Nature
"A rich chronicle."
New York Times
"For a more expansive look at how eclipses have been mythologized throughout history, turn to Mask of the Sun. John Dvorak offers useful, engaging background, as well as a deeper understanding of what to expect this August."
The Spectator (UK)
"If a simple alignment of astronomical bodies can move a 21st-century scientist to tears it’s perhaps not surprising that eclipses of the sun and moon have haunted the human imagination since our species first looked up at the sky. Mask of the Sun charts the history of this obsession through dozens of stories and anecdotes that illustrate how deeply embedded eclipse lore is in cultures across the world."
Omnivoracious
"Dvorak’s meticulously researched book covers the history of human reactions and interpretations from Homer to the Bible and beyond. He doesn’t skimp on the science, either; Mask of the Sun is a well rounded, entertaining, and authoritative survey."
Nature Lib
"A rich chronicle."
From the Publisher
"A splendid introduction to all aspects of eclipses; for all readers interested in science.” ---Library Journal Starred Review
From the Publisher - AUDIO COMMENTARY
"A splendid introduction to all aspects of eclipses; for all readers interested in science. —Library Journal Starred Review
Scientific American [praise for John Dvorak]
Inspiring.
Simon Winchester
Unarguably the best, the most comprehensive, and compellingly readable book about the great fault that will one day affect all our lives.
The Wall Street Journal [praise for John Dvorak]
Dvorak is a great storyteller with a keen eye for details. His descriptions of the intense heat almost singe the page. Riveting.
The American Scholar
Jaggar's thrilling adventures to volcanic hot zones like Alaska and Hawaii, where he explored inside active volcanoes, makes one appreciate the fearless nature required for a life of volcanology. Riveting. It leaves readers wanting to know more about how volcanology how has advanced since Jaggar's day.
Scientific American
Inspiring.
The Wall Street Journal
Praise for John Dvorak“Dvorak is a great storyteller with a keen eye for details. His descriptions of the intense heat almost singe the page. Riveting.
”
Library Journal
★ 03/15/2017
Do you have friends planning a trip to Idaho or Missouri in August? They're probably traveling there to see the eclipse. The United States is about to enter a period of eclipse abundance, with total solar eclipses crossing large swaths of the country in 2017, 2024, and 2045. This will doubtless lead many curious readers seeking to know more. This book provides an excellent overview of how eclipses work and how people have interpreted them through time. The four-page "eclipse primer" with illustrations is especially handy and clear. Dvorak (The Last Volcano) explains complex scientific ideas succinctly and clearly without resorting to formula or jargon. Furthermore, he does an excellent job of conveying the wonder of eclipses, describing both their historical-cultural value and the inspirational effect they have on people. He mentions pivotal eclipses—such as the 1978 eclipse described in David Baron's American Eclipse—and places them in a larger context of scientific discovery and history. Along the way we meet famous writers, from Thucydides to Virginia Woolf, and scientists, from Ptolemy to Albert Einstein. VERDICT A splendid introduction to all aspects of eclipses; for all readers interested in science.—Cate Hirschbiel, Iwasaki Lib., Emerson Coll., Boston
