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    Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space
    Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space
    Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space
    Audiobook13 hours

    Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space

    Written by Carl Sagan

    Narrated by Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    "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 generations will look back on our epoch as the time when the human race finally broke into a radically new frontier--space. In Pale Blue Dot Sagan traces the spellbinding history of our launch into the cosmos and assesses the future that looms before us as we move out into our own solar system and on to distant galaxies beyond. The exploration and eventual settlement of other worlds is neither a fantasy nor luxury, insists Sagan, but rather a necessary condition for the survival of the human race.

    "TAKES READERS FAR BEYOND Cosmos . . . Sagan sees humanity's future in the stars." --Chicago Tribune

    Introductory music from the original score for COSMOS: A SpaceTime Odyssey composed by Alan Silvestri, used with permission from Cosmos Studios, Inc. and Chappers Music. All rights reserved. Special thanks to Fuzzy Planets, Inc.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateMay 30, 2017
    ISBN9781531888091
    Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space
    Author

    Carl Sagan

    Carl Sagan was Professor of Astronomy and Space Sciences and Director of the Laboratory for Planetary Studies at Cornell University. He played a leading role in the Mariner, Viking, and Voyager spacecraft expeditions, for which he received the NASA medals for Exceptional Scientific Achievement. Dr. Sagan received the Pulitzer Prize and the highest awards of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Science Foundation for his contributions to science, literature, education, and the preservation of the environment. His book Cosmos was the bestselling science book ever published in the English language, and his bestselling novel, Contact, was turned into a major motion picture.

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    Reviews for Pale Blue Dot

    4.5/5

    601 ratings31 reviews

    What our readers think

    Readers find this title to be a good discussion on the last great frontier, Space. It talks about the great modern technology and possibilities that we have, as well as the great dangers that come with it. The book makes a good argument about why the Bible makes a poor science book, but some readers feel that the author's anti-religious beliefs come out. Overall, readers appreciate the lovely and poetic view of the universe presented by the great thinker, Carl Sagan.

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      I honestly cannot think of too many people who have earned my respect more than Carl Sagan. Since I was a child I have clung to his writing and lecturing. The man just made sense. Pale Blue Dot is so relevant to us, not only as humans but as custodians of a lonely little planet amongst the outer dark. I am biased to this work as I am of all his work. With that being said Pale Blue Dot is an easy read that will weigh heavy on your spirit. Well written and thoughtful. This is our place.
    • 3/5
      This is specific to the audio book. The first three or four chapters, narrated by Carl Sagan himself, are excellent. However, then a female narrator takes over, and I have a very hard time listening to her voice. It sounds processed and very unnatural. You might be okay with it but I quit the book after a few chapters of her narration.
    • 5/5
      I am astonished by how Carl envisaged the idea of this book
    • 4/5
      Such a lovely book, but the woman narrating it had such a horrible voice it gave me headache. It’s not her fault, but I unfortunately couldn’t t listen to her.
    • 5/5
      Wow! Certainly worth the listen. I can't help but feel giddy about the possibility of humans living in different planets.
    • 4/5
      Gran libro, paradójicamente, aunque admiro mucho a Carl Sagan, la parte que el mismo narró fue la que mas me costo acostumbrarme a escuchar. Por lo demás todo estuvo muy bien narrado, los ejemplos muy bien ilustrados, y un argumento muy convincente, como en todos los libros de este gran narrador de historias.
    • 4/5
      I loved the book and the first part "read" by Carl Sagan himself. But the rest really grated on my ear.
    • 5/5
      One of the best books from Carl Sagan. Really worth a listen
    • 5/5
      A well written and thought-provoking justification to reach for the stars.
    • 4/5
      Good book. The word “human” is always miss pronounced :)
    • 5/5
      T h i s I s a 10 / 10
    • 4/5
      Poetic and humble view of the universe by a great thinker.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      It reminds me Why scientists should not play theologians. Over all the book is good discussion on last great frontier, Space. He talks about the great modern technology and possibilities that we have and the great dangers that come with it. I think he makes a good argument about why the Bible makes a poor science book but his anti religious beliefs does come out.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I loved listening to Annie but what a tragedy that we couldn’t have more of such beautiful words from the lips of Carl himself. He was such a natural speaker and writer and yet so poetic. I was moved to tears more than once; I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been for her. Everyone on this dot should read or hear this book.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I honestly cannot think of too many people who have earned my respect more than Carl Sagan. Since I was a child I have clung to his writing and lecturing. The man just made sense. Pale Blue Dot is so relevant to us, not only as humans but as custodians of a lonely little planet amongst the outer dark. I am biased to this work as I am of all his work. With that being said Pale Blue Dot is an easy read that will weigh heavy on your spirit. Well written and thoughtful. This is our place.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Carl Sagan. The very first introduction I had to science. Somehow, he managed to get a 7 year old to sit and learn about our universe and our own planet. I learned to follow the evidence, wherever it leads you and to appreciate how insignificant we all are in the grand scheme of things. At almost 50 years old now (yikes), each chapter of Pale Blue Dot transports me through time and space. I hope parents and educators still see the extreme value and importance of Carl's message. There. Not a scientific or peer review but I couldn't help but show some love and respect for the man who started my journey to the stars.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I honestly cannot think of too many people who have earned my respect more than Carl Sagan. Since I was a child I have clung to his writing and lecturing. The man just made sense. Pale Blue Dot is so relevant to us, not only as humans but as custodians of a lonely little planet amongst the outer dark. I am biased to this work as I am of all his work. With that being said Pale Blue Dot is an easy read that will weigh heavy on your spirit. Well written and thoughtful. This is our place.
    • 4/5
      “The Universe is created for us! We’re at the center! Everything pays homage to us!”—and concluding that our pretensions are amusing, our aspirations pathetic, that this must be the planet of the idiots.

      Xenophanes understood the arrogance of this perspective:
      The Ethiopians make their gods black and snub-nosed; the Thracians say theirs have blue eyes and red hair … Yes, and if oxen and horses or lions had hands, and could paint with their hands, and produce works of art as men do, horses would paint the forms of the godslike horses, and oxen like oxen …

      After showing how arrogant and stupid humanity has been Sagan still makes the plea that we somehow save ourselves, by going out into space. That way our entire species future isn't tied to a fragile planet that we ourselves might destroy through our misuse of technology or through war.

      I think we are closer now to the destruction that Sagan feared even more so then in 1994, I'm afraid we don't have enough time left to colonize the planets, asteroids, and comets like he proposed. Steven Hawking repeated the plea in 2008. Personally I think, our efforts should be two fold, first try to get some human presence off of earth as quickly as possible, secondly try to develop as sophisticated an AI as possible, and send that off planet, as a hedge that even if humanity is completely destroyed we would have left something behind.
    • 5/5
      I love the story behind the pale blue dot. More than that, I love how Carl Sagan uses a fuzzy little picture to highlight the human condition: small and insignificant yet brash and arrogant. With one image, he puts us in our place in the vast cosmos. Yet, he doesn’t belittle us. Instead, he uses this image to elevate us to new heights and achieve things we haven’t even dreamed of yet.

      And that is what this book does to a greater degree. It’s a sobering reminder of what we are, where we are, and when we are. It’s also a glimpse into our future of reaching into space, conquering the final frontier and ushering in an era of peace and progress. While the last bit seemed far fetched in the 80s and 90s - and even more so now - the message is clear: we need to forget our differences - be they political, religious, or economical - and forge our future together.

      Sagan uses the book to argue space travel in the 90s. Yes, we have come a long way since then, and some of the information is extremely outdated in 2015, but the warrant remains the same. His thesis is clear and the writing is sharp, which results in a highly persuasive read that will convert even the most hardcore anti-spacers out there.

      I believe I’ve said more than enough about the book. Stop reading and go grab the book right now and immerse yourself in Sagan’s beautiful prose. You’ll lose yourself among the vastness of space, yet you won’t be alone.
    • 4/5
      In this sequel to the original Cosmos, Carl Sagan again reminds us of the intrinsic human desire to wander, and expands on many of the social and scientific topics discussed in the 1980 television series and accompanying book. Here, Sagan begins with primitive humans migrating across the planet for survival as much as to push the boundaries of a given frontier. From there, Sagan offers a personal anecdote, describing the hardships of his grandparents’ life in Eastern Europe and their fretful immigration to the United States.

      A full chapter details the conflicts between science and religion in the early Catholic church and argues that the human race gained a measure of humility after reluctantly accepting the fact that we are not at the center of the universe. As he did often in Cosmos, Sagan delves into the history of astronomical advancements including early discoveries of the larger moons around Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus by Galileo, Huygens, Cassini, Kuiper, and Lassell as well as the naming (and renaming) of the first seven planets by the ancients—Earth, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn—and how this inspired the development of the seven-day calendar week.

      Readers are also treated to rich scientific detail about the planets and 60 plus natural satellites in our solar system based on data from the Viking, Galileo, Cassini-Huygens, Pioneers 10 and 11, and Voyager 1 and 2 probes. Further chapters delve into the atmospheric and surface compositions of the worlds, asteroids, and moons before Sagan goes on to expound three major threats to Earth’s environment—ozone depletion, global warming, and nuclear winter.

      Sagan’s hopes and visions for the future of manned space exploration through international cooperation are inspiring for all their possibilities, but he is also pragmatic and laments the financial erosion and bureaucratic ossification of the space program over the past three decades and an unfortunate public shift in focus away from planetary exploration. However, in 1994, when Pale Blue Dot was published, it’s difficult to say whether Sagan predicted the dawn of private space agencies—such as SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and others—that would fill the void left by the government.

      As always, Carl Sagan makes it clear that by exploring other worlds, we open our minds to possibilities far beyond the scope of our limited knowledge and experience bound up on this insignificant pale blue dot situated on the outer edge of a spiral arm lost among billions of stars and planets in the Milky Way.

      “We’re made of star stuff. We are a way for the cosmos to know itself.” – Carl Sagan, Cosmos.
    • 5/5
      If you want to see how science can offer a spiritual perspective, read this book.
    • 3/5
      Sagan is a genius - a brilliant deep thinker. That's obvious, and this review won't add or detract to that at all.

      Pale Blue Dot had some fabulous insight into the difficulties behind space exploration, particularly on the political and bureaucratic end. However, it frequently goes off topic, where Sagan frequently lectures on the state of the world, our place in the universe, etc etc. Not that this isn't enlightening - just not why I picked up this book.

      A bit jumbled, and takes on too much, but a fascinating read nonetheless.
    • 5/5
      "A Pale Blue Dot" is not fiction - it is incredible insightful scientific musings and a walk through planets and moons of our solar system - but it feels like fiction. Sagan's writing style is full of amazement, wisdom and poetry, and just like a great fiction book it is hard to put down.

      When that's said, he spends the first chapters of the book beating on the Church / centrist views in all forms but mostly the Church. I find that somewhat unnecessary - at least to beat that much, but it appears to be his pet peeve, so I put up with it.

      The fascinating parts of the book start after that. They are about the worlds in our solar system, how planets and moons form, and the vision for human Space exploration. Fantastic. If it was science fiction it would be great science fiction (just add characters), but it is science which just makes it even greater.

      The book is of course 20 years old, and a lot has been discovered since it was written, but mostly not described as eloquently as Sagan can do it. My husband and I read the book together second time (I read it up for him as goodnight story), and have used Wikipedia on my tablet to update ourselves about the later discoveries after each chapter, so when we finish reading about a planet or moon we go to Wikipedia to get the latest space exploration updates about it before moving on. I can recommend that reading strategy.
    • 3/5
      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 generations will look back on our epoch as the time when the human race finally broke into a radically new frontier--space. In Pale Blue Dot Sagan traces the spellbinding history of our launch into the cosmos and assesses the future that looms before us as we move out into our own solar system and on to distant galaxies beyond. The exploration and eventual settlement of other worlds is neither a fantasy nor luxury, insists Sagan, but rather a necessary condition for the survival of the human race.
    • 5/5
      Wonderful and mind expanding book. It makes a great case for the space program and human exploration of space, but does not stop there. Entertaining and filled with great science.
    • 4/5
      This book had SO much information packed in a very accessable way. All about our solar system, space exploration, the planets and moons, and all kinds of things. It's so enjoyable to read and will help you understand the amazing place we live. Not earth, folks... the universe.
    • 4/5
      All though I have the greatest respect for Dr. Carl Sagan, he does tend to let his 'political opinions' leak out. It became very obvious to me that Dr. Sagan has no time for conservatives or Republicans in general.

      That said, this book is outstanding if one considers the date it was published. Young astronomers and environmentalists will see and learn about our small but precious Earth.

      The big take away for me was that we 'humans', are not the center of anything but our own imaginations. Our place in the cosmos is so insignificant, that it's not even worth mentioning. And to think we are so smart, is laughable.

      Thank you Dr. Sagan, and rest well.

      Jim DeManche
      Amateur Astronomer
    • 5/5
      Dated, but this is still the most majestic and relevant book you’re likely to find about humanity’s place in the solar system. I actually 'read' Pale Blue Dot by listening to the audiobook, narrated for the most part by the author himself. Carl Sagan's delivery is justifiably the stuff of legend, with his rich, deliberate and passionate enunciation. Years after his death Sagan remains one of the most poetic and thought provoking of writers. Marvellous, marvellous stuff.
    • 3/5
      Sagen writes in his usual eloquent and impassioned manner, about how we must venture into the vast cosmos, and begin our exploration of other worlds. He presents a well thought out argument for the exploration of space as a means of continuing our civilization well into the future. He convinced me, but I am not hard to convince when it comes to exploration or science. I gave this book a rating of three, because it is not as good as other books he has written.
    • 4/5
      some fantastic content.. I mean really amazingly good. But also some seriously detailed stuff I tuned out a bit.