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Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization Hardcover – September 20, 2022

by Neil deGrasse Tyson (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 4,210 ratings
Editors' pick Best Nonfiction
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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Bringing his cosmic perspective to civilization on Earth, Neil deGrasse Tyson shines new light on the crucial fault lines of our time―war, politics, religion, truth, beauty, gender, and race―in a way that stimulates a deeper sense of unity for us all.

In a time when our political and cultural views feel more polarized than ever, Tyson provides a much-needed antidote to so much of what divides us, while making a passionate case for the twin chariots of enlightenment―a cosmic perspective and the rationality of science.

After thinking deeply about how science sees the world and about Earth as a planet, the human brain has the capacity to reset and recalibrates life’s priorities, shaping the actions we might take in response. No outlook on culture, society, or civilization remains untouched.

With crystalline prose, Starry Messenger walks us through the scientific palette that sees and paints the world differently. From insights on resolving global conflict to reminders of how precious it is to be alive, Tyson reveals, with warmth and eloquence, an array of brilliant and beautiful truths that apply to us all, informed and enlightened by knowledge of our place in the universe.

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    288 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Henry Holt and Co.
  4. Publication date
    September 20, 2022
  5. Dimensions
    5.7 x 0.95 x 8.55 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1250861500
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1250861504
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Every page is lit up by an original poetic imagination but bearing the unmistakable stamp of a rational mind, steeped in maths and science.”
―Richard Dawkins, author of The Selfish Gene and The God Delusion

“Handsome, gregarious and passionate about his subject matter, Neil deGrasse Tyson…meditates on what a life studying the majesty of the stars and the planets can teach us about how to deal with all the messy social and political conflicts bedeviling us here on Earth…Engaging as ever…He is lucidly down-to-earth and charmingly enthusiastic.”
―The Washington Post

“Tyson has become the most influential science communicator in the country.”
―Vox

“Tyson takes a rational approach to the topics that divide us and the ideals we question. This book may make you rethink your place in the Universe...Strap in; it's quite the cosmic ride.”
―Discover

“I have a soft spot for books that make me stop and wonder at the world. Tyson’s latest does just that―it’s a perspective-widening take on our earthly problems, and a reassuring look at the progress we’ve made.”
–Amazon Book Review, editors’ pick

“Tyson’s ability to simplify complex topics without seeming disparaging or condescending is refreshing, as is his willingness to approach such a broad range of topics in a forthright yet nonconfrontational manner…An excellent addition to any science collection that will encourage critical thinking by all who read it.”
–Library Journal, STARRED Review

“[Neil deGrasse Tyson] tackles hot-button topics concerning gender identity, racial inequality, abortion, personal versus objective truths, and political beliefs. The tone and approach feel like an updated version of Freakonomics (2005) with the pointed and thought-provoking stance of a Dan Ariely book, but with more scientific undertones, a sprinkling of religious references, and a dash of sass.”
–Booklist

“[A] welcome voice in the escalating fight with the array of forces aligned against science and rational thought. Good sense for those who value good sense.”
–Kirkus

“Tyson’s at his best when he explains what he sees as the unique power of science, touting the ‘self-regulating’ nature of the scientific method and asserting that ‘conformity in science is anathema to progress.’”
–Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophysicist and the author of the #1 bestselling Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, among other books. He is the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, where he has served since 1996. Dr. Tyson is also the host and cofounder of the Emmy-nominated popular podcast StarTalk and its spinoff StarTalk Sports Edition, which combine science, humor, and pop culture. He is a recipient of 23 honorary doctorates, the Public Welfare Medal from the National Academy of Sciences, and the Distinguished Public Service Medal from NASA. Asteroid 13123 Tyson is named in his honor. He lives in New York City.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Henry Holt and Co. (September 20, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250861500
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250861504
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.7 x 0.95 x 8.55 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 4,210 ratings

About the author

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Neil deGrasse Tyson

Neil deGrasse Tyson

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THE LATEST BOOK

I'm Neil deGrasse Tyson, an astrophysicist and servant of those who are insatiably curious. My latest book "Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization" contains the deepest ideas and thoughts that I've ever put to page. But maybe that's for you to decide. The book offers a view "from above" that is unapologetically scientifically literate while addressing topics such as mind & body, conflict & resolution, law & order, gender & identity, color & race, life & death. Often, the most divisive issues in society simply evaporate when you see them embedded in a larger world-view. Starry Messenger is an offering to civilization, to help it find the guide star it lost long ago.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY

Neil deGrasse Tyson was born in New York City the same week NASA was founded. His interest in the universe traces back to age 9, after a first visit to the Hayden Planetarium of the American Museum of Natural History. He was educated in the public schools of New York City through his graduation from the Bronx High School of Science. And after an BA in Physics from Harvard and a PhD in Astrophysics from Columbia and a Postdoctoral research fellowship at Princeton, Tyson became the Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium, where he has served since 1996.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
4,210 global ratings
To Astrophysics with love
5 Stars
To Astrophysics with love
I love Neil's point of view and he uses astrophysics to explain how we can all get along and have fun doing it. Loved the book.
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Top reviews from the United States

Pachara Naripthaphan
5.0 out of 5 stars never disappointed with Dr.Niel
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2024
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He is a lovely teacher, writer and always inspirational scientist. I only wish I knew him before, i would have been physicist by now.
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G. A. BRAVO-CASAS
5.0 out of 5 stars A remarkable message from someone close to the stars
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2022
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Highly recommended! - In his new book, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson provides a cosmic perspective to life on the planet. It is an excellent presentation of the adoption of a global perspective of nature, which is at the core of the yoga teachings and Indian philosophy. A global perspective helps us to recognize that we are all interconnected and therefore, interdependent. The right perspective facilitates us to properly view the details of reality, at the same time as we see the totality … it is the ability to see simultaneously the leaves of a tree and the entire tree. The better the view of the tree, helps to see better the leaves. Modern science tells us about the benefits of using a microscope and a “macroscope” to properly perceive our concerns.

The author (born in 1958) has been the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the Museum of Natural History in New York City since 1996. He attended Bronx High School of Science in NYC (source of eight Nobel Prizes), studied at Harvard, University of Texas, Columbia, and Princeton. He began his interest in astronomy at age nine when he visited the Planetarium. He has received 21 honorary doctorates, the Public Welfare Medal from the National Academy of Sciences, and Asteroid 13123 Tyson was named in his honor.

Tyson examines a large number of topics, including astrology, gender identification, safety and violence, race and ethnicity, religion, political orientation, eating habits, disabilities, our views on life and death, and many other controversial subjects. His views on all the them challenge our traditional stands and are easily digested by a special mixture of humor and sarcasm. The book has a comprehensive source of information, mainly available on the Internet.

For many of his selected topics, he visualizes how aliens visiting the planet would see us. Those aliens, he says, have none of our biases, our preferences, or our preconceived notions. Probably, those aliens have noticed that the very concept of truth on Earth is fraught with conflicting ideologies and habits. In one of the most sarcastic passages, Tyson deals with vegans and meat eaters and says that aliens would be incensed by vegetarians for slaughtering their plant brethren and by their special interest in reproductive organs (flowers, seeds, nuts, berries); by eating then, humans disrupt the life cycle of the planet. And he concludes that the barbaric behavior includes eating the younger versions of plants and infanticidal practices like eating baby carrots, baby spinach, baby arugula, baby artichokes, baby squash, bean sprouts.

Brilliantly, Tyson summarizes the enormous impact of space exploration on our view of the planet. In a short period of five years, just after Apollo 11 (the first walk on the Moon), in spite of the virulent Cold War, the Vietnam fighting, and numerous Campus unrests, the US took a significant number of unprecedented actions: “Comprehensive Clean Air Act” 1970), “First National Earth Day” (1970), “National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration” (NOOA- 1970), “Environmental Protection Agency” (1970), DDT banned (1972), “Clean Water Act” (1972), first unleaded gasoline emission standards (1973), and the “Endangered Species Act” (1973). During those five years, “Physicians Without Borders” was founded (1971), the first catalytic converted for cars was invented and adopted, and the “Whole Earth Catalog” became a hit publication (1968-1972). We began to see our planet with different eyes!
48 people found this helpful
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Antonio Olivieri
5.0 out of 5 stars All educated people must read!
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2024
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This Neil DeGrass Tyson book is a very deep, eclectic and interesting reflection on what Humanity knows about the Universe so far.
Considering that in the middle term future we need to start conquering other livable words in the Cosmos, human beings need to overcome the animal behavior of agression and violence, the root causes of disunity and war.
All Physicians, Engineers, Educators, Lawyers, Scientists, Politicians, Leaders and college educated professionals in general must to penetrate in this logic and needed "spatial mentality" to prepare our next generation to conquer and inhabit other livable places in the outer space, before living in our Earth may become difficult or even impossible due the environmental and overpopulation problems.
I recommend the reading of this essay, and think seriously about the subject of our Universe and its misteries and possibilities.
4 people found this helpful
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Billy, Rachel & Fam…
4.0 out of 5 stars Non-Fiction & Philosophy conquered…
Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2023
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As a fan of Neil deGrasse Tyson, I enjoy his unique and quirkily written scholarly works. In this somewhat objective, but educatedly subjective philosophical offering I enjoyed reading his rationalizations, opinions and musings on life from the point of a view of an astrophysicist, a scholar, an educator, but also a member of society. I find his quirkiness, which some find off-putting, to be fun, clever, and unabashedly self deprecating. He doesn’t take himself too seriously and he is genuine in what he offers.

Herein, Mr. Tyson waxes eloquent on life’s biggest issues, from birth to life to death, from taxes to leadership to politics, from sexism to racism to ageism, from law to religion to morality, from hot-topic issues of today to absurdities of yesteryear to long forgotten issues of antiquity. In so doing, what is offered is not necessarily a universal truth free of prejudice or discrimination, but from his experience as a surveyor of the universe. Starry Messenger is a view of this world, our planet Earth, our only home, as seen by one who looks at the cosmos and shares the view of Earth from a higher, further, out-of this world context.

As is in any collection of ideas there will be plenty who disagree or seek to find errors in judgment, but what is here supplied is straightforward and simple, facts that require individual, independent analysis to arrive at a place of one’s personal understanding, though Mr. Tyson takes the time to suggest what he believes, why he believes, and with whom he knows there will be disagreement. But the crux of this book strikes a chord, dissonant or in tune, with the realities of a world view, or better yet, an out of this world view.

I most enjoyed the chapters concerning, 1) universal and worldly aesthetics, 2) exploration and discovery, 3) battle and peace, 4) the foundations of civilization based in morals and values, and 5) the -isms of race, color and so on; that last is most solidly presented, significantly argued, and powerfully driven down.

I closed this book feeling better having read it, even if not necessarily in agreement with all of the cosmic perspectives presented.
5 people found this helpful
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Jacob Stein
5.0 out of 5 stars Every paragraph is mind blowing
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2024
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It's taking me so long to get through this book, because every paragraph I read, completely blows open my mind to a new perspective I never would’ve thought about before.

If you were a fan of "Cosmos", it feels like every chapter is an episode, and it will definitely change the way you think and also give you fun topics of conversation when meeting new people or at parties.

Highly highly suggest everyone in the country to read this book! If only....
14 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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GUILLERMO CARRERA
5.0 out of 5 stars Starry messenger
Reviewed in Mexico on September 13, 2023
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Excellent Read!
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John Piety
5.0 out of 5 stars Earth, a Gift of Life
Reviewed in Canada on September 13, 2023
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This book provides a deeper understanding of our earth's development and a greater understanding of our own human evolution over millions of years. It is an easy must read story of us and our role to nurture this wonder gift of life.
One person found this helpful
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K P Vineeth
5.0 out of 5 stars Deep perspective
Reviewed in India on February 19, 2024
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Author mentioned an in-depth understanding of our living in a different perspective which is very ideal and objective reality where most of them might disagree but if we think critically then we might feel it's correct.
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Arron97
5.0 out of 5 stars A great read. Very informative.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 13, 2023
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I really liked reading this book. I found it enlightening and very informative. The last few paragraphs of the book ,centred on life and death, I found really moving. It has compelled me to thank the Lord for my birth and existence and to cherish every day I’m on this earth. Brilliant book. I highly recommend it.
3 people found this helpful
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Luis Rodríguez Caba
4.0 out of 5 stars Visión panorámica de la humanidad
Reviewed in Spain on May 2, 2023
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Visión personal del autor sobre la humanidad desde una posición científica, abarcando temas como la belleza de la vida, la necesidad de exploración y aprendizaje, conflictos con la fuerza tribal consustancial al ser humano, la diversidad que nos une y los fundamentos históricos de la civilización. Contado de forma amena sin evitar temas controvertidos de actualidad.
Escrito como esperanza en nuestra fortaleza para superar obstáculos como las guerras y, diferencias de pensamiento que nos envuelven en continuos conflictos, poniendo acento en la unión cultural y social para superarlos.
Valorando la vida como una oportunidad para ver lo mejor de nosotros mismos y actuar en consecuencia. Interesante lectura.
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