Customer Reviews

The Starry Room: Naked Eye Astronomy in the Intimate Universe

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There are three books I read again every year: Baseball Anecdotes by Daniel Okrent and Steve Wulf; Be True to Your School by Bob Greene; and the Starry Room by Fred Schaaf. Only one of them moves me to tears on the very first page. If you have ever stood at the edge of the woods at night, gazed up at the stars, and trembled with reverence and awe, perhaps even fear - Fred Schaaf's prose will not only return you to that sacred moment but sweep you up and into the midst of that very sky. The intimate universe awaits.

I am surprised that this book has so far one review (well, now two!), since it is such a fascinating read for everyone interested in astronomy. Not only newcomers, but also seasoned stargazers will find this book interesting and inspiring. The book is structured as well written essays focusing in different phenomena that can be enjoyed with the naked eye, such as rainbows, meteors, planets, stars and comets. The author cheerfully conveys the message that there is a lot of pleasure and reward in observing the sky with the naked eye and tells you why and how you can also enjoy it. I have been an amateur astronomer for more than 25 years and I know that amateur astronomy can easily degenerate into a race for more sophisticated and expensive equipment. In the opposite side of that nonsense you will find this book raising awareness on the true value and pleasure of star gazing: that of finding awe, inspiration and enriching experiences through the knowledge of the skies. I am grateful to Fred Schaaf for that.