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tjestes's review against another edition
Kinda boring if you’re not totally interested in american military politics and conflicts and how they relate to science.
_juxtapositive_'s review against another edition
5.0
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. For anyone interested in the linkage between the missions of science and warfighting, this book is for you. I feel like I can tell the pages written by Dr. Tyson, and those written by Avis Lang. That may sound negative, but it’s not. I think the humor and perspective of Dr. Tyson comes through more with the contrast. Anyone interested in the early days of space (both military and civil) should give this a read for a sort of intro to the subject. That aside, the book doesn’t paint a poignant picture of the military as I expected. It’s not pro-war, and not 100% anti-military either. Unless you are Aunt Melissa, that is. Overall a good read that I felt compelled to read whenever I had time to do so. Will buy this when out in paperback to have at home for sure.
third_bookworm's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
2.0
This was a slog, and not really what I had been hoping for from it. I think it would have benefitted significantly from a more aggressive editor (the extremely long chapter on the history of putting satellites into space was... less than riveting, to say the least). However, I think the main problems I had with it are that I am not the target audience (it was geared at a general audience; I was hoping for a detailed analysis from someone in the field written for others in astrophysics, and instead I got wave-particle duality explained to me like a high schooler.) and that I find Tyson aggravating as a person, so any time his personality or politics showed through in the writing it annoyed me. It wasn't what I hoped for, but I think that's more on me for the expectations I went into it with.
For all that, there were some genuinely interesting and insightful pieces scattered in.
Also, fairly depressing implications for the ethics of a career in astrophysics.
For all that, there were some genuinely interesting and insightful pieces scattered in.
Also, fairly depressing implications for the ethics of a career in astrophysics.
tosche's review against another edition
1.0
Very disappointing. It gets a single star for some interesting history, but loses the reader in Tyson’s unbelievably grating pretentiousness.
thelauraxe's review
2.0
I really wanted to enjoy this but I listened to it at work and it was just too dry for my taste. :(
aranafyre's review against another edition
Wonderfully written analysis of the connection between science and war. From ancient times to present. The last chapter was particularly poignant as they looked at the potential war usage of space. We are a long way from the peaceful ideals of Star Trek and it’s a shame we can’t get our collective act together enough. If we’re still warring down here we’ll be warring up there. And that is a shame.