Most Popular Books by Ann Druyan

What are these graceful visitors to our skies? We now know that they bring both life and death and teach us about our origins. Comet begins with a breathtaking journey through space astride a comet. Pulitzer Prize-winning astronomer Carl Sagan, author of Cosmos and Contact, and writer Ann Druyan explore the origin, nature, and future of comets, and the exotic myths and portents attached to them. The authors show how comets have spurred some of the great discoveries in the history of science and raise intriguing questions about these brilliant visitors from the interstellar dark. Were the fates of the dinosaurs and the origins of humans tied to the wanderings of a comet? Are comets the building blocks from which worlds are formed? Lavishly illustrated with photographs and specially commissioned full-color paintings, Comet is an enthralling adventure, indispensable for anyone who has ever gazed up at the heavens and wondered why. Praise for Comet "Simply the best." —The Times of London "Fascinating, evocative, inspiring." —The Washington Post "Comet humanizes science. A beautiful, interesting book." —United Press International "Masterful . . . science, poetry, and imagination." —The Atlanta Journal & Constitution

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “Exciting and provocative . . . A tour de force of a book that begs to be seen as well as to be read.”—The Washington Post Book World World renowned scientist Carl Sagan and acclaimed author Ann Druyan have written a Roots for the human species, a lucid and riveting account of how humans got to be the way we are. Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors is a thrilling saga that starts with the origin of the Earth. It shows with humor and drama that many of our key traits—self-awareness, technology, family ties, submission to authority, hatred for those a little different from ourselves, reason, and ethics—are rooted in the deep past, and illuminated by our kinship with other animals. Sagan and Druyan conduct a breathtaking journey through space and time, zeroing in on critical turning points in evolutionary history, and tracing the origins of sex, altruism, violence, rape, and dominance. Their book culminates in a stunningly original examination of the connection between primate and human traits. Astonishing in its scope, brilliant in its insights, and an absolutely compelling read, Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors is a triumph of popular science.

This sequel to Carl Sagan''s blockbuster continues the electrifying journey through space and time, connecting with worlds billions of miles away and envisioning a future of science tempered with wisdom. Based on National Geographic''s internationally-renowned television series, this groundbreaking and visually stunning book explores how science and civilization grew up together. From the emergence of life at deep-sea vents to solar-powered starships sailing through the galaxy, from the Big Bang to the intricacies of intelligence in many life forms, acclaimed author Ann Druyan documents where humanity has been and where it is going, using her unique gift of bringing complex scientific concepts to life. With evocative photographs and vivid illustrations, she recounts momentous discoveries, from the Voyager missions in which she and her husband, Carl Sagan, participated to Cassini-Huygens''s recent insights into Saturn''s moons. This breathtaking sequel to Sagan''s masterpiece explains how we humans can glean a new understanding of consciousness here on Earth and out in the cosmos--again reminding us that our planet is a pale blue dot in an immense universe of possibility.

“Fascinating . . . memorable . . . revealing . . . perhaps the best of Carl Sagan’s books.”—The Washington Post Book World (front page review) In Cosmos, the late astronomer Carl Sagan cast his gaze over the magnificent mystery of the Universe and made it accessible to millions of people around the world. Now in this stunning sequel, Carl Sagan completes his revolutionary journey through space and time. Future generations will look back on our epoch as the time when the human race finally broke into a radically new frontier—space. In Pale Blue Dot, Sagan traces the spellbinding history of our launch into the cosmos and assesses the future that looms before us as we move out into our own solar system and on to distant galaxies beyond. The exploration and eventual settlement of other worlds is neither a fantasy nor luxury, insists Sagan, but rather a necessary condition for the survival of the human race. “Takes readers far beyond Cosmos . . . Sagan sees humanity’s future in the stars.”—Chicago Tribune

Cosmos: Possible Worlds adalah saga lanjutan petualangan besar yang diawali bersama oleh Carl Sagan dan Ann Druyan. Cosmos: A SpaceTime Odyssey Druyan yang meraih Emmy Award dan Peabody Award merupakan fenomena global, ditayangkan di 181 negara di seantero planet ini. Kini, dengan Possible Worlds, Druyan melanjutkan perjalanan menarik yang akan membawa Anda melintas 14 miliar evolusi kosmik dan berbagai rahasia alam. Inilah kisah-kisah para penanya tanpa takut yang belum pernah disampaikan, yang pencariannyaÑbahkan kadang dengan biaya setinggi-tingginyaÑmemberi kita gambaran alam semesta luas yang baru kita mulai kenali. Dalam buku memukau ini, Druyan membayangkan masa depan penuh inspirasi yang kita masih bisa dapatkan di dunia iniÑjika kita sadar pada waktunya untuk menggunakan sains dan teknologi canggih dengan kebijaksanaan. Siap-siap berlayar ke bintang-bintang!

Este fascinante libro, basado en la serie de televisión de Fox y National Geographic Cosmos: mundos posibles, muestra la notable capacidad de la famosa autora Ann Druyan para hacer comprensibles e inspiradoras las ideas científicas. En estas páginas descubrimos cómo ciencia y civilización han crecido juntas, y cómo iluminan el camino de nuestro futuro. Desde el surgimiento de la vida en la Tierra hace unos 4.000 millones de años hasta un futuro en el que naves interestelares viajarán a otras partes de la galaxia, Druyan explora dónde hemos estado y hacia dónde vamos. He aquí la historia de las ideas que configuran la ciencia del mañana, con figuras conocidas como Galileo y Darwin, y héroes olvidados como la astrónoma Caroline Herschel, el botánico Nikolái Vavílov o el ingeniero Yuri Kondratiuk. Más estimulante aún es la visión de Druyan del mundo que aún podemos tener aquí en la Tierra.

A whimsical journey into the realm of off-duty literary characters--and an ode to the power of reading At twenty-four, Marina is at a crux in life. "I''m just at the age when time speeds up in an odd way. . . . The winters come closer together and you begin to accept that you''re not special anymore." She''s cautious of her imaginative tendencies, unsure how she might make a difference in a world that feels increasingly big and small at the same time. At this uncertain precipice, nothing could come as a stranger surprise than waking up one sunny morning on a park bench in an entirely different world. Yet that''s where Marina finds herself: at a place called In The Beginning, populated by characters from literature waiting to be read--or, in some cases, written. Although Marina is bewildered by her sudden an unexpected arrival in this bustling realm of overlapping possibilities, she soon learns that In The Beginning is facing an existential threat, and she is uniquely positioned to help. So begins her quest to find Pearl, the one person who may hold the key to saving everyone. Delving deeper into this unusual world in pursuit of answers, Marina''s journey leads her into the heart of herself and to a shocking truth. Ann Druyan packs this compelling adventure story with characters both familiar and new, offering a profound testament to the cosmic powers of imagination and curiosity. First published in 1977, A Famous Broken Heart resounds with wit and wisdom that continue to connect with readers.

Eine Reise durch mehr als 14 Milliarden Jahre der Evolution: zu fernsten Planeten, die noch unerreichbar sind, und kaum bekannten Welten auf der Erde wie die Tiefsee, aber auch unser Hirn. Erst heute beginnen wir zu begreifen, in welcher Gefahr sich Erde und Menschheit u.a. durch den Klimawandel tatsächlich befinden. Was können die Wissenschaften, was können wir tun, damit die nächsten Generationen eine Zukunft haben?

Carl Sagan e Ann Druyan escreveram um livro sobre as origens da espécie humana, um relato lúcido e fascinante sobre como os humanos se transformaram no que são hoje Sombras de Antepassados Esquecidos é uma saga tocante que mostra com humor e dramatismo co