The sun's heartbeat : and other stories from the life of the star that powers our planet

 by Bob Berman.  A veteran author of popular astronomy books presents the flaming orb above us to readers aware it's there but knowing little else about it. Whether the topic is the distance between earth and sun, sunspots, sunburn, or solar eclipses, Berman couches scientific data in stories that are sometimes historical, sometimes journalistic, and always include wisecracks. His method banishes blithe indifference toward the sun, replacing it with appreciation for the nearest star's profound influence on terrestrial phenomena, from radiating the energy that powers life to possibly extinguishing it some billion years hence. Besides playing up health reasons for learning about the sun, such as its role in skin cancer, Berman highlights solar physics that affect modern civilization; for instance, magnetic storms can disrupt electricity grids, and the sunspot cycle influences climate. Readers remaining blase should finally be converted when Berman extols the sun's aesthetic effects most spectacular of them, the total solar eclipse, rivaled, perhaps, by the northern lights, with rainbows as second bananas. An engaging consciousness-raiser that entertains as it informs about our neighborhood nuclear furnace. --Booklist (Check Catalog)