Podcast
StarTalk Radio book list: the books mentioned on the show
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…
Books from the latest episodes
Most recommended on StarTalk Radio
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Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland
George Gamow's Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland was discussed across multiple episodes of StarTalk Radio by host Neil deGrasse Tyson between 2021 and 2025. Tyson recommended the classic illustrated series and brought it up in conversations with guests to explore playful hypothetical scenarios involving altered physical constants and fundamental laws of nature.
Discussed“So maybe you were familiar with George Gammo's Mr. Tommpkins and Wonderland. I don't know if you I'm a little older than you, so I don't know if this was around in your day, but George Gammo Mr. Wonderland was a place where the laws of physics were different simply by the physical constants being different.”
Where to get it
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The elegant universe
Brian Greene's bestselling book 'The Elegant Universe' was frequently discussed on StarTalk Radio by host Neil deGrasse Tyson and various guests. Tyson regularly introduced Greene as a theoretical physicist and recommended the book to answer listener questions about string theory and modern physics. Other physicists and guests, such as Brian Cox and Elise Crull, also referenced the work as a beautifully written description of complex theoretical concepts and the pursuit of elegance in science.
Discussed“In class the other day, I was reading The Elegant Universe. That's Brian Green, right? Brian Green. Yes. Bestselling book.”
Where to get it
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Contact
Carl Sagan's novel Contact was discussed on StarTalk Radio by Neil deGrasse Tyson and various guests. Tyson referenced the book while explaining how prime numbers and radio waves are used in signals to search for extraterrestrial intelligence, and when discussing space exploration and wormholes. Kip Thorne mentioned that Sagan's book was in page proofs when they spoke about scientific accuracy, and David Grinspoon discussed how the novel differed from the film adaptation by omitting the appearance of aliens.
Discussed“And now the prime number thing, Carl Sagan had prime numbers in the original contact novel. Where they were embedded in the signals.”
Where to get it
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Black hole blues
Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space by Janna Levin was featured on StarTalk Radio, where Neil deGrasse Tyson frequently praised the book and its author. Tyson highlighted the work in episodes such as Cosmic Queries #104 and Relativity Round-up, commending it as one of his favorite reads on the quest to measure gravitational waves and explore the large-scale universe. Listeners and hosts also referenced the book when discussing Janna Levin's scientific expertise and her exploration of LIGO.
Recommended“She's totally into this with the black hole blues. The black hole blues. She got a whole book. That's her book.”
Where to get it
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The Martian
Andy Weir's novel The Martian was discussed across several episodes of StarTalk Radio. Host Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up the bestselling novel and its film adaptation starring Matt Damon to highlight Weir's adherence to real physics and hard science. Tyson referenced the book's famous use of human waste as fertilizer when discussing plant growth in space with guests. In another episode, guest and NASA commander Kelly Haston mentioned to Tyson that she had read the book prior to participating in a Mars simulation, and noted that another crew member read it during the simulation itself.
Discussed“From The Martian, a best-selling book. Which became a best A very popular movie. A hit. A hit movie. A hit movie. A hit movie with all kinds of marquee actors in it.”
Where to get it
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Gravitation
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson and guests Kip Thorne and Brian Greene discussed the graduate textbook Gravitation by Charles W. Misner, Kip Thorne, and John Wheeler. Tyson recommended the massive, equation-filled volume for advanced cosmologists and recalled its legendary weight. Thorne and Greene shared personal reflections on the book, with Thorne noting how early gravitational wave concepts were included just as the book went to press in 1973.
Discussed“but my first exposure to you was you were one of the three authors of this book called gravitation and we used to joke of course it was the only book where you learned about it just by carrying it around”
Where to get it
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The Andromeda Strain
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson and guests like David Grinspoon and Laurie Garrett frequently referenced Michael Crichton's debut novel, "The Andromeda Strain." Tyson brought up the book to compare fictional space sample return protocols and space microbiology to real-world planetary protection and historical fears surrounding the Apollo missions. The speakers praised the novel as a enduring classic that holds up well in both literature and film.
Discussed“I read the book rare for me to read a book before I see the movie but I did that for The Andromeda Strain of Michael Crichton before he was famous with Jurassic Park and and whatever his doctor show was on TV uh The Andromeda Strain was a sample return from space”
Where to get it
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The War of the Worlds
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson and guests such as David Grinspoon frequently referenced The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells. Tyson discussed how Percival Lowell's 19th-century observations of Mars inspired the novel. The speakers used the story to explore themes of aggressive alien invasions and disease immunity, and Tyson concluded multiple episodes by reciting passages from the original book.
Discussed“That was a 19th century book written by the great HG. I'm not blaming you. No, no, I'm saying”
Where to get it
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The fabric of the cosmos
Brian Greene's The Fabric of the Cosmos was discussed on StarTalk Radio by host Neil deGrasse Tyson and guest Brian Cox. Tyson frequently recommended the book as a popular-level reading option for budding cosmologists and science enthusiasts while introducing Greene as a theoretical physicist and author. Cox referenced the book when discussing space-time and how physicists describe the underlying structure of the universe.
Discussed“we had my friend and colleague Brian Green theoretical physicist professor of physics and math at Columbia University author of The Very best-selling the elegant Universe followed by the fabric of the cosmos followed by the hidden reality my boys into all kinds of freaky Cosmic stuff and we got him back for more by popular demand”
Where to get it
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Singularity Is Nearer
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson and guest Peter Diamandis discussed Ray Kurzweil's book, The Singularity Is Nearer. Tyson praised the book for its arguments regarding exponential technological progress, while Diamandis and Tyson examined Kurzweil's updated predictions and upcoming manuscript detailing the technological singularity.
Discussed“Um what's our boy's name? Um the Nobel Prize winner. No, no, no. Ray Ray Crosswell. Yeah. Twice. Yeah, we have Ray Crosswell on here cuz he has his second book, The Singularity is Nearer.”
Where to get it
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A Brief History of Time
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson and guests such as Brian Cox, Malcolm Gladwell, and Gale Anne Hurd discussed Stephen Hawking's popular science book A Brief History of Time. The speakers used the book to talk about the challenges of making complex physics accessible to the general public, referencing an old publishing rumor about whether readers actually finished it. They also touched upon specific anecdotes featured in the book regarding scientific equations and information theory.
Discussed“I heard it from the person who said it that the original editor for Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time this was at Cambridge press warned him that for every equation he put in that book”
Where to get it
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Time Travel in Einstein's Universe
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson recommended J. Richard Gott's book Time Travel in Einstein's Universe while answering listener questions about theoretical physics and time travel. Tyson highlighted the book during discussions on black holes, entropy, and relativity, noting that Gott uses Einstein's theories to explain the scientific feasibility of traveling both forward and backward in time. Tyson also mentioned the book during a dedicated conversation with Gott himself.
Recommended“In fact, he wrote a book, Time Travel in Einstein's Universe.”
Where to get it
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Flatland
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson and guests such as Jordan Klepper, Grant Sanderson, and Charles Liu discussed Edwin Abbott Abbott's classic book Flatland. The speakers used the text as a historical and mathematical analogy to help audiences visualize higher dimensions, specifically by imagining a universe limited to two dimensions.
Discussed“I mean, I was just told about a book that, what is it, the, not Flat Earth. Flatland? Flatland, yes. Flatland, wonderful book. That's a cool book.”
Where to get it
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Slaughterhouse-Five
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson and Charles Nice frequently referenced Kurt Vonnegut's novel 'Slaughterhouse-Five'. Across episodes from December 2021 through June 2024, Tyson and Nice brought up the World War II story to illustrate time travel scenarios, the perception of world lines, and the protagonist being lifted up by aliens in his backyard.
Discussed“that's the theme in Kurt vet's novel slaughterhouse 5 where the protagonist is in his backyard and he's lifted up by aliens”
Where to get it
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The Handy Quantum Physics Answer Book
Charles Liu's book The Handy Quantum Physics Answer Book came up across multiple episodes of StarTalk Radio. In February 2025, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Paul Mecurio recommended the recently finished book. Later, in December 2024, May 2025, and March 2026, Tyson and Chuck Nice frequently joked about and discussed the book, using it as a reference resource for listeners interested in studying physics or bantering in the studio about their respective publications.
Discussed“Let me remind People, oh my gosh, the handy quantum physics answer book. Now that's a book, not that thing you got. Oh, no. Come on. Well, my book, you're just talking smack about my little book. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's true, okay. But Charles Liu, this is not your first rodeo with the handy answer franchise, right?”
Where to get it
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Biggest Ideas in the Universe
Sean M. Carroll's book series The Biggest Ideas in the Universe was featured on StarTalk Radio across multiple episodes. Host Neil deGrasse Tyson promoted the volumes starting in late 2022, clarifying the structure of the physics trilogy covering classical mechanics, space-time, quantum mechanics, and fields. Carroll explained to Tyson that the books originated from a series of pandemic-era educational videos adapted into a three-part publication featuring unapologetic mathematical equations.
Discussed“holding a book a book that I uh you know that I um picked up off of the coffee table the biggest ideas in the universe”
Where to get it
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Catching stardust
Natalie Starkey's book Catching Stardust: Comets, Asteroids, and the Birth of the Solar System was featured and recommended on StarTalk Radio by host Neil deGrasse Tyson. Tyson brought up the book across multiple episodes—including appearances by Starkey—to connect her scientific expertise and research on comet dust to space missions like OSIRIS-REx.
Discussed“and uh a book a few years before that back in 2018 catching Stardust yeah comets asteroids and the births of the solar system that's why we have you on now”
Where to get it
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Project Hail Mary
Andy Weir's novel Project Hail Mary was discussed on StarTalk Radio across multiple episodes. Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up the best-selling book while interviewing the author, highlighting its foundation in real physics and problem-solving. Additionally, Ariel Ekblaw mentioned the novel on the show to discuss real-world technological developments inspired by the text, such as artificial gravity tethers.
Discussed“Project Hail Mary. Yeah. Another best-selling book. It's still on the shelves. I see it wherever I go.”
Where to get it
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Until the End of Time
Brian Greene's book 'Until the End of Time' was featured across multiple episodes of StarTalk Radio, where host Neil deGrasse Tyson brought it up to discuss the author's bibliography and introduce episodes centered on cosmic queries. Tyson and Greene discussed the book's publication timeline around the pandemic and its exploration of mind, matter, and the search for meaning in an evolving universe.
Discussed“so you're author of several books until the end of time was that your more recent one that's my most recent and that came out how long ago 20 right at the pandemic what a moment to have a book called until the end of time”
Where to get it
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Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space
Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space by Janna Levin on multiple episodes of StarTalk Radio. Tyson praised Levin's expertise on the large-scale universe and black holes, frequently highlighting her book during discussions about gravitational waves and cosmic queries.
Recommended“She's totally into this with the black hole blues. The black hole blues. She got a whole book. That's her book.”
Where to get it
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Gödel, Escher, Bach
On StarTalk Radio, hosts and guests including Charles Liu, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and George Mashour referenced Douglas Hofstadter's book Gödel, Escher, Bach across multiple episodes. The book came up during discussions on consciousness, artificial intelligence, and thought experiments. Charles Liu mentioned its final chapter regarding digitized consciousness, while Neil deGrasse Tyson and George Mashour discussed its fascinating contents, including a famous conversation with Einstein's brain.
Discussed“Chuck, what you're describing is the last chapter, if memory serves, of the book Gödel, Escher, Bach written by Douglas Hofstadter.”
Where to get it
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The Singularity Is Near
The Singularity Is Near by Ray Kurzweil came up on StarTalk Radio in discussions about technological acceleration and consciousness. Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up Kurzweil's 2005 book to discuss predictions on living forever and technological progress, and later referenced an updated version of the book. Peter Diamandis also mentioned carrying the book while trekking and noted that Kurzweil had recently published a follow-up work.
Discussed“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”
Where to get it
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Endurance
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson recommended Scott Kelly's book Endurance, while guests Matt Kirschen and Dr. Sheyna Gifford referenced specific details from the book regarding astronaut visual impairments during spacewalks and how space travelers re-acclimate to Earth.
Discussed“nicholas lenson says in scott kelly's book endurance he mentions the hasselhood is for an astronaut who has to wear glasses when they do a space walk uh contact lenses weren't an options he had to glue his glasses on his head in one of his spacewalks to prevent them from falling are you taking visual impairments into account in”
Where to get it
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How to make white people laugh
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up Negin Farsad's book How to Make White People Laugh across multiple episodes. Tyson praised the comedic title and discussed Farsad's writing and background in comedy.
Recommended“And your book is still one of my favorites. It's How to Make White People Laugh. I just laughed just thinking of that title. Really good.”
Where to get it
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Mr. Tompkins in paperback
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson and guest Brian Greene repeatedly referenced the Mr. Tompkins book series by mid-century physicist George Gamow. Tyson and Greene highlighted the brilliant works as early examples of popular science fiction that explored imaginative scenarios by altering physical constants across different universes.
Recommended“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!”
Where to get it
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Atlas of peculiar galaxies
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Charles Liu discussed Halton Arp's Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies across episodes in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Tyson noted that Arp was an important observer who cataloged strange-looking galaxies that did not fit standard categories, noting it became one of the most studied catalogs in cosmology before computer simulations explained those anomalous shapes.
Discussed“and there was someone in our field who compiled them into one catalog chip ARP called the atlas of peculiar Galaxy”
Where to get it
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Chasing new horizons
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson mentioned Alan Stern's book Chasing New Horizons across multiple episodes. In the 2024 episode featuring David Grinspoon, Tyson discussed the mission to explore Pluto and the writing process. In 2023 and 2021, Tyson referenced Grinspoon as the author of Chasing New Horizons while discussing Venus, background topics, and making jokes about the Pluto mission.
Discussed“you banded together with him to write chasing New Horizons yeah and with it with this long subtitle yeah what was that subtitle uh inside the the Epic mission to explore the ninth planet did he say ninth planet the ninth planet”
Where to get it
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Death By Black Hole
On StarTalk Radio, Janna Levin and Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed the title and contents of Tyson's book Death by Black Hole, noting how essays and chapters were incorporated into the work.
Discussed“yeah so don't you have a book titled death by black hole i've always wanted to steal that title from you”
Where to get it
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Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
On StarTalk Radio across multiple episodes, Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up Philip K. Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? to discuss artificial intelligence, real-world Turing tests, and the intersection of science fiction with futuristic predictions. Tyson repeatedly referenced the book as the original literary source material that inspired the acclaimed film Blade Runner, using it to frame broader discussions about intelligence, machines, and the future.
Discussed“Do we know the title of the short story that became Blade Runner? Do androids dream of electric sheep? So, that brings us... Do androids dream of electric sheep?”
Where to get it
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Julius Caesar
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson referenced William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar across multiple episodes between 2020 and 2021. Tyson quoted the famous line about the fault lying not in our stars but in ourselves to emphasize that human destiny, behavior, and moods are not influenced by astrology or the moon. He also mentioned another famous quote from the play when discussing Shakespearean references made in science fiction.
Discussed“shakespeare um the fault dear brutus lies not in our stars but in ourselves”
Where to get it
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The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald was mentioned across multiple episodes of StarTalk Radio. In March 2021, Chris Mason referenced Scott Kelly's book while discussing space exercise and bone density. Earlier, in February 2020 and June 2019, Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up Fitzgerald's novel, specifically praising and quoting a memorable line about men and girls coming and went like moths amid champagne and stars.
Discussed“so you know pushing yourself a little bit is one simple thing they do actually with some of the exercise regimens in space and also and they're monitoring the body you can actually see we could you know scott i don't you know when he talked about in his book that if he didn't work out every day he could”
Where to get it
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Fire and Ice
On StarTalk Radio in May and September 2023, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Paul Mercurio, and a caller named Connor Home discussed Natalie Starkey's book Fire and Ice: The Volcanoes of the Solar System. The speakers praised the title, commended the author for making geology exciting, and noted the upcoming release of the paperback edition.
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”
Where to get it
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The Selfish Gene
The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins was discussed on StarTalk Radio by host Neil deGrasse Tyson and Dawkins himself across multiple appearances. Tyson highlighted the 1976 publication as Dawkins's first book, noting its central premise that natural selection acts through digital information in genes. Tyson also credited the book as the origin of the word meme, prompting further exploration of the concept.
Discussed“Was The Selfish Gene your first book? Yes. Back in 1976.”
Where to get it
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Black Hole Survival Guide
Janna Levin's Black Hole Survival Guide was discussed on StarTalk Radio by host Neil deGrasse Tyson. Tyson praised the book during Levin's introductions, referring to it as one of his favorites and as a pocket-sized guide containing everything needed to visit a black hole without dying. Tyson also used the book's title to make a humorous point about black holes not functioning like vacuum cleaners.
Discussed“one of my favorites uh black hole Survival Guide”
Where to get it
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The glass universe
Dava Sobel's book The Glass Universe was discussed on StarTalk Radio in conversations centered on historical astronomy and women's contributions to science. Neil deGrasse Tyson and Janna Levin referenced the book in November 2023 while highlighting the struggles and significant discoveries made by female astronomers at the Harvard Observatory. Additionally, in January 2025, Dava Sobel appeared as a guest alongside Chuck Nice, where they discussed the title and reception of her work.
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”
Where to get it
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The God Delusion
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed Richard Dawkins's prominent book The God Delusion across multiple episodes. Tyson explored the book's massive commercial success compared to Dawkins's other works and highlighted how it played a central role in establishing Dawkins's identity as one of the prominent figures known as the Four Horsemen of New Atheism, prompting a broader conversation on science, religion, and evolution.
Discussed“Here's one we all saw and know about whether or not we read it, The God Delusion.”
Where to get it
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The Right Stuff
The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe was discussed in two separate episodes of StarTalk Radio. On March 27, 2020, Jordan Klepper spoke with Scott Kelly, who mentioned reading the book as a child and how it inspired him to become an astronaut and engage with science. Later, in the March 26, 2021, episode featuring Astronaut Scott Kelly and Dr. Chris Mason, Kelly explained that the book was significantly more influential to his life than its film adaptation, crediting it with inspiring him to become a better student and enter the Navy.
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”
Where to get it
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Consciousness explained
Daniel C. Dennett's book Consciousness Explained was referenced on StarTalk Radio by host Neil deGrasse Tyson. Tyson brought up the book to highlight Dennett's early contributions to the study of consciousness and used its title to illustrate how much remains unknown in the field of consciousness research.
Discussed“Of course Daniel D was first out of the box to declare with his one of his early books called conscious explained that was the title of one of his books”
Where to get it
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The large scale structure of space-time
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson mentioned The Large Scale Structure of Space-Time by Stephen Hawking, G.F.R. Ellis, and George F.R. Ellis in July 2023 and March 2024. Tyson described it as a technical and beautiful book on his shelf that covers the physics and mathematics inside black holes. He brought it up while discussing whether black holes can birth new universes and whether our universe resides inside a black hole.
Discussed“So back on my shelf I got a book by Stephen Hawking is large the large scale structure of SpaceTime okay it's got some title like that all right all right and in it it's describes the the physics and the mathematics inside the black hole”
Where to get it
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Venus revealed
David Harry Grinspoon's Venus Revealed was discussed on StarTalk Radio by Neil deGrasse Tyson. Tyson prompted Grinspoon to mention the book during a conversation about his career history and work studying Venus before transitioning into astrobiology.
Discussed“you wrote a book on Venus too this is correct yes sorry you wrote a book on Earth about Venus that's right I was out on Venus when I wrote the book but I wrote a book on the subject of Venus at the time so that book was what that's that's Venus revealed revealed there you go”
Where to get it
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Stories of Your Life and Others
On StarTalk Radio, Charles Liu mentioned Ted Chiang's short story collection, specifically referencing the story adapted into the film Arrival, while discussing block time and the fourth dimension. Tim Ferriss also recommended the author's collection of short stories during his appearance on the program.
Recommended“This has been explored in several science fiction stories, for example, Ted Chiang's excellent story called Story of Your Life, which became adapted into the movie Arrival that starred Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner.”
Where to get it
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The Demon-Haunted World
On StarTalk Radio, Brian Cox and Michael Shermer both referenced Carl Sagan's book The Demon-Haunted World. Brian Cox recommended the book while discussing science communication and public curiosity, noting a specific chapter about a taxi ride in New York City. Later, Michael Shermer mentioned the book while discussing social experiments and comparative methods, highlighting a chapter written by the late Carl Sagan.
Recommended“you one of my favorite books is the demon haunted world and I love the first I think it's the first chapter where he tells the story of being in a taxi here in New York actually in a cab with a cab driver”
Where to get it
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Our Mathematical Universe
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up Max Tegmark's book Our Mathematical Universe. Tyson highlighted the work as one of his favorites, praising its exploration of the simulation hypothesis and its argument that everything in existence is fundamentally mathematical.
Recommended“He wrote a book called the mathematical universe where he's exploring everything that you know, see, think and do.”
Where to get it
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The Future of Us
Irwin Redlener's book The Future of Us: What the Dreams of Children Mean to 21st-Century America was discussed on StarTalk Radio. In March 2021, Neil deGrasse Tyson gave the book a public shout-out while commending Redlener's work with children. Tyson brought up the book again in November 2022 to explore its central themes regarding the ways children perceive the world.
Discussed“so you've been trying to get inside kids heads forever trying to see the world through their lens um in your book the future of us what the dreams of children mean to 21st century America”
Where to get it
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The Physics of Energy
Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed The Physics of Energy by Robert L. Jaffe and Washington Taylor on StarTalk Radio in May 2019 and December 2023. He noted that he was asked to review the book and write a blurb for it, humorously suggesting it as the ultimate guide to jumpstarting civilization after an apocalypse. He later showcased the thick textbook to explain foundational energy concepts.
Discussed“here's the book the physics of energy okay Robert jaffy and Washington Taylor okay two professors and look how fat the book is right”
Where to get it
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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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Angels & Demons
Dan Brown's novel Angels & Demons was referenced on StarTalk Radio across different episodes. Aaron McDonald brought up the film adaptation to illustrate how people imagine transporting antimatter, while Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed the novel while exploring physics topics.
Discussed“So, one way uh we saw in the movie uh Angels and Demons. Oh, yeah. I remember that.”
Where to get it
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Cosmic Queries
On StarTalk Radio, the book Cosmic Queries by Neil deGrasse Tyson and James Trefil was mentioned in multiple episodes. During a September 2026 episode, a listener named Chris Newbery called in to praise the book. In an earlier March 2021 episode, Matt discussed a new book by Tyson based on the podcast format, which included a chapter dedicated to the search for life on exoplanets.
Discussed“Dr. Tyson, just love you and love your Cosmic Queries book.”
Where to get it
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Flowers for Algernon
Flowers for Algernon by David Rogers and Daniel Keyes came up on StarTalk Radio during discussions involving genius and cognitive enhancement. Neil deGrasse Tyson mentioned reading the book in his childhood when exploring stories depicting mental changes, while Chuck Nice also noted reading the novel and watching its film adaptation, Charlie, while discussing portrayals of mental conditions.
Discussed“as a kid I remembered reading flowers for alron oh yeah only later to learn”
Where to get it
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Mathematical principles of natural philosophy
On StarTalk Radio, guests Elise Crull and Charles Liu discussed Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy by Isaac Newton. Crull mentioned the work while explaining how Newton critiqued and sought to replace Cartesian philosophy, while Liu brought up the famous book—often referred to as the Principia—to illustrate how natural philosophy framed early science and metaphysics.
Discussed“And Newton is criticizing that particular book when he writes the principles the natur the mathematical principles of natural philosophy. Wait, did I get the title right?”
Where to get it
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Pale Blue Dot
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up Carl Sagan's book Pale Blue Dot in multiple episodes. In July 2023, Tyson introduced a famous excerpt from the book, noting it contains some of the most quoted sentences reflecting on humanity's place in the universe. In June 2019, Tyson mentioned the book again while discussing the iconic image of Earth taken by Voyager 1, describing the book as a spiritual inspiration that people truly loved.
Discussed“I have an excerpt here from Carl Sagan's pale blue dot the book which is probably among the most quoted sentences of the entire book if you allow me”
Where to get it
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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!”
Where to get it
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Relativity
Albert Einstein's work on relativity came up in multiple contexts across StarTalk Radio. On March 28, 2024, the host discussed Einstein's general theory of relativity while explaining virtual particles in the vacuum of space. Earlier, on January 9, 2020, guest Jason Ellis mentioned Einstein's relativity when discussing popular science non-fiction books he read in his youth.
Discussed“So, according to Einstein's general theory of relativity, there is recent thinking that in the vacuum of space where there are what we call virtual particles that pop in and out of existence.”
Where to get it
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River Rose and the Magical Christmas
On StarTalk Radio, Kelly Clarkson spoke with Neil deGrasse Tyson in episodes from September 2019 and December 2017 about her children's book series. Clarkson mentioned the Christmas-themed entry, River Rose and the Magical Christmas, and explained that she wrote an original Christmas song for the story instead of a lullaby.
Discussed“- River Rose and the Magical Lullaby is the first one. - Okay, so River Rose and the. - River Rose and the Magical Lullaby and then it's River Rose and the Magical Christmas is the second one.”
Where to get it
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River Rose and the Magical Lullaby
On StarTalk Radio, Kelly Clarkson discussed her children's book series across multiple episodes. During a 2017 conversation and a 2019 appearance, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Kelly Clarkson talked about her books, identifying the first and second titles in the series as River Rose and the Magical Lullaby and River Rose and the Magical Christmas, and touched upon the accompanying lullabies.
Discussed“- River Rose and the Magical Lullaby is the first one. - Okay, so River Rose and the. - River Rose and the Magical Lullaby and then it's River Rose and the Magical Christmas is the second one.”
Where to get it
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River Rose and the Magical Lullaby Board Book
On StarTalk Radio, Kelly Clarkson discussed her children's book series with host Neil deGrasse Tyson across multiple episodes. Tyson initially brought up the books, asking about the titles and the accompanying lullabies. Clarkson confirmed that River Rose and the Magical Lullaby Board Book was the first installment in the series, followed by the second book, River Rose and the Magical Christmas.
Discussed“- River Rose and the Magical Lullaby is the first one. - Okay, so River Rose and the. - River Rose and the Magical Lullaby and then it's River Rose and the Magical Christmas is the second one.”
Where to get it
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The Bell Curve
On StarTalk Radio in July 2014 and April 2019, Dr. Heather Berlin brought up Richard J. Herrnstein and Charles Murray's controversial book The Bell Curve. She referenced the text while discussing genetic predispositions, intelligence distributions across populations, and studies examining demographic IQ differences.
Discussed“There was a book written, called, "The Bell Curve" for example, about intelligence. And it said okay you know, we did this whole study and looked at populations, in X number of people from a certain type of background, have the highest IQ and others don't.”
Where to get it
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The Better Angels of Our Nature
Steven Pinker's book The Better Angels of Our Nature was referenced on StarTalk Radio by Neil deGrasse Tyson across different episodes. Tyson used Pinker's research to discuss historical statistics on violence, survival rates, and the likelihood of dying before maturity at the hands of another human from tribal warfare to modern times.
Discussed“The Better Angels of Our Nature. Oh my gosh. It has the two words common knowledge in the title.”
Where to get it
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The Blind Watchmaker
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up The Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkins across multiple episodes. In June 2024, Tyson told Dawkins that the text was his personal favorite among the author's works. Previously, in May 2021, Tyson mentioned having personally read and admired both The Blind Watchmaker and The Selfish Gene during a conversation about combatting anti-science perspectives.
Discussed“The Blind Watchmaker. Oh, that's that's my favorite book of yours, if I may.”
Where to get it
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The Feynman Lectures on Physics
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson and physicist Brian Cox referenced Richard Phillips Feynman's famous physics writings. Brian Cox cited Feynman's lectures to illustrate the complex mechanics behind ocean tides, while Neil Tyson discussed Feynman's written accounts of conversations with physicist John Wheeler concerning the one-electron universe.
Discussed“So imagine the earth and if you try to explain the tides in the ocean by just having a static picture of the earth and the moon just standing as is drawn in textbooks as is drawn in textbooks then it's hard to figure out what's happening because as Richard Feman said in the Fman lectures if everything's just standing”
Where to get it
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The Hidden Reality
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Brian Greene discussed Greene's book catalog during episode introductions and interviews. Tyson cited The Hidden Reality in 2023 as part of Greene's prominent theoretical physics works alongside The Elegant Universe and The Fabric of the Cosmos. In a 2024 episode, Greene and Tyson spoke about multiple universes, with Greene noting that The Hidden Reality covered that exact topic.
Discussed“hidden reality yeah that was about multiple universes”
Where to get it
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The Interpretation of Dreams
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson mentioned Sigmund Freud's work on dreams while discussing his own sleep and dream habits. Tyson brought up the book again when discussing the science of the brain and considering how far neuroscience has advanced since Freud's time.
Discussed“And uh but I owned the book, the Freud book that he wrote, you know, hund how many years ago, the something analysis of dreams.”
Where to get it
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The Science of Interstellar
Kip Thorne's book The Science of Interstellar was discussed on StarTalk Radio by Neil deGrasse Tyson. In December 2024, Tyson highlighted it as an explanatory companion to the film's complex physics, noting its New York Times bestseller status and foreword by Christopher Nolan. Tyson also referenced the book during a November 2017 episode while discussing the academic background of its authors.
Discussed“through this book admit it you created a Gateway film it it was a Gateway film so the science of interstellar yeah New York Times bestseller Kip Thorne with a forward written by of course Christopher Nolan and it says spoiler alert uh this book explains the Fantastic Climax and ending of interstellar”
Where to get it
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Watchmen
The graphic novel Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons was discussed on StarTalk Radio across multiple episodes. In one episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson mentioned the book while examining characters who can perceive their entire world lines simultaneously, highlighting Dr. Manhattan. In another episode, Chuck Nice joined Tyson to talk about the graphic novel and its film adaptation while discussing comic book characters and superpowers.
Discussed“There's a cool Dr. Manhattan from the Watchman. The Watchmen series. Yes. Um, the movie got me. I mean, I always The Watchman was the the graphic novel.”
Where to get it
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The Spirit of St. Louis
Charles A. Lindbergh's book "The Spirit of St. Louis" was discussed on StarTalk Radio by guest Peter Diamandis. Diamandis shared that a friend gave him the Pulitzer Prize-winning book to encourage him to finish his pilot's license. While reading about Lindbergh's journey and making notes in the margins, Diamandis was inspired to create a similar prize for space flight, leading him to write the word 'XPRIZE' in the back pages of the book.
Discussed“and I was given a book by a dear friend Greg marinac the Spirit of St Louis and I'm reading the book he gave it to me to encourage me to finish my pilot's license”
Where to get it
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American Prometheus
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson and guest Kai Bird discussed the biography American Prometheus by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin. Tyson introduced Bird by highlighting the book as the foundation for Christopher Nolan's film Oppenheimer. Bird spoke about the twenty-five years of work put into researching and writing the biography, detailing how he joined the project later in the process.
Recommended“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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Archaeology from Space: How the Future Shapes Our Past
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed Sarah Parcak's 2019 book Archaeology from Space: How the Future Shapes Our Past. Tyson highlighted Parcak's role as founding director for the Laboratory for Global Observation and explored her work utilizing satellite technology to discover hidden temples and lost sites.
Discussed“and I love this founding director for the laboratory for Global observation at that University and recently you have a book sensibly titled archaeology from space how the future shapes our past Henry Holt”
Where to get it
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I Am Legend
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson and guest George Yancopoulos referenced the book and film I Am Legend to compare animal testing methods and discuss rare instances of human immunity to diseases.
Discussed“if you saw I am legend or so forth you remember um that Will Smith was in the basement and he was you know working with these rats and he was injecting them”
Where to get it
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Black holes and time warps
Kip S. Thorne's book 'Black Holes and Time Warps: Einstein's Outrageous Legacy' was recommended on StarTalk Radio by the host and guest Steve Balbus. Balbus brought up the 1990s publication to praise Thorne as a preeminent relativist gifted at making complex scientific concepts accessible to laymen. The host joined in to highlight the book's clarity and its enduring contribution to explaining the physics of black holes.
Recommended“you know what a very good book is one that I love and I mean you know but but it's meant for you know the Layman because it's written very clearly 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”
Where to get it
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Bold Return to Giving a Damn
On the January 12, 2024, episode of StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson spoke with guest Will Harris about Harris's book, A Bold Return to Giving a Damn. Tyson asked Harris to explain the core premises and goals of his work regarding regenerative farming and the future of agriculture. At the close of the episode, Tyson recommended the book to the audience, praising Harris as an authentic farmer offering vital perspectives on sustainable food systems.
Discussed“so will tell me about this book you just released a bold return to giving a damn and I it's the future matters to us all in so many ways and everyone thinks they have the answer and people are fighting over who has the best answer or who moving fast enough or not fast at all where does your”
Where to get it
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A Survival Guide to the Misinformation Age
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson highlighted David Helfand's book A Survival Guide to the Misinformation Age during a mid-show station identification. Tyson emphasized the immense relevance of the book to modern science literacy and noted his own blurb on the cover. Later in the episode, Helfand used an example from the book involving a subway incident to discuss the practical application of probability.
Discussed“so he's got this book a survival guide to the misinformation age oh that's that's I mean could there be anything more relevant at this particular time hence my blurb okay read it now the future of civilization may depend on it”
Where to get it
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Alien Worlds
Alien Worlds by David A. Aguilar was discussed on StarTalk Radio in February 2022 when Neil deGrasse Tyson hosted Kennda Lynch. Tyson brought up the Netflix docu-series multiple times throughout the episode to highlight Lynch's appearance in the second episode and encouraged the audience to watch it.
Discussed“you're featured in episode two of netflix's docu-series alien world”
Where to get it
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Determined
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson interviewed Robert Sapolsky in March 2024 to discuss his newly released book, Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will. Tyson held the book on air and centered the entire episode's conversation around its core subject matter, questioning Sapolsky on the scientific arguments against free will and the long-term timeline for cultural change regarding human behavior.
Discussed“best-selling author of eight books right I have one in my hand right now came out just months ago wow determined a science of life without Free Will”
Where to get it
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Satellite remote sensing for archaeology
On StarTalk Radio in 2024, host Neil deGrasse Tyson and guest Sarah H. Parcak discussed her academic book Satellite Remote Sensing for Archaeology. Tyson inquired whether she had indeed written the first textbook on the subject, prompting Parcak to confirm her authorship of the volume published by Routledge.
Discussed“And is this true? You wrote a textbook, the first textbook on satellite archaeology?”
Where to get it
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Sleights of mind
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up Susana Martinez-Conde's 2011 book Sleights of Mind during a conversation with guest Teller. Tyson praised the publication repeatedly throughout the episode, specifically declaring its title to be the best title ever used.
Discussed“and you're author from now 2011 a book still selling well slights of Mind”
Where to get it
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The Anxious Generation
On an episode of StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Gary O'Reilly discussed Jonathan Haidt's book The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness. Tyson introduced Haidt and the full title of his 2024 work, while O'Reilly used the book's title to frame a question about adolescent mental health and the impact of technology on youth.
Discussed“His most recent book is, it's got a long title here, let me get it right. The Anxious Generation, How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, came out 2024.”
Where to get it
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The Smallest Lights in the Universe
Sara Seager appeared on StarTalk Radio, where host Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed her memoir The Smallest Lights in the Universe. Tyson congratulated the author and praised the book for offering a firsthand account that intertwines her personal life with her scientific journey.
Discussed“i only recently learned that you've actually collected that together in a kind of a memoir the smallest lights in the universe so congratulations on that memoir”
Where to get it
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Conspiracy
Neil deGrasse Tyson recommended Michael Shermer's book Conspiracy on StarTalk Radio in October 2022 during the show's outro segment. Tyson praised the work as essential, required reading for any global citizen, and strongly encouraged all listeners to purchase the book to understand why rational people frequently believe irrational things.
Recommended“uh Michael Shermer it would tell us about his his recent book A book that it sounds like like required reading for anyone who is a citizen of the world how about that how's that for a prerequisite”
Where to get it
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Entangled Life
Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up Merlin Sheldrake's book Entangled Life during the episode Magic Mushrooms, Fungi, and The Mysterious Kingdom with Merlin Sheldrake on StarTalk Radio. Tyson highlighted its recent paperback release to introduce the guest and his work to listeners, calling the book an audacious title and noting that it is a must-read for anyone interested in mushrooms.
Recommended“your book just came out in paperback i think the hardcover came out last year but often paperbacks do much better than the hardback so this will be anyone's chance to pick this up and and you can't miss it if you you want this book if you love mushrooms even if you don't love mushrooms but wonder what the”
Where to get it
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Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson recommended his book Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry as an ideal read for younger audiences interested in astronomy and the universe.
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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Books do Furnish a Life
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed Richard Dawkins's book Books do Furnish a Life at the beginning of their interview. Tyson noted that the book covered a wide range of topics and used it to introduce the main themes of the conversation, later promoting the newly published title at the conclusion of the episode.
Discussed“richard dawkins has a new book called books do furnish a life which we'll spend a lot of time talking about because it goes everywhere”
Where to get it
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How the Universe Got Its Spots
Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up Janna Levin's book 'How the Universe Got Its Spots' on StarTalk Radio in November 2023. While introducing Levin as the editor-in-chief of the Pioneer Works podcast, Tyson highlighted the title and expressed that it was one of his favorite reads.
Discussed“editor-in chief of the pioneer Works podcast author of How the Universe Got Its Spots one of my favorites uh black hole”
Where to get it
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Outlive
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson recommended Dr. Peter Attia's book Outlive: The Science of Longevity to listeners at the end of the podcast. Earlier in the episode, Gary O'Reilly referenced the book while asking Attia a question about neurodegenerative diseases and the four horsemen of disease.
Discussed“doctor we're going to jump into the neurodegenerative process and diseases because you saw that as one of the four horsemen of disease in your book”
Where to get it
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Quantum Supremacy
On the June 4, 2024 episode of StarTalk Radio titled 'The Future of Quantum Computing with Michio Kaku, Neil deGrasse Tyson & More,' host Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed Michio Kaku's book 'Quantum Supremacy.' Tyson brought up the book's title during a conversation about modern computers and recommended it in the episode's closing remarks to ensure listeners were alerted to the topic.
Discussed“that's why it's called Quantum Supremacy what we're now talking about computers that's the name of your book”
Where to get it
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Superintelligence
StarTalk Radio featured Nick Bostrom's Superintelligence during a December 2021 episode. Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up the book to discuss how it provokes philosophical thought, prompting Bostrom to recommend it to listeners interested in the future of artificial intelligence.
Discussed“and for me also I remembered your book super intelligence which all of these got people thinking as any good philosopher should do is to get people thinking and so C”
Where to get it
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The High Frontier
During an appearance on StarTalk Radio in the episode "The Research Powering Humanity’s First Space Civilization," Ariel Ekblaw brought up Gerard O'Neill's book The High Frontier. Ekblaw discussed O'Neill's compelling vision for life in space, referencing the L5 Society and using the book to talk about rotating habitats and artificial gravity gradients.
Recommended“High Frontier, like his vision for life in space I think was really compelling.”
Where to get it
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A Christmas Carol
Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens at the beginning of the episode to inspire a discussion on time travel. He discussed the 1843 novel as an early modern literary example exploring the implications of time travel.
Discussed“and today we're going to be talking about time travel inspired by Dickens classic novel A Christmas Carol”
Where to get it
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Back to Earth
Nicole Stott's book Back to Earth: What Life in Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet and Our Mission to Protect It was featured on StarTalk Radio in October 2021. Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up the book to explore the themes behind the author's experiences in space and referenced it again when introducing listener-submitted questions from the fan base.
Discussed“and well is this part of the themes that fed your latest book back to earth what life in space taught me about our home planet and our mission to protect it”
Where to get it
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Between a Rock and a Hard Place
On an episode of StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice discussed the book Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston. The hosts brought up the true survival story, noting that Ralston had to amputate his own arm, to explore the limits of human survival.
Discussed“the dude wrote a book between a rock and a hard place where he had to cut off his arm”
Where to get it
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Champions of Illusion
Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up Susana Martinez-Conde and Stephen Macknik's book Champions of Illusion on StarTalk Radio during an interview with Teller. He praised the title and referenced the 2017 book while wrapping up the conversation.
Discussed“nice love that title and more recently champions of Illusion in 2017”
Where to get it
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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“I thought they because I know when I read I actually read read Walter isaacson's biography on on on Einstein Einstein uhhuh and so one of many great biographies he's written including a Steve Jobs”
Where to get it
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Elements
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Jason Rhodes discussed Euclid's ancient geometry textbook, Elements, while explaining the origin of the Euclid space mission's name. They noted that the foundational text was written over two thousand years ago and remained in active use for centuries.
Discussed“who is more associated with geometry than the the father of geometry uh uid who wrote a textbook on Geometry um you know 2,000 years ago”
Where to get it
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Ender's Game
Orson Scott Card's novel Ender's Game was brought up on StarTalk Radio in April 2021 during the episode "Space Balls?" The host, Neil deGrasse Tyson, along with Chuck Nice, explained the premise of the decades-old science fiction book to listeners, describing the narrative setup where children are sent to a battle school in space to fight an alien menace.
Discussed“the for those people who aren't familiar with ender's game that was a novel written by orson scott card a number of decades ago where to fight an alien menace a number of children were put into a place called the battle school”
Where to get it
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Existential Physics
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson welcomed Sabine Hossenfelder in the episode titled The Problem with Modern Physics with Sabine Hossenfelder. Tyson introduced Hossenfelder and mentioned her newly published work, Existential Physics: A Scientist's Guide to Life's Biggest Questions. Later in the second segment, Tyson and Hossenfelder discussed the full title and the premise of the book while exploring various big scientific questions.
Discussed“and we found someone who's who just published a book titled existential physics scientist Guide to the biggest questions and that person is in the house right now except dialing in from Germany”
Where to get it
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Fear of a Black Universe
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson discussed the book Fear of a Black Universe: An Outsider's Guide to the Future of Physics with its author, Stephon Alexander. Tyson highlighted the book while reviewing Alexander's published works and his background as a jazz saxophonist.
Discussed“and then you follow that up with Fear of a Black Universe an outsider's Guide to the future of physics”
Where to get it
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Gravitation and cosmology: principles and applications of the general theory of relativity
On StarTalk Radio, Neil deGrasse Tyson pointed out Steven Weinberg's book Gravitation and Cosmology: Principles and Applications of the General Theory of Relativity on a shelf, prompting Katie Freese to note that it was the textbook she used to learn cosmology.
Discussed“I noticed you have his book right there, right behind Chuck. Yeah, that's right here; that is the book I learned cosmology from. I was an experimentalist at Fermilab, gravitation, and cosmology principles and applications of the general theory of relativity.”
Where to get it
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Grunt
On the October 16, 2017 episode of StarTalk Radio titled StarTalk Podcast: Cosmic Queries – The Science of Humans at War, host Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up Mary Roach's book Grunt at the beginning of the show, noting that a copy had been placed in front of him. Towards the end of the episode, Tyson asked Roach if there was anything else she wanted listeners to know about her book before concluding.
Discussed“So I figured Okay. Then they plunked a book down in front of me called Grunt, the curious science of humans at war.”
Where to get it
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Hot Mess
Matt Winning's comedy book 'Hot Mess' was discussed during an appearance on StarTalk Radio. Host Neil deGrasse Tyson asked Winning if he had authored a book on the subject of climate change, to which Winning affirmed he had written a comedy book. Winning then fully introduced the work as 'Hot Mess: What on Earth Can We Do About Climate Change?', noting that he birthed the project during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Discussed“And you've written a book on this subject? Yep, it's a comedy book titled 'Hot Mess.'”
Where to get it
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Ideas And Opinions
On the April 22, 2025 episode of StarTalk Radio titled "Answering Questions about Higher Dimensions, Magnetic Poles & Mercury’s Core," Neil deGrasse Tyson brought up Albert Einstein's book Ideas and Opinions. Tyson mentioned the book while discussing Einstein's background and views, referencing it as evidence of the physicist's character and thoughts.
Discussed“No, if you read his pideas and opinions, it's a book, right?”
Where to get it
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Kids Travel Journal
On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson mentioned historical astronomy books from the late 1700s to early 1800s. He discussed how these texts clearly enumerated various planets and explicitly included Earth as a planet. Tyson noted that these historical books listed the planets in a specific order and even featured unusual names for Uranus, which prompted expressions of surprise during the episode.
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?”
Where to get it
The other 193 books mentioned on StarTalk Radio, ranked, with the latest episode and time
- Longitude by Dava Sobel
- Looking Up! by Joe Rao
- Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
- The Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell
- The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson, Kathe Mazur
- The Five Ages of the Universe by Fred C. Adams, Greg Laughlin
- The jazz of physics by Stephon Alexander
- The Light Ages by Seb Falk
- Tough Love by Susan Rice
- A Fresh View on the Outer Space Treaty by Annette Froehlich
- A hard death by Jonathan Hayes
- Are Filter Bubbles Real? by Axel Bruns
- Earth in Human Hands by David Grinspoon
- Failure Is Not an Option by Gene Kranz
- Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari
- Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson
- Joe Hill: the Graphic Novel Collection by Joe Hill
- Look Up by Alfredia R. Sherin-Devita
- Methuselah's Zoo by Steven N. Austad
- On Wars by Michael Mann
- One, Two, Three-- Infinity by George Gamow
- Packing for Mars by Mary Roach
- Precious Blood by Jonathan Hayes
- Russian Roulette by Michael Isikoff
- Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
- Something Deeply Hidden by Sean Carroll
- Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
- Study Guide by SuperSummary
- Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! by Richard P. Feynman
- The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff, Jonathan Haidt
- The Cosmic Landscape by Leonard Susskind
- The First Three Minutes by Steven Weinberg
- The handy answer book for kids (and parents) by Judy Galens
- The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars by Michael E. Mann
- The Physicists by Daniel J. Kevles
- The Scientist in the Crib by Alison Gopnik
- The Secret Life of Dust by Hannah Holmes
- The Songs of Distant Earth by Arthur C. Clarke
- The Theoretical Minimum by Leonard Susskind
- The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells
- Timelines of History by Unknown
- Waves in an Impossible Sea by Matt Strassler
- What If by Robert Ehrlich
- 2001, a Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
- 2010: Odyssey Two by Arthur C. Clarke
- A Federation Trivia Book by Unknown
- A Mathematician's Apology by G. H. Hardy
- A True Story (English Edition) by Lucian Of Samosata
- After Man by Dougal Dixon
- Alien Oceans by Kevin Hand
- Apocalypse Television by David Craig
- Apollo's Arrow by Nicholas A. Christakis
- Artemis by Andy Weir
- Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Autopsy by Patricia Cornwell
- Billions & Billions by Carl Sagan
- Black Inventors in the Age of Segregation by Rayvon Fouché
- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
- Building a Bridge by James Martin
- Chasing Space by Leland Melvin
- Climbing Mount Improbable by Richard Dawkins
- Connections by Karl Deisseroth
- Cosmic Discovery by Martin Harwit
- Cosmos by Carl Sagan
- Cosmos by Alexander von Humboldt
- Cosmotheoros by Christiaan Huygens
- Creative Evolution by Henri Bergson
- Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe
- Darwin's dangerous idea by Daniel C. Dennett
- Dear America by Bernard Edelman
- Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke, MD
- Drug Dealer, MD by Anna Lembke
- Dune by Frank Herbert
- East of Eden by John Steinbeck
- Euclid's Elements by Euclid, Dana Densmore
- Evolution of Physics by Albert Einstein
- Experimental researches in electricity by Michael Faraday
- Extraterrestrial by Avi Loeb
- Fifty Places to Run Before You Die by Chris Santella
- Finnegans Wake by James Joyce
- Fire and ice by Roberta J. M. Olson
- Flights of Fancy by Richard Dawkins
- Forgotten People, Forgotten Diseases by Peter J. Hotez
- Foundation by Isaac Asimov
- Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley
- Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
- From the Earth to the Moon Annotated by Jules Verne
- Frozen Star by George Greenstein
- Galileo's Daughter by Dava Sobel
- Game Changer by Rayvon Fouché
- Geeks Bearing Gifts by Jeff Jarvis
- Hamlet by William Shakespeare
- Harlan Ellison's The city on the edge of forever (teleplay) by Harlan Ellison, Scott Tipton, David Tipton
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling
- Heart, Breath, Mind by Leah Lagos
- Horologium oscillatorium by Christiaan Huygens
- How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates
- How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan
- I Heard There Was a Secret Chord by Daniel J. Levitin
- I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
- Into the Anthropocosmos by Ariel Ekblaw, Sands Fish, Cady Coleman
- Jim Fixx's second book of running by James F. Fixx
- Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
- Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence
- Learning to Die in the Anthropocene by Roy Scranton
- Letter from the Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King (Jr.)
- Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke
- Life 3.0 by Max Tegmark
- Life on Other Planets by Aomawa Shields
- Light by Megan Watzke
- Logic and Knowledge by Bertrand Russell
- Lonely hearts of the cosmos by Dennis Overbye
- Look Up with Me : Neil deGrasse Tyson by Jennifer Berne
- Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
- Mars by Ben Bova
- Mars by Percival Lowell
- Mars and Its Canals by Percival Lowell
- Mathematics by McGraw-Hill
- Meditations on First Philosophy by René Descartes
- Mindset by Carol S. Dweck
- Moons by David A. Rothery
- Mysticism and Logic by Bertrand Russell
- Newton's Philosophy of Nature by Isaac Newton
- Nicolaus Copernicus: De Revolutionibus, preface and book 1, etc by Nicolaus Copernicus
- Night thoughts of a classical physicist by Russell McCormmach
- Opticks by Isaac Newton
- Origin by Dan Brown
- Philosophical essays by Bertrand Russell
- Physicians' Desk Reference by Thomson PDR
- Poor Richard's Almanack by Benjamin Franklin
- Principles of Philosophy by Rene Descartes
- Quanta and Fields by Sean Carroll
- Racket Squad in Action Comics #14 by Charlton Comics
- Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
- Roots by Alex Haley
- scale by Jeffrey West
- Science, the Endless Frontier by Vannevar Bush
- Sidereus nuncius by Galileo Galilei
- Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
- Smarter Than You Think by Clive Thompson
- Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier by Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Steal this Book by Abbie Hoffman
- SuperFreakonomics LP by Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
- Surviving Galeras by Stanley Williams
- The 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss
- The 4-hour Chef by Timothy Ferriss
- The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
- The Ancestor's Tale by Richard Dawkins
- The Blank Slate by Steven Pinker
- The Chandra X-ray Observatory by Belinda Wilkes
- The Children by David Halberstam
- The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett
- The Cosmic Cocktail by Katherine Freese
- The Einstein Paradox by Guido Bacciagaluppi
- The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals by Charles Darwin
- The Genetic Book of the Dead by Richard Dawkins
- The God Particle by Ted Jaeckel
- The God Particle by Leon M. Lederman, Dick Teresi
- The Greatest Show on Earth by Richard Dawkins
- The Iliad by Homer
- The Internationalists by Oona A. Hathaway
- The Joy of X by Steven Henry Strogatz
- The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
- The Liars' Club by Mary Karr
- The Life of the Cosmos by Lee Smolin
- The making of the atomic bomb by Richard Rhodes
- The Making of the Nuremberg Chronicle by Adrian Wilson
- The moon is a harsh mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
- The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven
- The Physics of Nascar by Diandra Leslie-Pelecky
- The Principia by Isaac Newton, I. Bernard Cohen
- The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley
- The Relativity of Wrong by Isaac Asimov
- The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
- The Science of Good and Evil by Michael Shermer
- The Secret of the Incas by William Sullivan
- The Singing Neanderthals by Steven J. Mithen
- The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
- The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
- The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
- The Unworthy Thor by Jason Aaron
- The Variations of Animals and Plants Under Domestication, Volume 1 by Charles Darwin
- The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
- Tribe of Mentors by Timothy Ferriss
- Turning Oil Into Salt by Gal Luft
- Turning Oil Into Salt Energy Independence Through Fuel Choice by Anne Korin
- Unstoppable Us, Volume 1: How Humans Took Over the World by Yuval Noah Harari
- Unweaving the Rainbow by Richard Dawkins
- V. Alexander Stefan: The FAUSTEF TRILOGY (Faustef: the Master Guardian of the Creation: the 22 Sibling Universes) by V. Alexander Stefan
- Welcome to the Universe by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael A. Strauss, J. Richard Gott
- Why We Die by Venki Ramakrishnan
- Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
- Women in Their Element by Annette Lykknes
Guests who recommended books
- Peter Diamandis (10)
- Charles Liu (9)
- Brian Cox (9)
- Elise Crull (7)
- Kelly Clarkson (6)
- Heather Berlin (5)
- Brian Greene (4)
- Tim Ferriss (4)
- Grant Sanderson (3)
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Latest mentions
“Do we know the title of the short story that became Blade Runner? Do androids dream of electric sheep? So, that brings us... Do androids dream of electric sheep?”
“But in 1907, he writes this book, Creative Evolution, right?”
“I mean, I was just told about a book that, what is it, the, not Flat Earth. Flatland? Flatland, yes. Flatland, wonderful book. That's a cool book.”
“Dr. Tyson, just love you and love your Cosmic Queries book.”
“So maybe you were familiar with George Gammo's Mr. Tommpkins and Wonderland. I don't know if you I'm a little older than you, so I don't know if this was around in your day, but George Gammo Mr. Wonderland was a place where the laws of physics were different simply by the physical constants being different.”
“And uh so in fact, there's a whole book written by a colleague of mine called It What if there were no moon? And then the the whole book just goes talks about the consequences of that.”
“That was a 19th century book written by the great HG. I'm not blaming you. No, no, I'm saying”
“And your book is still one of my favorites. It's How to Make White People Laugh. I just laughed just thinking of that title. Really good.”
“Let me remind People, oh my gosh, the handy quantum physics answer book. Now that's a book, not that thing you got. Oh, no. Come on. Well, my book, you're just talking smack about my little book. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's true, okay. But Charles Liu, this is not your first rodeo with the handy answer franchise, right?”
“there is a really good uh science fiction novel called the songs of distant earth that arthur c clark wrote where he created an idea where there was a spaceship that could move very very close to the speed of light but every once in a while had to stop and pick up ice turned out that the energy produced”
“And now the prime number thing, Carl Sagan had prime numbers in the original contact novel. Where they were embedded in the signals.”
“I wanted to know your thoughts on the dark forest theory presented as a solution to the Fermi paradox in the 3body trilogy, Spoiler Warnings for Others. The dark forest principle says that when each civilization discovers the other, there exists no solution where they do not end up attacking each other. So the universe is teeming with intelligent life,”
“From The Martian, a best-selling book. Which became a best A very popular movie. A hit. A hit movie. A hit movie. A hit movie with all kinds of marquee actors in it.”
“and so then that was followed by by artemis artemis which is the only one of my books not to be made into a movie so yes but it will be my words i will make it it is now a space program though so yes that's true that's true what more do you want i want a movie”
“Project Hail Mary. Yeah. Another best-selling book. It's still on the shelves. I see it wherever I go.”
“Oh, and I love this back now 10 years ago, the cosmic cocktail. Ooh. Can you get a better title than that? Take a nice title. so. Three parts dark matter. Ooh.”
“The German poet Rea Maria Rilki uh in his book Letters to a Young Poet. I hope I don't mangle this too badly. The one of the poems ends be patient with all that stirs within your heart. Learn to love the questions themselves.”
“And by the way, Galileo's famous book from6009 where he reported on his telescope observations of the universe, something no one had done before. The title of that book is Cidius Nunius, translated from the Latin Starry Messenger.”
“He wrote a book called the mathematical universe where he's exploring everything that you know, see, think and do.”
“He had just read Copernicus' De Revolutionibus, which puts the sun back in the I say back because the Greeks knew this, but they got lost in the Dark Ages.”
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