The Sky Is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist [Paperback]

Neil Degrasse Tyson (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 1, 2004

This is the absorbing story of Neil deGrasse Tyson’s lifelong fascination with the night sky, a restless wonder that began some thirty years ago on the roof of his Bronx apartment building and eventually led him to become the director of the Hayden Planetarium. A unique chronicle of a young man who at one time was both nerd and jock, Tyson’s memoir could well inspire other similarly curious youngsters to pursue their dreams.


Like many athletic kids he played baseball, won medals in track and swimming, and was captain of his high school wrestling team. But at the same time he was setting up a telescope on winter nights, taking an advanced astronomy course at the Hayden Planetarium, and spending a summer vacation at an astronomy camp in the Mojave Desert.


Eventually, his scientific curiosity prevailed, and he went on to graduate in physics from Harvard and to earn a Ph.D. in astrophysics from Columbia. There followed postdoctoral research at Princeton. In 1996, he became the director of the Hayden Planetarium, where some twenty-five years earlier he had been awed by the spectacular vista in the sky theater.


Tyson pays tribute to the key teachers and mentors who recognized his precocious interests and abilities, and helped him succeed. He intersperses personal reminiscences with thoughts on scientific literacy, careful science vs. media hype, the possibility that a meteor could someday hit the Earth, dealing with society’s racial stereotypes, what science can and cannot say about the existence of God, and many other interesting insights about science, society, and the nature of the universe.


Now available in paperback with a new preface and other additions, this engaging memoir will enlighten and inspire an appreciation of astronomy and the wonders of our universe.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Cool, classy, articulate, and brilliant--rarely do all of those adjectives apply at once to an astrophysicist. But Neil de Grasse Tyson is no ordinary scientist; as the director of New York City's Hayden planetarium, his job is to inspire the public with the beauty and grandeur of the universe, just as he was inspired there in his youth. The Sky Is Not the Limit is his memoir of the events leading from his birth to his acceptance of his dream job and beyond, and is a marvelously entertaining look at one man's pursuit of his life's calling. Tyson emphasizes the nurturing roles played by his parents, friends, and teachers, in contrast to the sometimes well-meaning but always disappointing discouragement he experienced from all sides in his quest for his Ph.D.

Of course, it's still shamefully difficult for a black American scientist to merit the same quality of attention as his or her peers, and Tyson's insights into the subtle but still-pervasive racism in academia are enlightening. His description of his own shock at seeing himself on television--a black man sought as an expert on something other than being black--is powerfully moving. But, as with his other books, like the gorgeous One Universe: At Home in the Cosmos, the quest for knowledge is more important than the obstacles, and his spirit, determination, and sense of humor prove that the sky really isn't the limit. --Rob Lightner --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Not many teenagers get to hobnob with the likes of the late Carl Sagan or to go on a luxury cruise liner with the world's leading astrophysicists to observe a solar eclipse off the coast of Africa. But from a young age, Tyson single-mindedly pursued his goal of exploring the universe. Today he is the director of New York City's renowned Hayden Planetarium and is well known from his appearances on the evening news, most recently as a leader of the movement to downgrade Pluto from its status as a planet. In this pleasing memoir, Tyson tells of his early adventures in rooftop observation of the heavens, his sister lugging heavy stuff up to the roof of his Bronx apartment building while he carried his precious telescopes. His insistence on the importance of scientific education shines through in the second half of the book, where he explains esoteric subjects like dark matter and the Big Bang without talking down to readers. Tyson argues passionately for the importance of exploring space, since our planet will one day become uninhabitable. The author doesn't spend much time on aspects of his life unrelated to science, though he gives a powerful account of his escape from his apartment near ground zero on September 11. Tyson's recounting of some of the obstacles and misperceptions that he had to overcome as a young person of color to achieve his goals should inspire and inform young readers. But this graceful and thoughtful memoir will also appeal to adults interested in exploring the heavens. B&w photos.
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Product Details

• Paperback: 203 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books; 1st edition (May 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159102188X
• ISBN-13: 978-1591021889
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 0.4 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #102,210 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophysicist with the American Museum of Natural History, director of the world-famous Hayden Planetarium, a monthly columnist for Natural History, and an award-winning author. He lives in New York City.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 38 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Heavenly Joys! September 12, 2000

By Donald Mitchell HALL OF FAMETOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Dr. Tyson has written a wonderful memoir that will inspire anyone who reads it to become more interested in astrophysics, how to be a better parent, ways to improve as a mentor, and to seek out an inspirational profession.

The ultimate charm of this book is that Dr. Tyson is a warm, witty, self-effacing, and passionate human being. I seldom get the feeling from reading a book that I would enjoy having the author as a friend, but Dr. Tyson affected me that way.

For young people thinking about a career in science, Dr. Tyson is an excellent role model of how focusing on the joy you feel from the subject matter can evolve into additional joy from the intellectual content. In his description at the end of the book of how the putative Big Bang may have happened, I was enthralled. It was almost like reading poetry. Now, I have read many descriptions of the same subject, and have never been moved by them before.

Dr. Tyson also makes an eloquent case for creating planetary defense capabilities to divert or destroy asteroids or comets that could create catastrophic collisons with the Earth. I came away convinced that this was a worthwhile activity. You may, too.

Dr. Tyson had wonderful parents and mentors. I enjoyed reading about them as much as I did about the main subjects of the book. Anyone will pick up tips for being better at both roles from this book.

He also has a great sense of humor, telling many funny stories in a wonderfully straight way.... In the process, he gently tweaks the racism that means that black astrophysicists have many confrontations with the police that white ones don't have, errors in popular movies (Jodie Foster will blush after she reads what he has to say about her), and our earthbound perspective that keeps us from appreciating the heavenly beauty above.

Dr. Tyson often appears with Peter Jennings on television. Watch for him, and notice his ties. He likes to wear ones with astrophysical references. He is the director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York, so you will often see or hear him quoted on the latest space-related issues.

I should admit a bias to you. When the college I attended holds an annual alumni gathering in December each year in Boston, I always go to the astrophysics lectures. The photographs are gorgeous, and the ideas are very exciting. If you have a chance to do the same, you should do so.

After you read this book, ponder his section on science and religion and reconsider how the two areas relate to one another. I found his ideas interesting. Then consider how the two areas could relate to each other better. That's a question hardly anyone asks.

Read more ›

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars by a sixteen-year old August 3, 2005

By Athena Masson

Format:Paperback

The sky is not the limit is a novel that goes deep into the heart of the author, Neil de Grasse Tyson, who started out at a young age shooting for his dream to become an astrophysicist. This book gives the reader a mental view of the objects surrounding us both in space and on earth. Throughout Neil's life he has worked hard pursuing his passion in astrophysics.

I enjoyed this book because it is scientific and also teaches lessons of life that you may not otherwise encounter. I also enjoyed the comedy in his statements. I have learned that if I want to become a scientist like Neil, then I must start training at a young age. This book has opened up my eyes to become aware of many things that I did not notice before.

22 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Thumbs Up All the Way March 13, 2000

By W. Watson

Format:Hardcover

I just finished reading this delightful book of a black scientist's life's journey into the world of astrophysics. It's filled with interesting observations about astronomy, science, education, public life, experiences as a black intellecutal, and his role as director of the Hayden Planetarium. It's also filled with humor and many remarks and comments on astronomy, the universe, God, movie mistakes on astronomical topics, and even cremation vs burial. A very enjoyable read. I'm looking forward to reading some of his other books.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Reflections of a retired physicist on "The Sky Is Not the Limit" February 25, 2008

By Barry Marder

Format:Paperback

Astronomy is every physicist's first infatuation; which makes "The Sky Is Not the Limit" by Neil deGrasse Tyson somewhat of a love story. But this book is more about him than the object of his affection. It is a rewarding read because it is both general and specific. It provides insight into how all physicists think, while revealing much that is unique to the author. Like him, we physicists usually knew what we wanted at an early age and we share many of his youthful experiences (monthly pilgrimages to the Hayden Planetarium, high school nights spent with a six inch telescope). Despite our high coefficient of nerdiness, we were pretty average kids. The author, however, is not your average scientist. He writes and speaks much better than most of us. He is more famous than most of us. And, he is blacker than most of us. His reflections on being a highly educated minority in a world uncomfortable with both characteristics could constitute another fascinating book.

Dr. Tyson is a worthy successor to the late Carl Sagan who was both a public educator and an advisor to the government on technical issues. The book discusses the author's experiences in both these roles. It also includes his heartbreaking account of witnessing, and inadvertently participating in, the 9/11 tragedy.

Dr. Tyson relates how one can become totally absorbed in pages of equations. Indeed, if astronomy is a physicist's first infatuation, Maxwell's equations are their first true love. The author clearly wants to communicate to his readers the beauty and majesty of these equations, but wistfully acknowledges that impossibility....

After a just-for-fun chapter on the fate of the universe, the book ends with his views on religion, where he succinctly, and thoroughly, covers a topic that has generated countless tomes. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic autobiography! September 25, 2012

By Waylon Piercy

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Okay, I'm gonna admit something here! I have a man-crush on Neil deGrasse Tyson. It's hard not to like anyone who is so knowledgeable and passionate abotu their chosen field, and when that field is something I am fascinated with myself, well... man-crush. You may have one as well by the time you finish this autobiography! NDT writes in a very personable, easygoing style that is instantly endearing. The way NDT shares his love for astronomy will likely kindle an interest in you by the time you're done reading, if you didn't have any beforehand.
The book is over far too soon, but that's not due to any flaw in the book; you just want to spend more time learning more about NDT and his story. That the reader is so entertained that he or she is left wanting to spend more time reading what the author writes is the surest sign of a successful book of any kind, in my eyes.