A review by jon_i634
Billions & Billions: Thoughts on Life and Death at the Brink of the Millennium by Carl Sagan

4.0

Another great book from the late, great Carl Sagan. Though I think The Demon Haunted World is an overall better book, Billions & Billions is no slouch. Focusing on a variety of topics such as environmental protection, climate change, abortion, the moral implications of science, and 20th-century progress, Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan's essays are as vital as ever. Some of the information is outdated -- as to be expected from a book largely written in 1996 -- but the lessons he imparts and the questions he raises transcend time to be damningly relevant in 2020. They are largely well-written and are well argued; even if you don't agree with his conclusions, he makes a compelling case for whatever he is writing about. However, Sagan seemed to repeat himself a lot more here than in The Demon Haunted World, thus can be a little monotonous to read some of the middle chapters. What few quibbles I have with the book are almost overshadowed by the final few chapters. They were just incredible. Written towards the end of his struggle with myelodysplasia, Sagan writes with such empathy and emotion that it's hard not to get teary-eyed at points. He truly practiced what he preached until the very end. Billions & Billions is a touchingly personal and worthy capstone to the storied career of a globally influential advocate for science and reason, as well as a personal hero.