Books › How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming
How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming
267 pages
A warm, witty memoir that shrinks the vastness of the solar system down to the size of a deeply human, deeply funny personal adventure.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting down for a beer with your favorite, most engaging college professor. It is a brisk, conversational journey that seamlessly weaves the cold, vast mechanics of the outer solar system with the warm, messy realities of falling in love and having a child. The narrative balances the obsessive, solitary thrill of scientific discovery with a wry, self-deprecating humor that keeps the cosmic stakes entirely grounded. You are invited into the quiet hum of the observatory and the loud, public fallout of changing a beloved planetary paradigm. It will delight anyone who loves pop science with a beating heart, offering an intellectually stimulating yet deeply cozy experience that reminds us how human the pursuit of knowledge truly is.
- Mood
- intellectually stimulating
- cozy
- awe-struck
- Tone
- wry
- conversational
- enthusiastic
- self-deprecating
- warm
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- the thrill of discovery · shifting paradigms · human side of science · balancing ambition and family · letting go of nostalgia
- The writing
- Lucid and witty, the writing effortlessly translates complex orbital mechanics into relatable, everyday anecdotes.
- The arc
- The journey shifts from the solitary, obsessive hunt for a hidden world to the joyous, chaotic collision of scientific breakthrough and new fatherhood.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love accessible pop-science memoirs that blend cosmic wonder with grounded, humorous humanity.
Content notes
- mild public backlash
About the book
The astronomer who inadvertently triggered the "demotion" of Pluto in his effort to officially recognize the solar system's tenth planet describes the ensuing debates and public outcry while revealing the behind-the-scenes story of his discovery.
Description from Open Library.
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