This was a birthday gift for my 11 year old nephew and he loved it. He said he found answers to questions he’s had for years. He is autistic and spends a lot of time reading. Highly recommend.

Entertaining, Educational and good reading.

𝑴𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒏'𝒔 𝑻𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑼𝒏𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆, Revised and Updated for the Twenty-First Century: A Traveler's Guide to Blue Moons and Black Holes, Mars, Stars, and Everything Far by Neil deGrasse Tyson is the furthest escape I could muster for today, thankfully provided by @blackstonepublishing via @netgalley, available now for your escape as well! I am utterly fascinated by the universe and its infinite beauty and mystery. The tiny nuggets that those supremely smarter than I, make accessible are invaluable and only add to the immense awe I have. I also have questions, in which apparently, I am not alone. I find this comforting. I am also comforted by knowing there are so many who are studying and learning things that make my brain hurt. I am not one who doesn’t accept simply because it is beyond my education, but I do appreciate those like deGrasse Tyson who make it palatable and easy to digest. This is a collection of questions that were first published in 1989. Wow, so much has been seen since then! This is a revised edition and included a mix of more basic questions to those that exceeded my ponderings. I appreciated the audio version of this as there was a great cast to give each question a voice. I did have to laugh at a couple of one-word answers to some of the questions! I won’t deny that some of these answers left me with more questions, but isn’t that what is wonderful about learning?! Now if Tyson and Dr. Who could get together and really help me visualize, I will be set! (seriously) This is a review of the audiobook.

Fantastic read for me and…my child. Thank you Neil for bringing our known and vetted reality to vibrant life!

Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Merlin’s Tour of the Universe is a perfect blend of science, humor, and wonder! Through the playful wisdom of Merlin, a timeless traveler with friends like Einstein and Newton, Tyson brings complex cosmic ideas to life. Each answer is both insightful and entertaining, making it easy for anyone—adults and kids alike—to dive into big questions about space, time, and everything in between. With witty rhymes and charming illustrations, this book is a joy to read for anyone curious about the universe.

Neil Degrasse Tyson is one of the most prominent figures in the world of science today. He’s made learning about science easy to understand for the every man. His style of writing is inviting for young kids and adults to step into the world of science, even if they had no prior interest or experience with the subject matters. Would recommend for anyone who wants an easy science read!

Genre: science nonfiction Narrated by: Jim Meskimen, André Santana, Bronson Pinchot, Pun Bandhu, Em Grosland, Lauren Fortgang, Luzma Ortiz, Kevin R. Free, Jaime Lincoln Smith, Neil deGrasse Tyson First published in 1989, Neil deGrasse Tyson is back with an updated version of Merlin's Tour of the Universe, updated with new answers as astrophysics and discovery have evolved since 1989. Tyson invented a character named Merlin from a far away galaxy who ventures to earth to answer basic to complicated astrophysics questions that the everyday person may want to understand. It hearkens an era when Google wasn't around to answer questions, so to the listener in 2024 some of these feel like something you'd reach for your phone to look up today. But it demonstrates the range of curiosity with questions from people ranging from ages 5 to 90. This works well as an audiobook, with different narrators reading the variety of questions and NDT responding to them. The tone stays light, because our narrator is meant to be extraterrestrial creature Merlin who has spent its life observing from afar. It references famous physicists, quotes philosophy, and elevates baseline knowledge of astrophysics. The updates to this new version include facts like Pluto's downgrade from planet to Kuiper Belt dwarf planet and that a probe launched in 2023 is the new fastest manmade object in the universe. Merlin's Tour isn't an introduction to astrophysics, nor is it mean to be; it's a smattering of facts organized in an easy to digest manner. For a reader with ADHD like me, it's the sort of book I love to listen to, with bombardment of facts that I'll retain ~40% of, and then have a physical copy to refer to later when I want to know exactly how deep the craters are on the moon.

Neil deGrasse Tyson knows how to make complicated subjects understandable for the rest of us. He does it again here in Melin's Tour of the Universe. Neil (using the voice of Merlin) supplies smart answers to FAQ about the Earth, Sun, Black Holes, pretty much all astronomical phenomena. Great for those who want a basic understanding of exactly what's going on out there. Great and beautiful packaged book, as well!