Death by Black Hole

And Other Cosmic Quandaries

By: Neil deGrasse Tyson

Narrated by: Dion Graham

Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

“[Tyson] tackles a great range of subjects…with great humor, humility, and—most important—humanity.” —Entertainment Weekly

Neil deGrasse Tyson has a talent for guiding readers through the mysteries of outer space with stunning clarity and almost childlike enthusiasm. Here, Tyson compiles his favorite essays that he wrote for Natural History magazine across a myriad of cosmic topics, from astral life at the frontiers of astrobiology to the movie industry’s feeble efforts to get its night skies right.

Tyson introduces us to the physics of black holes by explaining the gory details of what would happen to our bodies if we fell into one, examining the needless friction between science and religion in the context of historical conflicts, and noting Earth’s progression to “an insignificantly small speck in the cosmos.”

Renowned for his ability to blend content, accessibility, and humor, Tyson is a natural teacher who simplifies some of the most complex concepts in astrophysics while sharing his infectious excitement for our universe.

©2007 Neil deGrasse Tyson (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"Tyson takes readers on an exciting journey from Earth's hot springs...to the universe's farthest reaches....witty and entertaining." (Publishers Weekly)
"Smoothly entertaining, full of fascinating tidbits, and frequently humorous, these essays show Tyson as one of today's best popularizers of science." (Kirkus Reviews)
"[Tyson] demonstrates a good feel for explaining science in an intelligible way to interested lay readers; his rather rakish sense of humor should aid in making the book enjoyable." (Library Journal)

Cosmology Primer

I really don’t have much to comment about on this one. I did like it but not much stood out that I wrote down that I would want to discuss.

The thing I most enjoyed about the book was not the content but rather the narration by Dion Graham. It was very conversational and read with the intonation the author intended. The audio book must have been a close collaboration between the two.

The best part of the book did not come until near the end. It was a discussion of Hollywood’s “astro-illiteracy” in which he describes the inconsistencies regarding cosmology in the movies. It’ll make you look more closely the next time you watch them.

Wonderfully written, great narration

Would you consider the audio edition of Death by Black Hole to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version so I cannot comment on that

Who was your favorite character and why?

The author of course! Dr Tyson is one of the best at describing physics in a way that everyone can grasp

Which character – as performed by Dion Graham – was your favorite?

Still Dr Tyson

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

All equally

Any additional comments?

My only complaint is that some material was repeated throughout the book, but overall, this is a wonderful listen!!

Nova Science Now

If you like Tyson on Nova Science Now, you'll enjoy this, but it's more or less the same thing. Would have been better if Tyson had narrated.

A must listen

If you love listening to StarTalk, you should listen to this book. It made me laugh, and it made me think. Good stuff.

good listen.

narration is slow, so speed it up. i found that 1.20-1.25 was the best listening speed. was fillled with helpful points of view and information. great listen.

Informative

Simple and fun writing and narration. If you have taken Astronomy, then this is largely a refresher... but will still hold your attention with new and topics and ideas!

Great book

The writer was great as well as the narrator. Science, as much as I know, as much as I love it.

A stellar reading of Neil

Come for the interesting facts, stay for the bad jokes. This collection was a pleasant listen despite not holding my attention very well at times.

42

Wonderful walk through basic concepts and layered ideas alike. Witty examples, clear ideas, and much to think about.

More Great Info for the Layman

At the peak the inimitable style that Neil deGrasse Tyson is known for, he eduates the layman on many fascinating facts about the cosmos, and elaborates on some ideas we've heard about from him before.

His co-author/narrators do an equally interesting and competent job.