repeated many, many times. Really several blogs over the years mashed together in a book. Unfortunately, reading it straight through, the repetition hits you hard. I recommend skipping the book or reading the first 2 chapters in the book store as you'll get 85% of the total book in those first few pages.

With his poetic style in describing the universe, Neil deGrasse Tyson has been compared to Carl Sagan. Both these writers and scientists have one thing in common they make complex ideas easy for the layman to understand. This is not as easy as it sounds. Tyson definitely has an infectious enthusiasm as he describes his feeling on Sputnik right up to the space shuttle. If you have seen the excellent show Universe on the History Channel you will recognize his style immediately. He pretty much writes the way he speaks on television.

Like Sagan, Tyson is always the optimist, but there is also an alarmist tone to this book on America's current competitiveness in space exploration. You can tell Tyson is a little worried about the current direction NASA is taking. He also spends quite a bit of time lamenting on the lack of scientific literacy in America.

Tyson also spends quite a bit of time illustrating the contributions the space program has made to various technologies we use today. Sometimes the book can be repetitive in making some of these observations, but never-the-less they are important points. Reading this book I believe the author is in some way searching for a new motivation for American science and the space program in general. Maybe he feels we have become too complacent.

One of Carl Sagan's famous catch phrases was, "billions and billions of stars". Tyson has one concept he also repeats quite often in that it takes a "half a penny of your tax dollar to fund the space program". This has apparently been his response for years responding to critics that say we spend too much on our space program.

I would not compare this book to Cosmos, but it is an important book that gives sound advice to where our scientific priorities should be. However, like Cosmos this book is about expanding our minds and in many ways this is what makes us human.

Interestingly enough, Neil deGrasse Tyson is beginning production of a new Cosmos television series debuting in the spring of 2013.

Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson, author of Space Chronicles and director of the Hayden Planetarium is a very likeable guy. He is the “Carl Sagan” of this generation. His enthusiasm for astronomy, space, and science in general is genuine and contagious. His book Space Chronicles is a collection of short essays (and some reprints of interviews) on the subject of Space. The overall thesis of the essays it that manned space flight, beyond low orbit, is still needed, if not urgently so.

However, his thesis is weakly argued. In part, because Space Chronicles is somewhat repetitive as the same example or event (e.g. landing on the moon, the Challenger disaster etc) is cited in multiple essays. Further, Dr. Tyson concedes the obvious, that on a purely scientific level, because of drastically lowered costs, unmanned probes are more efficient at increasing our understanding of the universe than is manned space flight.

Still Tyson believes that manned space flight for American is worth the expense because 1) manned space flight creates awe and that awe draws young people to science 2) in order to thrive mankind needs to explore and 3) exploration of space creates “cross pollination” with other academic disciplines and 4) China is our rival in science and China has plans to send a manned trip to the moon in the not too distant future.

However, this reviewer believes Tyson overestimates the benefits of “awe” “exploration” and “cross-pollination”. True, as Dr. Tyson points out, no one ever gave a robot a parade, but when was the last time you heard about a parade for an astronaut? Further, exploration is not needed for a civilization to thrive. Many ancient civilizations (e.g. the Romans) lasted for centuries even though there was little “exploration.” Finally, “cross-pollination” between disciplines occurs all the time in science. Space is very unique working environment, compared to investing in other disciplines, investing a billion dollars in manned space flight, is an inefficient way for “cross pollination” and the advancement of science to occur.

Tyson does make a good case that China is close to challenging America’s preeminence in science. However, during one rant about the need for need for better education in science, Tyson himself, forgets the difference between “average” and “median.”

Still despite some repetition, a weak overall thesis, and a brief lapse in math skills, most readers will find Space Chronicles a worthwhile read. In particular, the essay about his upbringing, about how the space program inspired him was compelling. Tyson is one of the few recognizable faces in science and the only African-American one. Just being who is he, he inspires many young people, who might not otherwise, see their own future in science.

Neil deGrasse Tyson presents a very insightful foray into our current understanding of the universe, and into the lofty as well as more more base motives that have driven the funding of that research. He does so with a deep understanding of the science involved and with incredible insight into the mind of man, all the while maintaining a marvelous and on-target sense of humor about it all.

Some reviewers pointed out that this book can get a bit repetitive. I am not going to argue with that, but people need to keep in mind that this book is a collection of essays and articles, all dealing with a similar topic. A certain amount of repetition is expected. The message, however, is so important, so though provoking that I cannot give this book anything else but 5 stars. Repetitive or not, it is a must reed for all who worry about America's prominence in technology, science, and exploration.

Neil Degrasse Tyson is the most eloquent spokesperson for space exploration alive today. He tells the story which needs to be told and does it in an eloquent fashion without pandering. His witty and intelligent story telling make for a great read and his ability to tell compelling stories without talking above the head of his reader is always worth your time. The reason this book didn't wow me is that it consists mostly of retold tales. I follow NDT closely and found this work to be very repetitive and just not worth anything new.

Read it if you like to be educated and informed. If you follow Dr. Degrasse Tyson closely you wont find anything new here.

This book is really just a compilation of articles Tyson has written over the past 10 years. As such, it doesn't fit gracefully together as a whole and repeats the same points with the same language multiple times. I was expecting an impassioned plea on why we need to send manned missions to the moon again--and on to Mars. But all I got were newspaper clippings and transcripts from talk shows that didn't fit together to make any grand argument. It's not bad, but there's no new ground being forged here.

Space Chronicles: Facing The Ultimate Frontier by Neil deGrasse Tyson

"Space Chronicles" is the inspirational plea of why NASA matters to America and what space exploration means to our species. Renowned astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson dissects the politics of space and also enlightens the reader of the sense of awe that comes from space exploration and discovery. This book selections represent commentary, interviews, thought-provoking quotes reflecting a spectrum of fascinating topics from one of our icons of science. I share the love and awe of science that radiates from Mr. Tyson; this book arouses such emotions in witty, lucid fashion while stressing the importance of America retaining its global leadership in space.

This 384-page book is composed of thirty-six chapters and broken it in three Parts: Part I. Why, Part II. How, and Part III. Why Not. The first part of the book (Why) has to do with why we want to explore space. It appeals to emotions and wonder and the politics involved. The second part of the book (How), is of more practical science. The last third of the book (Why Not) wraps everything together and is the most passionate.

Positives:
1. A passionate, engaging prose that reflects the love of science of Dr. Tyson.
2. Fascinating topic in the hands of an icon of astrophysics.
3. Witty and humorous tone.
4. Profound without being unintelligible. An accessible book for the masses.
5. The politics involved. The author stresses the need to eliminate partisan politics.
6. Sixty-seven space tweets interspersed throughout the book. A clever way of injecting topical space wisdom.
7. The allure of space evidence by the most popular museum of the world, the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
8. Dr. Tyson is a thinker and educator and uses his prodigious knowledge and skill to enlighten the masses like few scientists can. He makes use of popular science and movies to convey concepts: The Movie Contact to illustrate how radio waves attempt to make "contact".
9. The author's view on fascinating topics like extraterrestrial life and some really interesting views from Stephen Hawking.
10. The reality of killer asteroids and the justification to pursue space. Chart that illustrates impact on Earth.
11. Is China the new Sputnik? And our we losing our scientific edge? Find out...
12. NASA and Dr. Tyson share a birthday. Diverging paths that ultimately converged. Some insights into the interesting life of Mr. Tyson and kudos.
13. The history of NASA, the great Apollo ere and the next fifty years in space.
14. Tidbits of knowledge throughout the book! Love that...there is so much that the universe wants to tell us that doesn't reach Earth's surface. I will not spoil it...
15. The three drivers to justify spending large quantities of state wealth. Find out...a recurring theme. Find out what really drove America to space travel.
16. Find out why the Super Collider budget was canceled.
17. A brief but fascinating account of space discovery. Find out the most important single discovery in astrophysics.
18. The turning point in human understanding of our place in the cosmos.
19. The future of discovery.
20. The greatest achievement of flight is...
21. The great Isaac Newton .
22. The solution to the many-body problem of the solar system.
23. The understanding of the achievements of the Soviets. Many firsts...
24. Facts and fictions of space travel. The greatest challenge to human exploration besides money is...
25. Astronauts...the super models of space travel.
26. The many new technologies that resulted from space travel. An interesting list...
27. The Hubble Space Telescope...the most productive scientific instrument of all kind. The discoveries associated with it.
28. Apollo 11 and the great late Walter Cronkite.
29. Dr. Tyson's absolute admiration for the Saturn V design that launched Apollo astronauts.
30. Very interesting look at the future of propulsion for deep space. Topics include the use of the sun (solar sails) and the difficulty with an anti-matter drive.
31. The points of Lagrange.
32. Star Trek lovers rejoice...Mr. Tyson adds a couple of interesting tidbits.
33. The future of US space travel and the challenges. Money is a recurring theme...the actual cost of NASA.
34. Wisdom, "A review of history's most ambitious projects demonstrates that only defense, the lure of economic return, and the praise of power can garner large fractions of a nation's gross domestic product".
35. One of my favorite chapters, "America and the Emergent Space Powers".
36. One of my favorite quotes, "the greatest conflicts in the world are not between religion and science;they're between religion and religion".
37. How some religious forces have quenched scientific endeavors. Great stuff.
38. The delusions of space enthusiasts.
39. Witty and humorous...projectile dysfunction. Let me leave it at that.
40. By using numbers, Dr. Tyson really puts in perspective how tiny we are...mesmerizing. "More bacteria live and work in one centimeter of my colon than the number of people who have ever existed in the world".
41. Pioneer anomaly...case and point, why science is awesome and the quest to know drives us.
42. The best justification for why we need to spend money on space travel.
43. Practical appendices and charts.

Negatives:
1. The book tends to be repetitive. A lot of the stories and interviews overlap so some concepts and thoughts are repeated.
2. It is not an in depth look at the science of astrophysics. It is more about educating the public of why it's important to funds NASA appropriately. So those looking for an in depth look at the science of astrophysics will surely be disappointed.
3. This book is a plea to fund NASA. Politics is involved but the author treats the topic with utmost respect and care. He is clearly appreciated and respected by both parties as evidenced by being appointed by both parties to important position. That being said, he does make it clear that he is left of liberal.
4. No bibliography or extended notes of references. I would have been interested in reading some recommendations.
5. No colorful illustrations of space, so this is not a coffee-table book.
6. Having to wait for the author's next book and/or Cosmos series!

In summary, I loved this book. It spoke to my love and passion for knowledge and the value to our culture of new voyages. No one makes a better case for the need of space exploration and the drive of discovery than Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. Space travel is not just an emotional frontier, it is the frontier of all sciences. That being said, some readers may be disappointed that the book focuses more on the the emotional appeal to fund NASA than the hardcore science. That aside, if you want to rekindle your love for space exploration and discovery by all means read this highly recommended book!

Further recommendations: "Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries" by the same author, "The Quantum Universe: (And Why Anything That Can Happen, Does)" by Brian Cox, "About Time: Cosmology and Culture at the Twilight of the Big Bang" by Adam Frank, "International Space Station: A Brief History (Enhanced Version)" by Vook, "Death from the Skies!: These Are the Ways the World Will End . . ." and "Bad Astronomy: Misconceptions and Misuses Revealed, from Astrology to the Moon Landing "Hoax"" by Philip Plait, "The The Grand Design" by Stephen Hawking, "A Universe from Nothing: Why There Is Something Rather than Nothing" by Lawrence Krauss, "The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality" by Brian Greene, and "A More Perfect Heaven: How Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos" by Dava Sobel.

Truly well written! I believe that if we fail as a nation to take advantage of this next frontier we will collapse.To many ignorant people out there believe that is a waste a taxpayer's money.They couldn't be wrong.

Very much enjoyed this book but many many times i found myself thinking...hasn't he covered this a few times already. I enjoyed re-reading much of it myself but this book really could have been shorter and would have benefited from more scientific content (not that it lacks it).

I was 13 years old when sputnik was launched, I was a G.I. in vietnam when Apollo 8 circled the moon. I'm now retired and so is the space shuttle. We need to get back into the business of the future and lead the world once again, instead of standing still and watching other nations pass us by. If I could give a copy the Niel deGrasse Tyson's book to everybody I know, I would. He is relighting the fire of our imagination.

As the other reviewers have made clear, this is a wonderful book. This is because it combines Tyson's charming sense of humor with profound thoughts about the future of the American zeitgeist. Dr. Tyson argues very convincingly that NASA is a necessary component if we wish to transform America into a nation that dreams of tomorrow. I would write a detailed review, but the reviewers "Scott", "Frances M. Nesi", and "J. Gomez" did a fantastic job already and said everything that I would say.

It's easy to get caught up in Neil DeGrasse Tyson's writing. He's energetic and enthusiastic. But Space Chronicles reads like a promotional presentation on behalf of NASA, rather than a call to reach to the cosmos. To listen to Dr. Tyson is to believe that the only salvation for American space presence is the lumbering juggernaut of NASA. He calls for us to remember all of the things the government's space program has produced for us, from Velcro to cloths used for military and firefighter uniforms. But along the way he totally ignores the fact that much of the research that produced these items was the sweat of private companies who accepted the government's call for new and improved products and materials to enhance our forays into space. He glosses over the colossal blunders, expensive ones, that have been made under the NASA masthead, which contributed to the slowdown of both money and enthusiasm for America's space program.

He calls the space program nonpartisan, but then admits that NASA has been politically marginalized, dividing up into competing camps that manifest all of the same competitive tanglefoot that has neutered congress. Just as with the government, when the differing sides refuse to work together, little, if anything, gets done. Rather than pressing for more privatized involvement in space research, he maintains a focus on NASA, repeatedly bringing economies of scale into the conversation to blur the realities of our country's economic position. He points to other countries which are not in the economic straits we're currently experiencing and tries to throw down the gauntlet that we should be able to do better. Yet he also admits that the only place in space exploration that we were ever number one was in landing on the moon --some 40 or so years ago. That was then, in a different economic and national situation, and this is now. That in ratio and proportion so little could be spent to produce a new wealth of advances totally ignores that it's hard to carve extra money from our mind boggling budgetary deficit. One cannot spend what one doesn't have, and right now the government is spending negative dollars.

I can't help but think about flagging educational monies and our embarrassing position in terms of schooled minds available to perform the research he speaks of. I have to think that perhaps spending more on education --and putting hooks on the money to have educational institutions focus on the sciences rather than sports might be a better way to spend the dollars we might budget. In America we spend $41 billion dollars a year on pets, so strikes me that the private sector has a lot more money to spend on space than the government currently does. For all of the returns on investment that Dr. Tyson speaks of, I have to wonder why, if it is so lucrative, aren't more companies investing in space? When this question is asked of the relative few companies that are investing in space, they speak of the tremendous governmental obstacles involved. Problems which, as I hear the interviews, point at NASA and Homeland Security as the biggest sticks in the mud. So I have to question whether Dr. Tyson is promoting space, or is he promoting NASA?

But Tyson's writing is engaging, and he brings to light a tremendous amount of knowledge in his entertaining writing. He has a ready wit and shows it often as the pages go by. Considering the dryness of much of the information, he makes it palatable with style and grace. But when I lift my head out of the atmosphere he creates, I can see the many things that he readily distracts us from. I metaphor his writing as "Do you want to be rich? It's easy! Get a lot of money." There is just too much missing as he seemingly points the way to future prosperity and growth. I tend to think that if he put his apparently boundless energies into advocating for space, rather than just NASA, that we might tend to see more of the fruits he says are out there for the taking.

As he opened the book, he spoke of how after our astronauts strolled on the moon, that people all over the world would smilingly cheer "We did it!" They took part of the credit as members of the human race. He based this on the fact that the achievement was a planetary one rather than national. He lauded this warmly, explaining that space should be a human endeavor and not a national one. Yet his book continually speaks to how well other nations are doing in space advancement, and keeps saying that we are behind. If it's truly the end product that's important, why is is so imperative that Americans lead, rather than playing a supportive role? If it was alright for peoples of other nations to have only moral supporting roles when we reached the moon, why isn't it alright for us to do so now; and why is it so important that it be NASA making the accomplishments?

I think this book would be a much more valuable writing if it encouraged mainstream American involvement in space and the reach for the stars. It would have been, in my opinion, better to point to the riches and benefits awaiting investors, encouraging them to jump in. Then add pleas for governmental subsidy and tax benefits for the space efforts of private sector investors. Then too, Dr. Tyson speaks to the fact that we haven't really provided a lot of the minds that went into our accomplishments to date, but imported them from other nations instead. He says that now those minds are going elsewhere or staying home where greater opportunities for careers in space research are more prolific. So it only seems to make sense to fan the flames of generating American minds by encouraging for more places for American minds to build on their dreams of space --while not being confined to Hollywood special effects to do it.

I enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to others with an interest in the heavens. But I would do so with the caveat that it appears to be more a promotion of NASA than a promotion of space study advancement.

Despite Neil deGrasse Tyson being a major factor in the death of Pluto as a planet, it is impossible to dislike the man - so upbeat, enthusiastic about astronomy, does such a great job of explaining solar issues. However, it is still possible to like Mr. Tyson and not be enthused about this latest book of his.

DeGrasse Tyson believes America's space program is at a turning point, possibly even soon to be eclipsed by those of other nations. This book consists of 15 years' worth of the author's commentaries on space exploration. Author Tyson contends NASA has been above politics, yet also admits we've excluded China from the International Space Station Alliance, citing human rights violations - a bit of politicking if ever there was such. Then it also seemed that NASA was always playing games with the crew lists on its launches - first emphasizing women, then a teacher, then other nations, etc.

NASA has averaged about $20 billion/year expenditures in today's dollars since its origination, and brought us advances in microelectronics, GPS, LASIK surgery, scratch-resistant lenses, cordless power tools, etc. as spin-offs from the space program. My opinion, however, is that we would have achieved all those advances anyway; eg. GPS is derived from a military application. Regardless, the space program is now buried in partisanship.

Actually, I wouldn't have any problem putting another $20 billion/year into NASA, but that thought became derailed when reading the $500 billion price-tag for the proposed Space Exploration Initiative (eg. permanent presence on the moon, manned travel to Mars) - its just too much for America's financial condition today.

Again, I really like Dr. deGrasse Tyson - just not enthused about his latest idea.

As a fellow astrophysicist, I have a lot of respect of Tyson. A very intelligent guy, but he has not researched the parts relating to manned spaceflight very well and hasn't kept up with the political struggle for pork that has been occurring since the Shuttle was discontinued. He says to greatly increase the NASA budget to be able to do everything we want to do. That is not necessary if we stop financing the Rocket to Nowhere: SLS. If we do that, we can finance everything, including returning to the moon and going beyond with the current budget. See these articles that I wrote for Yahoo! News last year.
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I thought that Neil deGRASSE TYSON would have something important to say about mankind's space travel history and prospects. Probibly because he's on enough late night talk shows, saying that we belong in space. However, SPACE CHRONICLES could have been written by the "Drunk Uncle" character on SNL, for as much scientific insight, or informative overviews of NASA's or ESA's current and future space exploration. No doubt you'd like to hear in depth about the entertaining remarks he makes on a show like CORBERT REPORT. Well, sorry. Instead, you'll have to REREAD the Corbert Report TV interview word for word. As well as several other simular interviews, for CNN or NY TIMES. A normal interview repeats a constant theme in this book. That theme isnt the current state of NASA, or how we got here, or where we are going. He doesnt mention CURIOUSITY (the new Mars rover), or the ATLAS rocket, the ARES rocket, tho he does say we have an International Space Station but not what its doing. (Exploring what happens to the human body in prolonged space enviorments, and testing new space technology.) Actually, the book's only scientific information is the last chapter, when he mentions that PIONEER 10 isnt quite as far into deep space as it ought to be, tho he only gives odd speculations as to the reason. Its hardly a fulfilling endcap to this bizarre and rambling book.

Instead of information about how humanity can't currently endure 3 years in space to go to Mars, and the information from MIR, ISS, and SkyLab that informs us of this, you get a constant diatribe against SOCIETY AS A WHOLE! He blames religion, the humanities, lack of education causing public apathy about science. It's not said once, but repeatedly. Do you want to read this book to discover the future of space travel, or hear someone tell you of 543 Nobel Prises, only 2 were given to Muslims? Do you know what that means according to Tyson? That Fundamentalist Christianity, Hasidic Judaism, and Islam are to blame for not humanity not in a space ship to Mars. "When societies and cultures are permeated by nonsecular philosophies, science & technolgy & medicine stagnate. " (p.206) How does raging against religion, explain anything other than his guy doesnt care much for Religion? Oh, add in the humanities, because he mocks the Humanities "Crowd sipping cocktails and talking about Shakespeare & Saddam Ruskie", while they make fun of the science prof who can add numbers in his head. He also says in his culture wars section, that when China became insular in the 1400s they stopped advancing in chinese discoveries. Odd, because in other parts of the book, he says that China will beat us to Mars, since "after all, Mars is red". He says "Our nation is turning into an idiocracy". Right. After looking for a book that explains where NASA is headed, I hear Tyson rail against religion, the humanities, our deplorable education system that doesnt focus on astrophysics, and how we should terraform MARS and send a billion people there. Since what Tyson fails to mention, is that without a VASMR ion drive employing a 500 megawatt engine, we wont make it to Mars in shape to work. And, altho he thinks the USA should have built a MARS spaceship in the 1980s or 1990s, the truth is without the information from MIR, the ISS, and all the MARS rovers, the recognisance satilites orbiting Mars, the advancement in robotics and computers, even the other planetary landers, that mankind would have gone ill prepaired to go to Mars, and wasted a trillion dollars on a space tragedy that would have ended space travel forever. Do you want to learn about the REAL space chronicles, and where the USA is in its mission to Mars? Go to the NASA website and watch their informative, detailed and scientific lectures about MARS. Its free, and you WILL get some useful knowledge, instead of a bunch of ill informed blathering by this conceited Z list celebrity.

He should have quit when he was ahead. He reached his high point with "The Cosmos" although that was a clever way to advance his "global warming" agenda.

It is a matter of time until we learn whether he reached his low point with his tweet:
"Some claim the USA is a Christian nation, compelling me to wonder which assault rifle Jesus would choose: the AR-15 or AK-47."