Authors that wrote carl sagans biography

American scientist and science communicator (–)

For other uses, see Carl Sagan (disambiguation).

Carl Edward Sagan (; SAY-gən; November 9, &#;&#; December 20, ) was an American astronomer, planetary scientist and science communicator. His best known scientific contribution is his research on the possibility of extraterrestrial life, including experimental demonstration of the production of amino acids from basic chemicals by exposure to light. He assembled the first physical messages sent into space, the Pioneer plaque and the Voyager Golden Record, which were universal messages that could potentially be understood by any extraterrestrial intelligence that might find them. He argued in favor of the hypothesis, which has since been accepted, that the high surface temperatures of Venus are the result of the greenhouse effect.

Initially an assistant professor at Harvard, Sagan later moved to Cornell University, where he spent most of his career. He published more than scientific papers and articles and was author, co-author or editor of more than 20 books. He wrote many popular science books, such as The Dragons of Eden, Broca's Brain, Pale Blue Dot and The Demon-Haunted World. He also co-wrote and narrated the award-winning television serie

Carl Sagan was an amazing person; a tremendous scientist and the best populariser of science that has ever lived. He was a complex man, steeped in scientific rigour and yet possessing a great imagination, whose quest to explore the planets and search for life sometimes got in the way of his personal life, at least until he met his third wife, Ann Druyan.

Sagan&#;s story is one of wonder, the wonder that he himself found in the Universe, so it would be hard to write a bad biography of the great man. Spangenburg and Moser have certainly chronicled the major events of Sagan&#;s life, from his time growing up in Brooklyn, his tutelage under such diverse mentors as Gerard Kuiper and Herman Muller, his first forays into planetary science and SETI, his marriages, and of course his popular science work that culminated in the television series Cosmos, and the novel and Hollywood movie Contact.

However, I felt something was missing whilst reading this biography (which has been published before in by Greenwood Press). First, it is too short. It makes an excellent Sunday afternoon read for a couple of hours, but I would have preferred the biographers to have gone into greater detail about Sagan&#;s exploits and his life. There also seems to be a lack of editing in places. We get the build-up to Mariner 2&#;s voyage to Venus, where it would prove Sagan&#;s theory about the runaway greenhouse effect and confirm his status as a top astronomer, but we don&#;t get the pay-off. Also, Gentry Lee is just called &#;Lee&#; on his first appearance, and I had to check the index to see who they were talking about.

Still, it is Carl Sagan and the biographers have done such a good job in capturing his style that at times I could almost hear Sagan narrating his own life story. I definitely recommend picking this up along with the recent release of Cosmos on DVD so you can share in Sagan&#;s wonder of the Universe.

Keith Cooper

By Fred Bortz
Special to The Denver Post

CARL SAGAN A Life
By Keay Davidson
Wiley, $30

Oct. 3 - He's a nut!''

I smiled as the airport security guard, riffling through the pages of my review copy of Keay Davidson's new biography, "Carl Sagan: A Life,'' passed swift judgment on Sagan. If he expected to find something explosive or illegal between the pages of the book, he was disappointed. Had he taken the time to read those pages, however, he would have taken notice.

The Davidson book and another soon-to-be-released Sagan biography, "Carl Sagan: A Life in the Cosmos,'' by William Poundstone, are certain to ignite a new round of controversy about Sagan, who died in December , comparable in intensity to the contention that swirled about him during his year lifetime.

That an airport security guard in Pittsburgh would recognize the face and name of a deceased astronomy professor from an Ivy League university speaks volumes about the market for these biographies. That the guard - or anyone else who knew that name and face - would express a clear, unequivocal view of Sagan is no surprise.

Sagan, the pre-eminent popularizer of science of his time, is a study in contrasts. Both admirers and detractors agree that he was brilliant, creative, literate, driven and passionate about what he saw as truth. Yet even those who loved him most understand that he could seem pompous and arrogant. Sagan was certain of his genius, and demanding of admiration.

Unlike most academics, who spend their careers plumbing narrow intellectual tributaries and publishing their findings as cryptic papers in journals for the scientific elite, Sagan exuberantly splashed through the entire cosmic ocean, sharing discovery and speculation with everyone.

Davidson and Poundstone both researched their subject carefully, interviewing colleagues, associates and adversaries; two of Sagan's three wives, his sister and his three adult sons; friends and acquaintances from his