Don't Know Much About(r) the Universe: Everything You Need to Know about Outer Space But Never Learned

by Kenneth C. Davis

Book Overview

Who dug those canals on Mars? What was the biblical Star of Bethlehem? Were the pyramids built by extraterrestrials?

From the ancients who charted the heavens to Star Trek, The X-Files, and Apollo 13, outer space has intrigued people through the ages. Yet most of us look up at the night sky and feel totally in the dark when it comes to the basic facts about the universe.

Kenneth C. Davis steps into that void with a lively and readable...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060932562
• ISBN13: 9780060932565
• Release Date: July 2004
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.3" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

"Don't Know Much About.." Series is Excellent!

I've read all of the books in the "Don't Know Much About.." series. If you're interested in getting a rather thorough overview without becoming an expert, these books are for you. They are so easy to read, that I couldn't but them down.

Good, But Not Great

Overall, I liked this book more than many of the other reviewers. Sure, there are some factual errors (enough to drop my rating down to 4 stars), but Davis gets his facts right 9 times out of 10. The material is broken up in a very logical manner, and the questions Davis chooses to pose, then answer, form a cohesive overview of the subject. I think anyone with enough interest in the subject to consider reading this book will come away fairly satisfied with what is delivered. Recommended.

Good Starter

Enough said. It's a good start to learning about the universe. It doesn't tell you everything you might want to know but it makes it easy to understand, while giving you a overview of the history of astronomy, how the calenders came to be and the basics of the cosmos. It should give you enough information to move on to something more involved on the subject. Overall, this is the book for those who didn't ever care about physics, and most likely never will. But will give you enough information, that you can learn and remember.

Fascinating

Davis illuminates the mystery and wonder of the cosmos through the ages. His prose is lucid and engaging, illuminating concepts most often considered esoteric. It is clear to me why he is one of the most popular science writers of our time.

Better than Nuttin!

Contrary to the other 2 reviews, I thought this did exactly what I hoped. This is a simple review -- okay, simplistic review -- of the universe, but I was barely 8 when I last had any formal instruction about the vastness of the heavens. I have managed to be successful in my life in spite of this dereliction, but now in the comfort of an easy chair with a cigar and glass of cab for company, I can finally learn that some guy in 300 some-odd BC calculated the earth's circumference to within a couple hundred miles. My kids knew that, of course -- probably from some video game -- but it was a wowie for me. So what if Davis doesn't know how to spell Polish names. I am not trying out for a spot on the next Mars mission. This may not be a scholarly work, but it's a good read.