This book was a perfect balance of interesting, informative, and factual. It had enough new science and facts that a reader interested in the subject doesn’t feel like it’s repetitive or dumbed down but it was very accessible to the non-scientific reader. There was also a good measure of awe-inspiring. The narrator for the audio version did a great job.

I have been getting more and more into books about space, and I really enjoyed this audiobook. I had it playing on my long drives to work and thought it was very well researched and easy to absorb. Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

I picked this up because the basic premise sounded super interesting. I love sci-fi and I thought reading about what life might be like on actual alien planets/worlds would be super interesting. For a book about what life would be like on alien worlds there is shockingly little content about the alien worlds. We spend way too much time on Earth for the first half of the book and not enough time on what the book is actually about imo. I can see people liking this but I spent most of the book bored. I liked the audiobook of this though so if you want to read this I recommend that version.

I will be withholding my review of this book in solidarity with the <a href="https://r4acollective.org/">St. Martin's Press boycott</a>.

🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio

Dr. Lisa Kaltenegger is SO knowledgeable and passionate about her work! I loved listening to this audiobook and learning more about outer space, the stars, the planets, everything!! It's so interesting. However, the chapters seem to be broken up into sections, but that's not made clear in the audiobook and in the beginning it was making me mildly confused. Once I caught on, it was fine, but it felt very segmented and choppy because of it. I think it would be very much a non-issue in print form.

This was an interesting non fiction book that discussed the search of life in our galaxy.

Some of the information I knew before but other information was new to me. The information was interesting but I would suggest that it is written for an audience that is already interested in these topics. The author wasn't afraid to dive into some basic science and assume the reader is education on the foundations of these topics.

This was a reasonably short book which felt just right for the topic discussed. I would recommend this to readers who like to learn through their reading time.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

"Alien Earths" delves into Kaltenegger's interdisciplinary approach to space exploration and the search for extraterrestrial life. This book is easy to follow and interesting. I enjoyed this read and learned a lot. I recommend this book for science and space lovers. I'd like to learn more from this author.

In Alien Earths, Dr. Lisa Kaltenegger introduces readers to a broad overview of planetary science, beginning with our own solar system and quest to explore the cosmos, branching out into our search for Exoplanets.

Dr. Kaltenegger is the director and founder of the Carl Sagan Institute for the Search for Life in the Cosmos at Cornell. It is easy to see the inspiration of Sagan in this work, for better and worse. Dr. Kaltenegger is positioning this book to be for the average reader, an introduction to modern space science with hints of her own work. As an introduction, I think this would work for any interested reader, especially those who have an (illogical) aversion to older works. This book presents the most up-to-date science in a manner that is digestible and crafted to inspire. If you are that kind of reader, with no past exposure to the subject but still an interest to learn, this book is perfect for you. For everyone else, it is harder to recommend.

I am a planetary scientist and an astrobiologist. My focus is on surface evolution of planets and moons in the solar system. I am not an expert in Exoplanets, and I picked this up hoping for a deeper dive into that field. With that said, I can look at this book through both lens: as a reader eager to learn new things versus as an expert learning and/or judging how we can discuss the science we do. I was very disappointed as the learner and still mixed as the expert.

At least half the book or more is a very broad introduction to space and planetary science. I felt like this was done well, but I also think the lay reader could have been given a bit more trust to handle a deeper dive (the book is fairly short after all). My biggest issue with the introduction is that it felt like it didn't significantly reframe the conversation. Many of the analogies and philosophical musings were things I'd heard before. They are effective, but if I was going to recommend a book (or books) on this subject, I would still urge readers to try older works (e.g., Pale Blue Dot). Sure, science evolves and changes, but its more likely that what's changed is the clarity of what we know, like putting on glasses to refine what was already there.

Unfortunately, my disappointment extends beyond the introduction. Even as we venture into the realm of Exoplanets, there remains a vaguery on the subject. I say the introduction is long, but I am not exactly sure it was all an introduction. It wasn't clear that there was a lot of new science to be introduced. It is indicative of the larger style of only dipping the readers toes in anything being discussed. This is where I had my most personal disappointment. I expected this to focus more on exoplanets. We get to hear about her work and the ongoing efforts, but we never really get to immerse ourselves within it.

I recognize I come to this with biased perspective. I am not an exoplanet scientist, but I have a professional familiarity with the science as an astrobiologist especially. Still, it is that familiarity that makes this feel so underwhelming. I felt like I learned more from Dr. Sara Seager's book from nearly 5 years ago now, The Smallest Lights in the Universe: A Memoir. That's more a memoir than a science book. If I was going to recommend a book on exoplanet science, that would easily be it. The conversation on exoplanets is secondary, so it is unlikely to overwhelm the reader. It is also a very personal story. It is Dr. Seager's personal story with grief, as a scientist, and as a woman.

Overall, I can easily recommend this to anyone curious to explore the subject for the first time. I still think it fails to really excel, and the recommendation is largely on its recency being more likely to attract new interest in the field, which I am all for. However, that relevancy will fade, and I'll be surprised if became a classic in the field of popular space science books.

3.5/5 stars

First came an elementary and too-long explanation of the scientific method, then an unnecessary and overly schlocky autobiography of the author’s childhood, and now I’m in a chapter asking me to ponder “what is life?” And I’ve given up being curious about when the author will get around to the purported subject. I wish scientists who write books for a general audience would learn that “general audience” doesn’t mean “unscrubbed know-nothings who need to be spoon fed anything to do with my research.” My feeling is that anyone who picks up this book will already know what the scientific method is and will have been taught the definition of “life” in middle school biology class and will not be interested in learning the author lives to read as a child etc. … we pick this book because we already have an interest in exobiology. I would have loved a book that had enough respect for its readers to dive right in.

I won’t be posting this review elsewhere as I have given up for now.

I know that this is a book about space, but somehow I expected it to be a little less sciency. I am so interested in this subject and talk about it daily but there were parts of the book that left me stumped. Overall it was a great read and I really did learn a lot of interesting information.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my gifted audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really interesting way to learn about our search for life in the universe! I loved the blending of the author's experiences and journey through her career with the narrative of our search. At times it was hard to remember what each chapter was about, though, which might have just been due to listening in audiobook format and nit being able to remind myself with a glance what the chapter was called. I occasionally lost the thread of the discussion, but nit enough to seriously impact my enjoyment.

I would highly recommend this book to young women either looking to or currently pursuing a career in a STEM field. The insights into the challenges women have faced previously, and the reality of where we are now, paint a realistic yet hopeful picture. I would have loved to have read this as a teenager, when I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this audiobook.

So interesting and easy to follow. Dr. Kaltenegger is great at explaining like you are five and is pretty good at weaving things together in an engaging way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dr. Lisa Kaltenegger for the audiobook of 'Alien Earths.'

Since this is nonfiction, I feel like I can't give much input on the book, as that would be greatly out of my scope and field. I think this book was really interesting, I wanted it to be more about different alien planets as opposed to talking about conferences and collaboration, but I suppose that's all a part of the journey.

All I feel comfortable saying is that I really enjoyed this book, often I reflect on my professional choices in life and wish there was a way to include astronomy in my life goals. This makes me want to include it more as a hobby, as math is out of my range of comfort.

This nonfiction book about whether or not there is - or could be - life on other planets (or moons!) had me interested from the very first. The author reads the prologue and epilogue herself, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make me tear up. The idea that the universe is so, so vast, and so utterly unknowable makes me feel small in the best way. There is so much to learn, to discover, to wonder and dream about!! I am blown away every time I think about it.

I loved how Lisa is so enthusiastic about her work without being overly stodgy or too academic. You can tell she knows what she’s talking about but genuinely wants to bring it to our level (those of us without science degrees, that is). She talks about the new James Webb telescope, newly discovered planets, the necessary ingredients to sustain life on earth and other planets, and even includes a chapter on tardigrades I’m going to read to my kids.

I recommend this book HIGHLY to anyone who’s ever just, well, wondered what’s out there.

This one is for people who already have an interest and basic understanding of the subject.

I have always been fascinated by space and the idea of life on other planets. This book was very factual and scientifically detailed in such a way that it was not too convoluted to understand. It was very grounded in science and the idea of life on other planets (not necessarily intelligent humanoid life).

Overall, it was a great audiobook to listen to, and I found myself engaged throughout.

There were a few points that got rather technical, but overall, I didn't find it to be too much for the average person to comprehend.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio & Netgalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review! I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book or not because when I was in school, I thought Science was boring. I don’t know anything about Science or Space but I enjoyed reading this book. This book never felt dry or boring. This book is very readable. I learned so much and it has made me interested in Science. I would recommend this book if you don’t know anything about Science or Space.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in advance! Not my usual read, but I’ve always loved astronomy and space and this book is completely deserving of a 5 out of 5 star rating.

The narrators of the audiobook, done by both the author Dr. Lisa Kaltenegger and Cassandra Campbell, were both great choices as neither made the readings sound monotonous or like you’re sitting in on a lecture which I feel like can sometimes happen with non-fiction titles. The science behind this book was fascinating too, I especially enjoyed learning about the system for how planets are actually named (with the letters and numbers and their meanings), but it was also extremely easy to understand the science too and not get overwhelmed by it all. The stories told are interesting and intriguing, while also offering insight into how new planets are discovered, how the science behind the act is constantly evolving and changing and how far we’ve come in our ways of discovering new planets in the cosmos. It was also really enjoyable to hear about space and astronomy from a woman in the field as women in STEM aren’t often heard of/from and I really enjoyed Dr. Kaltenegger mentioning her occasional struggle with sexism in her field and her hope for there to be more women in STEM in the future.

For anyone who’s a fan of the TV Show Cosmos and/or any of Carl Sagan’s books or just space in general, this book is a must read. Thanks again NetGalley!

I asked to listen to this audiobook because I loved the text so much. This book is about science but it's written from the point of view of someone who feels a real sense of wonder and loves everything about it. The basic question is about finding life in the universe, but it's explored logically and scientifically.
The tone is conversational, and complicated ideas are broken down and made easy. Dr. Kattenegger understands her topic and wants to share what she knows with everyone who's interested.
The audiobook adds that extra ingredient: the narration has that same enthusiasm I got from the text. It's so good, and I highly recommend this for everyone, even people like me who haven't studied science for many years.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook

There are many popular science books about humanity’s search for life in the universe, but few are as comprehensive and engaging as this one. Dr. Lisa Kaltenegger takes the reader on a tour of the current state of astronomical surveys for potential extraterrestrial life, explains the difficulties inherent in this search, and shows us what a breakthrough might look like. The writing style is fluid and immersive while also managing to teach the reader a varied range of concepts. Ultimately this book accomplishes what the best popular science titles aim to do, entertain and educate the reader while also whetting their appetite for more extensive reading in the future.

Great book, Learned so much about the space beyond our own little planet. You normally do not consider how vast our galaxy is, Is something out there besides us?