"Letters from an Astrophysicist," Neil deGrasse Tyson, 2019

For a number of years, Neil deGrasse Tyson’s personal email address was publicly-available, and, as one might expect, he received lots of emails!  People wrote him to ask questions about a wide range of subjects including science, education, parenting, and religion.  Interestingly, Tyson took the time to write back. 

If I read it correctly, he seems to assert that he (eventually) replied to every email he received.  This volume comprises about one hundred such exchanges, and they reveal a great deal about Tyson’s philosophy and his approach to education and society. I found his replies to be consistent, emphasizing a rational, scientific worldview. 

He also comes across as amazingly patient and friendly.  He is uniformly respectful, though when pushed, he pushes back — often using humor to defuse a potentially difficult or unpleasant back-and-forth.  This isn’t a big book; according to Goodreads, the hardcover version is less than 250 pages long (as usual, I read the ebook version).  It’s an easy, lighthearted read, one which I enjoyed from start to finish.  I think it’s well worth your time.

A side note: I once attended Tyson’s “An Astrophysicist Goes to the Movies,” presentation.  In my view, his written “voice” as experienced through this book, is indistinguishable from his in-person “voice.”  I interpret this consistency in style and manner as further evidence of his finely-tuned intellect and genuine passion for education.