Solar System Books

This book was very informational. The information was put into an interesting fomat which was not boring at all. The information in this book is great for anyone doing research on the solar system. I recomend this to researchers of almost all ages.

I was getting really worried about the Y2K problem. I picked this book out from a shelf of Y2K books because it looked like it would have lots of practical advice and it didn't seem alarmist to me. The book surpassed my expectations. I now feel confident that I can be comfortable in my own home in the event of power outages and other service disruptions due to Y2K or any natural disaster. The authors present advice in an easy to understand, sensible way based on their own experience. The book made me think about simple steps that I can take to be prepared. Even if Y2K turns out to be no big deal I'm much better prepared for the next big storm.

Zubrin has a very interesting plan, which appears to be sound both technically and philosophically. While he certainly presents a compelling case for *how* we should go to Mars, he fails to actually present a case for *why* we should want to go to Mars in the first place.

Of all the places to go in the solar system, why Mars? What does Mars have to offer other than dust? What is on Mars that is not more easily accessible elsewhere in the solar system? These are important question to consider if one is going to invest resources and human lives in the conquest of space.

To build a successful colony, one needs raw materials as well as abundant energy. Mars is lacking on both counts. Water? How much is really available in the ice caps and subsurface? Energy? The amount of geothermal energy is questionable, as Mars is mostly dead from a geological standpoint. Solar energy is less than 1/3 of that found on Earth, requiring large arrays that must support themselves against gravity as well as be protected from dust storms. What raw minerals are available other than iron oxide (rust)?

No, all the necessary resources, and more, are available in the Asteroid Belt and the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Any additional energy expended in reaching them is far more than compensated for the fact that their wealth is not bound deep in a gravity well such as that of Mars. The reduced solar energy is not a limiting factor either, as collector arrays can be built as large as necessary when there are not constraints of gravity.

Finally, the space radiation issue is better addressed, as the Belt colony can dig itself in to an asteroid as deeply as necessary to provide adequate shielding.

Forget Mars, the Belt is where we need to go.

The vision that Robert Zubrin lays out in this book makes it the most important for anyone to read. Not only is it well written, Zubrin's ideas are outstanding and critical for our society to learn and embrace as we move quickly into the 21st century.

If ever I read a book on what visionaries with a practical side have to say, this is it.

The book was written in the early 1990's looking out 10 years to what would be possible. It was well researched and based on technical expertise.If asked, they could make this happen.

Well worth reading for anyone interested in space exploration.

As many of reviewers have said, Robert Zubrin describes his plan for getting to Mars as effeciently as possible.

Good points of the book are that his plan is very well thought out. He puts a lot of science in to the book, and explains it all in straightforward terms. He narrates the book in a friendly, conversational tone.

A slightly negative point is that his book is mostly visionary and doesn't get into what progress has made towards the human exploration of Mars.

My biggest problem with the book is that it's boring. I'm sorry to say that, but it is, at least for me. And I'm a 20-year old majoring in aerospace engineering who is actively interested in researching Mars. The thing is, the book is good at presenting the info, but not so good at providing motivation and interest needed to absorb all that info. It's written like an extended essay (thesis, reasons, supports). You know what I'm talking about. I will probably use this book more for reference than for fun reading.

Maybe I'll change my opinion over time. For now, it gets 3 stars.

I was disappointed in the book. Dr. Zubrin spends far too much time faulting NASA and trying to say why we should not do anything but go to Mars. He does make good points with his theme of "living off the land". I don't believe this book will convince anyone outside those who already want to go to Mars that we need to go. I think it will give ammunition to those who dislike NASA and the space program in general.

one of the best science stories I've ever heard!
I am a astronomy aficionado and this story has made me be part of the MER team in my own way. I felt that I was in Mars and also in the JPL.
I laughed at the witty comments of Steve and specially about the "WHAAAAT??!?!?"'s... and I cried so hard when Spirit landed... ha! I felt really overwhelmed.... I guess I can say that Steve Squyres made me feel like I was part of the story... Thank you for that!

and I couldn't agree more... I also want boot prints over the wheel tracks!!!! :')

I bought this book solely out of vanity, wanting to see my name in print at the back of the book among the thousands who worked on Spirit and Opportunity. Alas, I was among the handful that were omitted (no big surprise given my squiggly signature). I did however thoroughly enjoy every page. Steve is not only a great scientist but a talented writer, and has done an excellent job of illustrating the emotional roller coaster of building space hardware. Just as he learned about the blood sweat and tears that go into building the hardware, his book educates us on the challenges, setbacks and ultimate triumphs of getting a mission funded - and keeping it from getting cancelled. Steve keeps the reader on edge through every step of his nine year journey from pipedream to paydirt.

this is a very informative book...it follows the lead scientist for the mars'rovers(which are incredible machines)before he became lead scientist.the difficulty of getting nasa to finance this mission while trying to keep key instruments from being cut from the mission is fasinating.we're talking years of failures to get his dream mission off the ground.we're talking years of frustrating drawbacks and budget cuts.i can partially sympathise with him...i'm just an amateurs' amateur.that is to say,i'm not good enough to be considered a real amateur.but that doesn't keep me from wondering what it would be like to work for nasa...can you imagine what it must be like to go to work every day and work with some of the greatest minds in america?all in all,this is a very good read.

Roving Mars is the "biography" of the Mars Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. It was written by the most appropriate of all persons -- Steve Squyeres, the "principal investigator" for the rover project. As Dr. Squyers was the principal investigator, the book is, by necessity, autobiogrpahical as well.

Dr. Squyers does not over-dramatize, instead he meticulously, and clearly describes the many, many setbacks, problems, cost-overruns, delays, etc. involved in the Mars rover project. He showed tremendous patience in overcoming these obstacles. Others would have quit.

Also, Dr. Squyers graciously and repeatedly gave his graditute to the skills and contributions of the other scientists and technicians involed in the project. In short, NASA not only hired the right scientist, but hired a scientist with good manners.

For the lay reader, it was sometimes is difficult to follow what instrument is doing what and why on Mars, but if the book had been "dumded down" much would have been lost. My only criticism is that the ending was a little flat. The author tried for some drama and reflection, but the telling of the end of the story was weak.

"We see it! We see it! We see it! We're in lock. We're in lock." - Voice of Entry, Descent, Landing Telecom, Cruise Mission Support Area, Jet Propulsion Lab, January 4, 2004 on acquiring signals from Spirit lander after its touchdown on Mars.

On June 10 and July 7 of 2003, NASA and Pasadena's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) launched the twin Martian landers, Spirit and Opportunity respectively. They touched down on the Red Planet on January 4 and January 24 of 2004, the first mobile robotic explorers to do so since Pathfinder/Sojourner in 1997. ROVING MARS is their story as told by Steve Squyres.

Squyres, a geologist by profession, was the Principal Investigator, i.e. science team leader, for the Spirit and Opportunity projects representing JPL. He recounts earlier years and unsuccessful attempts to get a lander proposal approved by NASA. Then, against the backdrop of NASA's latest failures at Mars exploration, Mars Polar Lander and Mars Climate Orbiter in 1998, Steve shares the anxiety, frustration, doubts and hard work involved in getting eventual conceptual approval for the 2003 missions, followed by the months of design, construction, testing failures and successes, nearly insurmountable problems, budget overruns, and final nail-biting reviews by NASA before the rovers could be encapsulated in their landers and placed atop their Delta II rockets at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for their launches, which themselves involved maddening delays. Following relatively uneventful flights to Mars, Squyres again picks up the rovers' stories to describe their landings, deployment, and treks of discovery. The goal of the dual mission - to discover in Martian rocks evidence for a watery past.

The reader will perhaps stand amazed that Spirit and Opportunity ever overcame multiple obstacles to get launched at all. There are two excellent sections of color photographs within the book, one of which images shows Squyres reaching for the sky in supreme exaltation as Spirit's deployment on Martian soil is confirmed by telemetry. Steve recalls that as one of the best moments of his life. And, when arriving at that point in the narrative recounting the tense moments of Spirit's landing, the (American) reader can perhaps be forgiven for letting out a yell of proud victory, "YES!" This was, after all, an American red, white and blue accomplishment told via the author's clear, informative and non-technical prose.

The Spirit and Opportunity rovers had projected operational lifespans of 90 sols, each "sol" being a Martian day of 24 hours 39 minutes. By the end of the narrative in mid-September 2004, Spirit had reached 248 sols and Opportunity 227. Squyres expected the vehicles to die in months, perhaps a year at the outside, the buildup of dust on the rovers' energizing solar panels being the determining factor.

If you go to JPL's website, you'll find that as of 2008 both Spirit and Opportunity, albeit somewhat worse for wear, are still operational on the Red Planet transmitting back pictures and data. Amidst all the planning and pre-mission speculation, nobody imagined that the rovers' solar panels would be cleaned by ... dust devils. You can't even get that service for your windshield at the gas station anymore.

Despite its semi-technical nature, ROVING MARS was a book I couldn't put down, something I can't say about most of the trashy fiction novels I read. Honor to Squyres and his scientific and engineering team is due. (More than 4,000 names are listed at the end of the book.) At 59 jaded years, it makes me particularly proud to be a citizen of the US of A.

I was thinking about making the move to solar so I decided to purchase this book and do some online research. This book does a great job explaining how solar works and what you can expect with respect to wattage from a solar array based on the size of the array, where you live, time of year, etc. It explains the different types of solar installations and helps you decide which one is best for you. It also shows how to pursue local, state and federal tax incentives to help offset the costs of purchase and installation.

Well written, a good first-step book on home solar power. Recommended for those who are curious. The real work will begin later.

its meant to be the first book you would read if you are considering solar power for your home or just learning more about solar energy. and thats exactly what it is, very basic, no jargon, down to earth.

There's a lot of books on solar out there since we're finally starting to catch a clue that this world is running out of non-renewable, polluting, energy resources in a ever increasing energy hungry planet & people. It's been shining and keeping the planet alive for 4.5 billion years, puts out tons of energy everyday, doesn't go on vacation, or take breaks, should keep shining for as long as already has and it's energy is absolutely free! We just have to be smart enough to know how to capture and store all this free energy. That's where this book becomes a valuable tool. One of the highlights of this book is the experience of the authors. Doug Pratt is one of the founding fathers of Real Goods, known as Gaiam now. Real Goods has to be one of the worlds leading retailers of natural, renewable, & Earth-friendly products. They're one of the first places to consolidate & sell solar panels to the public back in the early 80's. Both Doug & Rex Ewing have lived on & off-the-grid in passive solar houses for years. Together they have more than 30 years experience in this field. This book is a great starting place if you have been interested in solar & wind power, yet it's a great reference book for the experienced too. Very easy to read, lots of great photos & diagrams. This book also has a very extensive appendix with tons of resources and references for further exploration. I'm glad I bought this book. I've studied lots of books on solar and wind power, but this one is one of my favorites, due to it's ease of use, knowledgeable authors, great layout, excellent references & resources. The costs of these systems are not cheap initially, and you want to make sure you do the right things right, and install the system that meets your needs. This book even tells you how to recoup rebates, shop for the best prices on solar panels and apply for tax credits(important for most folks, unless you are filthy rich and throw money away) If you're thinking of going solar or wind powered, this is a must have, and you don't have to wear sunblock. (unless your installing your system) ;-}

To be fair, I have not read this book. Why 5 stars? The book is a for-profit venture by the author, so recovery of time, effort, & energy is important for revenue reasons. So why write this review? After spending nearly 12-18 hours perusing AMAZON's book list on solar energy and photovoltaic systems, I was frustrated! None of the reviews on any single book seemed to be convincing enough to make me want to buy. For instance, none of the reviews mention how the books address the National Electric Code, specific wiring and disconnect installation information, electrical and other safety hazards, inspection issues, etc. For a DIY'er, these books seemed a waste of time, never mind the fact that some reviewers insisted they actually DIY'ed just from the book. It then occurred to me that dozens of resources that I had used over the past 10 years - with the exception of 2007 due to extenuating circumstances - many resources are available for free from our fantastic .GOV, .ORG, and .EDU sites like Sandia Nat'l Labs, NREL, NMSU, and CA.GOV. Folks, before you start buying books on PV left & right, be smart and leverage what your fine tax dollars paid for! I have to admit - I believe it's just stupid searching for good PV technical, installation, and detailed literature on a For-Profit Bookstore when so much is already available online for Free. Folks, use your head - our government and academic labs pioneered this from federal tax dollars. Hence, much of it is public domain! (REPLACE all "?" with "." in the following website links.) nabcep?org nmsu?edu/~tdi/index?html photovoltaics?sandia?gov and energy?ca?gov - just to name a few! Of course, if you're just not Internet savvy, not an engineer/analytical A-type personality, and highly resourceful, plus you'd rather prefer to kill trees buying a book instead of leveraging online resources that are 100 times more than what's on AMAZON, and most likely don't have the wherewithal to DIY, go ahead. It will be amazing to see how many are simply duped by the thousands of new "get rich quick" companies and businessmen entering the renewable energy markets.

This book is rather different. Although it's about Copernicus' book "De Revolutionibus", very little astronomy is discussed. There is also very little about Copernicus himself. The main theme of the book is finding as many still-existing copies of Copernicus' book as possible, and describing each one in detail - the ultimate purpose being the publication of a so-called "census" of that ancient book, i.e., a snapshot in time that identifies and describes each individual copy and where it is located in the world. Since I know nothing about antique book collecting, I learned a lot on this field by reading this book. I was not aware of all the work and travel required in finding a given copy of a book, especially identifying the authors of any hand-written notes on its pages. I did find certain lengthy descriptions rather monotonous, but some of the author's adventures are quite intriguing, particularly where he makes use of his notes to identify possibly stolen copies that eventually surface at auctions or elsewhere. Some aspects of life and technology in the sixteenth century that are important for the theme of this book, as well as discussions of some of Copernicus' contemporaries, are touched upon. But as the author states, this book is really a memoir of his census project. I think that this book would be of most interest to those with a passion for ancient books and ancient book collecting.

A wonderful voyage in search of copies of first and second editions of Copernicus and the revolutions. Mysteries revealed through the tenacious searching for these volumes by Dr.Gingerich. Style is easy to read and maintains ones interest though to the end by the use of comic relief.

In 1970, Owen Gingerich set out to survey every surviving copy of Copernicus's book. His journey took him around the world and, eventually, took thirty years to complete.

This book is the story of that journey. In equal parts, Gingerich provides us with the biography of a book, some knowledge of the scientific knowledge it contains, an insight into the people who owned it and some fascinating information about 16th century book publishing. We also see some of the dark side of the rare book trade.

A great 'book about a book'.

Highly recommended.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

I read this book on the advice of a review in the science journal, Nature. But I must say that it is, at best, a monotonous, plot-free read. There is virtually no history of science here, no gripping detective story or expose, and it is certainly far from engrossing. There are no personalities involved, little sensitivity to history, and so nothing to grab one's interest. Except for the first chapter (concerning a law suit over a stolen copy), the rest of the book pretty much consists of a dry, bare-boned littany of the author's survey of extant copies of Copernicus' great treatise, De Revolutionibus. There are a few entertaining comments about Edward Rosen (another historian of science fascinated with Copernican minutiae )that smack of professional rivalry (or perhaps a generational shift in science history studies?). The rest of the chapters consist of lifeless prose on boring topics, with an rambling commentary on the then-current Cold War. The book is tedious because it fails to breathe life into its topic. But then, how could it? For it is little more than a glorified list of copies. It took nearly all my gumption (not to mention a looong layover in Chicago O'Hare Airport) to even finish the book. Stick to the highlights (Chapters 1-3, Plate 1a, and the photo on p. 198 of Galileo's horoscope for Cosmo d'Medici) and you'll have about all there is worth having here.

The author chronicles his 30 year search for fate of the original copies of the Copernicus's revolutionary text. This makes for a first rate detective story. The book is as hard to put down as any good mystery.

Gingerich shows that the history of astronomy is interwoven with the entire history of mankind.

I expected the photos to be great, but I was surprised to find the accompanying writings (by a project scientist) to be so interesting and informative.

This book is wonderful! I can't really add anything to what others have said. I just hope we get a second edition of additional photos when the two rovers have completed their epic adventures. When I was growing up in the 50s, the planets were just fuzzy blobs in the best telescopic photos. I'm glad I've lived to see these extraordinary "postcards."

Postcards From Mars is the definitive coffee table book of images from the two rovers which landed on Mars in 2004. Jim Bell goes through all the stages of the missions, from conception, spacecraft assembly, their launch and cruise to Mars, landings, and their adventures and discoveries on the planet. He does this in layman's terms and from the perspective of someone who was working on the missions. These missions are still continuing today in 2008, and he should write another edition when the missions are completed.

But the real stars of the book are the many images of the Martian surface taken by the rovers. These are shown to (almost) full advantage in this large-format book with many gatefold panoramas. (A few of the pictures are printed rather dark.) The one thing lacking is in the captions of the images. Only a few words are said about each image.--These historic images deserve to have more said about them. You can find many of these same images on the various NASA websites, and they certainly have more detailed captions there. Also, the captions in this book are very small and hard to read. The brief captions are the only reason why I give this book four stars instead of five.

A good companion to this book is The Martian Landscape, another large-format book, this one filled with images from the two Viking Landers which landed on Mars in 1976. The captions in this book go into exhaustive detail.

A beautiful book for a good price. However, the book came with a damaged corner that was not related to the packing. It should have been rated at a lower level.

In fact, this has been the only book I have ever received with this kind of damage.

This book is simply fantastic! The photos are "out of this world". However, my only concern is that as a tax payer, who funded these missions to Mars, how is it that someone is profiting from these photos taken by United States of America vehicles? Why isn't the money from this book going to the USA to offset the cost of the mission?

Heinlein practically invented the science fiction juvenile -- meaning written specifically for the young adult market -- but that doesn't mean they're any less fun than his "adult" novels. This one, one of his best know, features the Stone family of Luna: Father Roger an engineer and ex-mayor of Luna City (and the author of a continuing adventure serial for Earth), mother Edith an M.D., grandma Hazel a Founding Father of the Lunar Revolution (she always packs a gun, though nowadays it's just a place to carry her supply of cough drops), twin teenage boys Castor and Pollux who are mathematical prodigies and born mechanics as well as budding capitalists, and toddler Lowell who's a chess whiz and possibly a mentalist. Only the daughter, Meade, is "ordinary," being merely gorgeous and a fair singer. The twins want to head off Luna to make some money, one thing leads to another, and the whole family buys a used ship and takes off on a junket for Mars. Part of this yarn is adventure, part of it is sugar-coated science, and all of it is enjoyable, even the parts that are now half a century out-of-date. Not to mention that the Martian "flat cats" are the inspiration for "The Trouble with Tribbles"! Heinlein's prose tries much too hard in some of his novels, especially the later one, but this one bounces right along. Read and enjoy!

The Rolling Stones is one of 14 "juvenile" science fiction novels written by Robert A. Heinlein (Stranger In A Strange Land, The Puppet Masters, etc.) between 1947 (Rocket Ship Galileo) and 1962 (Podkayne Of Mars). Heinlein's juvenile novels are all exceptionally well-written, as entertaining and enlightening for adults as for teenagers, but appropriate for kids to read. Each novel (with a couple exceptions) deals with space exploration in settings that expand on the previous novels - first, the moon, then the planets, and later on, the stars.

This one follows the Stone family on a light adventure through the Solar system, from the Moon to Mars, the asteroid belt, and beyond. The family, starting out from their home on the moon, consists of teenage twins Castor and Pollux, their big sister, little brother, parents, and grandmother Hazel, one of Heinlein's most vividly entertaining characters. It's the twins who want to buy a ship and go into business trading between planets, but after trying to dissuade them their father decides to buy a bigger ship and take the whole family.

As in all of Heinlein's juveniles, the science was accurate when written and still more educational than most fiction. There's much excitement about space travel and astronomy presented with realistic, but interesting detail. It is one of the 3 or 4 more humorous books in the series (along with Star Beast and Have Space Suit, Will Travel), but the character-based humor is skillfully blended with the serious, suspenseful parts. One of their adventures was the basis for the most popular episode of Star Trek, "The Trouble With Tribbles." Here they're called flat cats, but have the same characteristics - and problems.

I count The Rolling Stones as one of my 20 favorite novels, but not at the very top of the list with some of Heinlein's others, Time For The Stars, Starman Jones, Space Cadet, and Rocketship Galileo, all more serious, and the first two still scientifically plausible. Any of these would be a great gift for a teenage reader, particularly if they're interested in science.

The Rolling Stones (1952) is the seventh SF novel in this Juvenile series. Some time in the future, after space travel is commonplace and most of the Solar System has been colonized, a pair of twins named Casper and Pollux decide to buy a spaceship and get even richer hauling freight to the Asteroids. But first they have to convince their father.

In this novel, Cas and Pol are very late for supper. When they broach the subject of buying a spaceship, Roger Stone is very much against the whole idea. His mother Hazel interjects a few choice remarks and the subject becomes a general topic of conversation. By the next morning, Roger has been convinced to look for a spaceship for family excursions.

With a little nudging from Hazel, her son quickly finds a passenger/cargo ship that is affordable and big enough for the whole family. It is love at first sight. Hazel negotiates the sale and Roger signs on the dotted line and affixes his thumbprint. By the time they return home, Edith has notified the leasing office that they will be moving out.

Roger draws up a manning list, with himself as skipper, Casper as first officer & pilot, Meade as second officer & assistant cook, Hazel as chief engineer, Pollux as assistant engineer & relief pilot, Edith as ship's surgeon & cook, and Lowell as supercargo. Roger is certain that, somehow, this list is just not going to work out. Naturally Roger doesn't publish the list since he is not yet ready to admit that the twins are going along.

With two registered engineers in the family, not to mention two budding mechanical geniuses, the ship's refurbishing and overhaul goes apace. Of course, the twins learn the hard way not to argue with the skipper; space law is quite definite about on the rights and responsibilities of the ship captain. Only after that episode are the twins officially allowed to joins the ship's company.

The ship's name is typical of decision making in the Stone family. Everybody agrees to drop the current name -- Cherub -- but no two members can agree on the new name. Hazel accidently comes up with the name when she defines moss as "what rolling stones don't gather" and her son proposes "Rolling Stone" as the new name. The twins object, but are outvoted.

The next crisis is over the destination. The twins want to know where they are going so that they can decide what cargo to take along. Everybody else also wants to know just out of curiosity. Captain Roger selects Mars as the first stop. After failing to fool their dad with the parts and ingredients for a still, the twins choose used bicycles as their cargo.

In this story, the Stones see the ruins and canals of Mars and then set out to the Asteroids. From there, they head out to Titan. After that, who knows where they went?

The Stone family are most unusual. They are all very intelligent and well educated, but the twins are not yet wise. They are all thinkers and readers, looking beyond the obvious. Moreover, they are all strong-willed. Lowell may be the youngest, but who knows what he will be like in another ten or fifteen years. Can he really read minds?

This story is science fiction's response to the ineffectual nonheros of the mainstream literature of the time. All of the author's protaganists are above average intelligence -- usually very much above -- and some of the characters are flatout geniuses. Moreover, these characters are often well educated and know how to use their knowledge.

Bet the author based these characters on people that he knew. Why, then, did the mainstream lose all hope of anyone being effectual? Why do readers nowadays complain that such characters are unrealistic?

Hazel Meade Stone is also a minor character in The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (1966), where she does her part in turning back the invading soldiers from Earth. She earned both her Founding Fathers pension and the right to carry her sidearm in that book. One wonders on whom the author based her character?

Another reviewer calls the author a sexist. The author has Hazel point out the sexist bias that led her to leave her job as an engineer at the AEC and make a living dealing blackjack; her son even admits that she probably a better engineer than he is. Moreover, the author bills Edith Stone as a more than average medical doctor. So Meade is interested in boys, but Cas and Pol are also interested in girls; Meade just hasn't yet made up her mind what she wants to do. If you think that the Stones won't support her on any path she wishes to pursue, you better think again.

Heinlein is probably the least sexist of the Golden Age male authors, with several novels featuring female leads. Read Podkayne of Mars (1963) for a sympathetic novel about a competent and effective female character. Other such characters are featured in Friday (1982) and To Sail Beyond the Sunset (1987). One suspects that Virginia Heinlein was the main inspiration for many of his female characters.

This may be the best of the Heinlein's Juveniles. It explicitly evokes the inquiring spirit and the restless nature of humanity in his works. It also conveys the close ties, perseverence and imagination of the pioneers that settled the new world and will settle the new worlds in space.

Highly recommended for Heinlein fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of new lands over the mountains or through the deeps of space.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Heinlein was a master of the mundane. He took the mundane and spiced it with action and adventure, set in an imaginative future, creating marvelous tales that intrigued and involved his readers. The 1952 novel "The Rolling Stones" is Heinlein's tale of a family living on the moon that has decided the moon is getting a little too boring. The family consists of Dr. and Mr. Stone, Grandmother Stone, twins Castor and Pollux, Meade and baby Lowell.

Twins Castor and Pollux along with Grandmother Hazel are frequently the center of the novel; probably because the twins keep coming up with schemes that often work out in ways they did not expect. For example, the twins decide that bicycles would be a great item to sell on Mars. However, the twins were unaware that a strike in the asteroid belt had miners leaving Mars in droves, leaving an excess of bicycles. Then there is the flat cat Fuzzy Britches. Perhaps the writer of the Star Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles" had flat cats in mind.

Grandmother Hazel is hilarious. She is one of the strongest characters in this book. She carries a gun filled with candy, she speaks her mind, and has more education than everyone else in the story put together (at least, she implies that she does). Grandmother Hazel also makes the greatest sacrifices for her family, including giving up her oxygen to save Lowell's life.

The Stone family manages to find adventures at every turn. Just buying a space ship turns out to be a challenge. Then a medical emergency interrupts the trip to Mars. Dr. Stone leaves her family to help the passengers on the space liner, putting herself at risk. After leaving Mars for the asteroid belt, the family learns that Martian flat cats do two things really well: eat and make more flat cats! The asteroid belt is an adventure all by itself, made even more exciting when Grandmother Hazel and Lowell use a defective space scooter, only to end up where no one planned.

This book is one of Robert A. Heinlein's most amazing adventures. The action is consistent and imaginative. There is a good balance between the irresponsible male leads and the well educated and intelligent female characters. Heinlein frequently had strong female characters in his books, and he takes those characters to an extreme in this book with a barely concealed message that males are generally trouble makers and females have to use their heads to bail them out. However, it is all in good fun and makes this book enjoyable from beginning to end.

I recommend this book for every person who thinks of themselves as a fan of science fiction. This book is a winner from an author who won four Hugo awards during his life and the first Nebula Grand Master Award.

Enjoy!

there were Martian Flat Cats.

This 1952 'juvenile' novel originally appeared in "Boy's Life" in a condensed form as TRAMP SPACE SHIP.

The action centers on the Stone family, grandmother Hazel Meade Stone (THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS) her son Roger, an engineer currently writing a space adventure serial, his wife Edith, an MD, their children, 18-year-old Meade, 17-year-old twins, Castor and Pollux and 6-year-old Lowell. The twins have two talents - mechanical engineering and getting into trouble - that have made them (in)famous throughout their Lunar City home. Their parents have decided that now the boys have finished high school they would go to college back on earth. The boys have different ideas, they want to purchase a space ship and head out to the Asteroid Belt. Eventually a compromise is reached, the entire family takes off on a two year 'vacation'.

This is a fun adventure story. One that will make the reader think about the various problems that will face people as they spread out to the stars. It is also hilarious particularly the descriptions of the boys misadventures in the business world. Among these business ventures is the trade in 'Martian Flat Cats', creatures that will be familiar to Star Trek fans as Tribbles.

As with all of Heinlein's work the main characters are sympathetically drawn while most of the secondary characters are rather cardboard. The technical aspects are consistent with theories that were current for the time written and sometimes even a bit ahead. Many of the equipement described that was wildly futuristic when written has become commonplace while other aspects remain charmingly quaint. For example, the family computes their orbits by hand rather than computer.

Another sour note common with Heinlein's work of this period is his sexist attitude. The boys are expected to attend college on earth but no mention is made of their older sister doing so. In fact the only career plans mentioned for her involve finding a husband. She is also expected to shoulder the domestic duties of cooking and supervising the youngest child, is expected to handle household chores while the boys are studying etc. In spite of this, THE ROLLING STONES is a fun read for any age group. It would be a good place to begin for anyone unfamiliar with Heinlein's work and is a definite 'must read' for fans.

The Passive Solar House: Using Solar Design To Heat And Cool Your Home by civil engineering and solar home expert James Kachadorian is an informed and informative guide to the complexities involved in converting a building to the effective, environmentally friendly, financially beneficial technology of solar power. Deftly presenting a "reader friendly" study of the solar power conversion process, The Passive Solar House covers such relevant issues as equipment and insulation requirements for a designing and adapting solar powered house; "sun spaces"; heating and cooling requirement; insulation, venting, and fresh air; basic layouts and floor plans; interior design for year around comfort, and more. A welcome addition to personal, community library, and academic library Architectural Studies reference collections, The Passive Solar House is very strongly recommended for non-specialist general readers searching for a comprehensive introduction to creating a solar powered home in any urban or rural climate zone or region of the country.

a very disappointed old book ! a book from the seventies! very few pictures, many boards for american countries. Solar means, for me, interest for nature and for health. technical solutions suggested are not for health ! technik will kill us. let's us go to more simplicity !

James Kachadorian invented the most advanced method for doing passive solar. This book describes the method in ways almost anyone could understand. I live in New Mexico where passive solar houses are popular but generally primitive in their design. I was not planning on building a home but after reading his book I knew I had to in order to have the best possible passive solar home. His technique is applicable to a wide variety of home styles. It is the one hest able to create a comfortable, healthy and efficient passive solar house. I am certain he will become a real hero of the renewable energy movement. Anyone who considers having a passive solar home, and that ought to be most of us, owes it to themselves to read this book. You won't find many passive solar mentors as expert and as talented at coveying their ideas as James Kachadorian.

This is a well-written book about passive solar design. The author easily convinces you that he knows what he is talking about. Facts, formulas, calculation charts and instructions: he gives you all you need to plan and build your own passive solar home ... and get about half of your heating and cooling costs for free from the sun. Live with nature, design with nature, whatever. Buy the book and read it. It is long over due (about 35 years!). I gave away my copy and bought another one for friends, then I ordered the latest book authored by James Kachadorian.

My father found this book and used it, in the Southwest, to design his passive solar heating/cooling system. I am in the process of doing the same. In the winter he needs only a few cords of pine to heat a large 2 story house and in the summer, while I swelter in an appartment w/only North facing glass (!!!), his house is very cool and comfortable. The few negative reviews above appear to be from folks who either didn't pay attention as they read or have pie-in-the-sky "theories" of what passive solar really can do for you. Kachadorian is an engineer and very pragmatic. He is not a "green" builder so keep that in mind. His system works very well in real conditions and does so in a cost effective manner if you do the calculations which are all at about the 7th grade level. Id recommend building them in a spreadsheet- easy to do and lets you "tweak" your design as you go along. Honestly, even if you don't use his system, his calculations are very worth while to design in adequate thermal mass and back-up heating into any house.

Good luck!

I've read many other green building books. What I liked about this one was that it really goes into the nuts and bolts more - it give more detail than other books including some of Dan Chiras's other books - which I guess makes sense since it is about a limited area/topic.

This book covers much more than Solar Energy by including many energy saving features to build into a house. I bought a copy for both my Architech and General Contractor.

This book is excellent and received in great condition. Thank you. - jac

Everyone I talked to stated this as the first book someone should read to come up to speed on passive solar designs. And it is a good overview. But only an overview, providing lots of concept and a few "rules of thumb" only. Taken for what it is, this is a very good introduction to passive solar concepts. You'll have to look elsewhere for more detailed information if you plan to participate in the design phase of a passive solar building, or to learn enough to evaluate another's design. There are a few good references in the book to other materials as well.

My copy of this book is a mess. It has highlighting and notes all throughout the pages and looks well worn even though I've only had the book for a year.

When the time came to do some studying on solar design, this was the book that was recommended to me. And for good reason - it packs a wallop and provides SO MUCH great information in its pages. At the time I got the book I was somewhat of a novice to solar building and was concerned that the book would have too much jargon or concepts that I didn't understand, but Chiras does such a great job explaining everything in layman's terms that by the time I finished the book I felt like an expert myself.

I HIGHLY recommend this to ANYone looking to building solar/green. I consider it the best of the bunch.