Ufo's True Mysteries or Hoaxes (Isaac Asimov's New Library of the Universe)

Gr 3-4-Originally issued in 1988 with different titles, these look-alike entries from an unusually wide-ranging series have been redesigned and (slightly) updated. They still retain some of the originals' flaws-scanty information, sweeping generalizations, and filler illustrations-but they are easier to read than competing series, and are dependably accurate, as far as they go. Astronomy is the most specific of the lot, covering worldwide prehistoric evidence of celestial observation and developments in the field from the ancient Greeks to Galileo. Birth is largely a description of extra-solar space, from nearby stars to quasars and galactic bubbles and strings. In UFOs, the authors adopt a skeptical tone while presenting a perfunctory gathering of sightings and speculations. Illustrations (nearly all are full color) are not a strong point here: several disappear into gutters; photos, composites, and paintings are mixed confusingly; some, such as a starry sky in Birth or the crudely rendered ``Close Encounter'' scene that opens UFOs are blatant space fillers. Consider these titles as supplementary or replacement purchases only.-John Peters, New York Public Library

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