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The Planets Paperback – October 31, 2006

by Dava Sobel (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 301 ratings
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Dava Sobel's The Glass Universe will be available from Viking in December 2016

With her bestsellers Longitude and Galileo's Daughter, Dava Sobel introduced readers to her rare gift for weaving complex scientific concepts into a compelling narrative. Now Sobel brings her full talents to bear on what is perhaps her most ambitious topic to date-the planets of our solar system. Sobel explores the origins and oddities of the planets through the lens of popular culture, from astrology, mythology, and science fiction to art, music, poetry, biography, and history. Written in her characteristically graceful prose, The Planets is a stunningly original celebration of our solar system and offers a distinctive view of our place in the universe.

* A New York Times extended bestseller
* A Featured Alternate of the Book-of-the-Month Club, History Book Club, Scientific American Book Club, and Natural Science Book Club
* Includes 11 full-color illustrations by artist Lynette R. Cook

"[The Planets] lets us fall in love with the heavens all over again."
-The New York Times Book Review

"Playful . . . lyrical . . . a guided tour so imaginative that we forget we're being educated as we're being entertained."
-Newsweek

" [Sobel] has outdone her extraordinary talent for keeping readers enthralled. . . . Longitude and Galileo's Daughter were exciting enough, but The Planets has a charm of its own . . . . A splendid and enticing book."
-San Francisco Chronicle

"A sublime journey. [Sobel's] writing . . . is as bright as the sun and its thinking as star-studded as the cosmos."
-The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"An incantatory serenade to the Solar System. Grade A-"
-Entertainment Weekly

"Like Sobel's [Longitude and Galileo's Daughter] . . . [The Planets] combines masterful storytelling with clear, engaging explanations of the essential scientific facts."
-Physics World
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  1. Print length
    276 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Penguin Books
  4. Publication date
    October 31, 2006
  5. Grade level
    12 and up
  6. Reading age
    18 years and up
  7. Dimensions
    7.7 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
  8. ISBN-10
    0142001163
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0142001165
  10. See all details
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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
301 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book a great read with an informative setting. They also say it's a lovely historical ode to the planets. Opinions are mixed on the writing quality, with some finding it beautifully well written and easy to understand, while others say there's no detail, no personality, and no drama.

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Reading experienceSettingWriting quality
13 customers mention "Reading experience"13 positive0 negative

Customers find the book an enjoyable and interesting read.

"...of mythology, science and culture intertwined, found it to be a fascinating read. I am so glad I bought it for reference...." Read more

"...It is a lovely historical ode the planets and simply a pleasant, informative read!" Read more

"...and her precise use of appropriate metaphors make this book a true joy to read." Read more

"...Still, overall, a really interesting read." Read more

11 customers mention "Setting"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the setting interesting, detailed, and historical. They also say the book is informative enough, a complete overview guide to the planets, and a good starting point for the lay person.

"...This book can be a good starting point for the lay person." Read more

"...It was also interesting to read a little background of famous astronomers who dedicated their lives to gazing at the heavens...." Read more

"...It is a lovely historical ode the planets and simply a pleasant, informative read!" Read more

"Excellent book, very well written and an interesting and easy read...." Read more

13 customers mention "Writing quality"9 positive4 negative

Customers are mixed about the writing quality. Some find the book beautifully well written, easy to understand, and poetic. They praise the author's command of the English language, superior word choice, and precise use of language. However, some readers feel the book lacks depth and detail. They also mention that there are no data presented in charts and tables, and no photos or illustrations.

"...tidal action contains no coefficients, and yet it is an elegant and accessible depiction. This book can be a good starting point for the lay person." Read more

"...This book is beautifully well written, easy to understand, lyrical, poetic,....I could go on and on...." Read more

"...There is no detail, no in-depth analysis, no personality, no drama here. It is, perhaps, too dispassionate a subject for her keen writing skills." Read more

"...had good editors, but her command of the English language, her superior word choice, and her precise use of appropriate metaphors make this book a..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

pdeborah
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding and complete overview guide to the planets.
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2013
Verified Purchase
I found this to be hard to read initially but as I understood how the various components of mythology, science and culture intertwined, found it to be a fascinating read. I am so glad I bought it for reference. Have shared with professors of astronomy and philosophy and they, too, were impressed with its broad scope written in such a unique individualized manner according to the planet discussed. Each planet has a chapter devoted to the integration of our understanding over time. I really loved this book so much I e mailed Ms. Sobel and she responded! She has many wonderful books and truly has contributed to making life very interesting indeed.
4 people found this helpful
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Fairleigh Brooks
4.0 out of 5 stars A Different Angle
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2017
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When I began approaching this review I was going to start by saying "The Planets" is not a scientific book. That take wasn't going to be a criticism, simply an observation. There are no data presented in charts and tables, not one photo or illustration - nothing really quantified. And yet Sobel succeeds in a profile of the planets by weaving what they are into a cultural tale. After all, the majority of humans who ever lived had no real idea what those wandering lights were. Sobel juxtaposes planetary knowledge gained robotically in the last half century - knowledge that can seem
almost pedestrian to us - with the long-ago myths and god-like status given to planets as an explanation for them was sought.

I once interviewed people for a print publication. As any good interviewer knows, the point is not to simply ask a list of questions and check them off. The key is to begin a conversation with the subject. This process takes longer, as what will be the interview must be found in the taped conversation, and as background information about the subject is fitted around his or her words. So, really, this is what Sobel did - she interviewed the solar system.

Although I agree Sobel can be verbose at times, other reviewers have criticized the book's lack of explicit presentation. I think they miss the point. I am not a lay person regarding the subject, but I enjoyed learning about the historically cultural aspects of our neighbors. As one example, Sobel's description of tidal action contains no coefficients, and yet it is an elegant and accessible depiction. This book can be a good starting point for the lay person.
14 people found this helpful
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ryankem
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!
Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2023
Verified Purchase
Book was like new as advertised and very thoughtfully packaged so that no damage would occur during shipping. Thank you!
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Holland grandma
5.0 out of 5 stars Facts are accurate by this esteemed author.
Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2023
Verified Purchase
A history lesson on how they worked to be accurate.
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bentmax
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but not fascinating
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2006
Verified Purchase
There is nothing inherently wrong with the premise of this book. It is not intended as a scientific journal elaborating on the most detailed of newly arrived astronomical data. It is informative in a pleasant, albeit, pedestrian way. It is a quick stroll across our solar system, skipping from planet to moon, to comet, to asteroid - like skipping a stone across the surface of a broad deep pool of knowledge. I learned many new things and had my memory jogged on items that had sifted through my memory.

It was worth while getting up to speed on the latest discoveries of Viking, Voyager, Galileo, Cassini and other of our space probes. It was also interesting to read a little background of famous astronomers who dedicated their lives to gazing at the heavens.

Nevertheless, this book lacks the passionate detail of Sobel's other works. Both "Longitude" and "Galileo's Daughter impelled the reader into the historic drama that she was presenting. There is no particular hero in this descriptive book and that may well a problem. It is more a high school reader chockablock full of facts and information. There is no detail, no in-depth analysis, no personality, no drama here. It is, perhaps, too dispassionate a subject for her keen writing skills.
11 people found this helpful
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happyheathen
5.0 out of 5 stars Something new under the sun
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2006
Verified Purchase
If you are well versed in the cosmos, you will find nothing new in Dava Sobel's book. It will be the icing on your cake of knowledge. And what luscious icing it is! If your knowledge of the planets consists of basic high school science, you will be amazed and enthralled with the beauty and mystery that is our solar system. This book is beautifully well written, easy to understand, lyrical, poetic,....I could go on and on. And, from one who has been known to buy books for their covers in the hopes that the inside would be as intrigueing as the outside, in this case I was not disappointed. The cover is a work of art; so follows the text. You'll look at the night sky with a new appreciation and sense of wonder after reading this gem.
17 people found this helpful
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Linda M Gable
4.0 out of 5 stars Planetary poetry. . .
Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2013
Verified Purchase
I found this little book on Amazon, and having read several of Dava Sobel's books, decided to buy it. It is a lovely historical ode the planets and simply a pleasant, informative read!
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Photoguy
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read
Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2016
Verified Purchase
Excellent book, very well written and an interesting and easy read. It is obvious that the author did some very good research and had good editors, but her command of the English language, her superior word choice, and her precise use of appropriate metaphors make this book a true joy to read.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

G.Manton
5.0 out of 5 stars Out of this world
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 18, 2019
Verified Purchase
A very good friend of mine recommended this book to me so I took the plunge and bought it. I'd not heard of Dava Sobel before but I'm certainly glad that I have now. This book is not only beautiful (the sleeve and the actual book itself looks amazing) but it's informative and not complicated or overshadowed by technical jargon. Ideal for anyone who is interested in planets. I'd like to read more of Dava's books.
One person found this helpful
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Aidan Gogarty
5.0 out of 5 stars cool book
Reviewed in Germany on January 15, 2019
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i read it. it's a book
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Rocco Fondacaro
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written. Current state of the science amazingly and ...
Reviewed in Canada on September 24, 2015
Verified Purchase
Beautifully written. Current state of the science amazingly and understandably presented.
One person found this helpful
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Paul A. Cook
4.0 out of 5 stars WIRTH READING TEICE
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 2, 2017
Verified Purchase
Nice book. Different to her other book ‘Longitude’, I bought it as a holiday read and would normally have left it at the hotel for someone else to read, but brought it home to read again!
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cmnas
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente book!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 18, 2017
Verified Purchase
A good guide to someone who wants to learn about planets.
A great introduction to the planets.
Enjoyable reading! *
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