The Rough Guide to The Universe (Rough Guide Reference) [Paperback]

John Scalzi (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1858289394 | ISBN-13: 978-1858289397 | Publication Date: May 12, 2003

The truth may not be out there, but space is the place to look, and this guide takes it all in, from our own moon to the furthest frontiers of the known universe - and then speculates what lies beyond. To explore space is also to explore time: when we look at the Andromeda galaxy what we see is light that left the galaxy two million years ago; we are literally looking back in time. This guide is not meant to delve too deeply, but instead the idea is to give the reader the grounding they will need to appreciate the sky. Travel-based information on planetariums, observatories and "deep sky" sites is provided, as well as a list of Internet resources.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Scalzi is a freelance writer whose fascination with science and astronomy goes back to his childhood, and is a firm believer that people enjoy reading about science when it is presented to them as something that is fun as well as factual.

Product Details

• Paperback: 390 pages
• Publisher: Rough Guides (May 12, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1858289394
• ISBN-13: 978-1858289397
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,145,844 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Scalzi writes books, which, considering where you're reading this, makes perfect sense. He's best known for writing science fiction, for which he won the John W. Campbell Award (2006) and has been nominated for the Hugo Award for best novel (2006, 2008, 2009). He also writes non-fiction, on subjects ranging from personal finance to astronomy to film, and was the Creative Consultant for the Stargate: Universe television series. He enjoys pie, as should all right thinking people.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent overview, July 1, 2008

By 

Nicholas Russon (Brooklin, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Rough Guide to the Universe, Second edition (Rough Guide Reference) (Paperback)

I was looking for a well-written, intelligent overview of current knowledge on the solar system, and this book was exactly what I was looking for. The presentation is very clear, the writing quality is excellent, and the tone is exactly right for this kind of information: light, good use of humour, and not taking itself too seriously (John Scalzi has a quirky sense of humour . . . it works very well here).

I'm not very interested in Astronomy, so the final part of the book was less useful to me, but I can see that it would have been a very good introduction to using a telescope to view the night skies.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Introduction to Astronomy, June 22, 2005

By 

Alaa Shehab "bookaddict04" (Egypt) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Rough Guide to The Universe (Rough Guide Reference) (Paperback)

I burrowed this book from a public library and read many parts of it, i found it a very well introductory handbook for all interested in astronomy...beginners & advanced alike 'll always find it very comprehensive & full of sound advice & information...i'm considering ordering a copy for myself,,,very handy & never failed me whenever i consulted it

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Guide to the Universe!, May 10, 2009

By 

Michael R. Nofi (Santa Rosa, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Rough Guide to the Universe, Second edition (Rough Guide Reference) (Paperback)

John Scalzi's Rough Guide to The Universe, is anything but rough. I have been an amateur astronomer for over 45 years and have read every beginners guide to the stars and this is the best. It is up to date (which is no easy chore these days with all of the advancements in astronomy), thorough, complete, and there is something in it for everyone. If you want to get up to speed on the current state of our understanding of the cosmo, then this book is for you.