First Light: The Search for the Edge of the Universe [Hardcover]

Richard Preston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 29, 1996 | ISBN-10: 0679449698 | ISBN-13: 978-0679449690 | Edition: 1st Rev

Seven years before Richard Preston wrote about horrifying viruses in The Hot Zone, he turned his attention to the cosmos. In First Light, he demonstrates his gift for creating an exciting and absorbing narrative around a complex scientific subject--in this case the efforts by astronomers at the Palomar Observatory in the San Gabriel Mountains of California to peer to the farthest edges of space through the Hale Telescope, attempting to solve the riddle of the creation of the universe.

Richard Preston's name became a household word with The Hot Zone, which sold nearly 800,000 copies in hardcover, was on The New York Times's bestseller list for 42 weeks, and was the subject of countless magazine and newspaper articles. Preston has become a sought-after commentator on popular science subjects.

For this hardcover reprint of what has been called "the best popular account of astronomy in action," (Kirkus Reviews) he has revised the text and written a new introduction.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"There is a saying among astronomers that five billion people concern themselves with the surface of the Earth, and ten thousand with everything else," writes Richard Preston, best-selling author of The Hot Zone. And if you think these professional stargazers spend most of their time serenely peering into the night sky, guess again. Today's astronomers are world-class gadgeteers who scurry about giant (and often frigid) observatories tinkering with the mechanical and electronic tools of their trade. In First Light, they tangle with the Hale Telescope, one of the world's oldest and largest. This beautifully written book is highly recommended for anybody interested in astronomy.

From School Library Journal

YA As the title suggests, this is a book on astronomy, but it is also a great deal more than that. Nominally, First Light is about the efforts of a group of astronomers who are attempting to map the edge of the known universe. Because the sheer size of the numbers and concepts involved in astronomy have an almost universal gee-whiz fascination, that subject is interesting reading all by itself. What really makes this book something special, however, are the portraits of the people involved: how they approach their work, how they interact with each other. What is made clear in First Light is that for all their genius, for all their magnificent achievements, these astronomers are just like the rest of us: subject to the same emotions and frustrations, foibles and shortcomings. With no index or bibliography, this is not a book for students who just want to get through their next science report, nor is it intended to be. Karl Penny , Houston Public Lib .
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 275 pages
• Publisher: Random House; 1st Rev edition (October 29, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679449698
• ISBN-13: 978-0679449690
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #177,685 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Richard Preston is the bestselling author of The Hot Zone, The Demon in the Freezer, and the novel The Cobra Event. A writer for The New Yorker since 1985, Preston is the only nondoctor to have received the Centers for Disease Control's Champion of Prevention Award. He also holds an award from the American Institute of Physics. Preston lives outside of New York City.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read who anyone who enjoys a good read, February 13, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: First Light: The Search for the Edge of the Universe (Hardcover)

This book easily makes my "ten best books ever" list. It's the story of the scientists using the Palomar 200-inch telescope to look for the edge of the observable universe. But it's more than that. Like an involving novel (even though this is non-fiction), it's also a portrait of the engaging, human, and sometimes quirky characters involved. Finally, First Light is a stylishly written, seductive explanation of what's at stake as the science team tries to "drill wildcat holes in look-back time." Even if you hate science and care nothing for astronomy, this book will charm and delight you

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book worth owning. . ., July 17, 2003

By 

Alan Smithee "jwbarney" (Rockville, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Light: The Search for the Edge of the Universe (Hardcover)

I adore this book. Of course, I must give a disclaimer, I've always loved the subject of astronomy ever since I was very small. Unfortunately for me, I lacked the patience and the math skills to really delve into it, but books like Preston's, which are written for the layman but dare to delve a little, are a great read.

'First Light' follows two different groups of people: one working at the famed Palomar Telescope in Pasadena; the other, Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker of the Shoemaker Comets fame. The book is rich with detail and lovingly paints a picture of the kindly, eccentric and brilliant people who inhabit that world. Especially wonderful are the analogies that help you understand how large the universe is when compared to objects around us (i.e., "Imagine the sun the size of the dot on this i. . .").

No, the writing isn't flawless, but the depth of detail and the easy flow of the narrative will keep you reading. . .

Highly recommended for all ages.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good read for those interested in astronomy, December 21, 2001

By 

Rebecca S. (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Light: The Search for the Edge of the Universe (Paperback)

If you are somebody who loves astronomy, then look no further. While this isn't "the best book about astronomy ever written", it is a great book. I got this book when I was thirteen and have loved it ever since. The author tends to jump around a lot, which can be a little annoying and why I only gave it four stars instead of five. Although I liked the part about the Shoemakers, I don't see how that fits in with the purpose of the book. But aside from that, the section about the Shoemakers is really interesting and sometimes funny, like when Carolyn Shoemaker was teaching the author how to change film. The other astronomers are also very interesting, and the book helps debunk some of the myths about astronomers, such as they are all boring nerds, which some people still actually think. While I don't believe it's the "perfect" astronomy book, it makes astronomy seem much more human and relevant than you might think. The author keeps the book moving (although again, he skips around a lot), and it should be enjoyable for anybody looking for a great read.