Author: Mark Mortimer

Mars holds a special place in the history of humankind. Bright, coloured and oh, so close, this planet tugs at our dreams. Responding to these dreams, some of our brighter denizens took action. The astronomer Percival Lowell perceived lines. From them, he deduced that Martians survived only by building canals to channel water from polar to temperate regions. At about the same time, the author H.G. Wells wrote of Martians who needed to escape their dying planet and thus targeted Earth with all powerful war machines. Better equipment and other knowledgeable people expanded or contradicted these ideas for many years. Even after the desolate images from the Mariner and Viking missions showed a harsh planet, the government agency NASA promoted a need to counter anthropocentric thinking. Adjoining these more recent investigations, the author Kim Stanley Robinson, in three works, placed people on Mars where he mixed issues of today’s society with those of an imaginary space faring race hundreds of years in the future. In reviewing the actions associated with these and others it seems that each new tidbit concerning Mars promoted a new relation to our current and future conditions on Earth.

Markley uses this promotion in his review of literature about Mars. That is, he assesses the state of the art in the science of Mars for a given time. He compiles and assesses both popular and learned views. In particular, his perception of the bickering and antagonism between scientists gives some poignant insight into the scientific process. After these, he repeats the review process for science fiction literature. For the most part, he shows how the latest science data and conclusions shape the literature though not necessarily drive it. In his view, the literature predominantly uses Mars as an analogue to an eco-apocalypse on Earth, hence the title of Dying Planet.

Given Markley is an English professor, I was pleasantly surprised at the equally detailed and impressive reviews for both the science and literature. Though neither are exhaustive, they have depth and copious references. As well, the references are usually from source or highly rated topical publications hence their validity is assured. The book is well delineated with topics and subjects in unique sections. Sometimes though this makes the book seem like a collection of essays rather than a continuous piece. Because of this, even though the presentation is chronological, the flow of Markely’s argument gets lost. That is, though Markley provides an excellent review of both the literature and the science of Mars, it is not very clear as to if there is an over-arching purpose.

Further, the writing style varies. Most of the scientific passages would be readily comprehensible to the every day person on the street. On occasion the literary critiques get phrased in the parlance of the ivory tower as in, ‘In contrast to later dystopian novels…Red Start depicts freedom as the shared fulfilment of a revolutionary future, a sociocultural transcendence of bourgeois individualism, capital exploitation and the false sciences of compartmentalization.’ The introduction is particularly of this flavour and may turn off some who would likely find the remainder of the text very rewarding.

Given this, the overall impression is of a literary professor with a life long interest in science fiction and space science, who wrote a personal review. As such, it is a great review. However, it is lacking in direction; that is, I could not discern the target audience. Markley pushes the idea of science fiction as being a literary thought experiment much as Einstein had his own practical thought experiments. This is laudable yet Einstein and the referenced science fiction authors had a requirement to convey new ideas to colleagues and the general public. Markley needs a similar argument to really make this review purposeful.

The planet Mars acted as a beacon for many civilizations. Even today, whether as an analogue or a veritable pinnacle of scientific research, it shines forth with questions and queries. Robert Markley in his book Dying Planet reviews the previous hundred years of scientific discovery surrounding Mars and its related science fiction literature. He compiles a compact, well detailed synopsis of the science and a insightful critique of the literature to provide an in-depth resource for understand how Mars impinges on our human psyche.

Review by Mark Mortimer

Read more reviews online, or purchase a copy from Amazon.com.

Most people know that NASA is the agency of the United States that pursues space activities. Though sounding simple enough, this statement can lead to pitfalls just like in moving mountains. First off, what, or more precisely, where exactly does space begin and end? Further, what are the space activities and equipment for which NASA is responsible? Should this include all launch vehicles, launch pads, and space stations? Are only they responsible for earth observation, travelling to other planets and understanding the meaning of life? As Kay succinctly points out, there is a fine and constantly changing line that delegates duties to NASA, other parties, or to no one at all.

In support of the discussion of space policy, Kay begins by defining elements of his craft. Within his analytical framework, a government policy includes definition and information (e.g. what is a mountain), ownership (e.g. who’s responsible for the mountain) and goals (e.g. move what to where). In developing this framework he then continually refers back to it while discussing the policies of NASA from inception to about the year 2000.

Kay begins with assessing Eisenhower’s interests. His considered space solely as another theatre of warfare. He raises the subterfuge regarding the use of the International Geophysical Year as evidence. Also he draws on the administration’s apparent lack of interest in Soviet progress with Sputnik and Gagarin. Kay then argues that public perception, massage and crafted by political leaders, turned this situation into a nation security issue. With the horrific spectre of space based weapons breathing down their necks, people’s pocket books opened and the ‘space race’ arose. Further, Kay demonstrates how space achievements were even a noticeable gauge in the opinions of third world countries. That is, by being aligned with national security, space activities could also be justified as a means of foreign diplomacy.

This big change in space policy, as Kay notes, came about due to outside events, principally the advances of the Soviets. The next change occurred because the space program met its objectives. National and world opinion considered the US to have a better space program, hence the space race was won and national security no longer drove space policy. Kay argues that this began in 1965 and supports this with discussions about budgets, appropriations and directives from the political leaders. The consequence was that NASA became a fully operative program without a policy.

Here Kay demonstrates the main challenges of crafting policy in a democracy. In returning to his analytical framework, he shows that programs bereft of policy become unfocused and are primarily subject to political and budgetary forces. Because of this new direction, the space shuttle was born as it was to dramatically lower the cost to access space. Next, the space station was born due to political issues. Then, Kay leaves the reader hanging as he quite rightly points out that NASA still is without an effective policy.

There is nothing new in Kay’s historical view of space activities. Its values is in the novel assessment of space policy purely from a political science perspective. Kay’s writing is very clear and his arguments are well supported with reason and references. There may be too many references for some as it, together with the indices and table of contents, add up to almost a third of the book. Still, the text appears as a very open, honest and accurate assessment of the United State’s space policy through the previous fifty years.

The space agency NASA has a carefully constructed image of being an expert on space. In so doing they expect that anyone interested in space would come to their door. However as shown in W.D. Kay’s book, Defining NASA – The Historical Debate Over the Agency’s Mission, this is not sufficient. As he writes, NASA, like any government program, must continually have a viable, effective policy to be as effective a program as it was in its early years.

Read more reviews online, or purchase a copy from Amazon.com.

Review by Mark Mortimer.

Brett’s main character is Morgan O’Brien. She’s a principal investigator based in Ottawa, Ontario and who works for the fictitious National Council of Science and Technology. The plot revolves about a death at the Canadian telescope in Hawaii coupled with a loss of important record books. O’Brien is implored by a friend to investigate, for personal reasons. The story begins in Hawaii with much of the action centring about the telescope and its ancillary buildings as well as the related personnel. After many hooks and twists in the plot, O’Brien returns to Ottawa, timed naturally to amplify the contrasts in weather. There she chases down more leads and journeys through downtown streets and the cottage country in the north of the Gatineaus. The action extends up the government chain to another fictitious unit, a civilian security force attached to the Prime Minister’s Office. From there, and after dancing through some risque steps, O’Brien pounces upon the very unexpected but plausible resolution.

It is not often that I have the pleasure of reading a book partly based in my own city of Ottawa. Because of this, I had a pleasantly warm feeling while reading the passages based on regions I frequent. More important though, I could also easily evaluate the authenticity of its contents. Given this, Alex Brett’s done great work in describing the national capital region, its weather, geography and some of its more colourful elements. Because of this, I expect similar accuracy for the surroundings in Hawaii and the FrancoCanadian telescope though I have been to neither. The sprinkles of astronomical facts and events appear equally reasonable hence lending credence to the assertion that Brett has done her homework.

Apart from the facts, the real substance of a work of fiction are the characters and the plot. Brett points out that all characters are imaginary. Its hard not to believe otherwise as, aside from the investigator, most characters have only a superficial development. We get to know of their jobs and work conditions, what their homes look life from the outside and in, but there is very little about who they are. This is particularly challenging with the guilty party, as they seem to have quite a minor role and presence, yet they wind up being the cause for all the trials and tribulations. The personality of the investigator on the other hand does come through clearly. As is perhaps typical of the genre, she imbibes an amazing amount of caffeine, pushes her body through unbelievable physical challenges and appears to be able to survive with nearly no sleep. Actually, aside from being female, there is not too much differentiating this P.I. from others of the same genre. In many ways, I preferred reading the description of her assistant, a much more complex and intriguing individual with a checkered background and a very likely challenging future.

In addition to the characters, the plot is the driver for mystery aficionados. It must be readily believable yet not entirely obvious. Here, Brett delivers. Connections and twists keep the reader guessing but not frustrated. And like any good mystery, the ending is quite unexpected though not unreasonable given the clues in the story and the setting within the book. I particularly liked seeing a focal point for the crime being technical information rather than the commonly prescribed hard currency.

For a pleasant distraction via a light murder mystery, this book is fine. The plot and main character are constantly moving. The scenes are quite busy and realistic. There’s enough suspense and distractions to keep one guessing right up to the end. One ready improvement would be to reduce the simple diction of present person, past tense. Too often sentences begin with, ‘I felt, I started, I smiled, I read…’. Because of this, the reading feels prescriptive rather than emotive. This prevented me from being fully absorbed as I felt I was reading a newspaper review rather than being a participant in the action.

A good mystery brings together believable characters in a plausible but dastardly scenario. The desire to answer whodunit should be continually fed without giving away too much. Alex Brett’s murder mystery Cold Dark Matter keeps the reader guessing while having great fun playing through observatories in Hawaii and alternate bar scenes in Ottawa. It’s just the thing to have at hand while waiting for the sun to set and the evening’s observing to begin.

Read more reviews, or purchase a copy online from Amazon.com.

Review by Mark Mortimer.

Astronomy is such a wonderful field for the observer. The scene regularly changes and surprises continually pop up. Sharing the wonder with anyone, anywhere else, should be a simple task of saying, ‘Look it’s right there overhead’. However, Kerrod knows better than to drop a coordinate frame into a book and say you’re on your own. First he pummels your senses with eye candy. Plenty of shots from the Hubble space telescope draw you in like a nearby black hole. Chaffing with desire, you continue flipping pages. The Arecibo, Parkes and Kitt Peak sites temp you with dreams of playing with the toys of the big guys. All the while shots of exploding galaxies, planetary nebulae and writhing dark clouds tease you all the more. Once primed with this, Kerrod blasts you along the learning curve for locating the stars.

And learning, with this book as an aid, is as practicable as it is enjoyable. The constellations arrive as the appertif. Their images spread all over maps. Blue circles, with apparently random yellow dots and white lines, place each of the 88 quixotic shapes. Blow-up layouts of the well known ones serve as sign posts to send you on to the next juicy morsel. Having got you salivating, Kerrod brings on the main course. On two page spreads, he dishes out the apparent skies for each month. To ready you for this meal, two half circles give the expected evening view. One portrays the southern exposure from the northern and the other portrays the northern exposure from the south. The ‘entree’ so to speak, maps a 30 degree wide by 100 degree long section of the sky at near reference time of near midnight. With these and additional choice pieces of eye candy , there’s no option but to jump in with utensils ablaze and assimilate all the information.

Just like with any good meal, this book wraps up with a delightfully light selection. Here, to relax the palate, are sunspot examples, the authors own pictures of a solar eclipse as well as maps for the near side of our moon. One simplified sketch for each lunar quadrant identifies all the key features. Then, just as a chef advising on future meals, Kerrod entices you with a final section together with lots more eye candy of the planets of the solar system. Not only do you get well satiated by this meal but there’s always that little bit more to keep you coming back.

Kerrod, with this book, really does a great job in bringing astronomy to the hobbyist. He concentrates on identifying stars and helping you up the learning curve of identification. There is very little on equipment, technique or style. He gives enough information to make the evening viewing fun without overtaxing anyone’s ability to comprehend. The eye candy is there as a practical lure but so is a caveat that reminds the viewer what they will expect to see. With the included planisphere (mine was for latitude 42deg North), learning the main stars and constellations, the learning curve will be more like a gentle slope.

But does it work? I gave it a try by bringing the book with me while visiting a friend at a cottage. Like moths to a lantern, they dived into the book. It didn’t take long for even the most staid to be curious and perusing the contents. Once the planisphere was discovered, we headed down to the shoreline. Sure enough, we identified a number of constellations and had a great time doing so. It does work.

With 88 constellations and an apparently infinite number of bright dots in the night sky, a learner can easily feel overwhelmed. There are many resources, including friends, clubs, web sites and books. Robin Kerrod with his book The Star Guide: Learn How to Read the Night Sky Star by Star adds an excellent reference. With the maps, spectacular photographs and simple yet helpful text, a reader won’t be overwhelmed for long.

Read more reviews, or purchase a copy online from Amazon.com.

Review by Mark Mortimer.

Einstein and his works need little explanation. Suffice it to say that he almost jumped out of nowhere to stand tall in the field of physics. His five papers of 1905, by themselves, could stand together on their own as a worthwhile publication. In them, Einstein apparently argues what some consider two sides of the same coin. On side has things composed of particles. Therefore, Newtonian mechanics can provide great insight. On the other side, fields, especially magnetic and electric, cause an effect over distance without the support of a median. Altogether, the papers in the book include; his dissertation on the determination of molecular dimensions, molecular-kinetic theory of heat (Brownian motion), the electrodynamics of moving bodies, the inertia of a body depending on its energy content, and the production and transformation of light.

The forward by Roger Penrose highlights the different thought processes necessary for Einstein to consider both particle and field effects. And herein is the true benefit of this book. Both Penrose and Stachel emphasize the scope, significance and importance of Einstein’s contributions in light of the status of knowledge of physics at that time. The names of other people doing investigations, as well as the state of their progress, provides powerful insight into Einstein’s originality and capability. For example, Penrose draws upon the history of luminaries like Galileo, Newton, Maxwell, and Bohr for his depiction of the significance of Einstein’s amazing insight and prescience,

In addition to this forward, John Stachel provides a brief biography of Einstein. He mostly bases this on written records with the intent of portraying Einstein’s thought process and his method of achieving his advances. Also, to address some controversy, he adds a section discounting the contributions of Einstein’s wife, Mileva Maric. To instill a feeling of authenticity, Stachel includes many references either directly from source (Einstein’s personal letters) or from people who had first hand interactions with Einstein himself.

Don’t forget that Einstein was German. Hence, all his papers needed translation and they were freshly redone for this publication. The translator’s goal was ‘to render Einstein’s scientific writings accurately into modern English but to retain the engaging and clear prose style of the originals’. Accompanying the papers are ‘the historical essays and notes that deal with his contributions to relativity theory, quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics’. The translator seems to have done a superb job, as the papers are simple and easy to read, with little evidence of having been originally authored in another language.

This ease in reading may be surprising given the aura that surrounds Einstein. But don’t let this discourage you. The book mostly uses qualitative imagery with equations only copied directly from Einstein’s papers. Einstein himself gives a thorough and readily comprehensible explanation, as demonstrated by his frequent use of mental imagery to solve and depict problems. This is likely the true source of the ease. There is no need for the reader to have a strong background in physics to understand the concepts. The math is neither overwhelming nor extensive and does not pose an impediment to comprehension. As well, given Einstein’s aura, it is interesting to note the number of errors in the original papers as clarified by the endnotes.

In all, this is a great compilation. The shear scope of the papers themselves is truly captivating. Their implications given the state of the art at the times and even today is quite astounding. The bravery and nervousness of Einstein the person comes out quite clearly. This book succinctly captures one amazing step for humankind, the challenges of the physical sciences and the onward march of our comprehension. The reader can’t help but be left in awe with the realization that all the contents were completed by one of our human race and all within the time frame of one year.

The name of Einstein brings to most everyone’s mind, the image of a stellar individual who almost singled handedly made significant advances in physics. A hundred years later, we can appreciate his contributions even more. For those seeking to grasp some more of the man and a lot more of the science, read John Stachel’s book, Einstein’s Miraculous Year. Read it to grasp the credence of the ability of our species and the contributions that we continually make to our comprehension of the universe within which we live.

Click here to visit Amazon.com and read more reviews online or purchase a copy.

Review by Mark Mortimer

Winston Scott in many ways is a typical NASA astronaut. He had a challenging and aimless youth. Then, through military training, he blossomed into a very capable pilot, instructor and astronaut. Uniquely, he grew up in a fairly impoverished black neighborhood of Miami where music, particularly by playing the trumpet, gave strength to his voice. Later, while at NASA, Scott was a mission specialist on STS-72 and on STS-87. For both he undertook experiments, worked with satellites and tested EVA techniques in the preparation for building the ISS. This is the background for his reflections.

The reflections themselves get presented they way family photographs are presented during a Sunday afternoon lunch at a friend’s house. The prose of the book is all in first person, past tense. Many large colour photographs accompany the narrative. The sensation is of the author standing beside you pointing at the photographs and then giving a rousing rendition of the surrounding activities. There is no real order of events. The book starts with Scott’s childhood, bounces to flight training, returns back to high school then on toward a shuttle launch, back to childhood memories and so on. As a reflection this is fine. As an autobiography, which this book isn’t, this is confusing. But, as long as the tea is fresh and the hot scones keep coming, reading this book is pleasant.

As a series of reflections, this book is strongly emotive. Memories of childhood security, cravings for model aeroplanes and musical embellishments counterpoint space based images of smoke from fires in Kuwait, sleeping where up and down have no meaning and empty blackness that dominates the visual senses. Absent however are Scott’s personal emotions. There is no evidence of love or hate, neither pain nor joy. The descriptions themselves whilst obviously from first person experience, have more the style of an art student than a master like Picasso. Further, the occasional use of quoted dialogue adds to the authenticity but seldom to the content.

This lack of content is where Scott misses his opportunity. From his unique background and recent views as a successful astronaut, he should have been able to build an inspiring compilation of powerful experiences. Their rendition could then have propelled other youths forward. However, he doesn’t. He waxes on about views he saw and events that transpired but he never equates these to feelings or to resolutions. There isn’t anything to grab on to and say, ‘gee, I can do that and maybe I can also ascend to the stars!’. Further, precious little technical information makes the text little use as a reference. Given these short comings, there really doesn’t seem to be significant value inside these pages. If you were to read without the tea and scones, there wouldn’t even be the satisfaction of a full belly.

An elder statesman’s best role can be to pass on knowledge. In so doing, they inspire and guide fledglings to new heights. William Scott book Reflections from Earth Orbit presents some unique and colourful descriptions from his experience as a NASA astronaut and an elder statesman. Provide this book as an incentive and it may just entice a young one to soar.

Click here to visit Amazon.com and read more reviews online or purchase a copy.

This hack book can be taken two ways. One is as a reference to look up solutions to problems or seek a reference for a better method. Two is as a complete back grounder for the beginner and higher level amateur astronomer. Within it are 65 distinct hacks grouped into four chapters; Getting Started, Observing Hacks, Scope Hacks and Accessory Hacks. No embellishments obscure the text. There are only the hacks, each relating to astronomy the same way a Clymers manual refers to motorcycle repairs. No extenuating plots nor complex character development obstructs the wording. This book just lists lots of techniques, hints and recommendations.

The first chapter, Getting Started, has enough detail to guide the beginner or assist the intermediate practitioner. The standard encapsulation of binocular and telescope types ensues. To provide an example of the depth of detail, consider the binocular. The discussion includes; magnification, aperture, exit pupil, eye relief, field of view, interpupilary distance, prism type and lens coatings. A summary list recommends choices for various budget ranges ($75 to $5000) and gives recommendations on certain manufacturers and models.

The telescope selection hack is equally detailed, with descriptions of the three main types; reflector, refractors and catadioptric as well as criteria and recommendations. The authors are admitted fans of Dobsonian telescopes and tend to give more attention to this type both here and elsewhere in the book.

Safety, as its own hack or as a backdrop for many other hacks, appears throughout. Most is for personal safety, whether by staying in groups or not dropping large, heavy mirrors on toes. Perhaps the recommendations to bring a firearm for protection against four legged predators goes a bit far. The repeated references to courtesy for group viewing is just one of the many indicators of the wealth of the author’s experience.

The chapter for observing hacks includes, amongst others, the principles of light, a comprehensive biological description of our eye’s receivers, and a method to running a Messier Marathon. This chapter revolves around the purpose or goals of amateur astronomers. Accepting that these aren’t planning on detecting new stars or planets, the authors clearly convey the simple pleasures of viewing. Whether taking copious notes, simple sketches or photographs, the rewards are many and admittedly differ with each person. Simple hacks to improve style or refine goals, aid in refining the reward.

The scope hacks essentially look at scope maintenance and they can get complex. There are step by step cleaning instructions for a 10 pound mirror, including swishing it under the faucet for minutes. The same goes for collimation, with its consideration of Strehl values and diffraction spikes. But equally, the reasoning and the simple instructions convince and empower the reader to take charge of their viewing capabilties.

The last chapter, Accessories Hacks, is chock full of the little tips to branching out. Eyepieces and filters get a thorough treatment. Light proofing your vehicle or using software to build custom star charts round out the suggestions.

In all, whether as a reference or as an introductory read, this book delivers. The background and justification for the hacks give sufficient information to believe in their value without overtaxing the brain. Neat hints, like keeping red pens away from night sites, help any observer from commiting blunders. The table of contents and index simply and easily guide readers. While sketches, illustrations and photographs clarify many of the sublte points. There’s even a note on the proper pronunciation of Greek letters.

With simple prose copiously sprinkled with personal, humorous anecdotes, the reading is a pleasure. Many references to manufacturers and equipment costs aid in selections today, though they probably won’t stand the test of time. As well, there is very little on astro-photography. The authors simply say that this activity demands much practise and much equipment. Fair enough, but given the upsurge in computer literates, this area cries for more information.

Reading car repair manuals helps fix a car’s problem or learn more about fixing cars in general. The same can be said for Robert and Barbara Thompson’s book, Astronomy Hacks. Each hack includes details, hints and tips to embellish a viewer’s night time activities. Most of all it ably empowers you to take charge of your hobby and make the most of astronomical viewing.

Click here to visit Amazon.com and read more reviews online or purchase a copy.

Review by Mark Mortimer

I’ll declare this right from the start, Simon Singh is one of my favorite science writers. His two previous books, Fermat’s Enigma and The Code Book are excellent. Especially the Code Book, which I was a little nervous to read, but walked away with a very firm understanding of codes and codebreaking through the centuries.

With Big Bang, Singh starts right at the beginning of cosmology, as the ancient Greeks showed a surprising series of leaps of logic about the Solar System. They correctly understood that the Earth is a sphere, and estimated its size. They calculated the distance to the Moon, and even took a stab at guessing the distance to the Sun. Unfortunately, they developed an incorrect view of an Earth-centred Universe, where the Sun, stars and the planets orbit the Earth. As errors developed in their theory, the Earth-centred astronomers just made their model more complex to compensate.

The book goes on to present discoveries in cosmology, one after the other, from the Copernicus Sun-centred view to Edwin Hubble’s discovery that many distant “nebulae” are actually other galaxies, like our Milky Way. Hubble then went on to discover that these distant galaxies are actually speeding away from us. It’s this discovery, that our Universe is expanding, which led to the theory we now call the Big Bang.

The Big Bang is such a profound theory, and it’s even more amazing because it’s embraced by nearly everyone working in cosmology today. Thank the evidence for this. Singh tracks down each piece of evidence supporting the Big Bang: the abundance of hydrogen in the Universe, the discovery that galaxies are speeding away from us, and the cosmic microwave background radiation. He introduces the reader to the cast of characters involved in each discovery, and then leads us through the observations and breakthroughs that formed this piece of evidence. We also meet the challengers and understand their differing, and very valid, viewpoints.

While reading Big Bang, you get the sense the Singh wanted to get across how well supported a theory the Big Bang is. This isn’t some half-baked theory about the Universe; the cosmologists who developed the Big Bang made some dramatic predictions which have turned out to be supported by observation. Some of the most dramatic are the most recent, with the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe, which mapped variations in the microwave background radiation with such exquisite detail to help explain variations of matter in the Universe – why there are clumps of matter, like galaxies, planets, and people, and not just a rapidly spreading mist of equally-spaced hydrogen.

As I was reading Big Bang, through, I kept noticing how quickly I was moving through the book, and how slowly the story was progressing. Not that I was bored, but I was amazed at how long it took for discoveries to be presented. Once there was only a sliver remaining, I realized that I had slightly misjudged what the book was going to be about. Singh essentially wraps up with the discovery of the cosmic microwave background radiation by Penzias and Wilson – case closed, that’s the story of the Big Bang.

I follow astronomy and cosmology on a daily basis, and I know the story isn’t over. There are many intriguing discoveries being made all the time, such as dark energy, dark matter, and inflationary cosmology. Singh gives each of these subjects little more than a sentence or two in an epilogue, and this is unfortunate. I would have liked to see him tackle these fascinating subjects with the same care and skill that he handled the rest of the book. Perhaps a sequel Simon?

If you’re interested in astronomy, and want to get a nice overview of the Big Bang, I highly recommend this book by Simon Singh. It’s easy to read and understand, and gives a great overview of the theory, the theorists, and the evidence.

Read more reviews or order a copy online from Amazon.com

Review by Fraser Cain

Fred Hoyle climbed through the challenges of Britain during the inter-war years. His diligence to his primary schooling was poor to say the least. Playing hookey was the order of his day. However, fortune smiled on him. Through this and his own effort, he managed to achieve a number of scholarships that kept him advancing until he gained acceptance into Cambridge University. There followed a checkered career as he studied mathematics with special application to nuclear physics. He had a short diversion due to the second world war where he advanced the state of electronic warfare. After, he jumped into the field of astronomy with both feet. During the remainder of his life, Fred Hoyle advanced this field and contributed to many others, often as not, by leading the explorations.

Leading any field is a balancing act between divining the future and keeping up with current events. Here emotion comes to the fore and here is where Mitton concentrates his book. He shows how Fred Hoyle, being in theoretical astronomy, often came to grips with observational astronomers. Further, Mitton builds a feeling that Fred Hoyle was like a kettle constantly steaming. Continual requests for publication were countered by people not understanding, or believing or wanting his views presented. Apparently, during most of his career, Fred Hoyle was at odds with the Royal Astronomical Society even though he was a member for most of his life. As well, Mitton shows how he appears to have used the largess of Cambridge to pursue his own work. In particular, he was a mentor who was seldom present. When he was, he was so caught up in his own theories, he didn’t always give the attention graduate students deserved. The resulting picture is of a vibrant, thoughtful, and analytical mathematician at the top of his game.

Mitton’s biography includes a mix of both personal and technical aspects to Fred Hoyle’s life. We read of Friday lunches in dimly lit rooms little better than cloisters. Further along there are recounts to a remarkable passion for hiking. He achieved the Munro, a climbing of a collection of hills in Scotland over 914 metres. He drove fast cars, enjoyed conferences by the lakes in Northern Italy and championed a telescope in Australia. Mitton relies on Fred Hoyle’s own autobiography as well as many friends and acquaintances to ensure accuracy and detail in the recollections.

On the technical side, Mitton details contribution to radar such as the bending of beams along the curvature of the Earth. Nucleosynthesis, one of the main focuses of Fred Hoyle’s career, gets a detailed and historical recount. Added are accounts of collaborations with experts as well as competitions against others. Mitton presents the information in a smooth, qualitative manner so there is no worry of confusion. All in all, Mitton builds an excellent link between the people, their discoveries and knowledge of the day that is both enjoyable to read and enlightening in its own way.

The interesting mix of personalities and technical information works well. Chapters are loosely divided chronologically. However, as Fred Hoyle had his finger into so many pies, Mitton decided to collect information into subject areas and deal with them chronologically. Due to this, there is a fair amount of jumping around in time throughout the text. This isn’t unduly bothersome but the reader must stay aware. Given the details on radar, advanced cosmology, science fiction novels, movie scripting, and leading an international collaboration on siting and building an observatory, this book is more of an insight into Fred Hoyle’s technical contributions than his personality.

Fred Hoyle’s emotions drove him to advance our understanding of cosmology. His work as a theoretical astronomer and science communicator captured the imaginations of people. Simon Mitton in his biography Conflict in the Cosmos, Fred Hoyle’s Life in Science brings back the life of Fred Hoyle, including the people and some of the technical issues of a person at the top of their game. Emotions are free to everyone, perhaps reading this will entice you on your own search for understanding.

Read more reviews, or order copy online from Amazon.com.

Review by Mark Mortimer

Glow in the Dark Planets is exactly what you’d expect. In nineteen pages, each planet of our system gets a one or two page spread of neat pictures, funky fonts and many factoids. An early reader would have no problem digesting the information on their own. But with two together, one asking questions from the front seat while the other in the back seat scurries to find answers, a neat game of Did-you-know can be had. For example, with Venus, did you know one of its mountain’s names is Danu Montes. Also, surface temperature, atmosphere and relevant space probes entice a young mind to stretch out past the limits of their vision.

Of course, the main draw for this book is the centerfold. More than twenty groovy stickers can be removed and placed anywhere; a car’s interior, inside a tent’s wall, or on your sibling’s nose. These easy to peel and re-arrange stickers depict each planet, some comets, the moon and shiny stars. Glow in the Dark Planets is a short book but it might be just the lifesaver for one too many hours in a car.

The second book, From Blue Moons to Black Holes is just as good for shortening a journey. However, it’s really a questions and answer book with a few pictures, some diagrams and lots of information. For all those really neat space questions you’ve been dying to ask, each have answers. You can test your knowledge by comparing your answers or become a rocket scientist by memorizing the given answers. Either way there’s lots to learn.

For each question, the answer comes in two parts. First there is a short yes, no or one line response. This is fabulous for those seeking answers without explanation. Following this there is an excellent discussion surrounding the question. This discussion usually tries to draw a corollary to something readily known on Earth. For example, in answering the question, ‘Could we see lunar colonies?”, the short answer is ‘Perhaps but only with a telescope.’ The discussion then goes on to note that seeing a man made object on the moon would need the object to be much bigger than the city of Los Angeles.

The answers themselves are short, to the point and stand well on their own. Where appropriate, they are linked by references to other answers. Some are opinionated, and biassed for space exploration. For example, the answer to “Should We Travel to Mars?” is a resounding Yes!

To compliment the question and answer section there is some standard astronomy fare. A section on telescope identification, selection and usage helps a reader make the step into aided astronomy. Data on the planets, their moons and eclipses also are present for an easy reference. Perhaps what may not be to everyone’s interest is a section listing every mission to our moon as well as to the other planets. However this would perfectly satisfy the trivia buff.

One other significant selling feature of From Blue Moons to Black Holes is the size (28x22cm), large font and lots of margin space. This makes for very easy reading and more importantly easy notation for adding more or updating existing information.

This summer, don’t let a long drive do you in. Nor let a perfect night’s star watching make you feel somehow out-of-it. Get some good fun astronomy books like John Starke’s Glow in the Dark Planets or a wonderful reference like Melanie Melton Knocke’s From Blue Moons to Black Holes to keep times fun and interesting.

Review by Mark Mortimer