Overview

Werewolves and Wernher von Braun, Stonehenge and the sex lives of sea corals, aboriginal myths, and an Anglican bishop: In his new book, Moon, Bernd Brunner weaves variegated information into an enchanting glimpse of Earth's closest celestial neighbor, whose mere presence inspires us to wonder what might be ""out there."" Going beyond the discoveries of contemporary science, Brunner presents an unusual cultural assessment of our complex relationship with Earth's lifeless, rocky satellite. As well as offering an engaging perspective on such age-old questions as ""What would Earth be like without the moon?"" Brunner surveys the moon's mythical and religious significance and provokes existential soul-searching through a lunar lens, inquiring, ""Forty years ago, the first man put his footprint on the moon. Will we continue to use it as the screen onto which we cast our hopes and fears?"" Drawing on materials from different cultures and epochs, Brunner walks readers down a moonlit path illuminated by more than seventy-five vintage photographs and illustrations. From scientific discussions of the moon's origins and its ""chronobiological"" effects on the mating and feeding habits of animals to an illuminating interpretation of Bishop Francis Godwin's 1638 novel The Man in the Moone, Brunner's ingenious and interdisciplinary explorations recast a familiar object in an entirely original and unforgettable light and will change the way we view the nighttime sky.

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Astronomers, geologists, rocketeers and space jockeys all have a practical interest in the Moon, but earthbound mortals look up and project all their fears and fantasies on to its pale surface. Without it our tides would not ebb and flow, our poetry would be the poorer, our nights would be dark and we would not believe in werewolves baying in the fullness of its face. We know perfectly well that the Moon is a cold, rocky, lifeless little satellite, but where's the romance in that? Brunner shows how it has shone silver though our dreams and destinies. It is the inspiration for myths and marvels and may be a kicking-off point for a further jump into space. --Kate Saunders, The Times (London) --Kate Saunders The Times (London)

. ..a nimble, fast-moving survey of the silvery moon's impact upon us and our world. Brunner looks at the moon's influence upon tides, of course, and also its place in early psychology, the occult, popular culture and as a necessary first step on humanity's journey to Mars. --Nick Owchar, Los Angeles Times --Nick Owchar Los Angeles Times

Author Information

Bernd Brunner is a freelance writer. He is the author of other successful works intersecting history, science, and literature, including Bears and The Ocean at Home.

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