Excited about the Great American Eclipse of 2017? You aren't the only one. Science writers and astronomers alike have been scribbling away in preparation, meaning there are now more books than ever on the subject. Here's a list of seven, all published in 2016 and 2017, for your reading pleasure.
1. Eclipse: Journeys to the Dark Side of the Moon, by Frank Close (2017, Oxford University Press)
Frank Close's Eclipse is an eclipse memoir. How many of those have you read? Close has won awards for communicating science, so this should keep you interested.
2. Sun Moon Earth: The History of Solar Eclipses from Omens of Doom to Einstein and Exoplanets, by Tyler Nordgren (2017, Basic Books)
Sun Moon Earth is both a complete history of the eclipse and a guide to The Great American Eclipse of 2017. Nordgren is an honest-to-God astronomer, so you get quality information here. Check out the online resources listed in the back of the book.
3. American Eclipse: A Nation's Epic Race to Catch the Shadow of the Moon and Win the Glory of the World, by David Baron (2017, Liveright)
David Baron's American Eclipse is about a specific solar eclipse: The Great American Eclipse of 1878. The book has been called "a portrait of the Gilded Age," "a superb contribution to the history of astronomy," and a treatise on "the changing role of science in American culture."
4. America's First Great Eclipse: How Scientists, Tourists, and the Rocky Mountain Eclipse of 1878 Changed Astronomy Forever, by Steve Ruskin (2017, Alpine Alchemy Press)
Wow. Two people independently published books on the 1878 eclipse this year. That must have been some eclipse. Should you read Baron's book or Ruskin's? I don't have an answer for you. Baron is a science journalist and Ruskin is an astronomy historian, so both authors are credible sources and will take different approaches.
5. Totality: The Great American Eclipses of 2017 and 2024, by Mark Littmann and Fred Espenak (2017, Oxford University Press)
Totality is a collaboration between an award-winning science writer (Mark Littmann) and a retired astrophysicist (Fred Espenak, a.k.a. Mr. Eclipse). The book gets into what it's like to experience a total solar eclipse and how to safely observe and photograph one. It also covers eclipses throughout history and mythology. Plus, you can read it again in 2024 for double the fun.
6. Your Guide to the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse, by Michael E. Bakich (2016, Springer)
Bakich's book is a how-to guide on viewing the eclipse. Straightforward chapter titles lead you to the exact information you want. If you're pressed for time, you could head straight to the "How to observe the sun safely" chapter. Hint: Sunglasses aren't enough.
7. Mask of the Sun: The Science, History and Forgotten Lore of Eclipses, by John Dvorak (2017, Pegasus)
John Dvorak's Mask of the Sun answers important questions, like "Why do solar eclipses occur?" and "Is it good luck or bad luck to have sex during an eclipse?" Enjoy…both the sex and the eclipse… and maybe some of these books, too.
Editor's Note: Looking for something less weighty? Pick up Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889). Twain's humorous tale offers an alternative King Arthur legend, whereby a 19th-century yankee — Hank Morgan — gets transported back to King Arthur's court and, on the brink of his execution, remembers his history, predicts a solar eclipse, becomes an advisor to Merlin, and thus creates the King Arthur legend as we know it today. Hey, strangers things have happened. Read it for free at Project Gutenberg.
Jennifer Ring also has a website, Florida Illustrated. Find her here — and there.
This article appears in Aug 10-17, 2017.