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There are currently 42 member reviews
for The Smallest Lights in the Universe
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Marcia C. (Jeffersonville, PA)
Head in the stars...Feet on the ground
Everything brave has to start somewhere…
Sara Seager
Sara Seager was a wife, a mother of two young sons, and a world-renowned astrophysicist. Suddenly, at the age of forty, she found herself a widow, a single parent and a world-renowned astrophysicist. This book is her story of that transition. She tells it thoughtfully and honestly.
Being an astrophysicist very much engaged in her search for life at the outer reaches of the universe did not necessarily qualify Sara as an expert in the day-to-day operations of life on earth. That was her husband's expertise. After his death, in the midst of her research and teaching and writing, she found herself being mom and dad to her sons—getting them up and off to school, feeding them, helping with homework—all the while doing her best to deal with the most profound grief she had ever known. And so she had to start from scratch. Her butcher taught her to cook. The guys at the hardware store taught her about tools and home repairs. A group of young women in her town, the Widows of Concord, provided her with the emotional support she so desperately needed. Sara's story is filled with triumphs and disappointments. I wanted to cheer the courage she exhibited in facing the obstacles that came her way.
Although I sometimes found myself wanting to skim over some of the scientific details, I did enjoy this book. I would recommend it to anyone who has had to deal with a major loss, especially if they are fascinated by the night sky and what might be out there.
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Margaret R. (Claremont, CA)
Raw and Illuminating
It is usually not a good idea to start the review of one book by immediately comparing it to another. This, however, seems to be a good time. All the while I was reading The Smallest Lights in the Universe, I was thinking of Lab Girl, by Hope Jahren. Women scientists telling their stories to a wide audience! Imagine that!
In the case of Sara Seager, we have an author with an unblinkered narrative voice that takes no prisoners. When she is angry, or is scared, or is jubilant, you know it and this unfiltered journey from childhood to a second marriage and spectacular professional success is quite a ride.
Know much about astrophysicists? Not to worry. You will learn and be grateful for it. This book illuminates on many levels, voiced from the heart.
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Amy R. (Belmont, MA)
A Tale of Resiliency
Sara Seager's memoir was a fascinating look at the parallels of her life and career. She did a really nice job of weaving the happenings of her day to day life and passionate career. Sara became interested in the stars and planets when she was 10, feeding that passion into a career as an astrophysicist and professor at MIT. Yet there were many obstacles that she overcame along the way. Such as a step father with severe mood swings, a diagnosis of autism as well as her husbands cancer and eventual death when she was just 40 with 2 young boys.
I really appreciated how she could link life and career so effortlessly. At times the book was more technical than I'd have liked, but I never felt it took away from her story.
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Julie P. (Spring Lake, MI)
The Smallest Lights in the Universe
A heartfelt memoir from an award-winning astrophysicist who grapples not only with being a female in a male-dominated field and on the autism spectrum, but a mother of two young boys who discovers that her husband is suffering from terminal cancer. It's engagingly written, and while the science information (exoplanets, biosignature gases, transit transmission spectra, to name a few) is essential to her story, it's a tad much for the average reader. Her discovery of a group for widows in her community is one of the highlights of the book - their care and sustenance are truly heartwarming. All things considered, a thoughtful (and hopeful) take on the author's search for life after loss. Readers of all types would enjoy this memoir, but book clubs might find the science info a bit heavy.
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Carolyn D. (Chico, CA)
Brush up your astrophysics
I enjoyed this book. Her story is quite singular. How she made it to the top of her field as a scholar and women makes for a very good read. She only mentions being on the spectrum at the end. I would have liked to learn more about what that meant in her life. The only problem I had is not a complaint. The science was hard for me to follow, and a good part of the book was highly technical. The writing about the decisions she made for her sons was strong. One can't always admire academics for their writing. This is a pleasant exception.
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Jane C. (Whiting, NJ)
Nicely Paced Read
I enjoyed being invited into Sara Seager's life. I especially enjoyed learning about Sara's work on exoplanets and the Starshade project. Having helped someone close through the grief process of losing a spouse, I am glad that Sara found support in The Widows of Concord. I would have liked to learn a little more about Jessica, Diane and Christine as Sara mentions that she became close friends with them, even having Jessica live with her and her sons. I also wonder if Sara ever sought professional help about where she fits on the autism spectrum. Overall, a nicely paced read about a slice in the life of a most interesting person.
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Gail B. (Albuquerque, NM)
Memoir of a Remarkable Woman
Sara Seager has accomplished world-changing scientific discoveries in the field of astrophysics while suffering the death of her husband and thoughtfully managing to raise two young sons alone. Lacking knowledge in the science of the stars, I floundered in much of that important part of the book; it was like diving into ocean depths without an air tank. Thus, the book's appeal is somewhat limited to an audience of astronomers, professional and amateur. The other part of Seager's memoir is a touching love story, dealing with the tragic loss of her husband to cancer. Luckily she stumbled into a small group of women she called The Widows, who helped each other get through a devastating event in their lives, and provided a valuable lesson for a broader audience in how to deal with death and dying.
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