Habitable Planets for Man [Hardcover]

Stephen H. Dole (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 18, 1970

Habitable Planets for Man examines and estimates the probabilities of finding planets habitable to man, where they might be found, and the number there may be in our own galaxy. The author presents in detail the characteristics of a planet that can provide an acceptable environment for humankind, itemizes the stars nearest the earth most likely to possess habitable planets, and discusses how to search for habitable planets. Interestingly for our time, he also gives an appraisal of the earth as a planet and describes how its habitability would be changed if some of its basic properties were altered. This is a reprint of an edition originally published in 1964.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"Habitable Planets for Man" examines and estimates the probabilities of finding planets habitable to human beings, where they might be found, and the number there may be in our own galaxy. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 158 pages
• Publisher: Elsevier Science Ltd; 2nd edition (December 18, 1970)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0444000925
• ISBN-13: 978-0444000927
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,863,261 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still no equal, August 20, 2000

By 

Joe Haldeman - See all my reviews

This review is from: Habitable Planets for Man (Hardcover)

This is the most valuable reference book a science fiction writer can have. Period. It's also wonderful fun to read.
Pair it with the 2000 book RARE EARTH for contrast. Dole is still more interesting, and doesn't really have an agenda, despite the title.

What a smart guy he must have been!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, October 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Habitable Planets for Man (Hardcover)

"Habitable Planets for Man" offers in-depth speculation about extrasolar planets. We learn that Earth-like worlds are reasonably likely only around a rather narrow range of stellar types which exclude every bright star except Alpha Centauri. Even if a planet with abundant oxygen and water is found, its weather may be unsuitable; tides or seismic activity may be extreme; narcosis due to excessive carbon dioxide or nitrogen may occur; day lengths may be difficult to tolerate. The chapter "An Appreciation of the Earth" is practically redundant, because after studying the earlier text, the reader is sure to be glad of living on the third rock from the Sun!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting look at possible extra-solar worlds for man, November 2, 2000

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Habitable Planets for Man (Hardcover)

This book was written in 1970 as an analysis of what sort of planet would be inhabitable by humans on a permanent basis (colonization), and what are the chances of finding such planets around nearby stars. The book looks at human requirements, such as temperature, gravity, atmospheric composition, etc. Then other factors are reviewed, such as solar system organization, stellar properties, satellite relationships, special properties of binary star systems, etc.

This book makes for some very interesting reading. It is rather dated, though, with the mass of Pluto being placed at equivalent to the Earths, and with water oceans being speculated about for Venus. Admittedly, this probably does mean that some of the conclusions are suspect. However, the depth of information in this book does make it an interesting resource for science-fiction authors, and other interested in speculating about extra-solar planets for man.