"A warm profile of an unpretentious, significant scientist... Levy's account notes the ... comet/asteroid hunting conducted by Shoemaker and his wife, Carolyn, and he accents that with personal anecdotes from his own friendship and work with the couple."
Booklist "Fellow comet hunter Levy ... pens an affectionate portrait of his gifted if mercurial friend... Readers will appreciate, in addition to its ... Read morewelcome memoir of Shoemaker, the book's overview of the development of planetary geology during the last half-century."
Publishers Weekly "Levy's book should appeal to a wide range of readers, including not only scientists but also those seeking the personalities behind astronomy in the late 20th century."
Jay M. Pasachoff, Astronomy "David Levy's book has three main themes
biography, geology, and astronomy
neatly intertwined in a triple helix ... Thanks to one of the most remarkable events in the entire history of astronomy, the names Shoemaker and Levy are now inextricably linked."
Arthur C. Clarke, Times Higher Education Supplement "Levy writes well, and his pacey style keeps his personal story bubbling along superbly. The book is everything a 'good read' should be."
David W. Hughes, Nature "David Levy ... tells the story of Shoemaker's scientific odyssey with wit and panache."
Marcus Chown, New Scientist "This book is a wonderful read; it is very hard to put down once you start to flick through the pages, and it often brings a smile to your face... The author covers so much of Shoemaker's life that the reader is taken through the most exciting periods in the history of planetary science, so not only do you get a biography of an inspirational man, but you get an inside view of the development of astrogeology from its creation to the present day... Well written, fun, and a marvellous story of a man who made an impact on a subject that no other person is ever likely to be able to repeat."
Sarah Dunkin, The Observatory "This is a book for anyone interested in modern planetary sciences, in the progression and expansion of classical geology into, literally, other worlds... Gene's brilliance, energy, wit, and his science show through in every chapter."
Susan W. Kieffer, Physics Today "[Levy] skillfully describes Shoemaker's work and sharply delineates his strong personality."
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