Praise for 'The Case for Pluto'

"At least I'm getting some respect in journalist Alan Boyle's new book, The Case for Pluto. ... It's a great account of my place in history and culture, the science of the solar system, and the rough ride I've been getting recently."
— The Planet Pluto, as told to David Shiga of New Scientist

"... Boyle, an award-winning science writer and the science editor at MSNBC.com, presents the issues regarding Pluto's status, both popular and scientific, in a winning fashion."
 — Publishers Weekly

"Alan Boyle ... reported on the events that culminated in Pluto's ouster for his blog Cosmic Log as they unfolded. Now Boyle has reported the rest of the intriguing story in his new book The Case for Pluto: How a Little Planet Made a Big Difference, which comes in an appropriately endearing little package."
— Betsy Mason, Wired

"Alan Boyle, MSNBC's science editor, turns advocate for the only planet named after a Disney character, delving into the history and mystery of the king of the dwarf planets." [It's more likely that the Disney character was named after the planet, but you can read all about that in the book.]
— Dan Vergano, USA Today

"In The Case for Pluto, [Alan Boyle] covers the controversy from a bemused, slightly partisan perspective, but one that gives both sides their due. His book is considerably more comprehensive than Tyson’s The Pluto Files, but just as amusing, and can provide a pleasant, educational read for general audiences and smart high school students. ... Once again, we're reminded that science can be fun."
— Ben Steelman, Wilmington Star News

"Science writer Alan Boyle chronicles the rise and fall of embattled Pluto — from its serendipitous discovery in 1930 to its hotly debated downgrade to nonplanet in 2006 — and in so doing reveals just how intertwined science, politics and culture really are."
— Kate Wong, Scientific American

"The Case for Pluto is a good summary of the debate on Pluto’s identity, and a reminder that as our knowledge of the solar system and the universe changes, our structure for classifying that knowledge must change as well."
— Jeff Foust, editor and publisher of The Space Review

"Pluto is the object of heated book-length debate. For those in the planethood camp, there's The Case for Pluto."
— Kate Becker, astronomy outreach manager and Visible Universe columnist, Boulder Daily Camera

"One of the regular themes on this blog is the 2005 decision by astronomers to demote Pluto from planethood, and the cultural impact that's had. I've just read a fine new book, The Case for Pluto."
— Eric Berger, SciGuy at the Houston Chronicle

"A totally cool book ... which I strongly recommend to you for your own reading and for gift giving this holiday season."
— Dr. David Livingston, host, "The Space Show."

"If you are interested in the history of the whole debate over what is a planet according to astronomers, this is a worthwhile addition to your shelf."
— Dale Amon, Samizdata

"Boyle fans the flames about out-in-the-cold Pluto in an engaging and compact way, a delightful look at the demoting of Pluto as a planet. ... You'll find this book a valuable asset in better understanding the perplexing story about the 'outing' of Pluto as our solar system's ninth planet."
— Leonard David, veteran space journalist, Space Coalition Blog

Alan Boyle "knows his Pluto. So if you need to argue Pluto, at least start here first."
— Mike Brown, Caltech astronomer and foremost discoverer of dwarf planets

“Alan Boyle’s story of how Pluto, ‘the picked-on planet,’ got kicked out of the solar system family circle has all the intrigue and passion of a political scandal—which, in part, it was. Many astronomers still think demoting Pluto to an official ‘dwarf’ was more than a little foolish. But how do such momentous decisions get made? What is a planet anyway? Boyle offers a play by play of the Battle of Prague, where everyone’s favorite runt planet got expelled from the inner (and outer) circle of planets, and what it all means for Pluto lovers and other Earthlings alike.”
— K.C. Cole, author of Something Incredibly Wonderful Happens: Frank Oppenheimer and the World He Made Up

“Alan Boyle’s engrossing tale of the ups and downs of Pluto takes the reader on a voyage of discovery about not only Pluto, but about the very process of scientific discovery, where new facts can lead to contentious debates that remain unsettled for years. The Case for Pluto provides all the details and arguments that are needed for the reader to form a strong opinion of their own about Pluto’s claim to planethood.”
—Alan Boss, planetary scientist at Carnegie Institution for Science and author of The Crowded Universe

“Alan Boyle has told the story that no one else has about the rapidly evolving view of what it means for a body to be a planet. Moreover, he’s told the story engagingly, with inside tidbits on how the old establishment in astronomy failed itself and the scientific method in rejecting dwarf planets from the zoo of planetary types. This is a must read for any fan of astronomy and the solar system, indeed, for any fan of science!”
—Alan Stern, planetary scientist at Southwest Research Institute, principal investigator for NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto, and co-author of Pluto and Charon

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