Book Description
Hit the road with Lonely Planet's Road Trip: California Highway 1. Explore the twists and turns of this dramatic drive along California's spectacular coast, with all its towering cliffs, secluded beaches, redwood forests, picturesque seaside towns, surfing meccas and big cities along the way.
* All the Sights - highlights like Mendocino, Big Sur and Hearst Castle, plus loads of lesser-known attractions
* Where to Stay - from romantic B&Bs to forested campgrounds, options for every budget
* Coastal Dining - feast on local specialties like steamed clams, artichoke soup and apricot pie
* Wildlife Watching - where to see whales, elephant seals and monarch butterflies
* Family Fun - hayrides, otter feedings, roller coasters, antique trains and more
* Detours - visit a quirky Dutch village, a lovely island and the first Zen monastery in the US
Customer Reviews:
Very Helpful.......2007-07-09
Just used the book for a road trip up the PCH. I found the book very useful, with great info, recommendations and maps. The book is also the perfect size. It can fit in a pocket, so you can carry it with you without declaring to the world that you are a tourist.
Lonely Planet Road Trip California Highway 1 (Road Trip Guides).......2007-01-12
I went on the trip with the book and it gives you minimum information. In most of places I had to visted information centers. Better than nothing.
Review #2 Lonely Planet Road Trip Hwy 1.......2006-11-10
Very informative, but needs more sprcific information on "Places to Stay" and "History."
Fantastic Guide.......2006-10-24
This book will fit in a purse or backpack. Just took a road trip up the PCH and this book was extremely useful..We used several recommendations for restaurants and sights to see.. I highly recommend this book..The maps are awesome..
Very usefull.......2006-08-01
This book was extremely useful!!! We had this book and this book only to guide us up the PCH and it was very informative. I highly recommend it.
Book Description
Dr. Quasar takes a group from Mercury to Pluto.
Customer Reviews:
Postcards Rules!.......2007-02-06
I am a student seeking my bachelors degree in elementary education and love this book. It can be used during the thematic unit on space and the solar system. It is awesome!
Postcards from Pluto.......2001-06-10
Dear Lareen, I like your books. I read Postcards from Pluto. You are very creative and smart. I have read a couple of your books,and my favorite is Postcards from Pluto. It is a very good book to me. I'm glad you wrote some books because I really enjoy them. ....
Postcards From Pluto: Fun way to learn solar system facts.......2000-10-22
From the beginning of this comic strip like tale of an outer space journey children are mesmerized by the non-fiction facts in such unique format. The illustrations are wonderful and accurately depict the details in the text. The actual postcards entertain while teaching and contain humorous addressees and addresses. Postcards From Pluto is a great way to introduce the solar system to kids. This book is a great investment, because it will be looked at and read time and time again!
Average customer rating:
- rather pedantic
- Not bad sequel to _Saturn_, more science this time
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Titan (The Grand Tour)
Ben Bova
Manufacturer: Tor Science Fiction
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Jupiter: A Novel (The Grand Tour)
ASIN: 0765343150 |
Book Description
Hugo Award-winning editor, author, scientist, and journalist, Ben Bova is a modern master of near-future science fiction and a passionate advocate of manned space exploration.For more than a decade, Bova has been chronicling humanity's struggles to colonize our solar system in a series of interconnected novels known as 'The Grand Tour.' Now, with Titan, Ben Bova takes readers to one of the most intriguing destinations in near space: the extraordinary moon of Saturn which made international headlines last year when the Huygens probe sent back remarkable images of its strange landscapes.2095. After long months of travel, the gigantic colony ship Goddard has at last made orbit around Saturn, carrying a population of more than of 10,000 dissidents, rebels, extremists, and visionaries seeking a new life. Among Goddard's missions is the study of Titan, which offers the tantalizing possibility that life may exist amid its windswept islands and chill black seas. When the exploration vessel Titan Alpha mysteriously fails after reaching the moon's surface, long buried tensions surface among the colonists. Eduoard Urbain, the mission's chief scientist, is wracked with anxiety and despair as he sees his life's work unravel. Malcolm Eberly, Goddard's chief administrator, takes ruthless measures to hold onto power as a rash of suspicious incidents threaten to undermine his authority. Holly Lane, the colony's human-resources director, must confront the station's powerful leaders to protect the lives of its people. And retired astronaut Manuel Gaeta is forced to risk his life in a last, desperate attempt to salvage the lost probe. Torn by intrigue, sabotage, and an awesome discovery that could threaten human space exploration, a handful of courageous men and women must fight for the survival of their colony, and for the destiny of the human race.
Customer Reviews:
rather pedantic.......2007-09-16
Overall, I found the story itself rather boring and unintersting. The underlying politics and personal interactions that should drive the story are woefully unimpressive. Bova displays a very simplistic and naive approach that results in characters adopting almost comical imitations of what an outsider would expect to happen. Oubain's psychotic and neurotic reactions to his "beast's" behavior was laughable. The fact that none of the so-called scientists on Goddard was able to figure out what happened is not realistic. The administrative politics was on the level of high school antics. Finally, the whole notion that an academic body on Earth would "ban" mining the rings of Saturn for water is not only proposterous (who would actually listen to them), but flies in the face of logic. Let's see, Earth's oceans have life, maybe humans should stay out of and off of them as well. All in all a quite disappointing read. It's also sad when you've covered 2/3 of a book and little has happened.
Not bad sequel to _Saturn_, more science this time .......2007-06-30
_Titan_ by Ben Bova is the sequel to his earlier novel _Saturn_, part of his Grand Tour series of novels set in the solar system of the late 21st century. It picks up about a year or so after the events of _Saturn_ and it would be helpful if not essential for a reader to have read the earlier novel first.
Much like with _Saturn_, much time is spent on the politics, intrigue, and personal lives of people on the station _Goddard_ though unlike with the novel _Saturn_ the intrigue this time is more closely tied in with the science of the mission. Some might be frustrated by the book's concentration on story elements not directly related to science but they do tie in well with the science and the pace of the book is very brisk.
Essentially, there are four main story elements though other characters do have arcs of their own. Malcolm Eberly, the power-hungry, suave, and manipulative chief administrator, is trying to sow up the next election and is working hard to buy off or counter any potential rivals. Holly Lane, the station's chief of human resources (in addition to contending with romantic issues and a visit by her sister from the colony of Selene, Pancho Lane) is trying to come to grip with issues of the station's future - specifically, whether or not people on the station can start having children. Dr. Edouoard Urbain is obsessed with trying to get his malfunctioning robotic rover on the surface of Titan, named _Titan Alpha_, up and running again after some mysterious complete and total break in communications with the probe occurred after it landed. Finally, Nadia Wunderly, the scientist who made the amazing discovery in _Saturn_ of the apparent existence of life in Saturn's rings, is desperate to try to follow up on her experiments and stop proposals to mine the rings for water.
If you liked _Saturn_, you will like _Titan_, as the pace is similar and nearly all of the characters from the first novel return in the second. As I mentioned, the pace is brisk, the book is quite readable, and this time there is a good bit more science in the novel. It wasn't the best of his Grand Tour series however (_Venus_ and _Jupiter_ were I think the best installments). Some of his characters, even by their own admission, were single-mined to the point of being almost one-dimensional characters (chiefly Dr. Urbain and Eberly), I think some of the writer's views on the differences about men and women when it comes to children was a bit antiquated feeling (but then who really knows what people will think on such matters a hundred years from now), and Holly Lane's slang ("I click," "'Kay," "prob'ly," "nossir", etc) while not constant, was frequent enough to be irritating, particularly since some of the contractions didn't make much sense to me and none of the other characters spoke like that (well, sometimes Pancho did). Bova might have been trying for local color with Holly, maybe going for a youthful sounding individual, I don't know, but it really bothered me sometimes. I am trying to remember if she sounded that way in _Saturn_ or not. In the end though a pretty minor complaint, I don't mention it to drive away potential readers of the book, just something I had to get off of my chest.
Overall I did enjoy the book though and it did have an interesting twist at the end.
Book Description
With this introductory guidebook in hand, students will embark on the most interactive and engaging tour of Western philosophy available. As they journey across the landscape of wisdom, they’ll develop an understanding of the key themes in the history of philosophy, a working knowledge of twenty major philosophers’ central beliefs, and the critical reading and writing skills necessary to decode even the thorniest of philosophical texts.
Customer Reviews:
It's my favorite textbook.......2001-05-01
I BELIEVE THIS BOOK IS A NECESSITY FOR ANYONE NEW TO PHILOSOPHY. I used this book two years ago in an introductory philosophy class. I brought it to college with me and re-read it often. When I don't understand something in a philosophy class, I refer to this book and I am no longer confused. Biffle's explanations, examples and questions make understanding philosophy a piece of cake. I am in love with this book and recommend it to everyone, whether or not it's required reading for your philosophy class.
Excellent Introduction to Philosophy.......2000-08-30
Biffle's book does a wonderful job of teaching students the basics of the history of philosophy and the major ideas advanced by most of the major philosophers. It is particularly useful for new teachers because it contains so many excellent exercises that are ideal for quizes or short exams.
Average customer rating:
- Bova knows his science, but doesn't really know his characters (or human nature) very well
- Politics Within a Miniworld
- Easy Read, Light on Plot - Borrow, Don't Buy
- out of gas
- Readable but not Great
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Saturn: A Novel of the Ringed Planet (The Grand Tour)
Ben Bova
Manufacturer: Tor Science Fiction
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ASIN: 0812579429
Release Date: 2004-08-26 |
Book Description
Second in size only to Jupiter, bigger than a thousand Earths but light enough to float in water, home of crushing gravity and delicate, seemingly impossible rings, it dazzles and attracts us:SATURNEarth groans under the thumb of fundamentalist political regimes. Crisis after crisis has given authoritarians the upper hand. Freedom and opportunity exist in space, for those with the nerve and skill to run the risks. Now the governments of Earth are encouraging many of their most incorrigible dissidents to join a great ark on a one-way expedition, twice Jupiter's distance from the Sun, to Saturn, the ringed planet that baffled Galileo and has fascinated astronomers ever since.But humans will be human, on Earth or in the heavens-so amidst the idealism permeating Space Habitat Goddard are many individuals with long-term schemes, each awaiting the tight moment. And hidden from them is the greatest secret of all, the real purpose of this expedition, known to only a few......
Customer Reviews:
Bova knows his science, but doesn't really know his characters (or human nature) very well.......2007-03-26
After reading "Saturn", I debated whether I was going to give it two or three stars; I debated whether I was even going to read more of the series (Grand Tour books: "Venus" (best so far), "Jupiter" (3 stars), "Saturn", "Mercury", "Titan" (same characters as "Saturn"), The Rock Wars books. Are the two Mars books part of this series? The two Moonbase books?). I will most likely at last read one more; and I gave "Saturn" two stars - but I want to believe that Titan will redeem this set of characters in Bova's Grand Tour solar system.
As with the other books in this series (at least the ones I have read), Earth is in the grip of governments controlled by fundamentalist regimes. The Space Habitat Goddard is launching on a one-way trip to Saturn orbit; it is full of scientists and technicians and support personnel with the purpose of studying Saturn and its moon Titan (which appears to have some simple life living on it), most of which are against the Earth's current rulers. But, is this habitat also a bigger social experiment being conducted by The New Morality, one of Earth's ruling regimes?
The Holy Disciples, another of Earth's ruling theocracies, recruits Malcolm Eberly, a believer and a successful conman, from a prison in Vienna to be the head of the Human Resources department and the mission of taking control of the habitat and ensuring a path of righteousness for its population. Of course, the habitat is full of spies - some Eberly is aware of and some he is not - and his failure would mean a return to Earth and prison.
Okay...so what? Too many characters, not enough depth, and the tiring of the theocratic government angle make this book mostly a disappointment. You can't even figure out who to root for...Eberly isn't really a believer, but his seeming megalomania and desire to be loved make him pretty flawed...Holly, his assistant, is pretty much vacuous...the other characters are obviously evil, small minded (or both), or not that interested in the larger picture. Not even the science, which you can usually rely on Bova making interesting and hold his books together, is minimal until the end.
At face value, I would say pass on this book, but the reviews for "Titan" imply that the science is good and more featured in the direct sequel (but the reviews also dismiss the characters and their storylines as pontless). And, the reviews are pretty favorable for "Mercury" the book published in between "Saturn" and "Titan". In the end, read the Ben Bova Grand Tour books for the science...characters are not his strong suit and they are usually shallow and stereotypical and must be endured for the interesting science.
Politics Within a Miniworld.......2006-08-10
Saturn (2003) is the third SF novel in the Planet Novel series, following Jupiter. In this novel, the Goddard habitat is leaving its lunar orbit and traveling to an orbit around Saturn. The largest minority group aboard the habitat is the scientists sent to study the Saturn system, especially the moon Titan. Although the sponsors are happy to see the last of this ungodly crew, the hidden purpose of the mission is really not to gather planetary data, but as an experiment in human society. The anthropologist James Wilmot is the project chief for this experiment and reports back to New Morality headquarters in Atlanta.
Malcolm Eberly was recruited by the Holy Disciples to accompany the ten thousand persons on the habitat. He is a former swindler who has been released from prison for the trip. He and others of the fundamentalist cadre are supposed to take over the administration and impose an authoritarian government. His primary assistants are Ruth Morgenthau, Sammi Vyborg and Leo Kananga.
Susan Lane, Pancho Lane's sister, decides to leave Selene and travel to Saturn orbit on the Goddard habitat. She is enamored with Eberly. With encouragement from Eberly, she changes her name to Holly Lane.
Two other members of the Saturn mission have been sent by Pancho Lane to keep an eye on Holly. Manuel Gaeta is a stuntman who hopes to the first man on Titan. Kris Cardenas is a Nobel Prize laureate for her work on nanotechnology; she was instrumental in the death of Dan Randolph and has been in self-exile in the Belt. Both are accepted by Eberly, but are having problems with Edouard Urbain, the chief scientist.
Eberly was appointed as Director of the Human Resources Department of the Goddard habitat, with Holly as his assistant. They screened all ten thousand of the inhabitants from volunteers selected by the project sponsors: the New Morality, the Holy Disciples and the Sword of Islam. For the most part, these volunteers have been released from prisons where they were sentenced for political crimes: secularism, political agitation, and free thinking.
While Holly is the main protaganist in this novel, Eberly is the chief character. With his vices and virtues, he is the primary driving force in the storyline. All the other characters are fanatics or show little personal development; for example, Holly is an adolescent fixated on Eberly as a form of rebellion against her sister. Like Hamlet, Eberly never really does anything decisive, yet his feeble attempts at personal freedom set the stage for what little action occurs within the plotline.
This novel continues the tale of an Earth devastated by Global Warming and ruled by a coalition of religious fundamentalists. The natives are revolting and the fundamentalists are finding pure force to be less effective. Now they are trying subtle force and planning far ahead. The Goddard habitat is only one aspect of this plan.
Recommended for Bova fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of personal liberties, political manipulation, and social development.
-Arthur W. Jordin
Easy Read, Light on Plot - Borrow, Don't Buy.......2005-10-17
Bova's book Saturn describes the numerous plots and internal shenanigans of a crew headed for the ringed planet. We have the religious fundamentalists, the cynical politicians who try to manipulate everyone to their will, the spacy academics who focus on hard science and little else, and the anti-establishment folks who are trying to escape a cloying religious fanatic-led environment on earth. Needless to say, nearly every one of these characters has a very predictable role to play. There aren't any surprises on the USS Goddard, the giant exploration ship that takes this motley crew to Saturn. Its an easy read with fairly decent character development. More like a John Grisham novel than sophisticated science fiction. Buy it (better yet, borrow it!) for the beach.
out of gas.......2005-09-09
Dismal writing performance. Just as blah as Clarke's Rama series. The good SciFi writers have all run out of gas. I picked up the book thinking it would be a science adventure like Foster's The Dig, only to discover it was about politics as usual, and maybe 10% reference to things of science. The characters were stereotypical, and you could match item for item how the story was put together with his own SciFI writing method he published. For an early teen audience.
Readable but not Great.......2005-08-24
Saturn tells the story of a scientific expedition bound for the planet Saturn for the purpose of scientific exploration and colonization. Along the journey, various political factions emerge among the crew, and a group of outlaws attempts to democratically take over the colony and to establish a dictatorship.
Saturn is the first novel by Ben Bova that I have read. It is readable, but it is certainly not great. For one thing, the characters are generic, boring and underdeveloped. For another, some elements of the plot are just not credible. For example, Bova would have us believe that the colonists get so worked up about naming various buildings in their habitat that they hold colony-wide democratic elections to resolve this "grave" issue.
Nonetheless, the book is surprisingly readable. Saturn is written in flowing style and the plot is constantly moving forward. I never found myself bored, but was never really engaged either.
I read a lot of sci-fi and this book is not one of the better pieces in the genre. Bottom line, I don't recommend this book, but if you happen to get it and have nothing better to do, it's an ok way to pass a few hours.
Book Description
Enjoy the scenery! Whether you want to explore rugged coastline, rolling farmland, majestic mountains or miles of sand dunes, New England offers loads of options for a quick getaway. Our handy guide follows seven popular drives, including Massachusetts' pristine Cape Cod seashore and graceful Berkshire Mountains, Vermont's pastoral Route 100, Maine's dramatic Route 1 and New Hampshire's leafy Kancamagus Highway.
• BE INSPIRED - view stunning fall foliage, stand atop windswept cliffs and stroll through tiny 19th-century villages • GET CULTURED - enjoy exceptional music festivals, discover renowned regional museums and catch Hollywood stars in summerstock theater • CHOW DOWN - sample local specialties, from clam 'chowdah' and Maine's famous lobster to sharp Vermont cheddar and sweet maple syrup • PLAY ALL YEAR LONG - the best spots for spring hiking, summer sailing, autumn apple-picking and winter skiing • SLEEP TIGHT - accommodations with character, including colonial inns, converted farmhouses, rustic ski lodges and pine-forested campgrounds
Book Description
Get away to the heart of the New South and find remnants of the Old South. Be charmed by the modern belles of Atlanta and Charlotte. Trade tall tales on the porches of Savannah and Charleston. Raft the `Hooch'in Northern Georgia or slip into solitude in the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Carolinas' barrier islands.
- special music section detailing the area's contributions to everything from bluegrass to rap
- tried-and-true barbeque joints, seafood shacks and country kitchens
- lodging for all budgets, from rustic cabins to antebellum mansions
- 40 maps, including one of the Appalachian Trail and another of the Great Smoky Mountains
Customer Reviews:
Lonely Planet is best travel series ever!.......2002-12-24
I am an extensive user of travel guides, particularly ones for travelers on a budget. The Lonely Planet books have the same budget travel info on hotels, airline travel, how to get around by bus, train, etc. that my other favorite series, "Let's Go" has. However, you don't get to learn as much history and culture in the Let's Go books like you do in Lonely Planet. Let's Go is more of a reference book. Lonely Planet teaches you local culture and has much more comprehensive coverage of the region, especially this one-the Carolinas and Georgia. Let's Go doesn't give North and South Carolina nearly as much justice as this Lonely Planet book. Let's Go never mentions the Triad or Wilmington, NC. Lonely Planet has a good section on those. This book makes the least-heralded travel destinations look interesting. This series is also updated an average of every two years, and they welcome input from readers and they use it for the next edition.
This book has an entire section on Atlanta, including a set of very good maps and a MARTA map. You will do well in Atlanta with this book. Charleston and Myrtle Beach, and somewhat of Columbia, SC are well documented, and the up-country of Greenville/Spartanburg are represented. In North Carolina, you'll learn about the Triangle, Charlotte, the Western NC mountain region, and all the beach areas from top to bottom. Georgia has the entire state covered, even the mountain areas of the northeastern part of the state, where there are some excellent state parks, and of course, the southern end of the Appalachian Trail. You will also get to explore Savannah, Augusta, Hilton Head, and much more. There is a good deal of info in the book, and it isn't overbearing to find your way around in it.
Very good information for international travelers from abroad as well. For those of you who visit our area and have never been to the South before, you'll get a handy primer on its eccentricities and its triumphs, as well as how to get along with the most genteel and aristocratic of Southern ladies and gentlemen.
Average customer rating:
- Excellent Primer to the Grand Tour Series
- Not Really Into the Space Opera However....
- 5 stars!
- A Great Collection of Short Stories
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Tales of the Grand Tour (The Grand Tour)
Ben Bova
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Empire Builders (The Grand Tour)
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Moonwar
ASIN: 0765310449
Release Date: 2005-03-31 |
Book Description
In novels like Mars, and Moonbase, and Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn, as well as Privateers, The Precipice, and The Rock Rats, Ben Bova has been telling the stories of the wars and rivalries, the outsize individuals, public crusades, and private passions that will drive us as we expand into the Solar System and make use of its vast resources. And throughout, Bova has shown our cosmic neighborhood as we know it to be, giving us a sense of Venus and Jupiter and the Asteroid Belt and Mars that's as up-to-date as the latest observations. For the last two decades have been a golden age of near-Earth astronomy and observation, and Bova has made dramatic use of our newest knowledge.Bova has written short fiction about some of the same characters and events--Sam Gunn, Martin Humphries, Klaus Fuchs, Dan Randolph, the Asteroid Wars. Now, in Tales of the Grand Tour, those stories are collected in book form for the first time, creating a volume that is a landmark of modern SF.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Primer to the Grand Tour Series.......2007-03-06
This is a tasty collection of stories and excerpts from Bova's Grand Tour series. You get a little bit of everything including a Sam Gunn story and a snippet of JUPITER, MARS, and VENUS. I think the Grand Tour Series has shown Bova to be a writer who has clearly matured in his later years rather than peaking very early (such as Heinlein and Bradbury). His writing gets better and better. This is an excellent introduction to both Bova's writing and this particular series. I should also say that this "series" is not serial in any manner. You don't need to read one story ahead of another, though many characters overlap. This, of course, is what William Faulkner did throughout his career. Bova is no Faulkner and I'm no Harold Bloom, but this is science fiction at its absolute best.
Not Really Into the Space Opera However...........2006-02-14
I want to mention one of the stories in here. It's buried and without fanfare or a clue about what it's really about and it's a gem. 'Fifteen Miles' would represent the Moon part of the 'Tour' and it is a beautiful human story. An astronaut finds himself having to undertake a highly risky mission on the Moon to save a colleague who is stranded - and finds that the man he is trying to save somehow seems to know of the terrifying secret he has hidden in his past. This is not so much science here as a great psychological tale and it will touch the reader in a way the other stories won't.
5 stars!.......2006-02-08
Awesome sci fi! Hard to put down. I cant wait to check out his other books.
A Great Collection of Short Stories.......2004-08-04
'Tales of the Grand Tour' is a short story collection. The title `The Tales of the Grand Tour' is based on the nickname given to the novels Ben Bova has written in the last 15 years. Sharing the same characters interconnects these novels, and the settings are on planets like Mars, Venus & Saturn.
While most of these stories were written in the past 15 years, there is one gem that was written in the mid-60s. 'Fifteen Miles' is a story is about an Astronaut on the moon risking his life to save a fellow astronaut. What is great about this story is that it's a roadmap showing how Bova's writing has evolved over the years.
My only complaint is that some of these stories are excerpts from his novels. Since I read those novels a third of this material wasn't new to me. Regardless, I enjoyed rereading these sections. If you're a Ben Bova fan this is a must have collection. If you're new to Ben Bova's writing, you might also want to read his Mars novels, as some of the stories in this book are based on those novels. All of these stories can be enjoyed without having read his previous work.
Book Description
A rare planetary alignment, a visionary team, and two space probes transform our knowledge of the solar system Every 176 years, Earth and the outer planets gather on one side of the sun, allowing close observation in a single flight, or Grand Tour. To exploit this alignment, the Voyager team developed the so-called gravity assist that essentially sling-shot Voyager I and II from planet to planet. Since their 1977 launch, the probes have discovered strange new worlds and transmitted streams of revolutionary data and eye-popping images that have exploded long-held theories and raised new questions about our solar system.
With unfettered access to NASA archives and imagery, and interviews with Voyager scientists and engineers, Dethloff and Schorn have produced the only comprehensive account of one of man's foremost scientific and engineering achievements. Readers are invited into Voyager's inner circle, conceiving, launching, and directing the craft as it discovers rings around Jupiter, geysers on Triton, and intriguing possibilities of extraterrestrial life.
Beyond all expectations Voyager is still transmitting 7 billion miles away as it continues out of our solar system into interstellar space, sparking the imagination of a new generation of space visionaries and enthusiasts.
Customer Reviews:
Great content, not so great writing........2005-12-04
The book describes the events leading up to the mision, as well as the preparations and the mision itself, in great detail. The scientific results of the expedition are also presented in a clear way. What in my opinion would have made this a "great" book, rather than a just a "good" book would have been better writing and handling of the story. Some parts which should have carried a lot of suspense and emotion (such as, for example, the launch of the Voyager probes, and the fears of a rocket failure that would have made all the efforts wasted) are handled in such a mundane way that it's almost boring. I continually felt that sections that would have been gripping were just "one more paragraph".
There are also several editing mistakes, repeated words, mistaken sentences, and even repeated concepts and anecdotes. All in all, I got what I wanted (the story of Voyager and it's discoveries), but I'd have liked better writing.
Superb history of Voyager.......2004-02-29
This is a superb history of the voyager project. Well written with plenty of illustrations. It's a must for anyone interested in the accomplishments of remote exploration of the outer planets. One note however. A previous reviewer faulted the authors for not being knowledgeable about planetary astronomy. Ronald Schorn, the co-author, was once head of planetary astronomy for NASA. He's treated this subject exhaustively in his previous book, "Planetary Astronomy: From Ancient Times to the Third Millenium." Obviously the author didn't wish to rehash what he had already published.
A Stunning History of a Stunning Space Science Mission.......2004-01-07
"Voyager's Grand Tour: To the Outer Planets and Beyond," is an excellent book that tells the fascinating story of an overwhelmingly significant pair of probes that went to the outer planets of the Solar System, one of which is still providing scientific data as it reaches our heliopause.
The Voyager project was one of the most important in the history of NASA and the first to visit the outer planets of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. It originated during the early 1960s when astronomers realized that once every 176 years both the Earth and all the giant planets of the Solar System gather on one side of the Sun. This geometric line-up made possible close up observation of all the planets in the outer solar system (with the exception of Pluto) in a single flight, the "Grand Tour." The flyby of each planet would bend the spacecraft's flight path and increase its velocity enough to deliver it to the next destination. This would occur through a complicated process known as "gravity assist," something like a slingshot effect, whereby the flight time to Neptune could be reduced from 30 to 12 years. NASA launched these missions from Cape Canaveral, Florida: Voyager 2 lifting off on August 20, 1977, with Voyager 1 entered space on a faster, shorter trajectory on September 5, 1977. These spacecraft would take a spectacular windshield tour of the outer Solar System gas giant planets.
The scientific results of the Voyager mission were astounding, essentially rewriting the textbooks on the Solar System. Over a period of more than a decade the probes explored all the giant outer planets, 48 of their moons, and the unique systems of rings and magnetic fields that those planets possess. The two spacecraft returned to Earth information that revolutionized the science of planetary astronomy, helping to resolve some key questions while raising intriguing new ones about the origin and evolution of the planets in this Solar System. The two Voyagers took well over 100,000 images of the outer planets, rings, and satellites, as well as millions of magnetic, chemical spectra, and radiation measurements. They discovered rings around Jupiter, volcanoes on Io, ice on Europa, shepherding satellites in Saturn's rings, new moons around Uranus and Neptune, and geysers on Triton. The last imaging sequence was Voyager 1's portrait of most of the Solar System, showing Earth and six other planets as sparks in a dark sky lit by a single bright star, the Sun.
Perhaps a personal anecdote is in order here. When Voyager reached Jupiter in 1979 I was a starving graduate student working on a Ph.D. in the history of the American West. Like everyone, I saw the images that came back to Earth and was truly impressed. When I filed my income tax form the next year I included a little note, which I'm sure made the clerk at the IRS chuckle, that stated that I wanted all of my tax money paid that year to go to NASA because of what it had accomplished with Voyager. Perhaps it was silly gesture but it points up the impressive nature of the scientific return.
This book makes clear that Voyager was an early step in humanity's exploratory journey extending not only to the outer planets but also beyond the Solar System. It is a scintillating portrait of a critical program and a must read for all interested in the history of space exploration.
Highly recommended!
An Outstanding Voyage of Discovery.......2003-11-27
This book is a scientific history of the Voyager 1 and 2 missions, with in-depth coverage of the technological development of the spacecraft, the scientists and engineers involved, and budgetary and political concerns. This history stretches back for decades, culminating in the launch of the two vessels in 1977 and their exploration of the outer planets, and their current wanderings at the edges of interstellar space. Note that actual planetary science covering our new knowledge of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and their many moons is found in other books, even though that knowledge was provided by the Voyager vessels. Here the authors betray their weaknesses in planetary astronomy with very rushed coverage of those matters, which only appear in the final third of the book anyway. Meanwhile some of the technical and budgetary coverage gets quite tedious, although such scientific history is meant to be the focus of the book. But as a whole this volume does give a very in-depth history of mankind's most far-reaching scientific achievement, as we have realized the dream of extending human knowledge through and beyond our solar system. [~doomsdayer520~]
Book Description
Remote, beautiful, exhilarating - through magnificent glens, across rugged mountains and around windswept islands, Scotland beckons. This new guide reveals a wealth of walking in a varied, mystical and ancient land.
- 75 detailed descriptions, from multi-day cross-country treks to easy day walks around Edinburgh and Glasgow
- two-color contour maps for every walk
- expert advice on safe and responsible walking and equipment
- practical information on accommodation and transport options
- illustrated guide to Scotland's flora and fauna
- special features on beers and whiskies
Customer Reviews:
Better options available.......2007-09-12
I found this book remarkably unhelpful. It was often maddeningly difficult to figure out which map went with which walk, and the walks were not described very clearly. Once I got to Scotland, there was a wealth of great walking books available everywhere, including the wonderful Cicerone guides, and the Pathfinder series published by the Ordinance Survey company, maker of the great topo maps in the UK. I ended up leaving my Lonely Planet guide in a cafe (on purpose), and using my newly purchased local guidebooks instead. The Cicerone and Pathfinder books are available on Amazon, and I highly recommend you skip the Lonely Planet and use these other books.
Excellent Resource for Planning Your Walk in Scotland.......2006-05-08
"Walking in Scotland" is like many Lonely Planet guides: packed with useful information in a compact form. Scotland is a superb environment for walking, with a surprising amount of beautiful, even wild areas which offer a huge variety of potential hikes, from easy day hikes to multi-day treks.
"Walking in Scotland" starts with an introduction to Scotland itself, with short descriptions of climate, terrain, and history. This guide includes a run-down on the practicalities of travelling to and around Scotland.
The bulk of the guide covers Scotland by region, with short sections for urban walking in Glasgow and Edinbugh, and much longer sections on the Highlands and Northwest Scotland. The longer routes such as the West Highland Way and the more popular areas such as Glen Coe and the Cairngorms are included. The walking sections include descriptions and diagrams of the more interesting routes, along with tips on local history, transportation, and accomodation. The guide is sprinkled with a few well-chosen photographs that provide a sense of scale for the terrain in Scotland.
This guide provides more than sufficient information for a traveler to plan a walking vacation in Scotland. Walkers are advised to follow the advice of the guide and pick up more detailed maps once in Scotland. Ordnance Survey and other brands are readily available in Information Centers and Sporting Goods stores in Scotland. Weather conditions are highly variable in Scotland and the lack of a detailed map may leave the walker literally stranded in the fog in some areas.
The downside of the compact size of this guide is that some of the maps and diagrams are so small as to be a challenge to read in anything but good light.
This guide is highly recommended to those contemplating a walking vacation in Scotland.
Compact encyclopaedia for independent walkers.......2002-04-02
For independent walkers planning a trip to Scotland, this book is a portable encyclopaedia. It covers a huge range, from easy walks to exposed ridge-walks and mountain ascents, from a short half-day hike to the Southern Upland Way (two weeks).
As you would expect from Lonely Planet, the authors are strong on environmental issues and thorough on practical information. In 408 pages of densely-packed text they cover the whole of Scotland; the secret of easy access is to use their handy 4-page table of walks organised by region. There is a useful index and glossary, and each walk is supported by a small-scale contour map.
It seems churlish to criticise such a worthy volume for offering too much, but do walkers really need so much detailed data? Price and contact information obsolesce very quickly, as LP clearly knows, and such crowded pages are hard to read in poor light or on a train. You need two strong hands to hold the book open, and even so the gutter is so narrow that you lose the ends of lines of text. As a one-stop resource for walking in Scotland, however, this book is superb value.
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