Starred review from June 27, 2022
Astrophysicist McTier delivers in her debut a delightful report on the Milky Way’s inner workings, told from the galaxy’s imagined point of view. McTier describes in her foreword how, growing up as a Black girl in rural Appalachia, she was enamored with space, and studying it made her feel connected to people and nature, and that theme of the harmony between humans and the planet pervades what follows. McTier, writing as the Milky Way, cleverly covers the origins of the universe (“Don’t concern yourself with thoughts of what came before the Big Bang. That kind of knowledge is not for the likes of you”), how it might end (with another bang “could be kind of fun”), and key players in the history of space science, all in a droll, dignified voice gently scornful of human foible: “Your world is no longer set up to appreciate my splendor,” she writes. McTier’s narrator is authoritative, funny, and moving, whether considering humans’ insignificance or the utility of myth (“That’s what all your myths are: tools for understanding the natural world and communicating that knowledge to others”). McTier writes that her goal is to help people “understand how ephemeral existence is.” She succeeds smashingly. The result is truly stellar.

July 1, 2022
The history of the universe as recounted by a chatty Milky Way. Astrophysicist, TV commentator, and podcaster McTier, who studied astronomy and mythology at Harvard, employs both to describe the cosmos from its birth in the Big Bang to its death (or fate) in the far future. Both events are speculation but accompanied by a good deal of science, although facts become more frequent as we approach the present day. As the author discovered in her studies, "science and myth weren't as contradictory as they seemed on the surface. Both are tools that we humans use to understand how we fit in with the rest of the universe." Rather than narrate in her own voice, she assumes the character of the Milky Way, offering a sort of cosmic tell-all: "Stars, galaxies, even hairy meatbags like you; I want to light a fire--literal or figurative--in them all!" Born about 14 billion years ago, less than 1 billion years after the universe itself, the Milky Way spent millennia watching galaxies drift away, sometimes absorbing neighboring stars and dwarf galaxies, and making "friends" in the process, including Andromeda, "the biggest and brightest and most important" neighboring galaxy. McTier detours regularly to describe creation myths of other cultures, but mostly her narrator follows classical and modern astronomers in their often misguided but sometimes impressive discoveries. Cosmology enjoys a large readership and a steady stream of popular science books. Most of them are straightforward or overly dependent on gee-whiz proclamations, but there are a few outstanding entries, including Dan Hooper's At the Edge of Time. McTier sprinkles humor throughout her whimsical look at the cosmos, and while some serious-minded fans of astronomical science may grimace at some of the drollery, the author clearly knows her subject and delivers enough fascinating information to keep the pages turning. A solid education in cosmology for tolerant readers.

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July 1, 2022
McTier's life story is as fascinating as her first book, a creative approach to our galaxy. With "four Ivy League degrees in astrophysics and folklore," McTier's background helps to frame a one-of-a-kind look at our galaxy, not from her point of view, but from the perspective of the Milky Way itself. Yes, this unique autobiography is addressed to us puny humans and narrated by the incomprehensibly large body of stars and gases within which our planet resides. Our galaxy relays to readers the details of its birth, development, early years, family members (nearby galaxies), much that we still don't understand, and ways it all may come to an end. Unlike typical books on this topic, McTier's approach is especially lively and fun because the Milky Way is talking to us, offering fascinating anecdotes about our existence from an out-of-this-world perspective. We also learn of our place and importance (or lack thereof!) within a massive galaxy, which, although immense, is just one of billions. Educational, informative, and original, this will leave readers eagerly anticipating McTier's next book.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 1, 2022

Astrophysicist McTier engagingly narrates her delightful debut, detailing the Milky Way's life story, as told by the Milky Way itself. Listeners may be surprised at the Milky Way's snarky and condescending tone. This, strangely, is a wonderfully effective tactic. No matter how basic or complicated the astronomical information is, it is quite clear that all humans are far below them in intellect and perception. The book does give listeners a good foundation before diving into heavier topics. As an audiobook, the faux-memoir format allows listeners to breezily consume the information gossiped to them. Some listeners may doubt the veracity of the data since it's mixed into galactic love stories and petty rivalries, but listening to the acknowledgments at the end provides the author's bona fides. Listeners may also be interested to know that the Milky Way wants everyone to be accepted for who they are, understands what it means to live with depression, and thinks humanity could do a better job becoming unified enough to take care of each other and their planet. VERDICT Listeners won't want to miss this educational and fun take on the stars.--Matthew Galloway

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