Cosmos: A Personal Voyage

Written by Carl Sagan

Narrated by LeVar Burton, Seth MacFarlane, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Ann Druyan

RETURNING TO TELEVISION AS AN ALL-NEW MINISERIES ON FOX

Cosmos is one of the bestselling science books of all time. In clear-eyed prose, Sagan reveals a jewel-like blue world inhabited by a life form that is just beginning to discover its own identity and to venture into the vast ocean of space. Cosmos retraces the fourteen billion years of cosmic evolution that have transformed matter into consciousness, exploring such topics as the origin of life, the human brain, Egyptian hieroglyphics, spacecraft missions, the death of the Sun, the evolution of galaxies, and the forces and individuals who helped to shape modern science.

Includes introductory music: "Heaven and Hell" by Vangelis from Cosmos: A Personal Voyage used with permission from Druyan-Sagan Associates, Inc. All rights reserved.

Praise for Cosmos

“Magnificent . . . With a lyrical literary style, and a range that touches almost all aspects of human knowledge, Cosmos often seems too good to be true.”—The Plain Dealer

“Sagan is an astronomer with one eye on the stars, another on history, and a third—his mind’s—on the human condition.”—Newsday

“Brilliant in its scope and provocative in its suggestions . . . shimmers with a sense of wonder.”—The Miami Herald

“Sagan dazzles the mind with the miracle of our survival, framed by the stately galaxies of space.”—Cosmopolitan

“Enticing . . . iridescent . . . imaginatively illustrated.”—The New York Times Book Review

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: May 30, 2017
• ISBN: 9781531888046

Carl Sagan

Carl Sagan (1934-1996), astrónomo, astrofísico y cosmólogo estadounidense, es considerado uno de los divulgadores científicos más importantes del siglo XX. Autor de numerosos best sellers, como Los dragones del Edén (Premio Pulitzer 1978) y Contacto (Premio Locus 1986), Sagan es sobre todo conocido por su obra Cosmos, el libro de divulgación científica más vendido de la historia, que inspiró la famosa serie de televisión Cosmos: Un viaje personal. Las innumerables publicaciones científicas de Sagan incluyen contribuciones sobre Venus, Júpiter o Marte, así como investigaciones acerca de la posibilidad de vida extraterrestre. Su trayectoria fue galardonada, entre otras distinciones, con dos Medallas de la NASA, un Premio John F. Kennedy de Astronáutica y un Emmy en la categoría de Logro Destacado Individual por Cosmos: Un viaje personal.

Reviews for Cosmos

[Ben McCracken · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As amazing and relevant as when it first came out. Highly recommended for everyone who has ever looked up at the stars.

[blam88 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

How is this not the introduction to science book in school? Absolutely brilliant book from beginning to end.

[shehena mohamed · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved it… amazing details
Useful for science students n teachers

[Jason Cranford Teague · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A book that changed my life. Although much of the scientific knowledge discussed has changed, evolved, and grown, the underlying philosophy of science and humanity is timeless.

[larra fouch · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A brilliant blend of fiction and nonfiction. Wonderful, Great book!

[Omar Ramirez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautifully written history of mans greatest achievement, the scientific method. It delves into the major players of history to which got us to the modern age. Characters that were a detriment to science and figures that were key in unlocking new truths of the universe. It also gives us a cosmic perspective of the responsibility we have as earths conscious arbiters of change. Whether we will self destruct or continue to venture as curious creatures of the cosmos to reach deeper truths.

[Julio Tan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Awesome book by the late Carl Sagan. His wisdom is timeless.

[YAVUZ KALFA · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A masterpiece. One of the greatest book I have ever read

[Tomáš Miškov · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Incredible book! I’m absolutely awestruck. Loved every second of it plus the fact it was written over 40 years ago makes it that much better.

[Gaelle GL · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Brilliant! Should be mandatory in school. Narration is very good too.

[Banu Murugan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An eye opener. I was fortunate enough to find this book.

[robertbruceferguson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A must see.

[S Sri · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful introduction to science. Some parts were a bit dated.

[YOAE38 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What an inspiring book. Very clever guy that Carl Sagan. Will definetly listen to his other books..

[brian faber · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I’ve listened to this book many, many times. I learn something every time.

[jwendleton · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

it is a classic but still a great book to listen to.

[Cristina Sousa · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An amazing book, by a brilliant author. I loved it.

[Jc Hall · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I remember Carl Sagan lecturing in this series on PBS. I wish this audiobook had his voice recorded, his soft, calming voice was one of the best parts of the series.

[ygnaciogu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautiful!! A magnificent book.
As I read Sagan took me beyond the limits of my imagination.
A delightful narrative that feels like poetry.
I felt like surfing nonstop through complex scientific ideas.
And thanks to this audio the text is easier to follow.

[mattries37315 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A companion book to one of the most influential science documentary miniseries of all-time, the success of both the miniseries and this book redefined the popular science genre for the public. Cosmos by Carl Sagan is a book that not only covers the mysteries of space but various fields of science from the origin to the present (of time of publication).

Over the course of nearly 300 pages, Sagan covers a wide range of scientific topics over the course of 13 chapters that correspond to the 13 episodes of the PBS miniseries it was written to compliment. Using a conversational writing style that connects with the general reader, Sagan explains complex scientific information without being condensing but encouraging for those interested to investigate further on whatever topic caught their attention. Given that this was published over 40 years ago some of the scientific information is outdated—something Sagan would be happy about given his call to expand our knowledge—and the cultural overtones related to the Cold War especially nuclear self-destruction do stand out as jarring, but don’t take away from overall book.

Cosmos by Carl Sagan is an engagingly written book for the general reader about very complex scientific ideas.

[zeljanamaricferli · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This must be one of the most influential books I have ever read. I read it for the first time when I was a teenager when I read more than I do today and was a lot less forgiving. I loved it to bits and I still do. It is especially comforting to go back to it in 2022, for obvious reasons.

I wish we had people like Carl Sagan in public space today. His expertise and sensibility are still unmatched.

[mykl8s · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A classic, the companion to his public tv series by the same name. I enjoyed both the book and the series.

[missyivey · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A very hard read for me! The first 6 chapters were reasonable and I actually did learn a few interesting things about our universe. After that, I found it to be such a brutally dry read full of science facts way over my head that I could barely understand. It is full of Sagan’s endless dreamy, ‘what if’ situations. I gave it a 2 star simply for the fact that I did learn something from it.One thing I learned from this book is that when scientists speak of finding "aliens" or "Martians" in space, it can actually mean living microbes that they could possibly study and work with...not necessarily other intelligent creatures with intelligent minds like us, living in outer space. (eBook loc 2472) This I can accept! Although, after finishing this book, I do believe that Sagan truly believed that there definitely could exist intelligent creatures in outer space, and that it’s just a matter of time before future generations discover it. I also got the hint that he wasn’t really a firm believer of a divine creator before the universe was created.I love Sagan's explanation of the meaning and truth of Cosmos: "...there are regularities in Nature that permit its secrets to be uncovered. Nature is not entirely unpredictable; there are rules even she must obey. This ordered and admirable character of the universe was called Cosmos." (eBook loc 3187)...but...my opinion, not his...it was all created by God.Without imagination, curiosity and, I will add skepticism, we might still be stuck in the stone ages. And without changes on earth and elsewhere in our universe, we would have no need or desire to ask questions and to search for any truth. But, great scientists who have come before us have paved the way for each new generation, allowing even further progress. When I read that a thousand earths could fit inside Jupiter (eBook loc 1594), it really opened my eyes to the enormity of our universe. ..."this Cosmos in which we float like a mote of dust in the morning sky." (eBook loc 173). Isn’t that an amazing and beautiful quote! I definitely view the sky and the night stars with a new pair of eyes.The author has a nice theory on the evolution of the beginning of human life, but that's all it is...a theory. He presents proven facts, more recently discovered, on how molecules themselves evolve and change over time. In fact, as a scientist, he concludes that trees and humans share a common ancestry if you go far enough back. We are both made of the same atoms and molecules that work exactly the same, just put together differently, but depend greatly on each other. Trees and plants thrive on the carbon dioxide we humans release, and we humans and animals thrive on the fresh oxygen the trees and plants release. I love Sagan's way of wording it: "What a marvelous cooperative arrangement, plants and animals each inhaling the other's exhalations." This is synergy! Without one or the other, we would all cease to exist. Period!This book is a mix of personal speculations, theories and hypotheses and few facts that have been proven, or disproven, by science over many years. They have NOT proven evolution. There is not one instance or proof that humans were once apes, like an orange was never an apple. But, specific traits (cells, DNA) of each can change to adapt in life. Sagan includes the earlier beliefs in the Greek gods of the universe, as well as the beliefs of atheist scientists and religious scientists throughout time. I believe now, more than ever, that it has to be a Divine being, God, who created such an intricate system that works so perfectly in every single aspect of the human life and of our magnificent universe.For those who want to rate this book on religious merits, Sagan has perfectly summed up his life’s work, and the works of other scientists here: "Many hypotheses proposed by scientist as well as by non-scientists turn out to be wrong. But science is a self-correcting enterprise. To be accepted, all new ideas must survive rigorous standards of evidence...Science is generated by and devoted to free inquiry: the idea that any hypothesis, no matter how strange, deserves to be considered on its merits. The suppression of uncomfortable ideas may be common in religion and politics, but it is not the path to knowledge; it has no place in the endeavor of science." (eBook loc 1697)Originally published in 1980.Evidence today is proving that random evolution doesn't hold together. They have discovered, and can't explain, certain things in life that were designed to perform, very specifically, certain jobs in this universe of life. My next read will be on proof that evolution remains to be unproven and based on pure speculations: "Creation: Remarkable Evidence of God's Design" (2003) by Grant R. Jeffrey.

[charon07 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Carl Sagan waxes lyrical on the cosmos and on humanity's place in it.

[kapheine-780159 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is great not just for its overview of what we know about the universe, but for tying it into how we treat each other on Earth.

[jacardenas · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A reference in scientific dissemination (Translated from Spanish)

[calderon123 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I just downloaded this app.. and I haven't had any problems. (Translated from Spanish)

[NataliaTrionfetti · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Regarding Kepler and his laws of planetary motion, his scientific courage stands out: "he preferred the harsh truth to his dearest illusions"... The book is filled with biographical gems of great mathematicians and scientists. Carl Sagan's work is enormous; his contribution is fundamental. (Translated from Spanish)

[jaimetopo1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A true classic of popular science. (Translated from Spanish)

[AdrinVzquez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Some of the astronomical and technological data has become obsolete. But it is something that I believe is more valuable for posterity than the Voyager gold record (or Vyger... hehe). (Translated from Spanish)