Not many years ago, no one knew if planets were common or rare. Now we know they are common, much more common than early estimates had predicted. That increases the odds that there is alien life out there among the stars, though it may mostly be very simple life. Lee Billings surveys the newly-exploding field of planet-hunting, describing in ways accessible to everyone – technical and nontechnical alike – the problems encountered in detecting distant planets and the emerging solutions. He also gives wonderful sketches of some of the main personalities involved. This book is both technically fascinating and spiritually inspiring. It brings back some of the excitement of the early space age, and it reminds one that life on our little planet is precarious, and we ought to pay more attention to preserving it. A great book!
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