The Planets

By: Professor Brian Cox, Andrew Cohen

Narrated by: Samuel West

Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

‘So staggering you go “whoa!” every few seconds’ Guardian

‘Really impressive’ Eamonn Holmes, ITV This Morning

A companion book to the critically acclaimed BBC series.

The bestselling authors of Wonders of the Universe are back with another blockbuster, a groundbreaking exploration of our Solar System as it has never been seen before.

Mercury, a lifeless victim of the Sun’s expanding power. Venus, once thought to be lush and fertile, now known to be trapped within a toxic and boiling atmosphere. Mars, the red planet, doomed by the loss of its atmosphere. Jupiter, twice the size of all the other planets combined, but insubstantial. Saturn, a stunning celestial beauty, the jewel of our Solar System. Uranus, the sideways planet and the first ice giant. Neptune, dark, cold and whipped by supersonic winds. Pluto, the dwarf planet, a frozen rock.

Andrew Cohen and Professor Brian Cox take readers on a voyage of discovery, from the fiery heart of our Solar System, to its mysterious outer reaches. They touch on the latest discoveries that have expanded our knowledge of the planets, their moons and how they come to be, alongside recent stunning and mind-boggling NASA photography.

©2019 Brian Cox and Andrew Cohen (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

‘So staggering you go whoa!’ every few seconds … Cox is the Attenborough of the Solar System’ Guardian

‘Spectacular. [Cox’s] ability to convey maximum information in a clear and minimalist style is so softly winning and persuasive’ The Sunday Times

‘Professor Brian Cox continues to boggle our minds’ Daily Mail

‘It was life affirming, it was perspective shifting. It was beautifully made’ Fearne Cotton, The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show, Radio 2

‘Amazing work’ Emma Barnett, Adrian Chiles, Radio 5 Live

‘Starry-eyed Brian Cox is the only man for this job’ The Times

‘Wow’ Evening Standard

‘The professor makes us marvel at life on Earth’ iNews

‘Excellent … a blend of enjoyable, accessible science and dreamlike wonder’ The Times

‘Brian Cox breathes life into science again … breath-taking’ Guardian

‘Fascinating … Good science’ Observer

‘Extraordinary – at its best magically fascinating and full of vast, weird drama’ Radio Times

Excellent listen

I enjoyed this reading, the subject was interesting and the narration was excellent. I highly recommend.

more up to date than most

well organized and paced. unlike others which cite "upcoming' missions that are in fact well underway or over, this title includes recent information. It is well presented and suitable for audio (others I have felt were print edition titles that didn't really work without tables and illustrations). Excellent value for money. I have listened 3 times within a month of buying.

Excellent

Great narrator and up to date information about our solar system. You will not be disappointed.

Simply wonderful.

It’s amazing how easy they make it to understand. I never thought I would ever be able to comprehend the amount of fascinating information about our solar system. I would recommend this wonderful book to anyone who looks up at the night sky with wonder and amazement.

A Stellar (or at least Astronomical) Piece of Work

The level of care on display here in both the writing, where large concepts are broken down into simple ones for the sake of laypeople, and in the narration, where the narrator does an exquisite job of bringing the work to life in such a way as to make it practically breathe with calm, and calming precision, is truly remarkable... I highly recommend this book for any fans of space science, Dr. Brian Cox, or who are generally interested in learning about the wonders beyond our own blue marble

From a Lifetime Astronomy Fan

I loved this audiobook. It was a fascinating story full of amazing facts and theories about the planets our solar system. I highly recommend it!

Brilliantly written science

One of the most interesting science books available. Up to date and well performed. Poetic in places.

Love Astronomy? Then Listen…

I have listened to many varied science and Astronomy specific books and courses. It’s informative and well done. Great for either beginners, or more seasoned listeners. Lots of info, and enjoyably broken down by planets and regions. Great info on the related moons, as well….

Beautiful book!

Even though there are no pictures in front of you, the writing and narration takes you to all the planets. I wanted this book to go on and on...

Insightful and enjoyable

This was just the right mix of science and storytelling for a casual listen by someone interested in the origin of the planets.

The narrator has a wonderful, listenable tone.