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littleworldofella's review against another edition
4.0
The Secret Life of Stars
By Lisa Harvey-Smith ( @lisa.harveysmith )
Synopsis:
We all know the Sun, the powerhouse of our solar system, but what about Luyten’s Flare, the Rosino-Zwicky Object or Chanal’s variable star? For those whose curiosity takes them far beyond Earth’s atmosphere, The Secret Life of Stars offers a personal and readily understood introduction to some of the Galaxy’s most remarkable stars.
Each chapter connects us to the various different and unusual stars and their amazing characteristics and attributes, from pulsars, blue stragglers and white dwarfs to cannibal stars and explosive supernovae. With chapter illustrations by Eirian Chapman, this book brings to life the remarkable personalities of these stars, reminding readers what a diverse and unpredictable universe we live in and how fortunate we are to live around a stable star, our Sun.
My Review:
Woah! This book was such an interesting and educational read. Each chapter I learned something new whether it was about black holes or what the sun really is, I was completely captivated. When it says ‘’Astrophysics for everyone’’ it couldn’t be more true! Whilst reading it I gained a world of knowledge (excuse the pun) about how our solar system actually works.
I could tell that a lot of love went into writing this book because the words were filled with passion. It was so easy to follow and engage in and I actually wish there was more! This whole book was beautiful, from the gorgeous cover to the amazing writing.
Thank you @thamesandhudsonau and @ausyabloggers for a copy of this amazing book in exchange for my honest review!
By Lisa Harvey-Smith ( @lisa.harveysmith )
Synopsis:
We all know the Sun, the powerhouse of our solar system, but what about Luyten’s Flare, the Rosino-Zwicky Object or Chanal’s variable star? For those whose curiosity takes them far beyond Earth’s atmosphere, The Secret Life of Stars offers a personal and readily understood introduction to some of the Galaxy’s most remarkable stars.
Each chapter connects us to the various different and unusual stars and their amazing characteristics and attributes, from pulsars, blue stragglers and white dwarfs to cannibal stars and explosive supernovae. With chapter illustrations by Eirian Chapman, this book brings to life the remarkable personalities of these stars, reminding readers what a diverse and unpredictable universe we live in and how fortunate we are to live around a stable star, our Sun.
My Review:
Woah! This book was such an interesting and educational read. Each chapter I learned something new whether it was about black holes or what the sun really is, I was completely captivated. When it says ‘’Astrophysics for everyone’’ it couldn’t be more true! Whilst reading it I gained a world of knowledge (excuse the pun) about how our solar system actually works.
I could tell that a lot of love went into writing this book because the words were filled with passion. It was so easy to follow and engage in and I actually wish there was more! This whole book was beautiful, from the gorgeous cover to the amazing writing.
Thank you @thamesandhudsonau and @ausyabloggers for a copy of this amazing book in exchange for my honest review!
sierrasierrasierra's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.5
This book… hmmm. I have a complicated relationship with this book. I’m fascinated by it and found it funny but I guess I felt like the humor was too much at times? At times I forgot the correlation to the actual astrophysics concept because the funny metaphor went into way more detail. I think it really depends on who you are and your interest level in the topics to determine whether this is a good or bad thing. I think for “astrophysics for everyone” this book really hit the mark at avoiding making the subject boring or overcomplicated, but I personally felt like depth could have been added without ruining that aspect.
readingintherain's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
4.0
Such a great book with really interesting things about space! Love that its written by such an intelligent woman in stem. Its so inspiring and she makes everything understandable and readable. I have a huge love of astronomy and found this book super enjoyable
areader_reading's review
4.0
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy.
I have thoroughly enjoyed making my way through this book. The Secret Life of Stars is a nonfiction book about astrophysics. If you think that means it’s boring, or too difficult to understand... think again! Lisa Harvey-Smith’s writing is engaging and she has produced a book that is fascinating and very readable. To be honest, she writes the way I talk, only better.
I suppose it’s frowned upon in some scientific circles, but I love the way she has ‘humanised’ the stars she’s writing about. From stars as gassy babies (so relatable right now) to ‘Barbara’ the Milky Way matriarch, her way of explaining things is funny and relatable.
The subject matter is entirely mind blowing though. Harvey-Smith has done a wonderful job of conveying the sheer scale of our universe, from teeny tiny to... well... astronomical. She also conveys the beauty and wonder of it all incredibly well.
The Secret Life of Stars is still information dense, so it’s probably the kind of book you might read a chapter at a time, rather than all in one sitting. It’s targeted at ‘everyone’, and I certainly enjoyed it as a 30-something with a scientific background. I think it would also be wonderful for a parent or teacher to read aloud and discuss with upper primary kids. To be honest, I think ‘everyone’ is probably pretty close to accurate!
I have thoroughly enjoyed making my way through this book. The Secret Life of Stars is a nonfiction book about astrophysics. If you think that means it’s boring, or too difficult to understand... think again! Lisa Harvey-Smith’s writing is engaging and she has produced a book that is fascinating and very readable. To be honest, she writes the way I talk, only better.
I suppose it’s frowned upon in some scientific circles, but I love the way she has ‘humanised’ the stars she’s writing about. From stars as gassy babies (so relatable right now) to ‘Barbara’ the Milky Way matriarch, her way of explaining things is funny and relatable.
The subject matter is entirely mind blowing though. Harvey-Smith has done a wonderful job of conveying the sheer scale of our universe, from teeny tiny to... well... astronomical. She also conveys the beauty and wonder of it all incredibly well.
The Secret Life of Stars is still information dense, so it’s probably the kind of book you might read a chapter at a time, rather than all in one sitting. It’s targeted at ‘everyone’, and I certainly enjoyed it as a 30-something with a scientific background. I think it would also be wonderful for a parent or teacher to read aloud and discuss with upper primary kids. To be honest, I think ‘everyone’ is probably pretty close to accurate!
gillyreads's review
funny
informative
medium-paced
4.0
A fascinating non-fiction book aimed at teens which explains astrophysics in a compelling and accessible way, exploring a life of stars in the galaxy and beyond.
Full review: https://www.gillyreads.com/review-the-secret-life-of-stars-by-lisa-harvey-smith/
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