Astrophysics for People in a HurryAstrophysics for People in a Hurry
Score Modern
What it's about
Neil deGrasse Tyson explains the universe in a dozen short chapters, each readable in one sitting: the Big Bang, how the elements came from stars, why things are round, the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy, and what it means to be a tiny part of something so vast.
Why it's worth reading
It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. Tyson is a great explainer, funny and enthusiastic, and the book is a perfect short introduction to big ideas.
You'll love it if you liked
A Brief History of Time
A Short History of Nearly Everything
CosmosGood to know
It's very short. A few chapters are dense, but no math is needed.
By the numbers
- Readers59 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller83 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #43 of the 119 science and ideas books we rank
- #322 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #643 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Thought-provoking
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When Breath Becomes AirExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →Science and ideas booksTop 25 · 119 ranked
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,573 ranked
Books of the 2010sTop 25 · 736 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 309 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedQuick answers
Is Astrophysics for People in a Hurry worth reading?
Yes. It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. It ranks #643 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 76.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Astrophysics for People in a Hurry about?
Neil deGrasse Tyson explains the universe in a dozen short chapters, each readable in one sitting: the Big Bang, how the elements came from stars, why things are round, the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy, and what it means to be a tiny part of something so vast.
How long does it take to read Astrophysics for People in a Hurry?
About 4 hours (144 pages), or about 8 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Astrophysics for People in a Hurry?
If you liked it, try A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking, A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson or Cosmos by Carl Sagan.