Exploring Top Books of Shelfari

A Brief History of Time, published in 1988, was a landmark volume in science writing and in world-wide acclaim and popularity, with more than 9 million copies in print globally. The original edition was on the cutting edge of what was then known about the origins and nature of the universe. But the ensuing years have seen extraordinary advances in the technology of observing both the micro- and the macrocosmic... (more)

Cosmos

by Carl Sagan

The best-selling science book ever published in the English language, COSMOS is a magnificent overview of the past, present, and future of science. Brilliant and provocative, it traces today's knowledge and scientific methods to their historical roots, blending science and philosophy in a wholly energetic and irresistible way.

A Short History of Nearly Everything

by Bill Bryson

One of the world’s most beloved and bestselling writers takes his ultimate journey -- into the most intriguing and intractable questions that science seeks to answer. In A Walk in the Woods , Bill Bryson trekked the Appalachian Trail -- well, most of it. In In A Sunburned Country , he confronted some of the most lethal wildlife Australia has to offer. Now, in his biggest book, he confronts his greatest... (more)

Every Soul A Star

by Wendy Mass

And as streams of light fan out behind the darkened sun like the wings of a butterfly, I realize that I never saw real beauty until now. At Moon Shadow, an isolated campground, thousands have gathered to catch a glimpse of a rare and extraordinary total eclipse of the sun. It's also were three lives are about to be changed forever: Ally likes the simple things in life--labyrinths, star-gazing, and... (more)

Galileo's Daughter

A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love

by Dava Sobel

Galileo Galilei's telescopes allowed him to discover a new reality in the heavens. But for publicly declaring his astounding argument--that the earth revolves around the sun--he was accused of heresy and put under house arrest by the Holy Office of the Inquisition. Living a far different life, Galileo's daughter Virginia, a cloistered nun, proved to be her father's greatest source of strength through the difficult... (more)

The Universe in a Nutshell

by Stephen W. Hawking

Stephen Hawking’s phenomenal, multimillion-copy bestseller, A Brief History of Time , introduced the ideas of this brilliant theoretical physicist to readers all over the world. Now, in a major publishing event, Hawking returns with a lavishly illustrated sequel that unravels the mysteries of the major breakthroughs that have occurred in the years since the release of his acclaimed first book. The Universe in... (more)

Pale Blue Dot

by Carl Sagan

"FASCINATING . . . MEMORABLE . . . REVEALING . . . PERHAPS THE BEST OF CARL SAGAN'S BOOKS." --The Washington Post Book World (front page review) In Cosmos, the late astronomer Carl Sagan cast his gaze over the magnificent mystery of the Universe and made it accessible to millions of people around the world. Now in this stunning sequel, Carl Sagan completes his revolutionary journey through space and time. Future... (more)

The Elegant Universe

Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory

by Brian Greene

In a rare blend of scientific insight and writing as elegant as the theories it explains, Brian Greene, one of the world's leading string theorists, peels away the layers of mystery surrounding string theory to reveal a universe that consists of eleven dimensions where all matter is generated by the vibrations of microscopically tiny loops of energy. Greene uses everything from an amusement park ride to ants on a... (more)

The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality

The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality

by Brian Greene

From Brian Greene, one of the world’s leading physicists and author the Pulitzer Prize finalist The Elegant Universe , comes a grand tour of the universe that makes us look at reality in a completely different way. Space and time form the very fabric of the cosmos. Yet they remain among the most mysterious of concepts. Is space an entity? Why does time have a direction? Could the universe exist without space and... (more)

Death by Black Hole

And Other Cosmic Quandaries

by Neil deGrasse Tyson

A vibrant collection of essays on the cosmos from the nation's best-known astrophysicist. Loyal readers of the monthly "Universe" essays in Natural History magazine have long recognized Neil deGrasse Tyson's talent for guiding them through the mysteries of the cosmos with stunning clarity and almost childlike enthusiasm. Here, Tyson compiles his favorite essays across a myriad of cosmic topics. The title essay... (more)

Contact

by Carl Sagan

In December, 1999, a multinational team journeys out to the stars, to the most awesome encounter in human history. Who -- or what -- is out there? In Cosmos , Carl Sagan explained the universe. In Contact , he predicts its future -- and our own.

Billions and Billions: Thoughts on Life and Death at the Brink of the Millennium

Billions and Billions: Thoughts on Life and Death at the Brink of the Millennium

by Carl Sagan

In the final book of his astonishing career, Carl Sagan brilliantly examines the burning questions of our lives, our world, and the universe around us. These luminous, entertaining essays travel both the vastness of the cosmos and the intimacy of the human mind, posing such fascinating questions as how did the universe originate and how will it end, and how can we meld science and compassion to meet the challenges... (more)

The Planets

by Dava Sobel

With her bestsellers Longitude and Galileo's Daughter , Dava Sobel introduced readers to her rare gift for weaving complex scientific concepts into a compelling narrative. Now Sobel brings her full talents to bear on what is perhaps her most ambitious topic to date-the planets of our solar system. Sobel explores the origins and oddities of the planets through the lens of popular culture, from astrology,... (more)

Death from the Skies!: These Are the Ways the World Will End . . .

Death from the Skies!: These Are the Ways the World Will End . . .

by Philip C. Plait

A lively astronomy primer that uses cataclysmic scenarios to explain the universe’s most fascinating events . According to astronomer Philip Plait, the universe is an apocalypse waiting to happen But how much do we really need to fear from things like black holes, gamma-ray bursts, and supernovae? And if we should be scared, is there anything we can do to save ourselves? With humor and wit, Plait details the... (more)

Smiles to Go

by Jerry Spinelli

What is stargazer, skateboarder, chess champ, pepperoni pizza eater, older brother, sister hater, best friend, first kisser, science geek, control freak Will Tuppence so afraid of in this great big universe? Jerry Spinelli knows.

The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America's Favorite Planet

The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America's Favorite Planet

by Neil deGrasse Tyson

The New York Times best-selling irrational love affair with Pluto, In August 2006, the International Astronomical Union voted Pluto out of planethood. Far from the sun, wonder Pluto has any fans. Yet during the mounting debate over rallied behind the extraterrestrial underdog. Disney created an irresistible pup by the... (more)

Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays

Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays

by Stephen W. Hawking

Readers worldwide have come to know the work of Stephen Hawking through his phenomenal million-copy hardcover best-seller A Brief History of Time . Bantam is proud to present the paperback edition of Dr. Hawking's first new book since that event, a collection of fascinating and illuminating essays, and a remarkable interview broadcast by the BBC on Christmas Day, 1992. These fourteen pieces reveal Hawking... (more)

National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Night Sky (Audubon Society Field Guide Series)

National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Night Sky (Audubon Society Field Guide Series)

by NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY

The perfect companion volume for Hale-Bopp watchers, this guide explores the fabulous mysteries above, from planets in our solar system to the constellations in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, stars, galaxies (including the Milky Way), nebulae, astronomical bodies, objects, phenomena, and -- yes -- comets. Night Sky provides a concise guided tour of the heavens with 48 monthly sky charts of the... (more)

Comet, Revised

by Carl Sagan, Ann Druyan

WHAT ARE THESE GRACEFUL VISITORS TO OUR SKIES? WE NOW KNOW THAT THEY BRING BOTH LIFE AND DEATH AND TEACH US ABOUT OUR ORIGINS. Comet begins with a breathtaking journey through space astride a comet. Pulitzer Prize-winning astronomer Carl Sagan, author of Cosmos and Contact, and writer Ann Druyan explore the origin, nature, and future of comets, and the exotic myths and portents attached to them. The authors show... (more)

Just Six Numbers

The Deep Forces that Shape the Universe

by Martin J. Rees

The genesis of the universe elegantly explained in a simple theory based on just six numbers by one of the world's most renowned astrophysicists.

Shelfari Book Activity

Tags: astronomy

From the Big Bang to Black Holes

by Stephen W. Hawking

by Carl Sagan

by Bill Bryson

by Wendy Mass

A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love

by Dava Sobel

by Stephen W. Hawking

by Carl Sagan

Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory

by Brian Greene

by Brian Greene

And Other Cosmic Quandaries

by Neil deGrasse Tyson

by Carl Sagan

by Carl Sagan

by Dava Sobel

by Philip C. Plait

by Jerry Spinelli

by Neil deGrasse Tyson

by Stephen W. Hawking

by NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY

by Carl Sagan, Ann Druyan

The Deep Forces that Shape the Universe

by Martin J. Rees