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Scientific American
[Levy] skillfully describes Shoemaker's work and sharply delineates his strong personality
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Booklist
A warm profile of an unpretentious, significant scientist. . . .
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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DO YOU THREE ever have a comet!" Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
DO YOU THREE ever have a comet!" Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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4 reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
A mark on the Earth and ashes on the moon.
6 Jan 2001
Format:Hardcover
Soon after pieces of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 began impacting Jupiter, I checked Jupiter with my 3.5" telescope and was delighted to see impact spots. Just a day before astronomers were fearful that there would be no visible trace of the impact and of the reaction of the media to the "non-event".
Somehow I didn't take time to reflect on the "rightness" that the comet was discovered by the scientist most responsible for our current understanding of past and future impacts on the Earth. I guess it just seemed obvious that Shoemaker was the one to find the comet. (Actually, his wife Carolyn was the first to see it on film Gene and David Levy exposed.)
The day after his death I heard of the idea to include some of his ashes on the Lunar Prospector satellite that was soon to launch, orbit, and eventually crash on the moon. While I instantly recognized what a wonderful idea that was, my memory was fuzzy on his long contribution to lunar exploration.
Levy's biography is a wonderful summary of the Shoemakers' life and contributions to astrogeology. Shoemaker will be remembered as one of the most important scientists of the 20th century. Shoemaker's enthusiasm for geology was a key to his success and Levy concentrates on that, leaving the technical aspects to the bibliography. The result is a book anyone can read and all can learn from.
Five stars, several asteroids, and dozens of comets!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Should Be A Big Hit
26 Dec 2001
Format:Hardcover
This is an excellent (and probably the only) bio of Eugene Shoemaker, who nearly singlehandedly pioneered impact geology, and by doing so helped make modern, secular catastrophism palatable to scientists. On page 55 Levy quotes Stephen Gould (from "The Panda's Thumb") regarding the origin of gradualism as "a common cultural bias"; discusses Cuvier's near miss regarding the source of catastrophes attested throughout the fossil record (pp 51-52); and most nobly and notably, recounted with pretty good accuracy the central thesis of Velikovsky's Worlds in Collision without resorting to the childish distortions and namecalling found in most books which mention Velikovsky at all. This factual, non-inflammatory mention of Velikovsky and what may be the most controversial non-political work of the 20th century reveals Levy as a man of reason, courage, and character.
This biography is highly recommended.
Also recommended:
-:- "Dark Matter" by Thomas Van Flandern
-:- "The Deep Hot Biosphere" by Thomas Gold
-:- "Voices of the Rocks" by Robert Schoch et al
-:- "Night Comes to the Cretaceous" by James Lawrence Powell
-:- "Rain of Iron and Ice" by John S. Lewis
-:- "T Rex and the Crater of Doom" by Walter Alvarez
-:- "Noah's Flood" by Walter C. Pitman and William B. F. Ryan
-:- "Catastrophe: A Quest for the Origins of the Modern World" by David Keys
-:- "Worlds In Collision" by Immanuel Velikovsky
-:- "Earth in Upheaval" by Immanuel Velikovsky
This biography is highly recommended.
Also recommended:
-:- "Dark Matter" by Thomas Van Flandern
-:- "The Deep Hot Biosphere" by Thomas Gold
-:- "Voices of the Rocks" by Robert Schoch et al
-:- "Night Comes to the Cretaceous" by James Lawrence Powell
-:- "Rain of Iron and Ice" by John S. Lewis
-:- "T Rex and the Crater of Doom" by Walter Alvarez
-:- "Noah's Flood" by Walter C. Pitman and William B. F. Ryan
-:- "Catastrophe: A Quest for the Origins of the Modern World" by David Keys
-:- "Worlds In Collision" by Immanuel Velikovsky
-:- "Earth in Upheaval" by Immanuel Velikovsky
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Shoemaker by Levy
8 Mar 2001
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
A truly delightful book about the premiere scientist. The book takes you from the early days when Gene was a kid collecting rocks in a jar, to his prominent role with the Apollo project to the seach for asteroids. Levy writes in such a way that you almost feel that you were friends with the man. Looking over his shoulder as he takes college kids on field trips to Meteor Crater and in the control room for the Voyager missions. I never knew Gene was involved in so many aspects of astronomy. Anyone who relishes science biographies should not miss this one.
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