How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming

By: Mike Brown

Narrated by: Ryan Gesell

Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

The debate culminated in the demotion of Pluto from real planet to the newly coined category of “dwarf” planet. Suddenly Brown was receiving hate mail from schoolchildren and being bombarded by TV reporters—all because of the discovery he had spent years searching for and a lifetime dreaming about. Filled with both humor and drama, How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming is Mike Brown’s engaging first-person account of the most tumultuous year in modern astronomy—which he inadvertently caused. As it guides readers through important scientific concepts and inspires us to think more deeply about our place in the cosmos, it is also an entertaining and enlightening personal story: While Brown sought to expand our understanding of the vast nature of space, his own life was changed in the most immediate, human ways by love, birth, and death. A heartfelt and personal perspective on the demotion of everyone’s favorite farflung planet, How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming is the book for anyone, young or old, who has ever dreamed of exploring the universe—and who among us hasn’t?

©2010 Mike Brown (P)2010 Random House

Critic reviews

"Finally I have someone to whom I can forward the hate mail I get from schoolchildren. After all these years, the real destroyer of Pluto has confessed. Part memoir and part planetary saga, How I Killed Pluto invites you into planetary scientist Mike Brown's office, his home, and his head as he tells the story of how his research on the outer solar system led directly to the death of Pluto, the planet." (Neil deGrasse Tyson, Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium and author of The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America's Favorite Planet)

“Romance, intrigue, laughter, skullduggery, and most of all: science! Mike Brown has done more than anyone to reshape our view of the solar system, and this first-person account of his discoveries is an irresistible page-turner. You’ll have so much fun, you won’t even notice how much you’re learning.” (Sean Carroll, author of From Eternity to Here: The Quest for the Ultimate Theory of Time)

“Science is at its best when it shakes up our thinking, and when it comes to planets, Mike Brown has grabbed on with both hands. Whether you think Pluto is a planet or just another ice ball, you’ll find Brown’s tale of exploring the outer solar system a charming and even endearing read. If Pluto is indeed dead, then its sacrifice was not in vain.” (Philip Plait, author of Death from the Skies!)

Highly Recommend!

This was a very entertaining listen. I know almost nothing about astronomy except what I learned in Grammar School, but I was engaged and able to follow everything in the story. Not just for science nerds, this had a touching family element and was fun from beginning to end. Great narration too!

Best book ever!!!!!!!!!

I love space and highly recommend ,read this book all at once in fact i read it all though a football game.

Informative and fun

When I bought this book it was a bit of an experiment. I enjoyed all the 'fuss' when Pluto was demoted from planetary status, but I wasn't sure an entire book about it would be interesting. It is. Very. Ryan Gesell does a top notch job of narration, and Brown's weaving in and out of his work and home experiences (how he meets and falls in love with his wife, and the birth of their first child) seems to keep it all in perspective. The universe goes on in both the grandest and most humble of ways. There are even some villains thrown into the mix. If you're at all interested in astronomy, or just the excitement of discovery, this is a must listen. Five Stars.
Rick

Delightful Memoir

How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming, is far more interesting and entertaining than I originally envisioned. I just thought I would learn something about astronomy and I got far more than I bargained for. This is really a memoir in which Mike Brown, CalTech astronomer, tells about his dissertation, his research, astronomy in our solar system and even more. The writing is strong and not scientific. It is easily accessed by all readers. Along the way, Brown reveals how his research sent him a wife, the birth of his daughter in the midst of astounding discoveries, and how Pluto was dropped as a planet. If you are looking solely for a scientific treatment of the demise of Pluto, per se, this is not it. If you want to be informed about the science and politics that lead to that decision, you will find it here. The reading of Ryan Gesell is excellent.

Perfect!

Very well written and narrated. Kept my attention through the whole story. It shows us that scientists are human too and let's us look into life of astronomer. Drama is there and humor helps as well. Was listening to the book on my way home on public transport and I couldn't keep myself together as I exploded in laughter in the part where the author tells about situations in his daughters first months - it truly resonated with my experience. I am easily recommending this book to anyone who is not in flat-earth society.

Fun and educational

If you are interested in space and astronomy, this is a great account of how Pluto came to lose its planet status. Mike Brown has an easy manner of speaking that teaches without seeming like a lecture. His dry wit keeps things lively, as does his preference for giving simple, logical explanations for things without relying on astronomical jargon or unnecessary detail. I enjoyed the story and learned a lot, too.

Fun read for scientist or non-scientists alike!

It was a light, fun and informative book. While it covers many scientific principles it is also a sort of autobiography, at least a portion of one, and has some scandal as well as laughs. I give it ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. I'll be playing portions of it for my class this week as well whether they like it or not.

Entertaining and educational

Where does How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Near the top of the audiobooks I've listened to.

What was one of the most memorable moments of How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming?

The story of how other scientists tried to steal a major scientific discovery, and got caught!

What about Ryan Gesell’s performance did you like?

Very smooth. You could just listen without focusing on his performance, which is exactly what you want.

Any additional comments?

Interesting to hear about the work, life and perspectives of an astronomer, but also excellent to hear about this one set of discoveries that is so important to human culture and understanding of our place in the solar system. Also, what a great title.

well told, well read

requiring me to write a minimum number of words doesn't encourage me to write substance

I loved it.

After reading the reviews I expected a bunch of the book to be about the daughter. no idea what people were complaining about.