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Cosmos
- A Personal Voyage
- Narrated by: LeVar Burton, Seth MacFarlane, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Ann Druyan
- Length: 14 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Science & Engineering, Science
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Pale Blue Dot
- A Vision of the Human Future in Space
- By: Carl Sagan
- Narrated by: Carl Sagan, Ann Druyan
- Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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In Cosmos, the late astronomer Carl Sagan cast his gaze over the magnificent mystery of the Universe and made it accessible to millions of people around the world. Now in this stunning sequel, Carl Sagan completes his revolutionary journey through space and time.
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Where’s Carl?
- By Nick D. on 16-08-2020
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A Briefer History of Time
- By: Stephen Hawking
- Narrated by: Erik Davies
- Length: 4 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Stephen Hawking's worldwide best seller, A Brief History of Time, has been a landmark volume in scientific writing. Its author's engaging voice is one reason, and the compelling subjects he addresses is another: the nature of space and time, the role of God in creation, and the history and future of the universe.
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can listen to it over and over again
- By Cameron on 27-01-2015
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Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
- By: Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Narrated by: Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Length: 3 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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What is the nature of space and time? How do we fit within the universe? How does the universe fit within us? There's no better guide through these mind-expanding questions than acclaimed astrophysicist and best-selling author Neil deGrasse Tyson. But today, few of us have time to contemplate the cosmos. So Tyson brings the universe down to Earth succinctly and clearly, with sparkling wit, in digestible chapters consumable anytime and anywhere in your busy day.
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This book is just brilliant.
- By completeaerogeek on 01-06-2017
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The Demon-Haunted World
- Science as a Candle in the Dark
- By: Carl Sagan
- Narrated by: Cary Elwes, Seth MacFarlane
- Length: 17 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don’t understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? Pulitzer Prize-winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions.
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Amazing book
- By Toby on 28-06-2018
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Norse Mythology
- By: Neil Gaiman
- Narrated by: Neil Gaiman
- Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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The great Norse myths are woven into the fabric of our storytelling - from Tolkien, Alan Garner and Rosemary Sutcliff to Game of Thrones and Marvel Comics. They are also an inspiration for Neil Gaiman's own award-bedecked, best-selling fiction. Now he reaches back through time to the original source stories in a thrilling and vivid rendition of the great Norse tales.
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Great book! Fantastic narration
- By Troy Abraham on 19-05-2017
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The Planets
- By: Professor Brian Cox, Andrew Cohen
- Narrated by: Samuel West
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Mercury, a lifeless victim of the Sun’s expanding power. Venus, once thought to be lush and fertile, now known to be trapped within a toxic and boiling atmosphere. Mars, the red planet, doomed by the loss of its atmosphere. Jupiter, twice the size of all the other planets combined, but insubstantial. Saturn, a stunning celestial beauty, the jewel of our Solar System. Uranus, the sideways planet and the first ice giant. Neptune, dark, cold and whipped by supersonic winds. Pluto, the dwarf planet, a frozen rock.
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Great read!
- By Anonymous User on 26-10-2021
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Pale Blue Dot
- A Vision of the Human Future in Space
- By: Carl Sagan
- Narrated by: Carl Sagan, Ann Druyan
- Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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In Cosmos, the late astronomer Carl Sagan cast his gaze over the magnificent mystery of the Universe and made it accessible to millions of people around the world. Now in this stunning sequel, Carl Sagan completes his revolutionary journey through space and time.
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Where’s Carl?
- By Nick D. on 16-08-2020
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A Briefer History of Time
- By: Stephen Hawking
- Narrated by: Erik Davies
- Length: 4 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Stephen Hawking's worldwide best seller, A Brief History of Time, has been a landmark volume in scientific writing. Its author's engaging voice is one reason, and the compelling subjects he addresses is another: the nature of space and time, the role of God in creation, and the history and future of the universe.
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can listen to it over and over again
- By Cameron on 27-01-2015
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Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
- By: Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Narrated by: Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Length: 3 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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What is the nature of space and time? How do we fit within the universe? How does the universe fit within us? There's no better guide through these mind-expanding questions than acclaimed astrophysicist and best-selling author Neil deGrasse Tyson. But today, few of us have time to contemplate the cosmos. So Tyson brings the universe down to Earth succinctly and clearly, with sparkling wit, in digestible chapters consumable anytime and anywhere in your busy day.
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This book is just brilliant.
- By completeaerogeek on 01-06-2017
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The Demon-Haunted World
- Science as a Candle in the Dark
- By: Carl Sagan
- Narrated by: Cary Elwes, Seth MacFarlane
- Length: 17 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don’t understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? Pulitzer Prize-winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions.
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Amazing book
- By Toby on 28-06-2018
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Norse Mythology
- By: Neil Gaiman
- Narrated by: Neil Gaiman
- Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The great Norse myths are woven into the fabric of our storytelling - from Tolkien, Alan Garner and Rosemary Sutcliff to Game of Thrones and Marvel Comics. They are also an inspiration for Neil Gaiman's own award-bedecked, best-selling fiction. Now he reaches back through time to the original source stories in a thrilling and vivid rendition of the great Norse tales.
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Great book! Fantastic narration
- By Troy Abraham on 19-05-2017
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The Planets
- By: Professor Brian Cox, Andrew Cohen
- Narrated by: Samuel West
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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Mercury, a lifeless victim of the Sun’s expanding power. Venus, once thought to be lush and fertile, now known to be trapped within a toxic and boiling atmosphere. Mars, the red planet, doomed by the loss of its atmosphere. Jupiter, twice the size of all the other planets combined, but insubstantial. Saturn, a stunning celestial beauty, the jewel of our Solar System. Uranus, the sideways planet and the first ice giant. Neptune, dark, cold and whipped by supersonic winds. Pluto, the dwarf planet, a frozen rock.
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Great read!
- By Anonymous User on 26-10-2021
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Welcome to the Universe
- An Astrophysical Tour
- By: Michael A. Strauss, J. Richard Gott, Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray
- Length: 17 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Welcome to the Universe is a personal guided tour of the cosmos by three of today's leading astrophysicists. Inspired by the enormously popular introductory astronomy course that Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael A. Strauss, and J. Richard Gott taught together at Princeton, this book covers it all - from planets, stars, and galaxies to black holes, wormholes, and time travel.
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great book, quite involved!
- By Ryan on 09-05-2017
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Cosmos: Possible Worlds
- By: Ann Druyan
- Narrated by: Ann Druyan, Jennice Ontiveros
- Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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This new and long-awaited sequel to Carl Sagan's international best seller continues the electrifying journey through space and time, linking worlds within and worlds billions of miles away and envisioning a future of science tempered with wisdom. Based on National Geographic's internationally-renowned television series, this groundbreaking and visually stunning book explores how science and civilization grew up together.
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Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
- By: Jack Weatherford
- Narrated by: Jonathan Davis, Jack Weatherford
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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The Mongol army led by Genghis Khan subjugated more lands and people in 25 years than the Romans did in 400. In nearly every country the Mongols conquered, they brought an unprecedented rise in cultural communication, expanded trade, and a blossoming of civilization.
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Surprisingly good
- By Amazon Customer on 25-09-2017
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Contact
- By: Carl Sagan
- Narrated by: Laurel Lefkow
- Length: 14 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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The future is here...in an adventure of cosmic dimension. In December, 1999, a multinational team journeys out to the stars, to the most awesome encounter in human history. Who - or what - is out there? In Cosmos, Carl Sagan explained the universe. In Contact, he predicts its future - and our own.
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Worthwhile Read.
- By Larissa on 03-04-2022
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The Story of Human Language
- By: John McWhorter, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: John McWhorter
- Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins
- Original Recording
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Language defines us as a species, placing humans head and shoulders above even the most proficient animal communicators. But it also beguiles us with its endless mysteries, allowing us to ponder why different languages emerged, why there isn't simply a single language, how languages change over time and whether that's good or bad, and how languages die out and become extinct.
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This is from 2005
- By David on 26-07-2018
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Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors
- By: Carl Sagan, Ann Druyan
- Narrated by: Nick Sagan, Ann Druyan, Clinnette Minnis
- Length: 15 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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World renowned scientist Carl Sagan and acclaimed author Ann Druyan have written a Roots for the human species, a lucid and riveting account of how humans got to be the way we are. It shows with humor and drama that many of our key traits - self-awareness, technology, family ties, submission to authority, hatred for those a little different from ourselves, reason, and ethics - are rooted in the deep past, and illuminated by our kinship with other animals.
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The story of how humans and our closest siblings
- By Luke Thomson on 15-03-2018
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A Brief History of Time
- From Big Bang to Black Holes
- By: Stephen Hawking
- Narrated by: John Sackville
- Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Was there a beginning of time? Could time run backwards? Is the universe infinite, or does it have boundaries? These are just some of the questions considered in an internationally acclaimed masterpiece by one of the world's greatest thinkers. It begins by reviewing the great theories of the cosmos, from Newton to Einstein, before delving into the secrets which still lie at the heart of space and time, from the big bang to black holes, via spiral galaxies and strong theory.
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i understood many of the words used
- By Dallas on 18-06-2018
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The History of Ancient Egypt
- By: Bob Brier, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Bob Brier
- Length: 24 hrs and 25 mins
- Original Recording
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Ancient Egyptian civilization is so grand our minds sometimes have difficulty adjusting to it. It lasted 3,000 years, longer than any other on the planet. Its Great Pyramid of Cheops was the tallest building in the world until well into the 19th century and remains the only Ancient Wonder still standing. And it was the most technologically advanced of the ancient civilizations, with the medical knowledge that made Egyptian physicians the most famous in the world.
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Amazing
- By Anonymous User on 05-08-2018
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The Philosopher's Toolkit: How to Be the Most Rational Person in Any Room
- By: Patrick Grim, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Patrick Grim
- Length: 12 hrs and 2 mins
- Original Recording
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Taught by award-winning Professor Patrick Grim of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, The Philosopher’s Toolkit: How to Be the Most Rational Person in Any Room arms you against the perils of bad thinking and supplies you with an arsenal of strategies to help you be more creative, logical, inventive, realistic, and rational in all aspects of your daily life.
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Techniques for Retraining Your Brain
- By: Jason M. Satterfield, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jason M. Satterfield
- Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins
- Original Recording
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Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a well-tested collection of practical techniques for managing moods and modifying undesirable behaviors through self-awareness, critical analysis, and goal-oriented change. CBT illuminates the links between thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and physical health and uses those connections to develop concrete plans for self-improvement. In 24 engaging half-hour lectures, you'll build a robust and effective self-improvement toolkit with the expert guidance of Professor Satterfield of the University of California, San Francisco.
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Evidence-Based, Actionable and Well-Delivered information.
- By Anonymous User on 14-05-2018
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The Fall and Rise of China
- By: Richard Baum, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Richard Baum
- Length: 24 hrs and 8 mins
- Original Recording
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For most of its 5,000-year existence, China has been the largest, most populous, wealthiest, and mightiest nation on Earth. And for us as Westerners, it is essential to understand where China has been in order to anticipate its future. These 36 eye-opening lectures deliver a comprehensive political and historical overview of one of the most fascinating and complex countries in world history.
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Absolutely fantastic! 9.9 out of ten! Would have been a 10/10 if it was updated to include the last 10 years.
- By Alex on 24-04-2019
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Contact
- By: Carl Sagan
- Narrated by: Jodie Foster
- Length: 4 hrs and 38 mins
- Abridged
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In December, 1999, a multinational team journeys out to the stars, to the most awesome encounter in human history. Who, or what, is out there?
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This title is abridged
- By Liam McMillan on 09-02-2021
Editorial Reviews
Editors Select, June 2017
As a big fan of Neil deGrasse Tyson's recent documentary series Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, which honors Carl Sagan's original work from 1980, I was excited to listen to Sagan's companion book - now available in audio for the first time. While I was a bit too young to catch Sagan's docuseries, LeVar Burton's Reading Rainbow did heavily influence my childhood, and this may be why my brain seemed primordially attuned to learn from Burton's voice. He's the perfect narrator for untangling complicated scientific subjects as well as highlighting their moments of majesty. I legit feel smarter for having listened to Cosmos, and I'll also never be able to forget why medieval Catholic monks first domesticated rabbits (hint: it wasn't because they were cute). —Emily, Audible Editor
Publisher's Summary
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. Featuring a new Introduction by Sagan's collaborator, Ann Druyan, and a new Foreword by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, 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.
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What listeners say about Cosmos
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Anonymous User
- 24-08-2018
incredible book doesn't translate well into audio
Narration by Burton is overly energised with erratic pauses, and unnecessary dramatization which detracts from the scientific content being conveyed.
9 people found this helpful
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- Annem Chaudhry
- 02-06-2018
A humane perspective on our place in the cosmos
Sagan continues to enthral readers with his dessemination of the micro and macro cosmos with exquisite detailing that never dithers near boredom.
If you ever needed your hope restored in humanity, or wanted to know what ego death feels like- this book achieves this all with the right balance of science, history, philosophy and narration.
4 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 10-12-2017
incredible
an incredible insight into carl sagans cosmic perspective. An absolute must listen for anyone interested in astronomy or science in general.
3 people found this helpful
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- Trevor
- 03-06-2017
Worth every cent.
Beautiful. Just beautiful. Still relevant after all these years. Wonderfully narrated. A must have audio book for everyone.
9 people found this helpful
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- waynepd
- 26-08-2018
This is a real eye opener.
Loved this book. Audible is the way to read it. Narrated well. Thank you Audible
2 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 03-11-2017
literally out of this world
a stellar performance that blew me away with a big bang. download this now. it's one small click for you but a giant leap for your consciousness' (event) horizon.
2 people found this helpful
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- Brendan
- 07-05-2018
Brillant
Very easy listening, insightful and mostly still relevant today.
Written by a true genius and read by amazing people.
Loved it.
4 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 26-06-2020
though provoking
couldn't get enough of this book sad it ended. very good for going to sleep
1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 29-08-2018
Informative and interesting
Great book, so much information between the pages about our universe ranging from history to the imagination of what shapes the world around us. A must read to get information on what interests you in the universe and our world.
1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 18-04-2018
horrible
Only listened to 10 minutes. Awful grating voice and repetitive boring rubbish. it may have got more interesting but I couldn't bear any more.
3 people found this helpful
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- Deb JOHNSON
- 03-10-2017
Great except for the narration
Carl Sagan's writings are amazingly still so current today, that I am again struck by how much we missed when this genius died so young. My only criticism is that the breathless, rapid "gee whiz" style the main narrator uses is so opposite to the thoughtful, slow, deep voice of Carl Sagan that I longed for a return to those nights when I sat spellbound in front of the television enraptured by Sagan's own narration. This narrator completely missed the liquidity and thoughtfulness of the original work.
87 people found this helpful
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- John Watton
- 24-08-2017
A powerful work that needs better narration
Cosmos is an important work on many levels. More care should have been chosen in the choosing coaching , and recruiting of narrators who are comfortable with the communication of cosmological language. LeVar Burton is an excellent actor, but does not (in my opinion) do well here.
It is a worthwhile purchase, but I recommend you watch both video productions of "Cosmos" as a precursor to purchasing this one.
41 people found this helpful
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- luis
- 15-06-2020
It is an audiobook right???
Cannot-will not get through such torturous narrative,I do not deserve this type of psychological abuse m. Nope,not doing this.
36 people found this helpful
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- net
- 31-10-2018
Narration is unbearable
The book seems so interesting but the narration is so overacted and hard to understand. No wonder the audio preview of the book didn't include it.
23 people found this helpful
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- Seph
- 09-11-2017
Over-acting voice actors
The story is great. And I loved LeVar Burton in Star Trek. My critique is that the majority of the book is narrated by LeVar and his constant over-acting of every line and the immense emphasis on every word makes it extremely tiring to listen to. He even does voices. A lot. It turns ridiculous.
Likewise, Ann Druyan is also audibly squinting, straining her voice, and reads every line like it's the most important revelation. When everything is important, nothing is.
Their voice-acting muddles the message, slows down the reading, and I feel less connected to Carls message as a consequence. I found myself increasingly annoyed with each chapter. Seth MacFarlane is much better.
I've stopped in chapter 8. Their over-acting has ruined this book for me. I cannot finish it.
337 people found this helpful
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- DM
- 11-09-2017
Levar Burton channelling Captain Kirk
What made the experience of listening to Cosmos the most enjoyable?
The book is wonderful but it is exhausting to listen to Levar Burton. I am a fan of his; don't get me wrong, and he should be a genius choice for this. But why is he channelling the classic James T. Kirk delivery? Weird spacing of phrases, strange emphases that distort sentence structures...after a while it gets too distracting and I have to take a break. This is disappointing as I typically listen to audiobooks on long drives.
The content is fascinating and Carl Sagan's enthusiasm, knowledge and love of science shines through regardless. Every few minutes I learn something new.
129 people found this helpful
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- Ben Engelke
- 26-07-2017
Inspiring. Innovative. Intelligent.
A fantastic personal journey. Carl Sagan's vision of the Cosmos is enduring and spot on for being written 30+ years ago. Only good will come from this planet's population reading or listening to his words.
27 people found this helpful
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- Beta
- 18-08-2017
Extremely Poor Narration
Would you try another book from Carl Sagan and/or the narrators?
I would try another book by Carl Sagan, as long as someone else reads the book the way that Carl would have read it.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Cosmos?
Extremely poor narration.
How did the narrator detract from the book?
Their voices were extremely "dramatic". Accentuating every sentence. It was extremely annoying, and I gave up listening to it.
Do you think Cosmos needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
Yes. As long as the same people do NOT read it.
Any additional comments?
I have the original hard back copy of this book. I have the paperback version. I have read them several times. I have the DVD version of the program. I have watched it several times. Carl Sagan is one of the most influential people in my life. I was extremely disappointed in the way this book was read. BTW, I also hated the remake of the TV show.
92 people found this helpful
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- Mike C
- 07-09-2017
Geordi LaForge Teaches you about the Universe
Great Content and Great Narrator! I grew up watching LeVar Burton on TNG and Reading Raonbow, so saying his narration was nostalgic is a bit of an understatement...but nostalgia aside, he does an amazing job. As for the content he reads, lets just say I am saddened that Carl Sagan died before I ever knew who he was.
While some of the more theoretical content in this book is now considered fact or debunked, Cosmos contains a fountain of knowledge about our universe. Sagan takes a detailed look at the process of the living universe attempting to understand itself, starting with a grand, intergalactic perspective, and slowly zooming in the lense all the way to our society, and our minds.
He does get a little heavy handed when it comes to nuclear war, but he wrote this during the Cold War, so good on him for trying to do something about it. I am a little depressed after finishing to realize our global society has changed so little since he released this book in 1980, but if you ignore the 37 year interval, it will give you a hopeful outlook on our future as a single species in a global society. Cosmos delves into the interconnectivity of our universe in a way most people never think of.
Get this book, and learn why we are an endangered species, why the big bang could have been a supernova explosion, and how each of us is made, of "star stuff".
44 people found this helpful
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- Mike
- 14-11-2017
A Classic.
Carl Sagan is brilliantly able to explain the questions being asked of the cosmos. A true masterpiece of modern science which holds up pretty well even after 30 years. All that said, I’m more inclined to recommend the updated Cosmos tv series by Neil Degrasse Tyson.
27 people found this helpful
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- Andrei S.
- 23-01-2018
Astronomy and so much more
While some scientific aspects in the book might have changed in the meantime, the book is still as valuable today as it was almost 40 years ago. For people just getting introduced to astronomy it is still close enough to present views of the universe to give a good introduction and understanding. For the literate astronomers this can also be regarded as a sample of history. Just like Carl Sagan was looking at early astronomers' work and appreciating it with the benefit of hindsight, today's amateur astronomers can look at Carl Sagan's book and get a better understanding of the recent scientific history, with its debates and evolution.
But above all that, I'd say the biggest merit of this book is it made me want to go outside and just look at the vast sky above and the stars that fill it. It also gives a wonderful history of astronomy, as mentioned before.
Finally, the last chapter is sadly as relevant today as it was back then. In the last chapter Sagan raises issues about the dangers and absurdity of nuclear proliferation and the ridiculous amount of resources spent on war or the possibility of war. He raises issues about anti-scientific movements in society and how an uneducated society is more likely to throw itself into irrational conflicts. He raises issues about sexism and misogyny, about chauvinism and nationalism. While he was hopeful that these problems are on the way to being solved, it's sad to see that the world has regressed in the recent past, on all these issues, and that they are all just as relevant today.
So this book is not just an astronomy book. It's a book of education and culture, a book of science and history, a starting point for people to educate themselves.
49 people found this helpful
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- S. Morris
- 18-02-2019
Not Quite What I Expected
I had heard of the old TV series, Cosmos, many years back and had caught snippets of that show here and there. I also knew of Carl Sagan as one of the luminaries of Astronomy and so felt I ought to have a look at what others have rated so highly.
First off, my attention to the quality of this production was drawn to the superb if a little theatrical at times, reading of this epic work by LeVar Burton. Burton is an astonishingly good reader and delivers an effortlessly fluid reading. Those of you familiar with his role as Geordi LaForge in Star Trek: The next Generation may notice on one or two occasions his rendition of an English man rather like his version of Watson from Sherlock Holmes in that show. Burton is a pleasure to listen to and I cannot say enough about how well he handles this sometimes difficult material with precise pronunciations that do not seem to phase him at all.
However, what struck me the most about this incredible work was how little of it is actually spent on discussion of the planets, stars and the nature of the universe in general. I had expected Cosmos to be a real deep dive into the workings of our Solar System etc but what amazed me was that Cosmos is much more about history and in particular ancient history. It reads more like a treatise on the history of the pursuit of knowledge rather than dealing with what we currently understand about astronomy. Sagan dives deeply into the various great men of science over the centuries and how their discoveries helped change the way we view the Cosmos. So, if you are wanting in depth analysis on Pulsars, Black Holes, our Solar System etc then this is not a work that focuses greatly on those elements. It does discuss these things but more as a secondary thread compared to the historical narrative.
Still, the sheer scope of this amazing book will mean that the reader will likely learn quite a few things you did not know about the discoveries made in the ancient world. Yes, this is about the Cosmos but much more from an historical review of how the great thinkers of the past shaped our understanding of things today.
A very enlightening read but some may decide to go elsewhere for more focused astronomical books.
17 people found this helpful
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- Jay
- 22-06-2020
A great book narrated poorly
This is one of the greatest books ever written, by on of the best minds, but we all know that; half of this audiobook the speakers are just talking about how great this book is; and what they are planning to add in the book...it was a real bore to wait till they spoke any actual substance...
14 people found this helpful
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- Bill
- 08-12-2019
Disappointing
Sadly I didn't think the narrator's voice did the book the justice it and I didn't enjoy listening to it.
9 people found this helpful
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- M J Crocker
- 29-05-2021
A classic text ruined by dreadful narration.
This is first time I've been beaten by an audio book and had to give up.
Carl Sagan's text is as timeless and beautifully written as ever. The science may now be out of date but the sense of wonder at the universe we inhabit and excitement about our potential future is every bit as valid now as it was when Cosmos was first published.
Unfortunately LeVar B delivers almost every sentence with a "Golly Gee Wilikers" breathlessness that makes it unlistenable. I managed to finish three chapters but found his delivery overshadowed what he was saying and made it near impossible to focus on Sagan's underlying explanation, message and conclusions.
Very disappointed.
3 people found this helpful
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- Honest Dude
- 03-08-2017
Journey of the cosmos interlaced with history
Would you listen to Cosmos again? Why?
I would probably only listen to a couple of chapters again.
Have you listened to any of the narrators’s other performances? How does this one compare?
No
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Aspects of this book, I would definitely want to listen to in one sitting.
Any additional comments?
This is a great book. Whilst the subject matter is focused on the cosmos and everything to do with it. Carl Sagan does a brilliant job of seamlessly interlacing the subject matter with other branches of sciences not directly related. He introduces other discussions and areas without you as the listener noticing until you realise - hey what's that was interesting.
Carl does a very good job in providing explanations on the subject matter in a way that is generally easily understood, although for some of the more advanced concepts you will need to concentrate and have a presence of mind. Having said that, if this is the first book you listen to regarding the cosmos, it provides a great introduction.
I have listened to other astronomy books including Welcome to the Universe and I found that book to be very technical. I think this was due to the fact that it probably wasn't really suited for audio book format.
15 people found this helpful
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- P. Stewart
- 21-03-2018
Outdated unfortunately
It starts badly with introductory sessions that are patronising and justifying why they think the book is still relevant. I guess this was a warning!
Science and astronomy has moved apace....this material hasn’t. Combine that with melodramatic narration and the disappointment rises too high. Each sentence is treated like an Oscar winning delivery. It gets tiring.
Some great books are timeless. This is best left on the bookshelf of history. All too often you are left wondering how things are now...30 plus years later.
On the plus side....I didn’t pay full price ;)
10 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 02-09-2017
Profound and moving
I had very fond memories on the tv series linked to this book, and this Audible version did not disappoint. Its profound and often moving messages are still as relevant and important as when they were first written- possibly even more so. Sagan provided a real understanding of what is known about the universe, and an idea of what is left to be discovered. It delivers some stark messages on the dangers of nuclear war (if only Donald Trump could read!) but is an ultimately hopeful and almost spiritual book.
13 people found this helpful
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- JohnWK
- 24-12-2020
A good book ruined by the narration
It is dated a little but still very good and impressive content, as per its reputation. The problem is that it is absolutely ruined by the narration. Sometimes narration can be difficult in audio books but you can live with it and adjust. I am afraid here, however, the narration is so incompatible with the subject matter that it really distracts and I don't think I am going to be able to finish it as a result. Great shame.
2 people found this helpful
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- Mr Ribit
- 07-06-2018
Verbose
I think the writer was getting paid per page. I want to hear this stuff but it is very long-winded, story could be told in half as many words. I don't like the style of the narrator.
7 people found this helpful
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