Reviews for The Limits of Organic Life in Planetary Systems

The average rating for The Limits of Organic Life in Planetary Systems based on 2 reviews is 5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2018-01-27 00:00:00 David Benedetti On the fiftieth anniversary of the launch of the Sputnik satellite, Matthew Brzezinski took the time to write this comprehensive book about the entire experience, pulling on political and social perspectives to educate the curious reader. Brzezinski shows that this was far from being an isolated event, which helped to fuel the early years of Cold War weapons stockpiling, as well as sparking the race for space and how one might 'colour the heavens'. As the dust was settling on the Second World War, Europe was emerging as a new region, divide into two ideological spheres. The USSR and USA stood before one another as two superpowers, each with their handful of allies, ready to dismiss the other's ideology as faulty. With this, came the need to develop weapons in an effort not only to protect themselves, but also to flex each superpower's technological muscles. With the dropping of nuclear bombs on the Japanese, the Americans had made the first move, though the Soviets were not about to take things lying down. Rather than focus solely on bombs, both sides wanted to develop an arsenal of missiles, strategically aimed at the other. With the technology at their fingertips'helped by some of the German scientists who sought refuge once their Nazi homeland was decimated'both sides created weapons with nuclear tips, likely some of the most deadly weapons that could be launched with ease. At the middle of this, US President Dwight Eisenhower sought to outmaneuver Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, though neither side could claim complete victory. Brzezinski explores the weapons development that both undertook, as well as some of the attempts by either side to spy on the progress being made. While the Americans had to create ultra-light spy planes to capture photos of some facilities, the Soviets remained baffled that American media outlets readily published news of their progress to the world through daily headlines. While ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles) were being perfected, Soviet scientists were able to create something that could be launched into the sky and orbit the Earth with ease. When they were able to launch a satellite into orbit, they named it Sputnik and wondered how great a difference this would make to the larger technological battle. While the Americans panicked and Eisenhower hid from any journalist seeking a response, the Soviets only realised the impact they'd made when the world media began blasting the news out as fast as it could be synthesised. Brzezinski explores how both sides reacted to this news upon grasping its significance and how the Americans used this as a tossing of the gauntlet to encourage them to rush to new heights of weaponised readiness in the ever-developing Cold War. It was then that things got out of hand for all involved, with the Americans tripping over their own feet to wipe the egg of their faces. With Eisenhower still shaky on the entire premise, many within the American political sphere pushed harder to ensure that there would be a space program that could counter its Soviet cousin as soon as possible. Brzezinski has used extensive research to present this thorough piece in an attempt at educating the curious reader, while also memorialising the event on such a significant anniversary. Highly recommended for those who love political and military history set in a modern era. While much has been written about the Cold War and the military clashes of the two superpowers, I was quite intrigued to read Matthew Brzezinski's account of this key event. He explores its significance, not only from a weapons perspective, but also how this constant competition pushed the limits of technological advancements and brought humans to new and exciting realms. The dedicated reader will see the progression of this theme throughout, accentuating the impact of the space race in both countries. Brzezinski does a wonderful job of exploring the specifics of weapons and space technology without drowning in the reader in information. Brzezinski places this arms race in the middle of social change taking place in the United States, which contrasts nicely and explores some of the domestic struggles Eisenhower faced. Little Rock, Arkansas proved to be a key test in the Eisenhower presidency as he sought to desegregate the South, against the wishes of politicians from the region. This parallel development in history shows that Eisenhower could not focus all his attention on these significant changes, turning his gaze to the blood in the streets, rather than solely those stars in the distant sky. The narrative also shows that Eisenhower'key military figure in the Second World War'was out of his element in the advancement of military technology and the modern art of warfare. Brzezinski argues that Eisenhower needed to make some decisions well outside his comfort zone or face significant impediments in keeping America relevant as the Cold War progressed. With many key figures appearing throughout this narrative, the reader will notice many familiar names in the battle to push America and the Soviet Union towards a standoff, only years away. There is no doubt that the book focusses a great deal on the American perspective and explores the reactions of many US actors in the larger political drama. I can only speculate that research was limited from a Soviet perspective, though it is clear that Khrushchev has an iron fist and ruled with little chance for dissent. The narrative flows so well and keeps the reader enthralled throughout this piece. As mentioned above, while full of information, there is little time for the reader to get lost in the description, as the smooth delivery helps the layperson to better understand some of the more complex aspects of the story. Brzezinski has gone above and beyond to create a masterful piece that accentuates how far the two countries have come since then, leaving many to posit where things will go in the years to come. Kudos, Mr. Brzezinski, for a great piece of non-fiction. I learned so much though was entertained in equal measure. I look forward to finding more of your work in the coming months. This Book fulfills Topic #5, Equinoxy Thinkin' (Moon) of the Equinox #5 Book Challenge. Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at: A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge:

Review # 2 was written on 2017-11-02 00:00:00 Robert Domingo All that you didn't know about the history of the Soviet/American space race. Really, I am surprised that there aren't more books about this rather major event in world history but, it seems to me anyway, that Matthew Brzezinski is one of the very first to put the extraordinary events leading up to America's entering the space age on paper. The journey is a rather straightforward, but enjoyable, one. If it drags in parts - particular in the beginning - it's because a certain level of detail is paid to the rocket mechanics. For a couple chapters at least, we can get away with saying that "it's rocket science." I, for one, was far more interested in the politics of the space race rather than the science behind it and luckily for me, though the book initially lacked some of the, uh, thrust I would have liked to see, it quickly shot off into the stratosphere! My biggest takeaway would have to be the knowledge that it was Khrushchev who seemingly kicked off the space race, and only due to the persistence of one of the Soviet Union's - at the time - most undervalued scientists. American President Dwight Eisenhower shrugged off the launch of the world's first satellite but due to the widely held public perception that the United States was falling behind the Soviet Union, finally agreed to up the budget to allow America's newly formed - and, at the time, competing - space agencies to do the same. Oh, and that America's own entry into the space age was launched in largest part due to a former Nazi. One bit of information I found quite telling, is a quote that Brzezinski includes from Tom Margerison, a British science writer on assignment in Moscow, who says about the "Sputnik" launch "Nowhere else would you find a people who are able to carry out a complex project like launching a satellite, involving the close cooperation of scientists and engineers from many disciplines, yet who prove quite unable to organize efficient butcher shops." Ha! Russia in a nutshell. All in all, an entertaining and educational read!