Kingdom of the Sun

by Isaac Asimov

Знаменитый писатель-фантаст, ученый с мировым именем, великий популяризатор науки, автор около 500 научно-популярных, фантастических, детективных, исторических и юмористических издании приглашает вас в увлекательное путешествие от истоков представления об устройстве Солнечной системы до перспектив развития науки будущего.

В книге рассматривается, как на протяжении тысяч лет менялись взгляды человечества, начиная с Древнего Вавилона до наших дней. Длительное время господствовала геоцентрическая теория, но которой Земля находилась в центре Вселенной, этой теории придерживались Аристотель и Птолемей. Вы узнаете, как совершались научные открытия, о мучительных поисках истины великими учеными, о современных парадоксальных гипотезах. И можем ли мы быть уверены в том, что наше представление о строении Вселенной верно?

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Works of prolific Russian-American writer Isaac Asimov include popular explanations of scientific principles, The Foundation Trilogy (1951-1953), and other volumes of fiction.

Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.

Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).

People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.

Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.

Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...

Reviews

[John Peel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was published in 1962, so it's rather dated - but since it's about the history of the discovery of the Solar System that really doesn't matter. Nobody explains anything (especially science) the way that Asimov always could. A thoroughly entertaining read.

[Liedzeit Liedzeit · Rating 3 out of 5]

A history of astronomy. A bit on the pale side. It is Asimov, but not Asimov at his best. And I have read it a million times before (slightly exaggerating). He wanted to write many books. Which is fine, but why so many on Astronomy - instead of History?

[Ashish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple chronological history of study of the universe, a good read for introduction to wonders of astronomy.