Reading Post 1

I will be reading "How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming" by Mike Brown for this assignment. I chose this book because I have limited experience reading books about science and astronomy, and this seemed like an interesting choice. I remember hearing about the "murder" of Pluto when I was young, but I did not think much of it at the time. Truthfully, I found it rather unnecessary, as I do all arbitrary redefining of words. Maybe Mike Brown can convince me that it was not arbitrary at all.

The first chapter is called "What is a Planet?". It describes how Brown's journey began in a discussion with his colleague about the possibility of another planet. It then reflects on his upbringing and how that formed his connection to the stars. At the end of the chapter, Brown reflects on how he had known what a planet was his whole life, and now he is suddenly unsure.

So far, this book seems like a promising read. It is written in Plain English, and is not as dense as I had feared. I appreciate that Brown intersperses personal anecdotes within the scientific musings to connect more with the reader. I also like that I am learning more facts about planetary rotations and the solar system. I remember learning some of those facts from elementary school, which brings me a wave of nostalgia.