Book 1 Post 1

How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming by Mike Brown

What initially drew me to this book was that the other options did not seem interesting. I honestly did not want to read the come-up story of a Hollywood actor or actress. Though I don't doubt the hard work they must've put in to get where they are, it honestly seemed a bit boring. How I Killed Pluto, on the other hand, now that's an exciting title! I'm very glad I chose this book and have thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Brown has a very easy-to-read writing style and avoids intimidating scientific jargon that would be hard for the average reader. Instead, he explains concepts in very clear and understandable ways, without having to oversimplify. He uses plenty of analogies so that the reader can comprehend the scope of what he is talking about. Now you might be wondering, "What exactly is he talking about?". Space, of course! Specifically, Pluto and Brown's very own discovery of a planet beyond Pluto. However, as you read, Brown details why Pluto is not, by scientific definition, a planet. With Pluto's demotion from 'planet' status, Brown recognizes that his own discovery will suffer the same fate.

Throughout Brown's quest for new discoveries, we get a look at his personal life. Within the book, there is a parallel between Brown's coming into fatherhood and his search for planets beyond Pluto. Even as committed as Brown is to his work, he demonstrates a good work-life balance. He eagerly anticipates the birth of his daughter and after her birth, in true scientist fashion, he logs about her development (www.lilahbrown.com). I thought it was sweet how he shared his passion for space with his daughter as she started to grow up.

One last and minor detail about the book that I enjoyed was the setting. Brown is a professor at Caltech, located in Pasadena, California, where I was born and raised. I felt a bit of a connection here as we call the same place home.

Overall I give How I Killed Pluto a 4/5 Goodreads Rating. 

 

 Every planet in our solar system explained

(Pictured at the far right: Eris, Brown's discovery!)


Comments

  1. Anders MarshallFebruary 20, 2024 at 7:01 PM

    Hi Viv! I also read How I Killed Pluto and I loved the section about his daughter, Lilah. I enjoyed his writing style and how approachable his book was, even though it was discussing such complex topics.

    ReplyDelete

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