What are your favourite books on Astronomy and all things Science?

[ClassicFlappy]

I've had the pleasure of reading 'A Brief History of Time' by the late and great Stephen Hawking and 'Forces of Nature' by Brian Cox. More recently I've read 'Astrophysics for People in a Hurry' by Neil deGrasse Tyson. What I've noticed is the less difficult reads were also the more enjoyable. As someone who wouldn't be classed an avid reader I would like to see some suggestions that are less mathematical and more 'Black Holes are big, here is a pretty picture of a Black Hole (just don't get too close)'

 

[akashraoind]

mahidhara nalini mohan was my favorite popular science writer when i was a child. he wrote on science in general and technology and space in particular in a way which laymen could understand, and in telugu ... all my young age concepts of science were framed on the basis of his propositions in those books. some of them were - 'rakettu katha' (story of the rocket) / 'pidugu devara katha' (story about lightening) / 'radio katha' (story of the radio) / 'prapanchaniki akharu ghadiyalu' (last moments for the world) / etc. i was still searching for the last 2 books when i jumped into higher studies and left for another place and fell in love with creative literature. in humourous science anecdotes that he wrote and collected, usually, the basic concepts were explained in scenes set in villages of coastal andhra pradesh, by character suryam babai (uncle surya) and his niece shishira (perhaps daugher of mahidhara himself)

kodavatiganti kutumba rao was another popular science writer whose 'science vyasalu' (essays on science) was a bulky book i read cover to cover in class 8 or 9

nanduri rama mohana rao a third one whose books 'viswaroopam' (nature of universe) and 'naraavataaram' (the evolution of man) were famous and i read both

 

[Helio]

There are many great general readership books. Tyson's book about Pluto and how he got in trouble in not presenting it as a planet after the Hayden Museum re-opened was perhaps the only book I read in less than one day -- I could hardly put it down. His statement that he never dreamed that, as an astrophysicist, he would ever get hate mail from 3rd-graders. I almost fell out of my chair reading that.

A new book out that is a great read is "When the Earth had Two Moons". The writing is with very nice and lucid style. No math, IIRC. If you have no real interest in planetary formations and history, I wouldn't recommend it.

I have a dozen Galileo books but some are very detailed for serious study and others are just general stories. One is very chronological and the details greatly assist in explaining why things happened the way they did.

"Why the Sky is Blue', is another book worth reading as it gives some more advanced physics but done in a way that is understandable and interesting.

 

[ClassicFlappy]

There are many great general readership books. Tyson's book about Pluto and how he got in trouble in not presenting it as a planet after the Hayden Museum re-opened was perhaps the only book I read in less than one day -- I could hardly put it down. His statement that he never dreamed that, as an astrophysicist, he would ever get hate mail from 3rd-graders. I almost fell out of my chair reading that.

A new book out that is a great read is "When the Earth had Two Moons". The writing is with very nice and lucid style. No math, IIRC. If you have no real interest in planetary formations and history, I wouldn't recommend it.

I have a dozen Galileo books but some are very detailed for serious study and others are just general stories. One is very chronological and the details greatly assist in explaining why things happened the way they did.

"Why the Sky is Blue', is another book worth reading as it gives some more advanced physics but done in a way that is understandable and interesting.

Thank you very much for your suggestions I will look them up, especially "Why the sky is blue"! I've heard great things about it.

 

[Eva Braun]

I'd recommend you Solaris by Stanislav Lem and Short answers to big questions by Stephen Hawking.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Life Nature Library
Anyone remember these? I grew up with them! LOL!

-Wolf sends

 

[Helio]

Yep! Those were great, perhaps partly because of the colorful photos.

 

[akashraoind]