I really like Neil deGrasse Tyson, especially his show NOVAScienceNOW. I was expecting a lighthearted look at the whole controversial Pluto-as-a-planet demotion issue but this book was actually a serious look at both sides of the argument.

I did find Mr. Tyson's tone to be a bit abrasive at times, but I think it was justified as he was made out to be the poster boy for Pluto demotion (something which he definitely was NOT).

I especially liked the reproductions of the various letters to Mr. Tyson from scientists, children, and the general public over the years regarding this topic.

This is a good book for anyone interested in the actual events leading up to the decision to remove Pluto from our list of planets. I've come to agree with the decision, although at the onset I was very much against it (because previously all I'd heard was rhetoric from the general news sources). Regardless, I still really like the t-shirt from Mental Floss that says "Pluto: Revolve in Peace 1930-2006."

I love Neil deGrasse Tyson! This book is a great read for anyone interested in getting caught up on all things Plutonian, from it's discovery, naming, time as a planet, and the controversy surrounding it's fall from planethood. It is a little "dumbed down" and anyone from a smart middle schooler on up could probably follow along.

The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America's Favorite Planet is a short expedition into the history, culture and controversy of Pluto, formerly known as our 9th planet. Neil deGrasse Tyson takes on a whirlwind tour of how Pluto went from the puniest planet to the king of the Kuiper (rhymes with piper) Belt. Dr. Tyson is keen on the controversy because he ended up in the middle of it. Well, really he was at the beginning, middle, and end of it since it was his planetarium's decision to group the bodies in space by type (rather than just numbering out the planets) that got the whole commotion started. Recall the New York Times headline: Pluto Not a Planet? Only in New York. Yeah, that was him (and his committee that decided to arrange the museum a little differently).

If you've seen him on The Daily Show, etc, you know that Neil deGrasse Tyson postulates that the controversy stemmed from America's love affair with another beloved Pluto, namely the Mickey's pet dog. Or that maybe it's because we all learned the mnemonic My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas and we just can't let it go. In any case, the controversy was barely acknowledged outside of the United States. After the International Astronomical Union voted to demote Pluto, an online protest petition was created; In the end, about 80% of it's 300-odd signers were from the US, despite thousands of IAU members from around the world.

We delve deep into the communications and debates surrounding Pluto's demotion. Letters from agitated students whose favorite planet is Pluto will make you smile. But, what you really walk away with is a sense that there are some very sentimental scientists out there that continue/d to fight for Pluto's status as a planet despite its many abnormalities. Thankfully, there are many more that keep in mind that science is about logic, not sentiment and historical precedent. All of the arguments are laid out in various communications, newspaper articles, and panel discussions, but Dr. Tyson parlays their logic into a clear and often witty narrative.

You also get some history about planetary science in general. Did you know that until this Pluto debacle, there was no official definition for a planet? There seemed to be some general ideas - that it should be round and go around the sun (but not another thing, like a moon would). But, a lot of asteroids are round, comets can be round and definitely go around the sun, etc. By the end, you will be well educated on what can count as a planet, and specifically why Pluto is not one any more.

This book is aimed at the layperson who just happens to be curious about all that fuss around Pluto, and it fills that role spectacularly. For the more scientifically inclined, there are a load of references to further satiate your needs. Still, The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America's Favorite Planet is a great sojourn into planetary science.

3.5*

Jamás me hubiera imaginado que la controversia respecto a que Plutón fuera o no un planeta fuera tan intensa y, a la vez, tan poco fundamentada en aspectos científicos y sí más en lo "romántico" o tradicional de la "planetoidedad" de Plutón. También escandaloso que haya quien piense que según qué temas pueden declararse en base a votaciones populares y no según criterios científicos. Con gente así la ciencia no hubiera avanzado nunca.

It seems as though there are 2 sides to the story. the first reaction is, "WHAT? OF COURSE PLUTO IS A PLANET!" the second is, "Who cares. It still does what ever it does."

Tyson basically makes fun of the nations overreaction to Pluto not being included in the scale of planets exhibit in the Rose Center for Earth and Space at the American Museum of Natural History (which is amazing by the way). He shared letters and emails he received by the many, many concerned laymen and scientists alike.

While he seemed surprised by the media attention and hatemongers, he was impressed that the subject, not matter how unintentional, got people talking about the solar system.

I want Pluto to be a planet. I never thought anyone could change my mind. This book is an eye-opening look at Pluto and how we classify planets and other bodies in orbit around our sun. I never knew there were so many bodies orbiting the sun.

Not as intriguing as I would have expected.