Cosmos

The back cover of the book was torn from the corner but all the pages were intact

The bottom corner of the book frame was completely worn out as if the book was overused or dropped on the floor. I had to ask for a return.

I do bot like the cook cover is damde

You don't expect someone whose obvious forte is mathematics and science to be a fantastic writer to boot, but Carl Sagan writes beautifully indeed. I'll try to make this review as useful as possible. The subject matter varies between chapters, with some of them more scientifically dense (and therefore fascinating) and others are historically informative. Here is a basic topic of chapters (not in order): -A chapter putting into perspective how little we know and how many wondrous things there are yet to discover about our existence -A chapter on Venus, among other planets and bodies, within our solar system along with musings on why it is habitable or not -A chapter on Mars and everything it has meant to us and was discovered to be like -A chapter devoted to the very first scientific awakening of our race -A chapter that addresses the likelihood of communication with other intelligent life These are just a couple of the chapters. You'll learn about how, scientist by scientist, we amassed the information and knowledge we have to date, and the magnitude and elegance of each of their respective contributions. Carl will teach you about the laws of the universe that everything in it obeys You'll learn not just elementary facts about the planets in our solar system, but the "how" and "why" behind their characteristics and attributes. You will be brought to edge of human knowledge and made to look out into the vast wealth of information left to acquire. You will finish this book with a sense of profound curiosity, deep respect, tremendous awe, and quiet humility. Every chapter has a very nice structure to it, following the same basic template: Ask a question or pose a problem, explain, conclude with a look forward. He never leaves anything unfinished or any stone unturned, so you never get the sense of abrupt subject change. Each chapter is intended to be treated as individual, and so it can be likened to a sentence, ending definitively and conclusively with a period. The reviewer that said this is disorganized is being too obsessive and completely missing the point. The book itself is more of a collection of thought-provoking topics than it is some sort of fictional story meant to "flow". If this is what you are seeking, I suggest going back to fiction. It honestly makes the book easier to read the way Sagan structured it. If you are a religious person and are nervous that his atheism might somehow offend you, I assure you that he is never arrogant, confrontational, or mocking. He is simply a humanist, and is looking only to impart upon his audience a true understanding of how beautiful our existence and the science behind it is. Not only does he deliver facts, but he successfully enlightens you. I can honestly say this is the most profoundly educational book I have ever read. I have never learned so much in just one book. I feel not just more educated and knowledgeable, but wiser as a human. He only tries to dispel the hold that superstition has had and the darkness of ignorance that has haunted us throughout our history. He leaves you to believe whatever you want to believe, while making sure you never make the mistake of attributing truly scientific processes to magic. You may even find a better reason to feel spiritually in touch with our human identity and the meaning of life. That's all up to you how you interpret this, but this is beautiful education and enlightenment, not an offensive attack on anything or anyone. He is a beautiful writer and sometimes, I was blown away by the flow of his words. There were some sentences that were as musical and intricately beautiful as symphony. He is truly a loss to our race, both for his knowledge and his perspective. His is the hand that waves away the smoke, clearing that which is otherwise in plain sight for everyone to see. Do recommend. Would make it compulsory reading if I was a dictator.

A classic. A book that is worth having in paper for this price.

Highly recommended read for everyone

Not to sound too dramatic, but this book legitimately changed my view on life. I had always considered myself agnostic, or “not religious”, and had a very complex relationship with spirituality. I never seemed to be able to determine what I thought was “out there”, and felt like no one was asking the right questions or conceptualizing things the way my brain did. I’ll give an example: aliens. People always portrayed them as skinny, green, humanoid things. Big-eyed “anthropomorphized” beings. This frustrated me to no end, because why the hell would that be how another form of life turned out? With infinite possibilities stemming from infinite environmental variables… I tried to visualize the many different kinds of weird things that could evolve with different pressures, and it seemed like no one got it. No one could see it. No one really even entertained the conversation. I used to think to myself that maybe the people I was talking to had simply lost their childlike imagination…. Or that maybe I should grow up. After reading this book, I now think that most people just don’t stop and truly think about how vast the universe is, and how much we don’t know. Most people focus on what we do (sort of) have a grasp on- our world. And I get it. I think it is incredibly frightening to really start to think about it all. As humans, we want to feel like we have control. Like we understand things- because if we don’t understand something we often are afraid of it. And it seems terrifying to think that we cannot and will not ever truly understand what the hell all this is. This book helped me sort out what I feel, how I view life, and how I view the universe. It helped me feel like I wasn’t crazy for what my imagination came up with through the years. And it has helped me come to terms with the unknown. With being comfortable with the uncomfortable. I am already re-reading it. Because I am sure there are things that did not sink it the first round- things I didn’t catch. Give it a read. It is worth it.