THE LIBRARY
The latest book releases for curious minds
THE LITTLE BOOK OF SPACE
A SMALL BOOK FOR A VERY BIG TOPIC
AUTHOR NORMAN FERGUSON
PUBLISHER OCTOPUS PUBLISHING GROUP
PRICE £6.99 (APPROX. $9.20)
RELEASE OUT NOW
We’re already off to a good start with a fan-favourite quote by the famous author of arguably the best-known science-fiction book of all time: “Space is big. Really big. You won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is.” Douglas Adams of A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy fame is a master of understatement, even in these short, superlative-packed sentences, but he was writing a work of fiction.
The Little Book of Space author Norman Ferguson has given himself the job of conveying the true vastness of space and its associated sciences, then distilling this down for a younger audience who haven’t been steeped in several decades of television series hosted by the likes of Brian Cox, Patrick Moore and Carl Sagan, who is also quoted in this book. When you think about it, it’s quite the task Norman has set himself, but he makes it feel effortless. Beginning with the most familiar objects in the night sky, the reader is taken on a whistlestop tour of the Solar System, from the Moon out to Pluto and anything significant in between, including major features of the planets and other celestial objects, punctuated by quotes from big-shot scientists and pop-culture icons.