Review
From the reviews:
"Dorminey hits the mark with the most up-to-date and complete account of the ongoing hunt for elusive extrasolar planets. With an eclectic narrative style equally fitting for a travel journal and a scientific monograph, Dorminey injects his personal experiences with planet hunters, their prey, their weapons, adn their hopes and fears throughout each chapter of Distant Wanderers...It's an enjoyable book for both armchair enthusiasts and astronomy professionals... DW is perhaps most impressive for its efficiency...In the end, DW leaves you feeling in the know about the search for distant planets and all that it entails, now and in the future." Astronomy Magazine: "
"This book could not have been written 10 years ago...The informality of the writing and accounts of personal visits to far-off places like Chile or Mauna Kea in Hawaii help put the reader at ease . . . As the searches for extra-solar planets grew, it was necessary that some non-technical account for the layperson appear in print. By writing a very readable account, Bruce Dorminey has filled a much-needed slot." Current Science:
"In his first book, Bruce Dorminey a ] brings us up to date on the revolution raging in astronomy. a ] In his book, Dorminey takes us to some of the worlda (TM)s prominent observatories, from Chile to Hawaii to France, explaining to the lay reader the astounding discoveries announced (almost literally) each day. a ] As a survey a ] a ~Distant Wanderersa (TM) conveys to the non-specialist something of the excitement of the recent finds. Awaiting us, ita (TM)s clear, is nothing less than a universe of wonders." (Doug Wyatt, Savannah Morning News, January, 2002)
"Dormineylooks at the history, methods, and future of extrasolar planet hunting. ... He makes the science seem simple enough for lay readers to grasp and explains the strengths and limitations of each method. a ] Dorminey himself wandered to far-off places, meeting the scientists and visiting the telescopes that are searching for extrasolar planets. His reports on his travels make the book much more human, interesting, and also tell us something about the writer. Buy this book and read it. I learned and enjoyed." (Linda Mamassian, SETI Central, 2001)
"A veteran science journalist, Dorminey writes from the front lines of this fast-growing field of modern astronomy. He explains what has already been found out and what might be found out in the future. a ] USA Today said that this book provides a ~ a short course in one of the most exciting areas of astronomical discovery.a (TM) a ] I certainly look forward to reading further books by this talented science journalist." (Allen Tough, SETI League, December, 2002)
"Recent discoveries of Jovian-mass planets a ] have completely revolutionized our understanding of the origin and evolution of planetary systems. a ] Dorminey has very nicely chronicled this sudden and dramatic change in our thinking with his book Distant Wanderers. a ] The technical details are set off in the text, and can easily be skipped by those who prefer. The narrative style is light and easy to read. I found Distance Wanderers to be well-researched and to be quite well written and entertaining." (William Cochran, Meteoritics & Planetary Science, Vol. 36, 2001)
"This book focuses on the current race among astronomers to identify planets orbiting stars other than the sun. Thenarrative, written by a science journalist, is based on an extensive series of interviews with leading astronomers. It conveys the excitement of rapid scientific discovery as technology opens up new opportunities. The book also delves into the impact of these a ~distant wanderersa (TM) on theories of planet formation and possible fingerprints of another living planet." (Geotimes, November, 2002)
"This book is written without equations in a style that should be accessible to the interested non-specialist. a ] The author is a journalist and the writing reflects this style. It is an appropriate style for this story. a ] While clearly aimed at a general audience, this book is a good, easy-to-read review of the various approaches and technologies in extrasolar planet detection and provides an excellent introduction; one that I recommend for all graduate students beginning in this field." (Christopher P. McKay, EOS, August, 2002)
"In a refreshing and accessible narrative, veteran science journalist Bruce Dorminey explains whata (TM)s already been found out and whata (TM)s likely to be found out as astronomers gaze even further and more keenly into space. a ] In interviews with dozens of key astronomers a ] and other scientists, the author shows us how the a ] global search for new planets is opening up a great new frontier. a ] This is his first book and I may say keep it up! It is well written and well illustrated." (Europe & Astronomy, Issue R920, 2003)
"Dorminey touches the findings of scientists like ancient Egypta (TM)s Ptolemy as well as the contemporary a ] evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould to give a rich context for this a ~state of the arta (TM) anthology. a ]Dorminey provides an admirable synthesis of the quest for a ~extra-solara (TM) planets. His eye for pertinent detail is keen. a ] Dorminey hits all the marks for pacing, and he deftly shifts between spinning a great yarn and providing nonspecialist readers a ] with enough technical information to read intelligently." (Renee Guillory, Arizona Daily Sun, January, 2002)
"Dorminey is a journalist who writes about astronomy. a ] He has demonstrated a wide knowledge and deep understanding of research activities currently going on in the field of extra polar planet detection. At the same time, his well developed writing skills combined with a refreshing style (not lacking fine sense of humor) and a many year journalistic experience, are a guarantee that the reader will be presented with an excellent book which is easy to read and provides a comprehensive review of its topic." (Jovan Skuljan, Southern Stars, Vol. 41 (4), 2002)
"Over the past few years, the number of planets known to orbit stars other than the sun has grown to more than 100. In Distance Wanderers a ] journalist Bruce Dorminey portrays this avalanche of discovery as a very human business. a ] Overall, the book provides an engaging portrait of what drives the people who pursue this fascinating new area of scientific endeavor, and of the remote and spectacular places where they do it." (Sue Bowler, Astronomy & Geophysics, Vol. 44, 2003)
"Excellent account a ] of the transnational efforts to locate planets circling other stars a ] . Dormineya (TM)s narrative is first and foremost a history of a feverish hunt that has led to so many fascinating discoveries in recent years. a ] Dorminey excels in bringing the individual planet hunters to life. He knows many of them personally and we get a real feel for their ambitions a ] . Highly readable and generously peppered with useful definitions Distant Wanderers has the mark of all great books on cosmology." (Adrian Cosgrove, The Mathematical Gazette, Vol. 86 (507), 2002)
"The search for planets beyond the Solar System is one of the most exciting and fast-moving areas of science, and this book does capture the excitement. a ] The book is at its strongest in its treatment of the history of the subject, and in its comprehensive account of current developments and future plans, where it relies heavily on a large number of interviews with scientists a ] . It is a a ~good reada (TM), in a journalistic style a ] ." (Barrie W. Jones, Earth, Moon & Planets, Vol. 88, 2002)
"The book is primarily aimed at non specialists, but practicing scientists, including astronomers, will find the narrative very interesting and sometimes offering a perspective that is unfamiliar to professionals. a ] discoveries and technological developments, currently taking place and being planned for the future, in the search for extra-solar planets, are narrated by the author, Bruce Dorminey, in simple language and lucid style. a ] The book is a ] well written and succeeds in communicating the excitement of the hunt for the distant wanderers." (H. C. Bhatt, Bulletin of the Astrological Society of India, Issue 30, 2002)
"Science journalist Bruce Dormineya (TM)s new book a ] is a good read for those who want to find out more about planets a ] . Bruce Dorminey is well qualified to write on the subject of planets as he has been covering the search for extra-solar planets for the past six years. a ] His light-hearted approach makes the book enjoyable to read and his sometimes irreverent style strips away the mystery surrounding astronomers and astrophysicists a ] . this is a good book to read." (ESA Portal, April, 2002)
"Written by a science writer for that public, it takes a whirlwind tour of the people and places involved. a ] Of course, it all depends on the writing a" and Dorminey has pulled it off. a ] the excitement of the writing, the well-thought-out balance between people and science, between the details and the grand sweep, between the enthusiasm and the daunting practicalities. a ] The readers of this magazine, professional and amateur astronomers, can read this book with pleasure a ] ." (Alan Penny, The Observatory, Vol. 122 (1169), 2002)
"A flood of new books describing the exciting search for planets beyond the Solar System has hit the book shops. a ] Bruce Dorminey presents the most concise and up-to-date version of this ongoing search. a ] Distant Wanderers manages to present a friendly and scientifically accurate picture of this exciting frontier of human knowledge a ] . This is a highly engaging text that manages to accurately convey the sense of awe and wonder that comes with the contemplation of planetary systems beyond our reaches." (Neil English, Astronomy Now, September, 2002)
"Science journalist Dorminey gives a lucid and enjoyable account of the search for planets
The San Diego Union Tribune, 26/12/01
"Science journalist Dorminey traces the surprisingly competitive business of planet-hunting... and whether humans are, in fact, not alone in the universe."
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