I was hoping that this would be a good addition to my library, but I was quite disappointed. I understand that it's meant to be a short overview, but it feels a touch too short and almost unfinished. In comparison to books by Carl Sagan, all of which I've read, this pales in comparison. Neil is not nearly as likeable, his ego shines through in a number of passages. This feels less like a chat with a friendly, intelligent friend and more like a monologue by a college professor that loves himself too much.

Tyson possesses great talents, both as writer and astrophysicist, and both are on good display in this book. It is an amazingly easy read about incredibly complex phenomena. And, while summarizing much of what we have learned about the universe, it humbly and forthrightly assesses how little we still know.

I enjoyed Tyson's tour through cosmology. I have read several books over the past few years on the physics of the universe and Tyson's book is a lovely "condensed version" of my previous readings. Tyson has a straightforward, folksy writing style that entertains as it informs. If one is looking for a complete documentation of the current state of cosmology, this is not that book. If one is looking for an introduction to this dense topic, Tyson's book is a very good starting place.

This is a series of related essays about astrophysics. The author, Neil deGrasse Tyson, does a really great job taking an immensely complicated subject and conveying a distillation of that subject in layman terms. I still ended up looking up several terms, persons, and concepts to buttress my comprehension of the information discussed.It would be difficult to exaggerate how much I enjoyed this work. I purchased and read this book on Kindle while listening to the audiobook simultaneously. The audiobook was narrated by the author. I enjoyed that tremendously. Neil deGrasse Tyson comes across as an extremely intelligent, but very benevolent instructor / lecturer. I love that mixture.Some time ago I read another book, "A Universe From Nothing" by Lawrence M. Krausse. I felt there is a lot of overlap between these two fine works. Personally, I liked this book under review more than the book by Mr. Krausse. Another reader might enjoy reading that book for purposes of comparison and contrast.In summary, I completely enjoyed this reading experience. I intend to look for another book by Neil deGrasse Tyson. Thank You...

This book is exactly what its title purports -- lessons on astrophysics for people in a hurry. Each chapter is a bite-sized look at various topics, ranging from the big bang, the discovery of invisible light, the space between the planets, all the way to the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy. While astrophysics is a challenging field of study, Neil deGrasse Tyson delivers his essays in clearly written prose, with relatable examples used to highlight the most difficult concepts. The chapters on dark matter and dark energy are two of my favorites, piquing my interest to search for additional writing on these subjects. One of the best and most thought provoking chapters comes at the end: Reflections on the Cosmic Perspective. If we could all view our lives through the lens of the cosmos, we might come to the same realization the author does. "We do not simply live in this universe. The universe lives within us."