Astrophysics for People in a Hurry

I sort of liked this book, but it was too short on each topic that by the end it barely made sense to me reading it when most of the things are 2 seconds away on a web search. Actually, that was what I did for basically every chapter, as a way to know what else is missing and also explains why it took me longer to finish it. It does not go deep on anything and give you a very surface level understanding of the universe.

I guess that was the point of the book at the end, and I am being too picky here. Despise my rating, it was entertaining and enjoyable, just that I was expecting a bit more substance.

I recommend sticking with it to the end. The dark matter/dark energy chapters are fascinating - could have expanded that to the whole book and I would have been happy. Otherwise, it's definitely not for the total science novice but I had enough physics and chemistry background to grasp most of the concepts. Really interesting but I know I won't remember most of it.

You will feel at home if you are familiar with Neil deGrasse Tyson and his content. If you have only heard of him, you may miss some of the subtleties and musings that one would notice otherwise. Either way, "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry" is a fabulous book for those who have only recently started plunging into the depths of science and astrophysics and for those who are more seasoned.

The book covers topics all too familiar in the context of astrophysics, such as how the Universe came to be, what is dark matter or dark energy, and exoplanets -- you will all find it there. Neil does not go too heavy on any of them, but there are breadcrumbs and clues for the curious mind to go deeper. You may know what planets are roaming our solar system, but do you know how the names of the planets came to be? Or how about learning what was Einstein's greatest blunder? The book connects facts from science and history to build a coherent story of the cosmos.

In the last chapter, called Reflections on the Cosmic Perspective, Neil deGrasse Tyson brings the reader to a humbling conclusion. He reflects on the scale between humans and the Universe. Human curiosity should always be at the forefront. As Neil puts it, "the day our knowledge of the cosmos ceases to expand, we risk regressing to the childish view that the universe figuratively and literally revolves around us". It is very reminiscent of Carl Sagan and that, in a sense, seems to be the point.

"Astrophysics for People in a Hurry" touches on the most common astrophysics topics just enough to not overstay their welcome, yet engages you in craving for more.