Podcast
StarTalk Radio book recommendations
Science, pop culture, and comedy collide on StarTalk Radio! Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and Director of New York's Hayden Planetarium, and his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities, and scientific experts explore astronomy, physics, and everything else there is to know about life in the universe. New episodes premiere Tuesdays. Keep Looking Up! Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcast…
Latest mentions
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Flatland
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The Joy of X
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Ideas and opinions, by albert einstein
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Ideas And Opinions
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The Martian
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The God Particle
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Opticks
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The Secret Life of Dust
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I, Robot
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Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
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A True Story (English Edition)
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The elegant universe
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The Singularity Is Near
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Longitude
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The glass universe
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Mr. Tompkins in paperback
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Ben Franklin's Poor Richard's almanack for kids
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The handy answer book for kids (and parents)
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The Martian Chronicles
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Accessory to War
Most recommended on StarTalk Radio
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The elegant universe
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson routinely brought up "The elegant universe" by Brian Greene when featuring Greene as a guest or discussing modern physics. Tyson highlighted the book as Greene's mega-bestselling work that introduced readers to string theory, citing it alongside Greene's subsequent titles such as "The Fabric of the Cosmos." In an episode featuring physicist Brian Cox, Cox commended the book as a beautiful explanation of string theory. During interviews with Greene, Tyson referenced the text while engaging in playful debates over whether theoretical physicists favor string theory primarily because of its aesthetic elegance.
Discussed“I mean there was that if you go back you know a few decades you talk to Brian Green for example and when he started working in this area he would he's a friend of Star Talk he been onest several times he would have um it's great but the elegant universe is a beautiful description of string theory and”
Where to get it
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The Martian
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson and various guests frequently referenced Andy Weir's book The Martian when discussing space exploration, Mars simulation, and astrobiology. Across multiple episodes, Tyson and his guests mentioned protagonist Mark Watney to illustrate technical challenges like Martian soil fertility, the use of human waste as fertilizer, and the reliance on legacy equipment on the red planet. Guests also noted reading the book during NASA isolation simulations and acknowledged Weir's previous appearance on the show.
Discussed“We learned from Mark Wattney in the movie The Martian that you you just just slap some poop in there and and put a little seed in it.”
Where to get it
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Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson frequently referenced his book Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry, co-authored with Gregory Mone, as well as its predecessor Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. Across episodes in 2019 and 2024, Tyson joked about making cheap plugs for his current work, discussed the youth-oriented edition, and reflected on opening his books with the epigraph stating that the universe is under no obligation to make sense to the reader.
Discussed“Awesome, and that's called Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry. So there it is, there you go.”
Where to get it
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Cosmic Queries
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson frequently promoted his book Cosmic Queries, co-authored with James Trefil and published by National Geographic. Tyson explained that the book was inspired by the podcast's format, capturing deep listener questions and complex scientific topics. Throughout several episodes, he highlighted specific sections of the book, including chapters detailing how astronomers measure distances in the universe using the cosmic distance ladder and discussions regarding the expansion and ultimate fate of the universe.
Discussed“No, no, no, the lazy answer is our second StarTalk book published with National Geographic called Cosmic Queries, which has an entire section on how astronomers find distances to things in the universe, and it was called the distance ladder.”
Where to get it
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Letters from an Astrophysicist
Host Neil deGrasse Tyson featured his book "Letters from an Astrophysicist" across several episodes of StarTalk Radio. Tyson explained that the volume collects his private correspondence with the public, addressing deeply personal questions, existential angst, and reflections at the intersection of science and religion. During a Mother's Day special with his mother, Toni Tyson, he revealed that he dedicated the book to his parents in gratitude for their guidance in teaching him how to write. Tyson also noted that his discussions with readers included individuals sharing profound personal and spiritual experiences.
Discussed“But I'll tell you something; in my book Letters from an Astrophysicist, there's an entire chapter of me communicating with people who had religious experiences or deep thoughts at the intersection between religion and science! There's a whole chapter on that!”
Speaker The Intersection of Science and Religion with Neil deGrasse Tyson 2024-01-04 Listen at 22:30Where to get it
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The fabric of the cosmos
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson frequently referenced theoretical physicist Brian Greene's bestselling book "The Fabric of the Cosmos" across multiple episodes from 2017 to 2024. Tyson highlighted the work as a key follow-up to Greene's "The Elegant Universe" and recommended it as an accessible, popular-level account for budding cosmologists seeking to understand the nature of spacetime and the edge of modern scientific understanding.
Discussed“There’s another one, 'The Fabric of the Cosmos.'”
Where to get it
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Accessory to War
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson frequently discussed his book Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance between Astrophysics and the Military, co-authored with Avis Lang. In episodes such as Things You Thought You Knew About X-Rays, Rocket Science and Airplanes and X-ray Astrophysics with Neil deGrasse Tyson, Tyson referenced stories from the book regarding the historical relationship between astrophysics, national security, and the military origins of using X-rays in air travel.
Discussed“And we write about this in 'The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and the Military.'”
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Catching stardust
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson frequently discussed Natalie Starkey's book "Catching Stardust: Comets, Asteroids, and the Birth of the Solar System" with the author herself. Across episodes spanning from July 2019 to September 2023—including appearances tied to the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sampling mission—Tyson praised the book, recited its subtitle, and highlighted its role in explaining planetary science and the origins of the solar system.
Discussed“And a book a few years before that, back in 2018, Catching Stardust: Comets, Asteroids, and the Birth of the Solar System. Natalie: That's why we have you on now, because the space mission OSIRIS-REx is bringing back samples from an asteroid. Neil: Yeah, so was it a comet?”
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Death by black hole : and other cosmic quandaries
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson frequently referenced his book Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries. In several episodes, including one featuring Janna Levin, Tyson noted that specific essays and chapters from his scientific discussions originated in the book. He also teased upcoming literary projects and encouraged listeners to purchase the collection for deeper insights into cosmic topics.
Discussed“In fact, it's a chapter in my Death by Black Hole book!”
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Gravitation
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson and guests Kip Thorne and Brian Greene discussed the comprehensive physics textbook 'Gravitation' by Charles W. Misner, Kip Thorne, and John Wheeler across episodes in 2017, 2024. Tyson described the 1,200-page work as an encyclopedic and audacious book filled with equations on gravity and black holes, recommending it for advanced budding cosmologists. Thorne reflected on publishing the 1973 text shortly after Ray Weiss's seminal paper, while Greene acknowledged Wheeler's foundational role in its authorship.
Discussed“In this book published in 1973, we went to press just after Ray Weiss wrote his seminal paper, I had not yet really studied that paper fully.”
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Mr. Tompkins in paperback
Across multiple episodes of StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson and guests such as Brian Greene referenced the mid-20th-century illustrated book series by physicist George Gamow, often referred to as 'Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland' or 'Mr. Tompkins in paperback'. Tyson and his guests praised the books as a brilliant and charming early exploration of physics and imaginative hypothetical scenarios, specifically highlighting how Gamow playfully altered physical constants to illustrate complex scientific concepts.
Discussed“Now that being said, there's a book series called Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland written by a physicist, George Gamow, a mid-20th-century physicist; brilliant!”
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Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier
Across multiple episodes of StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson frequently referenced his book Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier. Tyson discussed the origin and final selection of the book's title during segments on the space race and cosmic queries. He also used anecdotes from his writing, noting how a chapter from one of his books explored the universal application of the laws of physics on Earth and beyond, while promoting Space Chronicles as a comprehensive look at space exploration.
Discussed“So, I settled on the title "Space Chronicles: Facing "the Ultimate Frontier."”
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The Right Stuff
Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff was discussed on StarTalk Radio across multiple episodes between September 2017 and March 2021. Guests such as astronaut Scott Kelly shared that reading the book during childhood was a major inspiration that drove him to become a better student and fly in the navy, noting that the book was far more significant to his life than its film adaptation.
Discussed“but uh you know regarding the book the right stuff uh the movie you mentioned the movie i think i maybe maybe saw it once Really the book was much more significant uh part of my life really was what's inspired me to become a better student and uh to go on and fly in the in the navy and”
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Black hole blues
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson frequently referenced Janna Levin's book Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space across multiple episodes. In an episode titled Relativity Round-up, Tyson introduced Levin by citing the book as one of his favorites. In subsequent episodes, such as Cosmic Queries and Celebrating Einstein, Tyson and Levin discussed the work in connection with her expertise on the large-scale universe, black holes, and the scientific quest to measure gravitational waves through LIGO.
Discussed“And also one of my favorites, 'Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space.'”
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Contact
On StarTalk Radio, Carl Sagan's novel Contact was discussed in relation to the search for alien life and science fiction adaptations. Guest Kip Thorne recalled reviewing the book in page proofs for scientific accuracy prior to publication. David Grinspoon and Neil deGrasse Tyson both highlighted how the novel differs from its late-1990s film adaptation by maintaining the mystery and never actually revealing the aliens.
Discussed“And he said that he wanted, uh, that he had written--he'd already written this book, the novel; it was already in page proofs, and he said, 'I've got this novel, it's in page proof; the publisher is not going to be happy if I change it!”
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How the Universe Got Its Spots
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson frequently highlighted Janna Levin and her work. In the episode "Relativity Round-up: StarTalk Live! With Janna Levin," Tyson praised "How the Universe Got Its Spots" as one of his favorite reads. He mentioned the title again during "Neil deGrasse Tyson & Janna Levin Answer Mind-Blowing Fan Questions" while prompting Levin to recall her books, and briefly referenced her writing during "Cosmic Queries – Origins of the Universe with Janna Levin."
Discussed“So one of them is 'How the Universe Got Its Spots.' How the Universe Got Its Spots!”
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The Andromeda Strain
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson and guests discussed Michael Crichton's science fiction works, specifically highlighting 'The Andromeda Strain'. Tyson noted that it was Crichton's first novel and breakthrough book, mentioning its thematic exploration of space dust brought back to Earth and its connection to planetary protection concepts.
Discussed“There have been many books, but I think Michael Crichton's first novel was The Andromeda Strain. Oh, was it? Okay, I think it was where there's a piece of space dust that we captured and brought back to Earth.”
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A Brief History of Time
Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time was discussed on StarTalk Radio in September 2022. During a Cosmic Queries episode, host Neil deGrasse Tyson shared an anecdote from the book's original Cambridge Press editor, who reportedly warned Hawking that his audience would be cut in half for every mathematical equation he included. The book was also mentioned in a January 2020 episode by a speaker who listed it among popular science works by authors like Carl Sagan that he had enjoyed reading.
Discussed“Actually, it wasn't just a rumor; I heard it from the person who said it that the original editor for Stephen Hawking's 'A Brief History of Time' at Cambridge Press warned him that for every equation he put in that book, the available audience would be cut in half.”
Where to get it
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Black Hole Survival Guide
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed Janna Levin's book Black Hole Survival Guide. Tyson highlighted the book while introducing Levin and reviewing her published works on physics and astronomy.
Discussed“Okay, the other one was 'Black Hole Survival Guide.' The Black Hole Blues, excellent!”
Where to get it
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Delusions of Space Enthusiasts
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson referenced his book on space enthusiasts across different episodes. On the August 28, 2017 episode titled Party with the StarTalk All-Stars and Neil deGrasse Tyson, and later on the September 26, 2019 episode titled Cosmic Queries – The New Space Race with Neil deGrasse Tyson, Tyson explained that he wrote a book exploring the topic and mentioned the original title he wanted to use, which was Failure to Launch: The Dreams and Delusions of Space Enthusiasts.
Discussed“So I wrote a whole book on this that I wanted to call "Failure to Launch: "The Dreams and Delusions of Space Enthusiasts."”
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Dune
Frank Herbert's novel Dune was referenced across multiple episodes of StarTalk Radio. In a 2019 episode, Chuck Liu identified a character nickname from the book, while in a 2024 episode, host Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed a disagreement he and Stephen Colbert had regarding the physics of the sand worm at the world premiere.
Discussed“Uh, so I got into a little dust-up on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert because we had both seen Dune! We went to the world premiere, and I didn't hang out with him there, but we saw each other!”
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Einstein
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson listed Walter Isaacson's biography of 'Einstein' among the author's best-selling biographies on April 29, 2021. Earlier, on July 17, 2017, guest Godfrey mentioned reading Isaacson's biography of Einstein during the program.
Discussed“you've got the best-selling biographies of leonardo da vinci einstein steve jobs benjamin franklin and benjamin frank”
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Fire and Ice
On StarTalk Radio in 2023, host Neil deGrasse Tyson and a listener named Connor Home celebrated Natalie Starkey's book "Fire and Ice: The Volcanoes of the Solar System." Tyson highlighted the upcoming paperback release and noted that the show had previously dedicated an entire episode to its subject matter.
Discussed“You've written two of my favorite books that are out there: Fire and Ice: The Volcanoes of the Solar System. We did a whole show on that. We talked about ice volcanoes!”
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Jurassic Park
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson mentioned Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton across two separate episodes. On May 17, 2021, in the episode Alternative Aliens with Andy Weir and David Grinspoon, and again on November 22, 2019, in the episode Vaccines – Let’s Make America Smart Again with Neil deGrasse Tyson, the host referenced the novel while discussing The Andromeda Strain, identifying Michael Crichton as the author of both works.
Discussed“Well the same guy who wrote jurassic park”
Where to get it
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Kids Travel Journal
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed books across various episodes, including a Mother's Day special in May 2020 and an astronomy episode in January 2023. While the metadata references 'Kids Travel Journal,' the actual conversations featured Tyson and his mother discussing his own published works and legacy, the historical affordability of remaindered books from his childhood, and antique 18th-century astronomy texts detailing the classification of planets.
Discussed“So I have books from that period, the late 1700s to early 1800s, where the enumeration of planets is very clear. We know Earth is also a planet, right?”
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Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica
Sir Isaac Newton's seminal work Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica was referenced across multiple episodes of StarTalk Radio. In a May 2024 episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson highlighted the book while discussing historical eclipse observations, while in an August 2019 episode, Charles Liu mentioned it as the text where Newton first demonstrated the mathematical principles of orbital motion.
Discussed“Newton's greatest work is called Principia! So they're off the coast of Principe, and they're observing the eclipse!”
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Project Hail Mary
Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary was discussed on StarTalk Radio. In the April 22, 2023 episode, Ariel Ekblaw shared a recent technological development inspired by the book, noting the work of a group called Gravity Labs. In the May 17, 2021 episode, Neil Tyson introduced a recorded clip with author Andy Weir by explicitly stating the title of his book.
Discussed“And a quick fun recent update: there's a group called Gravity Labs that's looking at making real a technology that was described in Hail Mary, Andy Weir's latest book. We love Andy Weir; he's a friend!”
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The glass universe
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed Dava Sobel's book 'The Glass Universe' in the context of the significant historical contributions and struggles of female astronomers.
Discussed“give buy me the subtitle what was it the true story of a lone genius who solved the greatest scientific problem of his time oh no I'm buying that book”
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The Science of Interstellar
On the November 14, 2017 episode of StarTalk Radio, titled StarTalk Podcast: New Mysteries of the Universe, Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed "The Science of Interstellar" by Kip Thorne. Tyson mentioned the publication while noting that Thorne served as one of the authors of the companion book written to accompany the movie Interstellar.
Discussed“Yeah, well, I'd put it a little differently; I saw it as a superb opportunity to use this film as a motivator and to get people interested or intrigued in science, and then there would be a bridge to the science through this book.”
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The Singularity Is Near
On StarTalk Radio, Ray Kurzweil's book 'The Singularity Is Near' and its updated version, 'The Singularity Is Nearer', came up in discussions. On February 22, 2024, Peter Diamandis shared a story about carrying the book while trekking and mentioned Kurzweil's new release. Later, on January 25, 2025, the host similarly noted the updated title of the book during a conversation on consciousness.
Discussed“I as you as you surely know Ray Kur had an updated version of his book The Singularity is near and guess what the new title is called... it's called The Singularity is nearer”
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The Sky Is Not The Limit
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up his book 'The Sky Is Not The Limit' during a February 2024 conversation about mushrooms, noting that he had written about them in a book published a few years prior. In an earlier September 2019 episode, co-host Ray read the full title of a related book by Tyson concerning astrophysics and the military.
Discussed“So Bryn, this question better be true about mushrooms being the largest organism because I wrote about that in my book I put out a couple years ago, so I’m listening!”
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The Sports Gene
On StarTalk Radio, David Epstein's book "The Sports Gene" was mentioned in discussions concerning the genetic foundations of exceptional athletic performance. In episodes from July 2014 and April 2019 featuring live shows with Neil deGrasse Tyson, Mayim Bialik and other speakers referenced the book to illustrate how Olympic athletes operate at a completely different physiological level than ordinary individuals due to underlying genetic factors.
Discussed“There's this book the sports gene, that talks about sort of the exceptional athletic ability, that we don't really think about, when we see Olympic athletes. They're at a whole different physiological level, than we even would think about.”
Where to get it
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Undeniable
On StarTalk Radio, Bill Nye's book was mentioned in December 2024 and May 2015. Neil deGrasse Tyson asked Nye about the title of his climate change book during a catch-up conversation, and Nye also referenced the text himself while discussing the concept of the Singularity and robot uprisings.
Discussed“You have a whole book on it! What’s the name of that book? Undeniable!”
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Venus revealed
David Harry Grinspoon's book 'Venus Revealed' was mentioned on StarTalk Radio by host Neil deGrasse Tyson. Tyson acknowledged Grinspoon as the author of the definitive book on Venus during discussions concerning planetary science and astrobiology.
Discussed“So that book was called 'Venus Revealed.' There you go, okay.”
Where to get it
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... Trotzdem Ja zum Leben sagen
On the June 9, 2023 episode of StarTalk Radio titled Cosmic Queries – Science of Survival, a listener named Aaron Rosenberg referenced Viktor E. Frankl's book Man's Search for Meaning. The listener quoted the author's premise that individuals are challenged to change themselves when they can no longer alter a situation, prompting the host to ask Dr. Tan for his insights on the idea in relation to survival scenarios.
Discussed“Aaron Rosenberg wrote in: Victor Frankl wrote in 'Man's Search for Meaning' that when we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. Dr. Tan, with this and your experiences in mind, what was a survival situation that surprised you the most in terms of digging deep and confronting yourself?”
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A madman dreams of Turing machines
During the May 14, 2024, episode of StarTalk Radio titled "Neil deGrasse Tyson & Janna Levin Answer Mind-Blowing Fan Questions," guest Janna Levin discussed her novel "A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines" in response to a question from Neil deGrasse Tyson, remarking that the book's title might be too long.
Discussed“So what's the novel? A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines. Maybe the title's too long.”
Where to get it
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A primate's memoir
During the March 12, 2024, episode of StarTalk Radio titled Do We Have Free Will? with Robert Sapolsky, guest Robert M. Sapolsky talked about his book A primate's memoir. Sapolsky described the publication as a not-even-marginally scientific book that he cranked out, consisting of stories gathered from over thirty years spent hanging out with baboons in various locations across East Africa.
Discussed“Oh, it's sort of one of my not-even-marginally scientific books that I cranked out; it's called 'A Primate's Memoir.' Basically, just stories of the 30 odd years hanging out with baboons in various places in East Africa.”
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A Survival Guide to the Misinformation Age
On StarTalk Radio in the episode StarTalk Podcast: Neil deGrasse Tyson on Science Literacy in the Misinformation from May 22, 2020, the host, Neil deGrasse Tyson, introduced his guest, David Helfand, and mentioned his book by title, A Survival Guide to the Misinformation Age, while discussing science literacy.
Discussed“so he's got this book a survival guide to the misinformation age”
Where to get it
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A True Story (English Edition)
On StarTalk Radio, Charles Liu brought up A True Story by Lucian of Samosata during a forward-looking prediction episode with Neil deGrasse Tyson. Liu noted that Lucian is credited with writing this ancient science fiction novel.
Discussed“that's the name of the Lucan is the name of the person who wrote is credited with writing a science fiction novel called a true story”
Where to get it
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Alien Earths
During the July 9, 2024 episode of StarTalk Radio titled Astrophysicists Discuss Whether JWST Discovered Alien Exoplanets, the host brought up Lisa Kaltenegger's book. Kaltenegger confirmed that the topics discussed on the show were covered in her book, Alien Earths: The New Science of Planet Hunting in the Cosmos.
Discussed“Did you put all that in your book? Alien Earths: The New Science of Planet Hunting in the Cosmos! Ooh!”
Where to get it
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Alien Oceans
On the November 5, 2024 episode of StarTalk Radio titled Will We Meet Our Alien Neighbors in 2031?, host Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up Kevin Hand's book Alien Oceans. Tyson referenced the title during a conversation about the search for extraterrestrial life, focusing on the exploration of water worlds and subsurface oceans in our solar system.
Discussed“It is, and my God, just at the dawn of co, you had a book by that title. That's right, Alien Oceans.”
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American Prometheus
On StarTalk Radio in September 2023, host Neil deGrasse Tyson welcomed guest Kai Bird and discussed the biography American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, co-authored by Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. Tyson highlighted the 2005 publication date and noted that the book served as the foundational source for Christopher Nolan's film Oppenheimer.
Discussed“He's the author of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of Jay Robert Oppenheimer, on which Christopher Nolan's hit movie Oppenheimer is based.”
Where to get it
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Angels & Demons
On the October 15, 2024 episode of StarTalk Radio titled The Sounds of Space | StarTalk Live! at Guild Hall, host Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up Dan Brown's novel Angels & Demons. Tyson identified it as the second novel in Brown's popular series and referenced it while discussing a storyline involving the Catholic Church.
Discussed“Uh, in the film 'Angels and Demons,' oh, I like that one! Yeah, the Dan Brown second novel of that series. It reports that the Catholic Church, oh, that's right!”
Where to get it
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Archaeology from Space
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson welcomed guest Sarah Parcak in an episode to discuss her 2019 book, 'Archaeology from Space: How the Future Shapes Our Past.' Tyson highlighted Parcak's academic credentials and explicitly discussed the premise of her book published with Henry Holt, which explores how satellite technology aids in discovering hidden historical sites and temples.
Discussed“And recently you have a book, sensibly titled 'Archaeology from Space: How the Future Shapes Our Past'.”
Where to get it
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Ben Franklin's Poor Richard's almanack for kids
During the December 24, 2024 episode of StarTalk Radio titled Talking Aliens with NASA UAP Chair, David Spergel, host Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up Ben Franklin's Poor Richard's almanack for kids by Benjamin Franklin. Tyson quoted a famous line from the work, noting that three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead, to highlight the difficulty of keeping secrets and relate it to government agencies hiding alien evidence.
Discussed“My favorite quote is from Ben Franklin from Poor Richard's Almanack, yes he said, three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead!”
Where to get it
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Berlin
During an episode of StarTalk Radio titled The Neuroscience of Depression with Neil deGrasse Tyson & Heather Berlin, guest Heather Berlin talked about her book Berlin by Rory MacLean in a conversational context. She mentioned that she had another book in development which she described as a to be continued project. Berlin told listeners that she would share more details about the upcoming work in the near future.
Discussed“There is also a book in the works, which is like a 'to be continued,' and I will talk more about it soon, but keep a lookout.”
Where to get it
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Between a Rock and a Hard Place
On the StarTalk Radio episode titled Cosmic Queries – Science of Survival, released on June 9, 2023, the host discussed the book Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston. The host mentioned that Ralston wrote the book about his harrowing experience of having to amputate his own arm to survive, and used the story to prompt a guest with a scientific question about survival.
Discussed“The dude wrote a book, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, where he had to cut off his arm. Yes! So is that possible?”
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Biggest Ideas in the Universe
On an episode of StarTalk Radio titled Neil deGrasse Tyson and Sean Carroll Discuss Controversies in Quantum Mechanics from 2024-07-23, host Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed Sean M. Carroll's work. Tyson referred to the first book in the author's trilogy as Space-Time in Motion, which he described as covering classical physics, and clarified that Biggest Ideas in the Universe is the second book in the series.
Discussed“So if this is a trilogy, the first big ideas book was called Space-Time in Motion, which is like publishers speak for classical physics, regular ordinary armchair physics. Isaac Newton physics, yeah, Isaac Newton physics and Albert Einstein for that matter, he was the star. Isn't it funny at this point, Albert Einstein is the old physics, classical physics, now”
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Billions and billions
On the July 9, 2024 episode of StarTalk Radio titled "Astrophysicists Discuss Whether JWST Discovered Alien Exoplanets," the hosts discussed Carl Sagan's book "Billions and Billions." The conversation noted that after people repeatedly associated the famous phrase with Sagan, he ultimately titled his book after it and later addressed the catchphrase directly on a show.
Discussed“You did say billions and billions; the man wrote a book called 'Billions and Billions.' After everybody kept saying it, and then he went on to the show, right, and said 'Okay, now I say it officially.' So do you know who first said 'billions and billions'?”
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Black holes and time warps
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed 'Black holes and time warps' by Kip S. Thorne in an August 2024 episode. Tyson praised Thorne as a famous relativist who possessed a gifted writing style capable of making complex scientific concepts very clear. Tyson explicitly mentioned the full title, 'Black Holes and Time Warps: Einstein's Outrageous Legacy,' while highlighting Thorne's authority on the subject.
Discussed“There's a book from the 1990s by Kip Thorne, probably the most famous relativist in the world, but also very gifted for writing and for making things very, very clear!”
Where to get it
Host picks
- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
- I, Robot
- Ideas And Opinions
- Ideas and opinions, by albert einstein
- Longitude
- Opticks
- The glass universe
- The God Particle
- The Martian
- The Secret Life of Dust
- The Singularity Is Near
Guest picks
Guests who recommended books
Latest mentions
“I happen to have a copy right here on my desk. Oh. Oh, really? That's great. Yeah, I've got one over on the shelf over here. So this is this is a very classic book where um the author had you imagine a world that's just two-dimensional.”
“Oh, that's a beautiful title. Yeah, Quantum Magazine. So, the story is my friend Steve Strogats, who's the original host of the show. It's a by Quantum Magazine from the Simons Foundation, wonderful science magazine. His book was called The Joy of X Mathematician.”
“No, if you read his pideas and opinions, it's a book, right?”
“No, if you read his pideas and opinions, it's a book, right?”
“and in fact you might need those to beam signals back to earth the way uh matt damon mark watney yeah his name mark watney yeah yeah yeah so you need those”
“There's a book called the God particle written about the higs boson that was written decades ago because we knew that should be there”
“Isaac Newton in his book Optics published 1704 wrote it in English so that like regular people could could read it... at the end of his book he has a section called queries”
“Hannah Holmes wrote The Secret Life of dust from the cosmos to the kitchen table great title”
“this is the same with Isaac asimov's ey robot which predates the Jetson”
“yes based on a novel by do Android's Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K dick”
“that's the name of the Lucan is the name of the person who wrote is credited with writing a science fiction novel called a true story”
“Among them, "The Fabric of the Universe", "Fabric of the Cosmos", "The Elegant Universe", and, your third of those was what?”
“Long story; I was carrying Ray's book, 'The Singularity is Near,' which is an interesting title, and he just came out with a new book, 'The Singularity is Nearer.'”
“I think most people came to know you through your I don't know if it's your first book but the first book that did really really well of course and that was uh the chronometer story longitude longitude yes uh the story The subtitle you know if you if you read the title in the subtitle's book you say I”
“They died in poverty, penurious, and a book highlighting their care—Dava Sobel focused on this, right? Called 'The Glass Universe'?”
“Written by George Gamow. So George Gamow wrote a series--”
“My favorite quote is from Ben Franklin from Poor Richard's Almanack, yes he said, three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead!”
“There's the handy answer book, which is a series.”
“I read somewhere in the Space Chronicles book that they would need to hold the antimatter in a chamber made of antimatter so it wouldn't have to interact with the matter.”
“no no the title is Failure to Launch”