A story of humanity told through our relationship with the stars, perfect for readers of Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari and Seven Brief Lessons in Physics by Carlo Rovelli.

Looking at the night sky in search of the meaning of existence is a hallmark of our humanity. From the Stone Age to the Space Age, we have gazed at the stars and been spellbound by their majesty and beauty.

Stuart Clark explores this fascination shared by all human beings for millennia and which has shaped us as a civilization and as individuals. The result is a book that, more than offering a story about our astronomical knowledge, is a story of humanity told through our relationship with the stars.

Contemplation of the night sky has shaped our scientific understanding of the universe; It has helped us navigate the terrestrial world; It has given us a place to project our hopes and fears; It has served as an inspiration to poets, artists and philosophers; It has revealed to us our true origin and given us clues about our destiny. This is the impressive story of the universe and our place within it.