The Sun's Heartbeat: And Other Stories From The Life Of The Star That Powers Our Planet (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
Never before would I have imagined that a scientific book about the sun could grab my attention, but Bob Berman’s entertaining explanations had me eager to return to this book time and again. I wish that I would have had a science teacher as gifted as he at capturing my imagination and curiosity. If I had, who knows, I might have actually pursued science courses in high school and college instead of avoiding them at all costs. This book was a refreshing departure from the sleep-inducing classes of my academic career. The author explained scientific principles in such an easy to understand way, and framed them historically with anecdotes about the scientists’ personal lives and professional difficulties (from getting fired to being charged with heresy).I love books that induce such enthusiasm that I can’t stay quite when I read them, and that was definitely the case while reading The Sun’s Heartbeat. For example, one surprising fact that I learned was that there was at least one ancient Greek scientist who had figured out truths about Earth orbiting the Sun hundreds of years BC, but his claims were brushed aside by Aristotle’s geocentric model of the universe.The author’s accounts of total solar eclipses had me so excited that I read them out loud to my husband, and made a point of noting the date of the next one in our area (August 21, 2017). It will be the first total solar eclipse over the continental US in 38 years. With our luck we’ll move somewhere outside of the path by then (it will be seen from Oregon to Wyoming, Southern Illinois to South Carolina).The facts about the sun such as those about sunspots, magnetism, and other phenomena are all explained within the stories of those who first recognized their significance (and a lot of those people were not recognized or appreciated until after their deaths). The author also addresses the issue of global warming and how the sun’s cycles affect the weather. He writes about how the sun could be entering a cooler cycle, giving us a small reprieve from the full effects of global warming for a while, and warns against taking it for granted.The Sun’s Heartbeat is one of the best non-fiction science books I have read in recent years. The author writes conversationally and with humor as he explains the sun’s history and many of its mysteries.(I received a free copy of this ebook for review.) Много ми е трудно да определя какво точно представлява тази книга - история на света, Земята и вселената или учебник по почти всичко. Информацията, както научна, така и свързана с ежедневието ни, е много като обем, но поднесена увлекателно и ненатоварващо. Боб Бърман успява да я побере в поносим и недоскучаващ обем страници, всяка от които отваря апетит за четене. Ако работата ми се състоеше предимно в присъствие пред монитора в офиса, бих жертвала с удоволствие две нощи сън между първата и последната страница от историята и бъдещето на "най-страхотното нещо наоколо".Факти, явления, процеси, масови истерии и заблуди са обяснени изключително достъпно, разбираемо и образно. Освен много знания, опит и талант в споделянето им, Боб Бърман притежава и чувство за хумор, което демонстрира с остроумни сравнения и забележки.Каквото и да кажа за тази книга, ще бъде слабо. Тя трябва да бъде прочетена. За учители е абсолютно задължителна - това е начинът една материя да задържи вниманието, да предизвика интерес и да бъде заобичана.Благодаря на човека, който ме накара с такова нетърпение да чакам излизането й.
What do You think about The Sun's Heartbeat: And Other Stories From The Life Of The Star That Powers Our Planet (2011)?
An easy and interesting read--lots of fascinating information and wonderfully witty writing.
—kuchigo89
I just won as a goodreads giveaway! Waiting to read it. Thanks.
—Michelle
This book was amazing. Educational, engaging, eye opening.
—dawsey5
