Carl's saga

Reprinting Carl Sagan’s 1973 collection of essays Cosmic Connection
is doing us a favour. It’s as fresh as ever, and Sagan’s gift for clear and
stylish explanation is a delight as he opens up the wonders of space
exploration, actual and potential. Start with public reaction to the design of
the plaque sent up with Pioneer 10, which included nude figures, male and
female, and be hooked. (Some called it “spreading filth beyond the Solar
System”.) Published by Cambridge University Press, £17.95, ISBN
0521783038.