Carl Sagan - A Biography

By Ray Spangenburg and Kit Moser

"Carl Sagan: A Biography comes closer to the Carl I knew than other previous attempts at biography. Authors Moser and Spangenburg capture the drama, passion, and integrity of Carl's lifelong quest to know the cosmos. May this work kindle that fire in others."
—Ann Druyan, wife of the late Carl Sagan and collaborator on many projects

Astronomer, planetary scientist, astrophysicist, exobiologist, educator, public figure, skeptic—all these hats represent important parts of Carl Sagan's complex, multifaceted career.

Perhaps best known as the host of the popular television series Cosmos, Sagan offered to the world his extraordinary gift for cross-disciplinary research, his deep well of integrated visions and fruitful ideas, his vivid imagination, and his wealth of nonstop enthusiasm.

This concise, lively biography examines Carl Sagan's steady growth as a man, as a scientist, and as a communicator—a man who had both odd quirks and great charisma, who had an immensely eclectic knowledge base and a unique understanding of the central place of science in the human experience. Separate chapters are devoted to Sagan's interest in the origin of life, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), and his work on Cosmos, where he collaborated with Ann Druyan.

There are also sections on Sagan's public advocacy for science, his critical stance toward pseudoscience, and his role as an activist for the environment. This updated paperback edition contains many new photos as well as textual additions by Ann Druyan.

🔭 From the Desk of Paul Bracken:

For many of us in the amateur astronomy community, Carl Sagan wasn't just a scientist; he was the voice that invited us all to the party. He had a unique ability to make the infinite feel personal.

I chose to stock this biography because it doesn't just list his academic achievements; it captures the human spark behind them. It reminds us that science isn't just about data—it's about "drama, passion, and integrity." If you have ever looked through a telescope and felt that profound sense of wonder, you have a little bit of Carl Sagan in you. This book is a wonderful tribute to the man who taught us that we are all "made of star stuff."