Letters from an Astrophysicist

by Neil deGrasse Tyson

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

Join the galactic conversation on the biggest issues in the universe, from the 'most popular scientist in the world'

‘Don't fear change. Don't fear failure. The only thing to fear is loss of ambition. But if you've got plenty of that, then you have nothing to fear at all’ – Neil deGrasse Tyson

Neil deGrasse Tyson is arguably the most influential, acclaimed scientist on the planet. As director of the Hayden Planetarium, and host of Cosmos and StarTalk, he has dedicated his life to exploring and explaining the mysteries of the universe.

Every year, he receives thousands of letters – from students to prisoners, scientists to priests. Some seek advice, others yearn for inspiration; some are full of despair, others burst with wonder. But they are all searching for understanding, meaning and truth.

His replies are by turns wise, funny, and mind-blowing. In this, his most personal book by far, he covers everything from God to the history of science, from aliens to death. He bares his soul – his passions, his doubts, his hopes. The big theme is everywhere in these pages: what is our place in the universe?

The result is an awe-inspiring read and an intimate portal into an incredible mind, which reveals the power of the universe to start conversations and inspire curiosity in all of us.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Physics, Audiobook, Astronomy, Space, Philosophy

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 8, 2019

About the author

Neil deGrasse Tyson was born and raised in New York City where he was educated in the public schools clear through his graduation from the Bronx High School of Science. Tyson went on to earn his BA in Physics from Harvard and his PhD in Astrophysics from Columbia.

In 2001, Tyson was appointed by President Bush to serve on a twelve-member commission that studied the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry. The final report was published in 2002 and contained recommendations (for Congress and for the major agencies of the government) that would promote a thriving future of transportation, space exploration, and national security.

In 2004, Tyson was once again appointed by President Bush to serve on a nine-member commission on the Implementation of the United States Space Exploration Policy, dubbed the “Moon, Mars, and Beyond” commission. This group navigated a path by which the new space vision can become a successful part of the American agenda. And in 2006, the head of NASA appointed Tyson to serve on its prestigious Advisory Council, which guides NASA through its perennial need to fit ambitious visions into restricted budgets.

In addition to dozens of professional publications, Dr. Tyson has written, and continues to write for the public. From 1995 to 2005, Tyson was a monthly essayist for Natural History magazine under the title Universe. And among Tyson’s fifteen books is his memoir The Sky is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist; and Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution, co-written with Donald Goldsmith. Origins is the companion book to the PBS NOVA four-part mini-series Origins, in which Tyson served as on-camera host. The program premiered in September 2004.

Two of Tyson’s other books are the playful and informative Death By Black Hole and Other Cosmic Quandaries, which was a New York Times bestseller, and The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America’s Favorite Planet, chronicling his experience at the center of the controversy over Pluto’s planetary status. The PBS NOVA documentary The Pluto Files, based on the book, premiered in March 2010.

In February 2012, Tyson released his tenth book, containing every thought he has ever had on the past, present, and future of space exploration: Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier.

For five seasons, beginning in the fall of 2006, Tyson appeared as the on-camera host of PBS NOVA’s spinoff program NOVA ScienceNOW, which is an accessible look at the frontier of all the science that shapes the understanding of our place in the universe.

During the summer of 2009 Tyson identified a cadre of professional standup comedians to assist his effort in bringing science to commercial radio with the NSF-funded pilot program StarTalk. Now also a popular Podcast, for three years it enjoyed a limited-run Television Series on the National Geographic Channel. StarTalk combines celebrity guests with informative yet playful banter. The target audience is all those people who never thought they would, or could, like science. In its first year on television and in three successive seasons, it was nominated for a Best Informational Programming Emmy.

Tyson is the recipient of twenty-one honorary doctorates and the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, the highest award given by NASA to a non-government citizen. His contributions to the public appreciation of the cosmos have been recognized by the International Astronomical Union in their official naming of asteroid “13123 Tyson.” And by zoologists, with the naming of Indirani Tysoni, a native species of leaping frog in India. On the lighter side, Tyson was voted “Sexiest Astrophysicist Alive” by People Magazine in 2000.

More recently, Tyson published Astrophysics for People In A Hurry in 2017, which was a domestic and international bestseller. This adorably readable book is an introduction to all that you’ve read and heard about that’s making news in the universe—consummated, in one plac

Reviews

[Will Byrnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, the universe wants to kill us. But on the other hand, we all want to live. So let’s find a way together to deflect the asteroids, find the cure to the next lethal virus, mitigate hurricanes, tsunamis, volcanoes, etc. This can only be enabled by the efforts of a scientifically and technologically literate public. Therein lies a hope on Earth far greater than ever promised by the act of prayer or introspection.

It can be a bit of a challenge when talking about Neil deGrasse Tyson, deciding just where to start. Overall, one would have to say that He is the public face of space, this side of fiction, anyway. And speaking of fiction, he was cast in a recent Neal Stephenson novel, SevenEves, albeit with a nom du plume. He has published 14 books, hosted several science-focused TV series, including Cosmos, Star Talk, Origins, the Pluto Files and more. He is only the fifth ever head of the New York Planetarium, served on presidential science advisory councils, has been awarded NASA’s highest non-government-employee award. He is the teacher you wished you had for science, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and encouraging, and with a wonderful sense of humor.


Neil deGrasse Tyson - image from his site

And if that is not enough, he is a remarkably charming guy, and a wonderful writer. In a recent Late Show interview with Whoopi Goldberg (at 7:21 of the clip), when Stephen Colbert asked her who her favorite ever guest was, she said Tyson, because he could talk for three hours straight, and they would all be wonderful, informative hours. And if Whoopi loves spending time with the guy, really, who are we to argue?

How do you defend yourself when you have received a letter that proclaims you a “pooh-pooh head” for your role in downgrading Pluto to dwarf-planet status? What can you say to people who challenge you on religion, God, philosophy, who see responsibility for the 9/11 assaults in celestial alignments?

This book consists of NDT’s responses to about 75 letters he’s received over the years, on a wide range of subjects. He also writes about some personal feelings and events, like his relationship with his father, or more ethereal considerations of nature. And some are just for fun, like his selection of the most scientifically BS movies of all time, or a museum visitor picking up a display information error that had been there for a very long time, and which NDT had had a hand in approving. Oopsy. There are some very heart-warming passages in which he encourages young learners.

He opens with a look at his early exposure to NASA, not as the inspiration it was for so many, but as consistent excluder of people like him. He writes a birthday note to NASA, which was born the same month as he was.

…you should know that among my colleagues, I am the rare few in my generation who became an astrophysicist in spite of your achievements in space rather than because of them. For my inspiration, I instead turned to libraries, remaindered books on the cosmos from bookstores, my rooftop telescope and the Hayden Planetarium.

NASA moved forward in its employee selection with time, and Tyson would serve as an advisor to America’s space agency. He looks at extraordinary claims, the Cosmos, science denial, philosophy, matters of life and death, his experience with 9/11, religious faith, school issues, and parenting. A chapter titled “Rebuttals” is reserved for special smackdowns. Some chapters are more potpourri than focused. There is a fair bit of overlap among the chapters in subject material, but not enough to negate the structure of the book. Some notions are repeated maybe a time or two too often, but that is a small blemish.

Tyson, above all, defends science as the way to understand the workings of the world and the universe. And castigates those who would substitute scriptural revealed truths for the objective, testable approach science offers.

His correspondents include men, women, children, prisoners, celebrities, folks of diverse political stripes and religious persuasions. He responds to scientists, teachers, athletes, and morons. All with charm, knowledge, and wisdom. The incoming letters are querulous, admiring, and sometimes hate-filled.

Tyson offers some surprising observations on things like the value of IQ, the best books to read, and an actual diamond in the sky. He remembers some people he admires. There is occasional snark in his replies, but, IMHO, not nearly enough. He offers a moving message to a fan who is about to lose a dying mother, and tells how Richard Holbrooke’s interest in science informed his diplomatic work.

Like Whoopi says, listening to Neil for three hours is perfectly fine, and I expect you will find the time you spend with him in the pages of this book to be just as rewarding. Not only is NDT great at what he does, which is working to educate Americans about science, he is very warm, human company, who is blessed with a gift for explaining science, and an ability to write that smooths that educational element even more. In that interview Stephen Colbert did with Whoopi, she notes that after spending time with Tyson, she remembered more, of the science things he had been talking about, than she’d expected. Maybe you will too. It most certainly won’t hurt to try. And you have any questions, you could always just send the guy a letter.

Review first posted – October 4, 2019

Publication date – October 8, 2019

I received an ARC of this book from Norton in return for a review that would stand up to scientific scrutiny.

=============================EXTRA STUFF

Links to the author’s personal, Twitter and FB pages

It would be redundant to add here the vast number of links one could use to connect with Tyson’s various activities. His primary site, at the Planetarium, offers those in abundance.

But here's one anyway
-----NY Times - April 17, 2021 - Neil deGrasse Tyson Thinks Science Can Reign Supreme Again by David Marchese

[Lena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like his narrating style - irony, rationality and openness to everyone. But I got bored reading all those typical letters. Although it's quite interesting to read about opinions of the famous scientist on various topics.

[David Rubenstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very engaging book; it is simply a collection of letters and emails that Neil Tyson has received, along with his responses. Most of the correspondence dates back ten or twelve years ago, with some outliers. It never occurred to me that he would receive such voluminous correspondence, and much of it not at all related to his specialty--astrophysics. People ask him questions and for his opinion on a very wide range of subjects; some of the questions deal with philosophical issues, and don't really have to do with science at all.

What makes this book fund and endearing to read, is how Tyson's personality rings through in his responses. If you have ever watched Tyson on TV or in a video, you will latch onto how passionate and personable he is, and how cogent his conversations can be. These aspects of his personality come through loud and clear in his correspondence. He is always polite and kind, even when giving some rather blunt opinions and answers to questions. This is the type of person whom you would love to have as a friend.

[Ryan Boissonneault · Rating 3 out of 5]

Letters from an Astrophysicist is a collection of letters and replies from Neil deGrasse Tyson to his fans and other inquirers, collected over a span of more than two decades. The topics range across science, religion, philosophy, politics, ethics, education, and more, with Tyson doing his best to impart his cosmic wisdom to his often ill-informed interrogators.

You might ask what benefits can be derived from reading this collection of letters, rather than reading Tyson’s other works or watching his videos or podcasts. I think there are three:

1. Using the examples as a crash course in the art of letter writing for the purpose of being able to express your thoughts more clearly and concisely.
2. Learning how to answer a series of stupid questions with patience and understanding while cultivating a skeptical mindset in your audience.
3. Understanding the approach of a scientist and educator whose primary goal is the education of the public.

I used to think that Tyson was overly evasive when it came to questions of god and religion and that his reticence to take a stand on political and religious topics was timid and non-confrontational (especially in comparison to someone like Richard Dawkins).

While I still feel that there is a need for people like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, I’ve since come to appreciate Tyson’s very different but still admirable approach. Tyson doesn’t want to shove his beliefs down your throat, unless you ask. He’s not interested in converting you to atheism or anything else, or telling you which politician to vote for. He wants to give you the facts, to tell you how to reason appropriately and think responsibly, so that whatever conclusions you come to you’ve come to on your own. Tyson’s only real agenda appears to be the fostering of independent thinking skills in his audience.

As for the letters themselves, they are mostly edifying and often amusing. You may find yourself disagreeing with his approach on some topics, but his replies are typically well-thought out and researched. The letters to Tyson, however, can be monotonous and at times terrifically stupid (one person insists that they’ve found the secret to building a perpetual motion machine while another insists that Tyson should take Big Foot more seriously).

Tyson’s replies seem to boil down to a few principles that are repeated over and over. Here are the primary ones:

- A little bit of education is dangerous. People often know enough about a topic to think they’re right about some theory, but not enough about the topic to know they’re wrong. If you think you can build a perpetual motion machine, for instance, don’t bother Neil deGrasse Tyson; build the machine, submit your discoveries to peer-reviewed science, and win the nobel prize. More than likely, though, you’re just wrong; remember, education is largely the discovery of how little you actually know.

- The argument from ignorance underlies all superstitions and conspiracy theories. As Tyson said regarding the claim that UFOs are alien spacecraft, “Once you confess to not knowing what you are looking at, no logical line of reasoning allows you to then declare that you know what you are looking at.” The “U” in UFO stands for “unidentified,” and just because you can’t identify it doesn’t automatically make it an alien spacecraft. Similarly, that you can’t understand how the universe came into existence doesn’t mean that “God did it.”

- Eyewitness testimony is the least reliable evidence. Scientists and psychologists know that eyewitness testimony is the least reliable type of evidence available, especially when the event in question is several years old and reliant upon an also unreliable memory. All accounts of “supernatural” phenomena rely exclusively on this type of evidence, so if you’ve experienced something you can’t explain, for example, you should ask yourself whether it’s more likely that you’ve witnessed a suspension of the laws of physics or that you’re simply mistaken. Remember, the gold standard of science is peer-reviewed controlled experiment, to which no supernatural claims have ever held up.

- The belief in extrasensory perception has a basic psychological explanation. Fortune tellers and psychics are compelling to people because people tend to remember the hits and not the misses. Take the example of prophetic dreams. You have multiple dreams every night regarding events that never transpire, which you quickly forget. But the one dream you have regarding an event that comes true—among thousands of meaningless dreams—will be the one you remember and use as “proof” of your prophetic powers, when it’s statistically guaranteed that you will eventually dream of something that actually happens.

- Those who are determined to be offended always will be. There is nothing worse than someone who overreacts to an edgy joke. Every time Tyson Tweets something mildly controversial he gets bombarded by people who are destined to take offense on behalf of themselves or others or the country. We should all lighten up, not be so sensitive, and find something better to do with our time than police the internet for offensive material.

- Epistemologically, religion is the enemy of science. While Tyson is more conciliatory when it comes to religion than others (perhaps too much so?), he understands that the discovery of truths via revelation, miracles, or faith—all unreliable methods subject to the whims of the individual— is the antithesis of the epistemological approach of science based on observation, experiment, and logical analysis.

- The search for meaning outside of yourself is misguided. A number of questions fielded by Tyson revolve around the meaning and purpose of life and the belief in a higher power, whatever that phrase is supposed to mean. As Tyson said, regarding the question as to why we are all here: “I never think much about ‘why.’ Why implies a purpose set by external forces. I have always felt that purpose is not defined outside of ourselves, but from deep within. My purpose in life is to lessen the suffering of others; advance our understanding of the universe; and enlighten others along the way.”

While Tyson is generally on point, I do take some issue with his dismissive stance on philosophy. In fact, most of what Tyson does himself is not science; he discusses and interprets the findings of other scientists and advocates for a particular epistemological view. This is, in many ways, mainly philosophical, whether explicitly stated or not.

Personally, I don’t think it is possible to divorce philosophy from science, and history bears this out. Isaac Newton considered himself to be a “natural philosopher,” and his systematization of the universal laws of motion and gravity was largely a purely intellectual endeavor, not one based on simply running experiments and getting back data.

The same can be said for Albert Einstein, whose theories of relativity began as thought experiments only later to be codified in mathematical terms and confirmed via experiment. There is always an interplay between experiments, data, and interpretation, and philosophy is a big part of that equation. Tyson’s views here seem to be very intellectually narrow-minded.

Many physicists, for instance, such as Lee Smolin, believe that our next breakthrough in our understanding of quantum mechanics will be conceptual and philosophical. We already have the data, but no one can make any sense of it, or figure out which additional experiments can shed more light on the problem.

It’s interesting to note that elsewhere Tyson suggests, in support of government funding of varied priorities, that “the most innovative solutions to problems commonly come from outside of the field—from people inspired by different priorities.” He also speaks of “cross-pollination of the disciplines” as being beneficial, yet maintains a dismissive stance towards a discipline that has throughout history been closely allied with science.

In one of the letters to Tyson, an individual insists that philosophy is a useless endeavor, and that only science is useful, entirely oblivious to the fact that his very assertion of the uselessness of philosophy is itself a philosophical position that cannot be confirmed or denied via experiment. The fact is, we can’t escape philosophy; we can only decide whether we practice it poorly or well.

Overall, this is an entertaining and intimate look into the mind of one of our best science educators. You’re guaranteed to learn some useful facts and gain exposure to a more enlightened perspective. But if you find yourself disagreeing with Tyson, that’s exactly what he would want, because it shows you’re still thinking.

[Vera V. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a fairly lighthearted collection of letters that did not particularly stand out to me. Some inquiries were silly, but the author does a great job at showing that there are no stupid questions. Dr. deGrasse Tyson was candidly humorous in his responses, and I liked that.

However, there’s a direct quote that states, “universe is comprised of 92 elements,” yet there are 114 known elements in the universe - that letter was dated back to 2019 (fairly recent). I wonder what’s up with that.

The book is highly repetitive on the topic of religion and “de-bunking it,” in a sense. But then, again, this is an easy read that doesn’t feel too diligently comprised.

My favorite quote from it is, “death is a privilege for the few of us that have known life.”

[Tom Mooney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish Neil was my uncle.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice little read, but less interesting and memorable than I'd anticipated.

[Zdravko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dragi Neile,

nakon dugo vremena sam pročitao knjigu za jedno poslijepodne i poprilično sam uživao u pročitanom iako su mi se neki dijelovi činili jako poznati (u slučajevima gotovo preslikani) iz mojeg vlastitog iskustva ili razgovora s ljudima. Vrlo čitljivo štivo koje možda nije za peticu (većinom ju ostavljam za super zabavna štiva ili remek djela) ali zbog gore navedenog sam spreman i dodati dio subjektivnog mišljenja. Hvala na ugodnom druženju i nadam se da ćemo se uskoro susresti uz neku drugu knjigu.

Srdačno,
Zdravko

[Ross Blocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a prominent astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson gets a lot of mail from people who are genuinely curious about science and want to help inspire a new generation of truth-seekers... as well as a fair amount of cranks who want to chew him out or challenge him on their crackpot theory of choice. In Letters From An Astrophysicist, Tyson shares representative letters he has received over the years, addressing in his responses a variety of points about science, the stars, philosophy, aliens, religion, teaching, and a host of other fascinating topics.

If you're at all familiar with Tyson, you'll know he reacts to questions as a friendly contrarian. There might be a straightforward or easy answer, or even one he's shared before, but he'll purposely pivot to take on a new perspective and give the answer we weren't quite expecting. I can imagine this might be irritating to the interlocutor seeking a straightforward answer, or who sees their prompt pedantically pushed where it wasn't intended, but it's always done in the spirit of instruction. Tyson has a wealth of fun factoids at his fingertips, and he'll weave them into a response that is always memorable, often perspective-changing, and sometimes profound. It's always fun to watch him in action, as it can be instructive just to see how he parries an angry thrust or injects scientific insight into matters of life and philosophy.

Some of my favorite letters are his responses to alien enthusiasts, bigfoot proponents, conspiracy theorists and numerologists... Tyson does an incredible job of distilling and defending the skeptical worldview, explaining why it's so important to value knowledge over speculation; peer review over personal revelation. I've already incorporated many of his talking points into my own discussions on such matters. He's also not afraid to suggest that someone may be wasting their time. In other letters he's answering more personal questions, like his recollections on 9/11 (he was in New York), or his career, or his thoughts on religion. Though this collection covers a diversity of topics, it's organized thematically and reads as a fairly continuous narrative. Recommended.

[Klaas Bottelier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable book containing many letters and emails that deGrasse Tyson has received over the years and his response to them, he responds in a clear and calm manner, always respectful to the ones who sent them. It covers a wide range of topics, including the scientific way, society, religion and some very personal stories by deGrasse Tyson.

[Effie (she-her) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ο διάσημος αστροφυσικός Neil DeGrasse Tyson απαντάει σε μηνύματα απορίες και απόψεις ανθρώπων για θέματα που αφορούν την αστρονομία και γενικότερα την επιστήμη αλλά και την ύπαρξη ή όχι κάποιου θεού..

Ένα πολύ ευχάριστο ανάγνωσμα, ανάγνωσμα, ιδανικό για όσους θέλουν να λύσουν βασικές απορίες τους για τις επιστήμες.

Διαβάστε περισσότερα στο blog μου.

[Livia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved every page. And I'm not even joking. This is just a collection of emails that the astrophysicist Neil deGreasse Tyson received from the people who are interested in his work, along with his answers. The topics covered are astronomy (obviously), philosophy, life and death, religion and more. Tyson's answers are very well thought out, interesting and complex. He doesn't tell you what to think, but he tries to teach you how to think instead.

“There's nothing like the right telescope in the right hands of the right person at the right time for the right price.”

“Don’t fear change. Don’t fear failure. The only thing to fear is loss of ambition. But if you’ve got plenty of that, you have nothing to fear at all.”

“When I wonder what I am capable of as a human being, I don’t look to ‘relatives,’ I look to all human beings. That is the genetic relationship that matters to me. The genius of Isaac Newton, the courage of Joan of Arc and Gandhi, the athletic fears of Michael Jordan, the oratorical skills of Sir Winston Churchill, the compassion of Mother Teresa. I look to the entire human race for inspiration for what I can be — because I am human. I don’t care if I am a descendant of kings or paupers, saints or sinners, the brave or cowardly. My life is what I make it.”

“For any unique event, there will always be elements that one cannot explain, since they occur without precedent. But one must always recognize the difference between knowing that something is true, knowing that something is not true, and not knowing one way or another.” 

[Kristina Coop-a-Loop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Letters From an Astrophysicist is a snack-sized book packed with good reading. In less than 300 pages, this collection of letters and emails Tyson has received and responded to over a 20 year span offers up a variety of topics that all touch on science: parenting, disbelief, motivation, compassion, education and other concerns. Tyson loosely groups these communications into categories. The correspondence between Tyson and the senders is an interesting glimpse into what concerns people. I also think it’s fascinating to see this as the effect of celebrity; Tyson is a stranger to (almost all of) these people, yet they wrote to him for advice on a wide-range of topics when perhaps someone closer to them in their community would have been more appropriate and surely more accessible.

Because this book is a grab-bag of topics, some of the letters are more interesting to me than others. The prose is also not true to Tyson’s normal style. His other books are more entertaining to read as they contain more of Tyson’s personality, his humor and wit. Too many of his responses are written in what I would call HR style—he’s polite and helpful but distant. Reading some of them was like perusing emails you receive from your employer about the latest upgrades (or—more likely—subtractions from) your benefits package. However rude and ignorant some of the letters may have been (Tyson often shortens and edits long letters and provides summaries), he responds with courtesy, respect and maturity—a remarkable feat of writing and patience considering how angry rhetoric is today and how no one listens to differing viewpoints. I consider that yet another example of how intelligent, funny and delightful he is and another reason he is so popular.

A few highlights from the book: 1) his list of books that every intelligent person should read and why (I’ve read 2—woo for me! I’ll add the others to my list); 2) his takedown of B.o.B. for popularizing flat earth idiocy (of all the dumb anti-science/anti-factual fantasies, this one always strikes me as the stupidest); and 3) the summary of his essay “The Cosmic Perspective” for a man to read to his ailing mother (to comfort her!).

A point of disagreement with Neil: somewhere in the book (I can’t find it and didn’t mark it, which is weird for me) he says he does not call himself an atheist because he thinks it’s ridiculous (and unnatural) to define yourself by something you are not. I agree. However, we live in the United States of America, a country that overwhelmingly describes itself as religious (Christian) and way too many government positions are held by people of unyielding religiosity (“I-can’t-be-alone-with-a-woman-because-I’m-a-moron” vice-president Pence being one example) who don’t care about the Constitution and are attempting to turn America into the United States of Christianity (will be interesting to see which sect wins that battle). If I lived in a country in which the population is not religious, it would be very odd for me to describe myself as atheist—it wouldn’t be necessary. But in this country, where religious beliefs infuse daily life (all my coworkers at my new job are Catholics and assumed I was too until I had to politely say I wasn’t) and you are made to feel anywhere from a deviant to a pitiable, soulless, joyless, lonely person because you are not religious, it is necessary to define your views as being the negative of something. I hope that changes one day and your belief—or non-belief—in a supreme being is considered unimportant.

Letters From an Astrophysicist is a thoughtful and interesting read. It’s not quite as vibrant and enjoyable as his previous book, Astrophysics For People in a Hurry, but if you like Tyson, you’ll probably like this.

[realizmmagiczny · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow, bardzo dobra i ciekawa książka. zaznaczyłam sporo fragmentów

[Pepperoni · Rating 4 out of 5]

To było niezwykłe doświadczenie czytać o opiniach Neila na różne tematy. Ciekawa i skłaniająca do myślenia pozycja.

[Učitaj se! | Martina Štivičić · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Astrofizikom za ljude u žurbi' Neil deGrasse Tyson je, baš kao i emisijom 'Kozmos', približio znanost o zvijezdama i svemiru širokim masama i učinio ju pristupačnijom i razumljivijom za sve koji vole s vremena na vrijeme gledati uvis i izgubiti se među zvijezdama, a ne žele biti izgubljeni u stručnim terminima i zakonima po kojima se te zvijezde gibaju, rađaju i umiru. Sudeći prema popularnosti 'Astrofizike' i svim listama bestselera na kojima se našla, ljudima u žurbi se ona zbilja jako svidjela.

'Pismima jednog astrofizičara' ovaj konkretni astrofizičar sada nam je otvorio vrata u malo intimniji svijet: onaj vlastitih razmišljanja i misli, koje je podijelio u odgovorima na pisma brojnih ljudi koji su mu se javljali, što klasičnim pismima, što mailovima, što raznoraznim porukama pristiglim na raznorazne načine.

Osim pitanjima astrofizike i samog svemira, prepiska podijeljena u ovoj knjizi bavi se raznolikim temama i znanstvene i društvene prirode, a osim klasičnih odgovora na postavljena mu pitanja, Neil je u ovoj zbirci prikupio i razne komentare iz raznih novinskih izdanja, kao i druge tekstove koje je u nekom trenutku bio zamoljen napisati, a koje je odabrao iz puno većeg bazena pisama, upita i poruka koji su mu tijekom godina pristizali.

Nisu sva pisma ugodnog i prijateljskog tona, niti su autori svih pisama ljubitelji Neilovog lika i djela. Dobar je dio pisama upravo njegovih neistomišljenika. Ta su možda i posebno bitna, kao i odgovori na ista, jer prikazuju kako se protiv neznanja potrebno boriti upravo dobrom argumentacijom i isticanjem činjenica. Teško je, dakako, nečije mišljenje promijeniti ukoliko je ta osoba svoj stav ukorijenila u nečemu pogrešnom i ne želi ga iz tog nečega iščupati, ali ponekad je i mala iskra dovoljna da zapali interes za znanjem koji će se tek kasnije pretvoriti u vatru. Neke će vatre možda zgasnuti, ali neke će nastaviti gorjeti, a Neil je raspirivanju mnogih od ovih potonjih dao svoj doprinos.

Pisma i odgovori sadržani u ovoj zbirci brzo se i lako čitaju, pokrivaju raznolike teme i vrlo su zanimljivi. S Neilovim mišljenjima se možete ili ne morate slagati, ali niti u jednom stavu koji ovdje iznosi ne manjka mu logike niti činjenica kojima svoje stavove može potkrijepiti. U tome i leži sva ljepota znanosti: ona je istinita neovisno o osobnim uvjerenjima pojedinaca. Ono što mi se posebno svidjelo su Neilova objašnjenja nekih pitanja koja se dosta često postavljaju, primjerice kada je u pitanju američka svemirska agencija NASA i koliko je opravdano istu financirati novcem poreznih obveznika, Neilova usporedba s iznosima koji se izdvajaju za vojsku i neke druge djelatnosti stavlja stvari u bitno drugačiju perspektivu nego što biste na prvu pomislili. Također, nemoguće je svemirska istraživanja gledati posve odvojeno od zemaljskih, jer upravo je zbog rada na svemirskim istraživanjima i tehnologijama za njih potrebnim došlo do revolucionarnih otkrića i izuma bitnih za svakodnevni život. Primjerice, filteri za vodu, laserska kirurgija, bežični komunikacijski uređaji... Sve su to stvari na kojima se radilo ne bi li se olakšao život astronautima u svemiru, a puno veću korist zapravo smo dobili svi mi - i sve te izume puno više koristimo.

Ako vam se svidjela 'Astrofizika', i ako vas zanima svemir i svijet oko vas općenito, 'Pisma jednog astrofizičara' sjajan su popratni sadržaj i ovoj prvoj knjizi i vašoj gladi za znanjem. Mislim da je sjajno da znanstvene knjige postaju bestseleri zajedno sa svim drugim naslovima koje toliko volimo čitati, i nadam se da će se tako i nastaviti. U tome su bitne baš ovakve knjige: pristupačne i jednostavne, koje baš svatko može bez problema razumjeti. A bitni su i ljudi poput Neila, čija ljubav prema znanosti - i volja da ju prenese drugima - nemaju granica.

[Rafael · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Letters from an Astrophysicist” by Neil deGrasse Tayson 🔭 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is my Second book by the always masterful Neil degrades Tyson and i completely loved it! Is brilliant and even though there is a lot of questions for this great science man all of them have a unique and masterful response, Neil Could easily do a mic drop with every answer, this book is full of knowledge, answers and powerful stories. I always pick Neil books on audible when he is the narrator is priceless to listen to him reading his own book
I have always been a science enthusiast and Neil is one of my greatest inspirations, him and Carl Sagan, their love for science and outstanding way of thinking gifts of knowledge and curiosity for this generation and many to come.
🌌 🌌
Thank you Neil you are one of the greatest inspirations of our time, keep looking up and teaching the ways of the universe!

[Mustafa Jawad · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I give a book 5 stars, I ask myself: Did I not want to stop reading? Was I turning the pages as time seemed to fly by? Did I feel a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment after completion? This book matches my criterion.
The letters are short, witty, quick, and an excellent source of bite sized, intellectual eloquence. This book is far more pragmatic than say," Astrophysics For People In a Hurry." It has all the personality and heart that neil tyson intended to pour into this book. If you are a fan of neil tyson, this is a must read. And if you are not a fan of his, well that may change after reading this book.

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just okay. Actually, underwhelming in parts. I have respect for Neil deGrasse Tyson, his intelligence and his contributions to the scientific community, but after reading this collection of letters I'm not sure how I feel about his personality. My opinion on that, of course, is mostly irrelevant, but it did lessen my enjoyment of the book. There were some interesting tidbits of wisdom and new ways of looking at our world spread throughout the pages, though (for me) there were just as many instances of coming across as arrogant or apathetic.

[Mark Mortensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book astrophysicist author Neal deGrasse Tyson reveals his inner thoughts through personal correspondence.

As a pure scientist he aligns with hard proven facts. His NYC residence was just 4 blocks from the world towers on 9/11/2001. I’m amazed that he witnessed the horror and carnage as mere facts. Life would be boring if everyone were the same; however I feel fortunate that I trust facts, but also have faith in a higher power, a God and believe in the power of prayer.

[Suhasa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neil deGrasse Tyson, dubbed rightly as "your personal Astrophysicist" brings yet another thought provoking book, but this time with a compelling collection of letters/emails/social media posts asking him important queries and sometimes attacking him with preconceived notions about God, formation of the universe, evolution etc.

He never shows a sign of knowing everything or being better than the asker of the question even when addressing hate mails, conspiracy theories or extreme religious attacks. He replies with facts and evidence which disproves such beliefs. The funniest one was in the "Rebuttals" chapter where he was involved in a tweet-war with a rapper named B.O.B who believes the Earth is flat.

On evolution:

“The theory of evolution is not something to “believe in.” Science follows evidence. And when strong evidence supports an idea, the concept of belief, when invoked the way religious people use the word, is unnecessary. In other words, established science is not an ensemble of beliefs, it’s a system of ideas supported by verifiable evidence.
You did not ask if I believe in the sunrise. Or if I believe the sky is blue. Or if I believe Earth has a Moon. These are non-controversial truths about the physical world for which the word “believe” has no place. Evolution by natural selection is a non-controversial tenet of modern biology. It’s not controversial among biologists, that is. Among religious fundamentalists, biological evolution does not square with their faith-based belief system, in which they invoke the Bible as an inerrant understanding of the physical world.”

On what would constitute the proof of God's existence:

How about if pious people all lived longer than non-pious people? How about when a plane crashes, only the pious people survive? How about Jesus comes when people say he will come? How about people pray for peace, and then all wars in the world stop permanently? How about good things happen exclusively to good people and bad things happen exclusively to bad people? How about an earthquake strikes Lisbon on All Saints Day, while everyone is in Church, as it did in 1755, and it kills only people who are not in Church, rather than the tens of thousands of people who were, as what actually happened that fateful morning. These events would trigger serious (scientific) conversation about the existence of God and how he treats people who worship him versus those who do not.

Probably the most touching chapter of them all was "Tragedy" where he recounts his ground-zero experience of the tragedy of 9/11 and it ends with a 9/11-denier's question to which he again offered a factual, scientific answer rather than "I was there" because in an earlier chapter he mentions how eyewitness testimonies are the least accurate kind of evidence. (said in a scientific contest though)

In "Extraordinary Claims" he answers queries about UFOs and aliens in a way that neither confirms nor denies their existence unless conclusive proofs come forward. In the same chapter, there is a brilliant question on End of the world which is tackled and dealt with his great knowledge of such predictions and their inaccuracies.

Overall, a great listen (the audiobook is recorded in his own deep voice) for any space/astrophysics enthusiast.

Keep Looking Up!!

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“True science literacy is less about what you know and more about how your brain is wired for asking questions.”

4 stars. I would give anything to receive a snarky email or letter from Neil deGrasse Tyson. I love his dry humor so much and this book was filled with it. This is exactly what the title says, it’s just a collection of various letters and emails to Neil and his responses and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was also part memoir kind of which was cool and I actually wish he would’ve leaned a bit more into that because I do want to know more about his life and upbringing but for what this was it was perfectly enjoyable and a very intriguing read.

[Mansoury · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointed that it’s mostly not about astrophysics

From a massive NDT fan, I was disappointed to find that it’s not a book about astrophysics but just random thoughts and stories. I thought the title was misleading because I sadly expected this book to be a merging of Astrophysics for People in a Hurry and Brief Answers to the Big Questions, which was also a compilation of letters and responses by Stephen Hawking.

[Tijana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ovo je još jedna Neil-ova knjiga uz koju sam uživala <3

[Ceara]

At times enlightening, at times condescending, get you a book that can do both. Though generally, I thought the letters in this book to often be repetitive and dismissive, I do recognize that they weren’t really written for me and my viewing pleasure. I imagine people more familiar of this clearly brilliant astrophysicist are probably more his intended audience. But, with this being my first introduction to him, I don’t really think I ever quite clicked with his way, so I tended to enjoy his specific science focused letters over his more general outlook on the world and science as a concept. I am interested in further pursuing his more science-focused books, because he obviously knows his stuff, and maybe in exploring that I’ll come to appreciate this book a bit more

[teach_book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bardzo ciekawa książka dla tych, którzy się interesują szeroko pojętą nauką, ale też dla tych, którzy są po prostu ciekawi świata. Styl przyjemny, zrozumiały i naprawdę dla każdego.

Oczywiście wszystko zostało tutaj przedstawione naukowo, ale jest napisane tak ciekawie, że przez tę książkę się płynie.

[Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ehh... I find Tyson's writing to be a little pompous at times, and this book brought that out in spades. Likely due to the "collection of letters" format, but I found him largely unbearable and there wasn't actually much of interest or note here.

[Zuzannna · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨4,25/5✨

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another entertaining and informative book by Dr. Tyson. Really enjoy his humor and natural ability to educate on a variety of topics.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tyson provides us with 101 letters--most are his responses to everyone from concerned parents to curious children to men behind prison walls to teachers to those who ardently disagree with his scientific stance. A few are his letters to the editor of various newspapers and magazines and one is his open letter to NASA on the occasion of its (and his own) 60th birthday.

The book is charmingly informative--full of Tyson's succinct and sometimes humorous responses to questions and argument. It is also a master class in the art of meaningful communication through letters. Those who wish to learn will find many nuggets of information on a variety of subjects. And it is all presented in short, easily digested bursts.

It would be difficult to give more substance in a review without giving you entire sections of Tyson's letters...and for that, you might as well go ahead and read the book. It is well worth the time.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.