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4.31 AVERAGE
4.31 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
This book shows Carl Sagan's wonderful way of explaining ideas. He can also productively discuss controversial ideas because he makes the discussion about the merits of his case rather than claiming that his view should be accepted because of various reasons the other side is wrong (which may well be true, but rarely convinces anyone if they aren't already convinced that your side is at least a viable alternative).
The main reason for 3 stars instead of more is that many of the essays are rather dated. For example, most of the information that Sagan had to share about ozone depletion and global warming is mainstream now. We know a lot more and much has changed since then (not always for the better), so it's hard to get much out of these essays. Essays about the state of humanity that were written from a perspective of a recently ended Cold War also don't have the same impact in a post-9/11 world.
But there was one essay I loved, and that was Sagan's essay that he wrote on the brink of death. It shows so much hope and wonder even in the face of what Sagan still believed to be the final end. That alone was worth the price of the book (and was, in fact, the reason I bought the book).
The main reason for 3 stars instead of more is that many of the essays are rather dated. For example, most of the information that Sagan had to share about ozone depletion and global warming is mainstream now. We know a lot more and much has changed since then (not always for the better), so it's hard to get much out of these essays. Essays about the state of humanity that were written from a perspective of a recently ended Cold War also don't have the same impact in a post-9/11 world.
But there was one essay I loved, and that was Sagan's essay that he wrote on the brink of death. It shows so much hope and wonder even in the face of what Sagan still believed to be the final end. That alone was worth the price of the book (and was, in fact, the reason I bought the book).
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
So much still so relevant, and so poignant. "We need more than anniversary sentimentalism and holiday piety and patriotism. Where necessary, we must confront and challenge the conventional wisdom. It is time to learn from those who fell here. Our challenge is to reconcile, not after the carnage and the mass murder, but instead of the carnage and mass murder. It is time to fly into one another's arms. It is time to act."
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced