The Planets

By Dava Sobel | Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group

About the book

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

Editions of The Planets

Hardcover
ISBN 9780670034468
Paperback
ISBN 9780142001165
EBook
ISBN 9781101659489

Read an Excerpt

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Planets about?

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

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Planets?

Mathematics and Science > Astronomy, space and time

Where can I read a sample of The Planets?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780670034468

Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Planets?

Dava Sobel

Who is the Publisher of the book The Planets?

Penguin Publishing Group

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

The Planets is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780670034468) and paperback(ISBN 9780142001165) and ebook(ISBN 9781101659489)

Where can I buy The Planets online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy The Planets from below

Where can I buy The Planets?