This is no dry technical narrative. Levesque knows how to tell a story, and her conversational style and clear, easygoing prose bring readers into the action, whether it’s her own first experience of a total eclipse or another astronomer’s discovery of a supernova with the naked eye. Readers will learn what it takes to be granted access to a single night of observation at one of the world’s premier telescopes or to ride along in NASA’s flying SOFIA telescope—and what happens when things go wrong. This is also an introduction to the community of astronomers working today, many of whom Levesque interviewed for her book and whose stories help make her narrative shine. She even devotes a section to how technology may change the field for future astronomers ... the perfect complement to a summer night under the stars.
Levesque charts a course through the rapidly evolving field of astronomy. With humor and heart, she explains the basics of what astronomers do while relating dozens of entertaining anecdotes about her chosen field. She also makes a strong case for why humans should continue to study the skies ... Warm, engaging and packed with highly accessible science, The Last Stargazers is thoroughly entertaining and an impetus for readers to take up a little stargazing of their own.
... Levesque’s enthusiasm trumpets the industry of astronomy with profound salesmanship for a young scientist. Indeed her contagious excitement carries the reader through what might otherwise be a bombardment of facts about our universe that most of us are perfectly content not knowing ... She shares not only the triumphant gains, but also the embarrassments that come at the cutting edge of science ... Like most first-time authors, Levesque tries to cram too much into a book with too broad a focus. But her bubbling personality shines through the pages. Most assuredly, Levesque will write more books because she has a lot to say, and we still have a lot to learn.
This book is a well-organized account of astronomy’s mechanics (accessible explanations of technologies and space phenomena), misadventures (funny, poignant, and invigorating narratives about astronomers past and present), and metaphorical resonance ... Levesque is unabashedly passionate and reverent without ignoring the continued problems of racism, sexism, and settler colonialism present in science. She illuminates the field’s culture in clear and enjoyable prose with a wonderfully earnest sense of humor. Rudimentary physics knowledge will enhance the reading experience, but it is not necessary. Childhood stargazers who have since become inquisitive adults, and any fans of Sagan’s Cosmos, will devour this book.
Regardless of the gravity of her studies, there is plenty of romance and adventure in the recounting of her nights, whether she is standing in the cold beside the telescope looking through the eyepiece or contending with the giant tarantulas that find a home in the observers’ room. In a bright voice, Levesque covers wide ground, observing details both atmospheric...and mundane ... She tells fun stories of scorpions in the dormitories and swarms of ladybugs plaguing the telescopes, but she also looks at the history of sexism at the observatory and the cultural friction that may erupt around the positioning of a particular telescope. Perhaps where Levesque shines brightest is in her descriptions of the 'raw human appeal' that comes from experiencing celestial phenomena ... Entertaining, ardent tales from an era of stargazing that may not last much longer.
... wonderful ... This will particularly appeal to young women interested in science, but any stargazer would enjoy this joyous adventure through modern astronomy.
