Rating: 
Summary: A fun, interesting and instructive book.
Review: "Secrets of the Night Sky" shows you the wonders there are all around us, and that go unnoticed most of the time. It depicts things with a sense of awe that arouses curiosity. I bought this book because I thought it would tell me how to locate more things than a "A Walk Through the Heavens", which has maps and tells you how to locate stuff by going from one constellation to the next, and from star to star, and I was a little disappointed. This book seemed at first glance too colloquial, with not enough depth. I have finished it now, and the best thing this book does is to show how a sunset is amazing, that the Red Spot is not red, why the moon looks bigger sometimes, why the moon looks crimson, how some planes tried to shoot down Venus (its very fun). Also, it explains how to recognize satellites, where to look for meteor showers, how to locate Mercury, Venus, Jupiter. It has a lot of basic information, but presented in an awe inspiring way. This is the best companion book for "A Walk Through the Heavens". "A Walk" shows you how to locate stuff; "Secrets", why you should look for it.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent book
Review: A (very) interesting subject written in a lucid and romantic manner. There are several mesmerizing passages, like: "Our ancestral roots, those of every human, animal, mushroom, and bit of moss, trace back to atoms of a single cosmic cloud and a brilliant unknown star, from whose marriage we issued." Recommended to everyone.
Rating:
Summary: The best book of practical knowledge on astronomy
Review: Berman comes up with the most amazing facts about naked eye astronomy and astronomy in general. Things you might know if you really thought about it (but who has time?). For instance, did you know that when the sun begins to set it is actually below the horizon already? This book is an easy read. Great illustrations. I recommend it for amatuer astronomers or for anyone thats just curious about astronomy. It will get you hooked on the heavens.
Rating:
Summary: An outstanding book for a beginning or experienced amateur
Review: Bob Berman uses just the right touch of humor and fact sharing the awesome night skies. Whether you are an experienced astronomer or a neophyte, you cannot help but be drawn into his excitement as he shares basic astronomical information in such an entertaining style!
Rating:
Summary: Bob Berman conveys his love of the heavens with a punch!
Review: I have a contender for my favorite book on astronomy, Secrets of the Night Sky, by Bob Berman, who is a Discover Magazine contributor and director of the Overlook Observatory in Woodstock, New York. The book is an excellent introduction to astronomy, but will entertain those who have been in it for years. He has a casual style which at first was a bit irritating, but I realized that anyone who writes about the universe has a right to such a style. The book is comprised of a series of 26 essays on topics from black holes to the Pleiades. The first essay defines several terms used in astronomy and gives a scale of distances in the universe. Four appendices give tips on purchasing and using a telescope, selecting binoculars, and a list of the twenty most impressive telescope targets (many of which I have never seen...thanks Bob!). There are eight pages of beautiful astrophotos and space artist works. My review might overly quote the text of the book, but these excerpts are worth reading.I've seen Betelgeuse many times but never thought of it this way, as Berman says: "Simply put, Betelgeuse is the largest single thing most of us will ever see. Yes a galaxy is larger, but that is a collection of stars. Moreover, not a single galaxy is bright enough to appear in the light-polluted skies over much of the world."On the Orion Nebula: "A strange languor greets anyone whose telescope is pointed its way; the nebula seems frozen and inert. This apparent lethargy stems from our own bias, for its life unfolds on a scale that makes earthly activities seem like the nervous flitting of gnats. Laying dazzling blue eggs like an immense celestial robin, the nebula alters its shape over the span of aeons, as if to hide its intentions from the transient eyes of human generations."I liked this line: "Our own galaxy is a member of an assembly that we call, with an epic lack of imagination, the Local Group."On Jupiter: "It's worth buying a telescope for this giant world alone. Try it out. If you're not satisfied with the view, return the instrument. Galileo had to deny what he saw for fear of death. The refund policy at your store is probably less intimidating."Berman writes from the standpoint that I really enjoy: that observations can be made which support profound concepts in astronomy. He is first and formost an observer, with naked eye, binocular or telescope. What can I say except perhaps the ultimate compliment: Bob Berman is saying in his book what I would say if I had the time and the talent.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful book
Review: I have been in amateur astronomy for 15 years, and this is one of my favorite books, for beginner or astronomy hobbyist. This is, mercifully, NOT a textbook. You can learn your way around the sky with Raymo's "365 Starry Nights" (also an excellent book), but Berman supplies the humor. The beauty of the night sky is, unfortunatly, a "secret," as few people know anything about it! Let Bob Berman describe the scene up there, get yourself a star chart, and get outdoors!
Rating:
Summary: I have read this book >20 times
Review: I have re-read this book at least 20 times. The thing that I like about this book is that it tells about esoteric things (how much more esoteric can you get than "10 million light-years away"?) in a real and relevant way. With every reading, my respect and awe for the night sky increases. I swear that every reading is filled with new "aha"s. This weekend I'm going out to buy a BIG telescope (per the author's recommendations)--totally based on the new enthusiasm I have developed from reading this book. Buy it!
Rating:
Summary: Utterlly Brilliant!
Review: I just finished reading Bob Berman's "Secrets of the Night Sky" and am still savoring the incredible wit and wealth of information. This book is amazingly packed with an endless stream of deep insights and metaphors perfectly packaged with Berman's outstanding style of writing. I say it's brilliant because Berman has found a way to explore the complexities of the cosmos in a contiguous flow of wit and conversation. Reading this book is exercise for the mind. The constant output of clever analogies and mind-probing scenarios are ingenious. The illustrations, though crude, are brilliant. They are a study all by themselves. For beginners and ametures alike, it is an abosolute must read! I'm still trying to find a hardback edition for my library. I can't say it enough . . . "bravo Mr. Berman!"
Rating:
Summary: Utterlly Brilliant!
Review: I just finished reading Bob Berman's "Secrets of the Night Sky" and am still savoring the incredible wit and wealth of information. This book is amazingly packed with an endless stream of deep insights and metaphors perfectly packaged with Berman's outstanding style of writing. I say it's brilliant because Berman has found a way to explore the complexities of the cosmos in a contiguous flow of wit and conversation. Reading this book is exercise for the mind. The constant output of clever analogies and mind-probing scenarios are ingenious. The illustrations, though crude, are brilliant. They are a study all by themselves. For beginners and ametures alike, it is an abosolute must read! I'm still trying to find a hardback edition for my library. I can't say it enough . . . "bravo Mr. Berman!"
Rating: 
Summary: Mediocre but maybe it's just me
Review: I really wasn't too impressed with this work with respect to either content or quality of writing. I would recommend this as good introductory material to people who don't pursue stargazing or amateur astronomy at all. But for those of you with at least a good appreciation for the night sky: you've likely read or heard most of this stuff before. It seemed to me like a book version of a Discovery channel TV show about space: diluted for mass consumption, overly dramatic in some parts, containing mostly basic information that enthusiasts of the hobby already know, and in general leaving a lot to be desired. I don't intend to make this review come across as scathingly negative. After all, I did give it three stars. There were a few interesting bits of information, e.g. speculation on the African Dogon tribe's knowledge of Sirius' companion. I was simply expecting more from a book that got great reviews otherwise, and what I read was decidedly "average"! Your money is better spent elsewhere. For the amateur or even very-interested layman, I would recommend Burnham's Celestial Handbook as a near-perfect melding of technical data on celestial objects and wonderfully descriptive notes. That three-volume work is simply a requirement for every stargazer's library.
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