The Book of the Moon [Hardcover]

Rick Stroud (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 23, 2009

To celebrate the fortieth anniversary of man’s first steps on the moon, a visually striking cornucopia of everything worth knowing about our closest neighbor in space.

Can you remember where you were on July 20, 1969, when, in one of the iconic moments of the twentieth century, Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the moon? The distant object that had fascinated mankind for millennia suddenly got much closer. Rick Stroud has been obsessed with the moon since childhood, and here provides the culmination of that passion—an utterly original and absorbing account of all things lunar, a book that celebrates the physics that created the moon and the technology that took us there as much as its magic and mystery.

Opening with the debatable story of how the moon was formed (scientists still don’t agree on this), Stroud then turns to the stories of mankind’s fascination with Earth’s satellite—from Babylonian astronomers thousands of years before Christ, to the Greek, Roman, and Arab scientists who paved the way for the Renaissance, to the astronomers and astronauts of our time. He delves into the mythology and astrology that have inspired civilizations and cultures the world over, alongside the scientific and medicinal advances that have come from our lunar connection.

Filled with original lists, intriguing statistics, and compelling images, The Book of the Moon draws us closer to the rocky orb that may hold the secrets of our own Earth’s beginnings.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rick Stroud is an acclaimed television director. An associate producer of Brideshead Revisited early in his career, he has since been nominated for an Emmy, and his work has been extensively shown on American television, including the miniseries Nancy Astor and the TV film The Last Day. He lives in London.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Walker & Company (June 23, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802717349
• ISBN-13: 978-0802717344
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,505,862 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars More trouble with the physics, February 11, 2010

By 

KaufAstro - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of the Moon (Hardcover)

I picked up a copy of this book at my local library. It does indeed try to cover all things lunar, including many topics scientific and otherwise. I was taken aback by some of the discussion of basic physics in the introductory chapter. For instance, the author states that the force of gravity on the Moon pulling on the Earth is weaker than that of the Earth pulling on the Moon, a clear misunderstanding of Newton's 3rd Law. The discussion of tides then goes on to state the the force of the Moon on the center of the Earth is zero, positive on the side closer to the Moon and negative on the side farther from the Moon. There is indeed a gradient - the Moon's pull on the near side of the Earth is stronger than that on the far side of the Earth - but gravitational pull is never negative. A lay reader would get the impression that the Moon is repelling the far side of the Earth.

I also agree with the previous reviewer - in addition to getting some of the science wrong the book also blurs the line between science and pseudoscience in many places. A study of the Moon and humanity's relation to it is an interesting idea for a book, but clearer science and clearer distinctions with pseudoscience would be better.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Full of fiction, not facts., January 21, 2010

By 

Newton. - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of the Moon (Hardcover)

The first chapter of this book is a really nice summary of what science knows about the moon.

There are other strong chapters about the relationship between moon and culture.

Then there are some chapters that state superstitions as if they were fact. A particularly ridiculous paragraph states that science "doesn't know" if the moon's tiny gravitational pull could affect your life. I'll clear that up right now-- if gravity is playing a force in guiding your life, then you better be paying attention to the movements of nearby trains and cars, because they exert a gravitational force on you as well.

Not a science book.

5.0 out of 5 stars The OTHER stuff about the Moon., November 18, 2011

By 

Jon Bearscove (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of the Moon (Hardcover)

I recently picked up a copy of Rick Stroud's "The Book of the Moon" from a used bookstore and I have to say right off the bat, shame on some of you reviewers for completely missing the point of this great book.

If you turn the book over, it literally states that the book includes the "magic and mystery" of the moon. It even states, "From alchemists and witches to scientists and astronauts...Rick Stroud delves into the mythology and astrology that has inspired civilizations and cultures the world over."

There are only 3 reviews of this book on Amazon.com, two of which criticize the author for it not being a science book, or blurring the lines between science and pseudoscience.

Did the reviewers not catch the part about witches? I'm pretty sure there are plenty of science books out there on the boring stuff about the Moon that no one actually is interested in like kreep, or like how during the Nectarian Period there was heavy bombardment on the moon compared to the Copernican Period.

PS...if you never heard of kreep, it is the acronym for...wait a minute...you can Google this if you actually want to find out. So why would a reviewer on Amazon give the book 2 stars and claim that the book is "full of fiction, not facts?"

I have books on the Moon that are mainly facts, figures, and features. You can only read that stuff so many times before you say, okay, I get it...it's the moon. It's like, several shades of gray, and is all dusty and stuff, and I can't move there yet and trash it.

What if you were looking for a book about the other stuff about the moon that makes you say, wow, okay, the moon is awesome! That's when you put down Gerald North's book on the moon and pick up Rick Stroud's. Here is a quotes from this book to give you an idea as to why I am criticizing the reviewers of this book on Amazon:

"Generally, light spells should be done when the moon is waxing, darker spells when the moon is waning..."

I personally didn't know that the best time to impose vengeance, discord, and hatred is during a waning moon. There's even a section on "Rules for Spell-Making." Rule number 4 is to check moon phases...if your spells aren't working, have you been checking the moon phase?

This stuff is awesome if you're bored with reading about the diameter of the moon over and over again.

I don't think it's fair to complain about a book about the moon that has a chapter called "Medicine, Madness, Werewolves, and Science," or to complain that the book isn't factual enough...werewolves? Did you even read Chapter 7 on werewolves? It was right after the chapter on magic.

Chapter 7 even covers sharks, suicides, tides, cockroaches, and even the sea slug. This is not your typical book on the moon.

So I say cheers to Rick Stroud for gathering the most amazing collection of knowledge on the moon I've ever read. This book covers astronomers and astronauts, farming and festivals, gardening and gravity, sex and spells, weather and witches...even Zarpandit and Zoroastrianism.

According to the author in a recent email I received, the book has received a lot of great reviews. Rick even had the opportunity to interview Buzz Aldrin at the Royal Festival Hall and Buzz stated, in front of 2000 people, "there is one person who really understands the magnificent desolation of the moon, Rick Stroud, go read his book, its great."

One of the issues might be with the audience...for example on Amazon.co.uk the book is currently a 4 star book and has glowing reviews overall, so perhaps there just aren't enough reviews on this side of the pond yet.

Oh yes...and also that pesky science-type stuff about the Pre-Nectarian Period when the moon formed versus the Copernican Period is still in there. This book is now a permanent part of the Galileo Astronomy Unclub's lunar library. www.galileo-astro.com