Moon: A Brief History
- ISBN-10
- 0300168705
- ISBN-13
- 9780300168709
- Series
- Moon
- Category
- Science
- Pages
- 288
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2010-11-18
- Publisher
- Yale University Press
- Author
- Bernd Brunner
Description
Using werewolves and Wernher von Braun, Stonehenge and the sex lives of sea corals, aboriginal myths, and an Anglican bishop in this new book, the author weaves variegated information into a glimpse of Earth's closest celestial neighbor, whose mere presence inspires us to wonder what might be out there. Going beyond the discoveries of contemporary science, he presents a cultural assessment of our complex relationship with Earth's lifeless, rocky satellite. As well as offering an engaging perspective on such age old questions as "What would Earth be like without the moon?" he surveys the moon's mythical and religious significance and provokes existential soul searching through a lunar lens, inquiring, "Forty years ago, the first man put his footprint on the moon. Will we continue to use it as the screen onto which we cast our hopes and fears?" Drawing on materials from different cultures and epochs, he walks readers down a moonlit path illuminated by more than seventy-five vintage photographs and illustrations. From scientific discussions of the moon's origins and its chronobiological effects on the mating and feeding habits of animals to an illuminating interpretation of Bishop Francis Godwin's 1638 novel The Man in the Moone, his interdisciplinary explorations recast a familiar object in an original light.
Get the book
Other editions
Similar books
-
Full Moon Feast: Food and the Hunger for Connection
By Jessica PrenticeThe book follows the 13 lunar cycles of an agrarian year, and includes recipes for every season.
-
Margaret and the Moon: How Margaret Hamilton Saved the First Lunar Landing
By Dean RobbinsIntroduces the woman mathematician whose childhood love of numbers led to her prestigious education and contributions at NASA while explaining how her handwritten codes proved essential throughout numerous space missions.
-
To the Moon!: The True Story of the American Heroes on the Apollo 8 Spaceship
By Jeffrey Kluger, Ruby ShamirThis book about the exciting and inspiring true story of Apollo 8, the first crewed spaceship to break free of Earth's orbit and reach the moon, tells the story of these three brave men, the frantic rush to get their rocket ready, and the ...
-
Alabama Moon
By Watt KeyAfter the death of his father, Moon leaves their forest shelter home and is sent to an Alabama institution, becoming entangled in the outside world he has never known and making friends, a relentless enemy, and finally a new life.
-
The Book of the Moon: A Guide to Our Closest Neighbor
By Maggie Aderin-PocockSo has Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock, astronomer and host of the BBC’s docuseries, The Sky at Night. In this lucidly written guide, Aderin-Pocock takes readers on a fascinating lunar journey.
-
Gateway to the Moon: A Novel
By Mary MorrisIn 1492, Luis de Torres, a Spanish Jew, accompanies Columbus as his interpreter.
-
Moon Tiger
By Penelope LivelyClaudia Hampton, dying in a hospital, remembers a war-time affair with a young tank officer killed in the North African desert war.
-
From the Earth to the Moon
By Jules VerneAfter making careful plans, three ingenious and courageous men fly through space towards the moon
-
New Moon Astrology: The Secret of Astrological Timing to Make All Your Dreams Come True
By Jan SpillerDescribes the influence of the moon and its orbit on one's daily life, providing step-by-step instructions on how to use the power of the moon to accomplish individual goals in any area of one's life.